Knitting Olympics 2010 open

This is how much I've gotten done on my Knitting Olympics project. It will be a baby blanket for a friend, a feminist expecting a boy.

The center is a square of this pink/navy yarn, then a ring of white, a ring of baby blue, then white, etc as you can see going outward.

I also bought this yarn, because I just love the combo of blue/green/yellow/white. I guess I'll use it for another blanket another time. Someone I know is bound to have another baby sometime.

Ah, brainy not just busty

seen on a car on the way home yesterday. added bonus, her legs are realistic size if not the waist

Knitting Olympics

Just signed up. Look at this list of participants!

The Knitting Olympics is run by the Yarn Harlot. Details here, including the link to sign up.

Per the Yarn Harlot's post linked above, this is how the KO works:

Eligibility: Any knitter who, embracing the "Citius, Alitius Fortius" ideal, would like to challenge themselves while embracing the Olympic spirit, and is just whacked enough to play along with me.
Concept: You must cast on a project during the Opening Ceremonies of the Winter Olympics, Friday, February 12, 2010 and finish before the Olympic flame goes out Sunday, February 28. That's 17 days.
Rules:
1. The project must be a challenge for you to complete in 17 days.
2. There are no rules about what a challenge would be. Like the real Olympics, there are many areas to compete in. If you are a new knitter, then a garter stitch baby sweater might do...If you are experienced, use your own conscience.
3. While this is intended to be somewhat difficult (like the Olympics) it is not intended to ruin your life. Don't set yourself up for failure. (Olympic athletes may cry, but they do not whine pitifully, sob and threaten members of their family with pointed sticks because they haven't slept in five days. ) This is intended to (like the Olympics) require some measure of sacrifice, and be difficult, but it should be possible to attain.
4. No casting on before the flame is lit. (The opening ceremonies run from 6-8 pst. If you can't watch, then I'd pick a time in there.)
5. Finish before the flame goes out.
6. You may swatch before the games. (I consider this "training.")

I'll be making a baby blanket for a friend who's due in March. Her baby shower is Feb 25, before the end of the Olympics. So the challenge for me will be speed, not level of knitting difficulty.

Progress pictures will be posted as I go.

Looking for Book Recommendations

This is what I'm looking for - a book that's like the show Leverage or the movie Ocean's Eleven. Lighthearted, witty, heist/caper. Female characters that are more than just the protagonist's love interest. It would be great if the main character was a woman. of color. And passes the Bechdel test: 2 women have a conversation that's not about a man. Only I would want there to be 2 main characters who are women who have a significant conversation that's not about a man.

I like the Ocean's Eleven movie, as it's full of male eye-candy. However, it was full. of. males. the only female character was played by Julia Roberts and she was the love interest wanted by the male protagonist and the male antagonist.

Leverage, on the other hand, the protagonists are evenly divided between men and women, now that they've added Tara. Who I hope stays. I like that Jeri Ryan is clearly 40 years old and is not classically beautiful. You can see her wrinkles and still pulls off playing the hottie. The women and men are equal partners in pulling off the heist/caper.

So, I'm looking for a book like the show Leverage. Light in tone, not some dark thriller. And no cozy murder mysteries please.

Suggestions?

Super Bowl Ads: Misogyny on Display

Last night I "watched" the Superbowl. That is, Husband was watching it in an adjascent room while I carved on my pottery. I looked up for the commercials, since there's so much hype about them that they have become a pop phenomenon.

The hostility towards women and the insults aimed as women were really clear. Slate's Ad Report Card, written by a man, comments about them here.

The most egregious examples are:

In an ad for the Dodge Charger, men stare into the camera with expressions of either defeated resignation or seething resentment. "I will be civil to your mother, I will put the seat down," goes one section of the voiceover litany—much of which centers on how unbearable it is for men to listen to the opinions of, and on occasion respect the wishes of, women. The Charger is billed as "man's last stand." Not long after, an ad for Flo TV declares that when a man goes shopping with his girlfriend she has "removed his spine." He is urged to "change out of that skirt." Is it me, or was this year's dose of casual misogyny a little rawer and angrier than usual? Are men feeling especially threatened by the fragile economy and by the fact that the vast majority of job losses have afflicted traditionally male, working-class strongholds like manufacturing and construction (the kind of guys I picture wanting … a Dodge Charger)?

The comments in the Slate post also note the misogyny.

The Google ad, on the other hand, was really nice and sweet. And the NFL had Mark Sanchez do an ad spotlighting women's heart disease, which is often overlooked.

Trip Deferred

Next week, Husband and I were to go to New York City to celebrate his 40th birthday. However, he's been called into trial (he's a lawyer) for the Monday after we would get back.

No one else on his team can do the trial, so we've cancelled the trip so he can prepare.

Now I'm trying to think of something we can do in town so he can still mark this life milestone.

You Don't Own Me

The topic of the Crankshaft comic on Sunday was protest songs. Click here for a link to see the comic.

Here's the gist of the comic. The husband is e-mailing back and forth with a friend about the best protest songs. Suggestions include "We Shall Overcome" and "My Land is Your Land" The wife says her favorite protest song is "You Don't Own Me" by Lesley Gore.

So I looked it up and here are the lyrics:

You don't own me
I'm not just one of your many toys
You don't own me
Don't say I can't go out with other boys

And don't tell me what to do
Don't tell me what to say
And please when I go out with you
don't put me on display

Cuz ... you don't own me
Don't try to change me in any way
You don't own me
Don't try to cuz I'll never stay

I don't tell you what to say
I don't tell me what to do
So just let me be myself
That's all I ask of you

I'm young and I love to be young
I'm free and I love to be free
To live my life the way I want
To say and do whatever I please...