There's a lady I know on Facebook who spends a lot of time posting hateful things about the Republican candidate and profound love of the current president and telling all the conservatives how screwed up the GOP is and how we shouldn't vote for him, blah blah. I wouldn't care so much if she was just a staunch democrat and felt compelled to voice her opinion as is her right as an American...except that she's not an American. She's Canadian. Never once, that I can remember, has she ever said anything about the politics in HER OWN country!
Then, she just posted a "comic" that features a young girl asking her mother, 'What did you do in the War on Women?' Ever-so-tempted was I to respond, "Why, dear, I did the right thing by NOT returning to my shitty $8 per hour job and dump you in day care like all the other mommies do because that's what society has told us we should do." Personally, I think that telling women that they should choose their careers over family qualifies as heavy ammunition in the war on women. Over the past few years, we have been told that being feminine and maternal is somehow wrong and that we should do our best to stifle that urge to nurture. That staying home is selling out--and they pander to us by saying that it's a "noble choice" or that we're "the hardest working". They have no idea...but I don't choose it for the accolades. I choose it because it's the right thing to do. I know that sometimes it's necessary for moms to go back to work to make ends meet, so I don't hold it against anyone who NEEDS to work, and I applaud any mom who arranges her work hours so that they are only absent from home when the kids are.
Girl Scouts, likewise, is leading another battle in the War on Women by removing many of the "traditional" feminine arts and replacing them with being a saleswoman, a marketing expert, a financial wizard--all based around selling cookies. They've removed all the fiber arts from the curriculum from Daisies through Cadettes (1st thru 7th grades). No knitting, sewing, weaving, needlework...nothing. Most girls drop out by Middle School, only a few very dedicated girls continue beyond 5th grade.
OK, end of rant.
I made 10 looms yesterday in anticipation of the cardweaving class Bekah and I will be teaching next weekend. They are all lightweight, portable looms on which to make card woven pieces that can hold an infinite amount of woven material...if you know how to wrap up the strings properly so they don't tangle up. I suppose if you had a comb you could make all the strings lie down and behave even better...something I'd have to incorporate in the Loom 3.0 version.
This is how it looks with the weaving on it. The strings zig-zag through the wooden blocks to create tension and the wing nuts hold them down. Everything I used were from the scrap bins in the garage--most of it was leftover from the yurt project. WIN! After posting a photo of it on FB, I got a note from my future Queen who said that she wants to know if I sell them--she wants to have one for herself. Since the pieces were so cheap, I said that I'm going to make one for her, but of course, I'll have to do an extra-nice job on it...it's for "Royalty" after all. Maybe I'll even sand down all the edges and oil it up. :)
This weekend is going to be fairly laid back--no serious plans other than watching the Sounders game tomorrow. Maybe I can get a few more 9-patches made. I've gotten about 50 made so far...I lost count when I made a few more the other day. 81 with sashing will make a King size quilt. And this is just the 3 1/2" squares. I have five gallons of 5" squares, too. I see a few more scrap quilts in my future...
I have been hiding political posts on FB for months now--I don't care which party, I hide them all. I'm so ready for the election to be over. Both parties suck these days because they're all bought politicians by the time they get there.
ReplyDeleteI'm interested in how the loom works. It looks far more portable than the one I bought forever ago. =)
Sadly, the first job I took (during school hours, once my youngest started Kindergarten) was in a day care center. It was horrible. I don't care how wonderful a child care provider may be, they just aren't Mom and when you witness children sobbing because they miss their parents it breaks your heart. Not everyone has the luxury to stay home. I know that it was a real struggle for us, but it was a choice we made and I'd do the same thing if I had to do it all over again. There is a finite amount of years to childhood and it's my goal to spend as much time as possible with my kids now (they might consider it stalking). Hence, Brian and I attending Anime' conventions, dressing up, going to football games, etc.
ReplyDeleteYou and I are of the same mind when it comes to politics. I sometimes wish that all tax-paying, non-criminal Americans over the age of 35 would be entered into a lottery to fill political positions. The career politicians seem to have made an art out of being non-productive.
That's a crazy amount of quilt squares! You go girl!