June 30, 2004

Banned books

There is knitting content to come, however I came across this list when I was surfing through other people's lists of blog's they like to read. I always end up adding a few more to my ever expanding list.

Anyways, the banned book list came from Katie at knitty kitty.

Scary Stories (Series) by Alvin Schwartz
Daddy’s Roommate by Michael Willhoite
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
Harry Potter (Series) by J.K. Rowling
Forever by Judy Blume
Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson
Alice (Series) by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
Heather Has Two Mommies by Leslea Newman
My Brother Sam is Dead by James Lincoln Collier and Christopher Collier
The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
The Giver by Lois Lowry
It’s Perfectly Normal by Robie Harris
Goosebumps (Series) by R.L. Stine
A Day No Pigs Would Die by Robert Newton Peck
The Color Purple by Alice Walker
Sex by Madonna
Earth’s Children (Series) by Jean M. Auel
The Great Gilly Hopkins by Katherine Paterson
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle ***
Go Ask Alice by Anonymous ***
Fallen Angels by Walter Dean Myers
In the Night Kitchen by Maurice Sendak
The Stupids (Series) by Harry Allard
The Witches by Roald Dahl
The New Joy of Gay Sex by Charles Silverstein
Anastasia Krupnik (Series) by Lois Lowry
The Goats by Brock Cole
Kaffir Boy by Mark Mathabane
Blubber by Judy Blume ***
Killing Mr. Griffin by Lois Duncan
Halloween ABC by Eve Merriam
We All Fall Down by Robert Cormier
Final Exit by Derek Humphry
The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood
Julie of the Wolves by Jean Craighead George
The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison
What’s Happening to my Body? Book for Girls: A Growing-Up Guide for Parents & Daughters by Lynda Madaras
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Beloved by Toni Morrison
The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton
The Pigman by Paul Zindel
Bumps in the Night by Harry Allard
Deenie by Judy Blume
Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes
Annie on my Mind by Nancy Garden
The Boy Who Lost His Face by Louis Sachar
Cross Your Fingers, Spit in Your Hat by Alvin Schwartz
A Light in the Attic by Shel Silverstein
Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
Sleeping Beauty Trilogy by A.N. Roquelaure (Anne Rice)
Asking About Sex and Growing Up by Joanna Cole
Cujo by Stephen King
James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl
The Anarchist Cookbook by William Powell
Boys and Sex by Wardell Pomeroy
Ordinary People by Judith Guest
American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis
What’s Happening to my Body? Book for Boys: A Growing-Up Guide for Parents & Sons by Lynda Madaras
Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret by Judy Blume ***
Crazy Lady by Jane Conly
Athletic Shorts by Chris Crutcher
Fade by Robert Cormier
Guess What? by Mem Fox
The House of Spirits by Isabel Allende
The Face on the Milk Carton by Caroline Cooney
Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut
Lord of the Flies by William Golding
Native Son by Richard Wright
Women on Top: How Real Life Has Changed Women’s Fantasies by Nancy Friday
Curses, Hexes and Spells by Daniel Cohen
Jack by A.M. Homes
Bless Me, Ultima by Rudolfo A. Anaya
Where Did I Come From? by Peter Mayle
Carrie by Stephen King
Tiger Eyes by Judy Blume ***
On My Honor by Marion Dane Bauer
Arizona Kid by Ron Koertge
Family Secrets by Norma Klein
Mommy Laid An Egg by Babette Cole
The Dead Zone by Stephen King
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain
Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison
Always Running by Luis Rodriguez
Private Parts by Howard Stern
Where’s Waldo? by Martin Hanford
Summer of My German Soldier by Bette Greene
Little Black Sambo by Helen Bannerman
Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett
Running Loose by Chris Crutcher
Sex Education by Jenny Davis
The Drowning of Stephen Jones by Bette Greene
Girls and Sex by Wardell Pomeroy
How to Eat Fried Worms by Thomas Rockwell
View from the Cherry Tree by Willo Davis Roberts
The Headless Cupid by Zilpha Keatley Snyder
The Terrorist by Caroline Cooney
Jump Ship to Freedom by James Lincoln Collier and Christopher Collier

