Personal DNA

Genuine Visionary

This was a very interesting 20 minutes exercise which was a little too bang on for my comfort. How do they do that?

I'm way too proper...

Mingle² - Online Dating

It seems even though I have a foul mouth which occasionally utters very inappropriate and nasty things - I am only PG in real-life blogland. Miss Manners would be proud and I was dinged for using the word sexy. - lol

I so need to just be 'me' more and call it for how I see it. Who needs decorum and politeness.

I am coming to the realization that as I am aging I am becoming prudish. Pretty funny considering I've been teaching sexual health education for years and counselling women around their reproductive choices. What does this say about me and the changes I am experiencing....perhaps this is the "normal" path for women in their mid 30's...either that or I'm coming to terms with being the mother to an attractive 16 year old daughter who is going to start to engage in all life has to offer sooner rather than later. Thoughts???

What finger are you?

You Are the Index Finger

You are ambitious, driven, and capable. You aren't afraid to take responsibility for your actions - or place the blame on whoever deserves it. You are honest, free thinking, and objective. You see things in your own way - and you aren't afraid to let everyone know about it. You get along well with: The Thumb Stay away from: The Ring Finger

What Finger Are You?

I normally wouldn't give Vanity Fair Magazine the time of day....

however, even I was drawn into the Africa July Issue.
I bought the Oprah & Gates Issue after perusing all of the magazine covers trying to find the Maya Angelou one...


I have to admit I have thing for Maya Angelou - her writing, her poetry, how she lives her life - so honestly. She has come from such humble beginnings and has remained such a genuinely human being - with a very gently nature.

Either way I gave in buying what I would normally not consider a particularly intellectual magazine, only to find some excellent stories. I especially liked the interview of Archbishop Desmond Tutu by of all people brad Pitt. Both were thoughtful, honest, and humorous. I also really like the story on Jeffrey Sach's - who seems to be not only incredibly bright, but solution oriented - he reminds me of fellow Canadian and AIDS fighting machine Stephen Lewis - a man with conviction and a dream to change the world for those living with HIV/AIDS.

When reading magazine's like this one, I feel a part of my soul being drawn out - I want so badly to hop on a plane and leave the creature comforts of my life and serve people who so desperately need help. I made a promise to myself that when Olyvia and Taylor have both gotten settled in University to take a sabbatical from wherever I am employed at that time and go to India or Africa and serve some of the women and children living in deplorable conditions. I always come back to the fact that my life is no more valuable that that of any other human on this planet and so when I read these stories, I question the truthfulness of my life. It pushes me to look harder at myself, how and what I spend, how honestly I live and why I am here doing what I am doing.

I wonder how many other people do this type of questioning and how many others feel a genuine sense of guilt for being born here, in this time and place and not in a country where women are treated like posessions to be sold, traded, abused, raped, killed, maimed, starved, abandoned, ignored, like shit. The unequity is astounding and I just want to do my part to contribute to righting the wrongs....however long that takes.

Damn Alpaca! Damn! Damn! Damn!

OK so I was drawn in by its beauty - that damn blush coloured blue sky alpacas alpaca. Not the company or the wools fault really that it just feels like butter in your hands when you knit it or that its sheer beauty draws you in and makes you want to knit non stop, but I have had a series of unfortunate events occur non-stop since I started knitting with her.

If you remember some time ago (back in April at the DKC Knitters Frolic)I bought eight skeins of the most beautiful blush coloured baby alpaca/silk wool and also purchased a lovely ribbon shell pattern. Now I have been quite excited that a) I would be knitting my very first article of body clothing (not including hats, scarves, socks and the such)and b) that I would be knitting with such a beautiful luxury fibre - how was I to know what I was getting myself into.

I have been happily knitting, albeit slowly, but knitting away this beautiful shell, and even after a small miscount with the front not quite being ample enough to fit my bosom and frogging it back and refinishing it again, I finally finished both back and front and got to start the exciting process of finishing the construction. I really do mean exciting as for me I knew that another few hours meant I would be ready to block, dry and then actually wear something I knit. How wrong I was....

The knitting G-dess seeing me in a state of sheer and utter joy at the thought of finishing an actual garment, decided that now was a good time to smite me (for a knitting lesson). I have finished the border on the collar and then started to work on the border on the cap part of the shoulders. Once I had finished one side I couldn't resist. I had to try it on at least over my head just to see how my beautiful shell was going to look....and then I realized that there was a problem....a big problem....

I am a curvy lady - always have been and anticipate that I always will be. For once I had given enough room for my bosom, however what I noticed was that the beautiful border I just completed on shoulder one - did not allow enough space for my arm to fit and also allow me space to close the side seam. This was something I did not anticipate...my arm was to .....dare I say too big... for my shell. I tried and tried to figure it out and then could only assume that I'd cast off much too tightly and that if I re-cast off the end of my border then all would be good. rather than focus on that negativity I started to knit shoulder two's border thinking I would test my theory rather than manage all that frogging negativity only to find that even with a generous (loose) cast off - it still didn't fit. I am just gobsmacked!!! I've had to set the shell aside again until next Monday's Stitch n' Bitch (where I can seek help from other knitterly guru type folks) as otherwise I am unsure I could trust myself not to turn in a moderately angry and bitter knitter - and really who wants to deal with that. **SIGH**



On a slightly happier note, I am back knitting one of my TTC Knit-a-Long purchases - a shell in Rowan damask in Zircone. I have been trying to knit this since the Knit-A-Long, but have had to frog it a few times. Maybe this fresh new start a couple of weeks later and some perspective will help.



Also super excited that Dishrag tag is starting to pick up steam. Fabulous Dorothy -has just started a team blog . I anticipate good things will come of this. Hope everyone has been enjoying the great weather.