I am definately going to have to check more of these books out. Some of the one's on the list shock me. Judy Blume anyone? MY goodness. Banning books that people can actually relate to? Where a young adult (aka teenager) can open the pages of a book and discover that they are not the only one's out there with questions about themselves and life in general. "Go Ask Alice" is still one of my all time favorite reads. Its a depressing book. But it is a book that I can relate to. When I first read it I was just discovering drugs. Although never as heavily into it as she was, the book touched home with me. It is a book that I keep a copy of always. 'A wrinkle in time" is another one of those books that for me, is still a favorite read. I can't even begin to imagine what it is that got this book banned. I am beginning to think that the people who bann books are on crack. I mean it. Now I do understand the "Sleeping Beauty" Series. Though it is not a set of books that I would bann, they would just go in the 'adult' section since I have read these books many times myself and sure the content is X - rated it is still a style of writing that I enjoy and the themes are one's that I found ... inspiring (perhaps I reveal too much of myself but screw it!)

What amazes me is that these books are banned and yet children can turn on the television and see people having sex with a click of the remote control. Before, it would be kept to subscription channels, now it is on normal stations. Furthermore, if the theory of mind control and the parallel with Hitler in a "wrinkle in time" is so shocking then perhaps we need to bann the History channel. Better yet, lets bann the whole Discovery network because they just might air something that allows the children of the world the opportunity to think for themselves, to form their own opinions, to say "I didn't like that book or perhaps bring the book to their parents and want to have a discussion about how it made them feel or what thoughts were stirred up from it. Heaven forbid our children read a piece of literary work and see it for what it is .. fiction.

**stepping down from the soap box, thoroughly riled, and never ever planning to use this blog as a place to vent, but hey, things change, you don't like it, don't read it ... you have the choice***

June 27, 2004

stash organization

Tonight I spent a bit of time organizing my stash of yarn. My goodness do I have a TON of yarn. I mean ... A TON. I have yarn I had forgotten about. OMG. But I feel no guilt. I'm just pondering what / when i'll knit it up. I had bought some of the sweater bags that you vacuum the air out of. Filled them all up from the yarn that was in my two dressers. And I still have enough yarn to fill the dressers up again at least five more times.

Anyways, I have been looking for the right color to blend in the browns that I want to end my Charlotte with. It has been killing me that I haven't found the right color. But alas. Guess what happens when you go through your yarn? YOU FIND THE COLOR YOU WERE LOOKING FOR.

So I am now a happy camper.

June 26, 2004

a little of this and a whole lotta charlotte

First, lets start off with a little of this ... perhaps a new concept for this fiber addicted one. The picture was taken this morning and I thought instantly of 'Atlas Shrugs' by Ann Rand. The yarn ball being supported by the hand, just like Atlas supported the world. But lets not get into all that scholastic stuff. This is about knitting after all! I just like the way that the photo turned out. It is a ball of bamboo from The Southwest Trading Company. It has more pull to it than linen but it has the texture of linen. It is an interesting yarn to work with. The texture is not soft and supple yet it has potential once it is washed. I can tell though from the little bit that i have done that it will have a gorgeous drape to it.

And know for Charlotte. I may not have been knitting tons but I have been knitting. On Thursday I spent a glorious day doing nothing but knitting things. First off I started off the day going to Angel Hair Yarn for a meeting. And then it was off to Sheila's opening day of her store Threaded Bliss Yarns. A very beautiful store and she has done a great job. If you haven't read about her trials and tribulations and successes of her store you can read about it on her blog. Then it was back to Angel Hair (yes after purchasing more yarn at Sheila's) to sit and knit for awhile longer. There is a couch in the store that was my camping out place. I had my iced tea and cellphone along with some great music. Friends pretty much left me alone to knit since I was working on Charlotte and needed some quality time with her do work on her properly. Whats that? Pardon? Oh you want pictures. Well lets see, will this do?

she is halfway done, perhaps a bit more now. I have been quite dedicated to working on her the past few days. The color changes were happening quicker in the beginning and slowing down now towards the end. I have the color that I am going to be using at the end which is a beautiful brown that is like koigu from Cherry Tree Hill Yarn. My only conundrum that I am in is figuring out how to get to that color, I have a few choices and will be playing with them as I get closer to my next color change.

For those of you doing Charlotte, I have rewritten the pattern because it was easier for me to understand. IF you are currently working on Charlotte and would like the rewrite please email me. I told a few people that I would send it to them BUT I don't remember who!! So just drop me a line. But like I said, You have to already be working on it and OWN the pattern. Its not the whole pattern just the pattern repeat.

Its off to do a bit more knitting. I know I've said this before, But I am going to post more, even if it ISN'T about knitting.

June 19, 2004

an essay on the inability to finish a project

An essay on the inability to finish a project

The issues involving the inability to finish a project has been a popular topic amongst scholars for many years. I really, really like the inability to finish a project . Given that its influence pervades our society, there are just not enough blues songs written about the inability to finish a project . It is estimated that that the inability to finish a project is thought about eight times every day by global commercial enterprises, obviously. Relax, sit back and gasp as I display the rich tapestries of the inability to finish a project .

Social Factors

Society begins and ends with the inability to finish a project . When blues legend 'Bare Foot D' remarked 'awooooh eeee only my dawg understands
me' [1] he must have been referning to the inability to finish a project . No symbol is more potent than the inability to finish a project in society today. It provides standards by which we may judge our selves.

When one is faced with people of today a central theme emerges - the inability to finish a project is either adored or despised, it leaves no one undecided. Society is powered by peer pressure, one of the most powerful forces in the world. As long as peer pressure uses its power for good, the inability to finish a project will have its place in society.

Economic Factors

Derived from 'oikonomikos,' which means skilled in household management, the word economics is synonymous with the inability to finish a project . Of course, the inability to finish a project fits perfectly into the Simple-Many-Pies model, a lovely model.

Indisputably there is a link. How can this be explained? Even a child could work out that the average wage will eventually break free from the powerful influence of the inability to finish a project , but not before we see a standardised commercial policy for all. Strong fluctuations in investor confidence have been seen over the past two financial years.

Political Factors

The media have made politics quite a spectacle. Comparing the electoral politics of most Western and Eastern European countries is like comparing playing with a puppy and singing with a blackbird.

We cannot talk of the inability to finish a project and politics without remembering the words of the star of stage and screen Aaron B. Adger 'The success of any political system can only truly be assessed once the fat lady has sung.' [2] He was first introduced to the inability to finish a project by his mother. If I may be as bold as to paraphrase, he was saying that 'political ideals are built on the solid cornerstoneof the inability to finish a project .'

Conclusion

To conclude the inability to finish a project is, to use the language of the streets 'Super Cool.' It collaborates successfully, applauds greatness and most importantly it perseveres.

As a parting shot here are the words of super-star Wyclef Cruise: 'the inability to finish a project is the new rock and roll! And the new opera!' [3]

[1] Bare Foot D - Classic - 1967 Stinton Records

[2] Adger - Politics Per Day - 2000 Jinder Publishing

[3] Weekly the inability to finish a project - Issue 54 - Rhino Media

this essay was inspired by Annie of the knitty gritty who was inspired by Lisa from blog dog blog. The essay is courtesy of the essay generator!

a cocktail for us all

June 17, 2004

~spooky theme song~

ummmmm has a ghost taken over, have the knitting goddesses turned their backs on me? hmmmmmm

the background color is back to normal

so weird

June 16, 2004

color?

I have no clue why the color has changed from its pretty pink to this color, so you will just have to bear with it for now.

On other happenings,

I haven't been updating because I haven't been knitting much, well okay I've been knitting but I just haven't been completing and I would hate to bore you all with the dirty details of what has kept me from knitting.

Charlotte, I've got about 50 more rows to go. Not too bad, if you don' t look at the fact that there are more stitches after each row!!

Everything else? well its just there. I'll update again this week. When I am more in the mood!!!

June 1, 2004

secret knitting pal revealed

Hear Ye Hear Ye The secret knitting pal has been revealed!

My secret knitting pal was Cheryl from Knitpulsive. If you haven't checked her out do so!!

as for my wonderful SKP ... she revealed herself to me today!! Thank you so much for the gifts that you have given ... they have gone to good use. Especially the soap and the stuff for my feet! Since i've started wearing heels to work i've had to pamper myself more.

I have to admit that i loved doing the SKP thing. It was so much fun. Plus, finding things that my pal would like. It made it so much fun. Definately something that i would do again!!