Tuesday, October 17, 2006

The World Tour's Latest Stop - New Button Gizmo Things

The World Tour moved along today with another failure. The Tuesday lunch time group to meets at the Barnes and Nobles in Down Town Pittsburgh was not there today. I talked with the staff and none of them knew about the group. Well another email to the people at Pittsburgh Knitting telling them they need to take someone off their schedule. Grumble, Grumble, Grumble

By the way I am wondering how many people are attending regular knitting groups. I am up to attending nine groups a week. Well not really but my wife says I do. Still, knitting is cheaper than golf. If you are married to a golfer you know what I mean. And I get o dress better than a golfer.

If you are attending a good group let me know. Especially if it is in the Pittsburgh area.

On other subjects I need an excuse to get some html for some more of those flag button pictures. So here are some more countries that have visited this blog. And well a couple that have not. By the way if you have any of the aqua flag buttons send them my way. I have tried to down load them but cannot. I have not bee able to find the original source for them.

Anyway just after Turkey is now Estonia, ESTONIA. If someone from Estonia is reading this let me know. By the way Estonia is kicking France’s tokus. As the only American that loves France I am disappointed. But you go Estonia.


Also Germany is beating up on France. Alright I know there are several jokes in that first statement. I will not go there. I am a mature citizen of the world. Still, Das Gut.


Italy is now tied with France. One of my wife’s fantasies is to attend cooking school in Tuscany. So I am not sure how I feel about the country my wife wants to run away to. Well nice pasta and I know you have nothing to do with pizza.


Also tied with France is the Netherlands. They just showed up in the last couple days and now they are ready to pass up France.



Also catching up with the French is Austria. Thanks for the Governor of Kalifornia.




Also neck and neck with the French is Norway. Welcome I can’t think of anything to funny to say about Norway.



Some of you may recognize this flag. It is my home just because I found it out there. We do have a really cool flag.



This is a button for Ghana. Well no one has visited for Ghana. Still they also have a really cool Flag. Go Black Stars.



Well Rule Britannia.




Everyone be safe out there and keep your stick on the ice.

Yarm Man: The case of the Yarn Nazi and the Terrified Hippes - Part 2

We join Yarn Man as he fights for his life and the lives of the Bee Hive knitting Hippies and Grannies. The six story tall Elisabeth Zimmerman Cyborg if destroying the South Side block by block. Her ultimate goal to rid the world of English style knitting was one step closer.

The evil Yarn Nazi Gary Busey stepped through the door of the Bee Hive to menace the scared Hippies. He gnashed his over sized teeth at Yarm Man as he waited for Zimmerman to finish her evil life’s work from beyond the grave.

Yarn Man reached down to his belt looking for a weapon to use against the evil automaton. Alas his belt was just a belt.

“What do you mean my belt is just a belt?” asked a confused Yarn Man.

“You are Yarn Man not Bat Man the utility belt is copy written by DC comics.”

“You can turn Elisabeth Zimmerman into a city destroying cyborg but you can’t give me a utility belt because of Copywrite law.” stated a frantic Yarn Man as the Cyborg approached kicking a car into Dee’s CafĂ©.

From behind yarn man a shaggy figure emerged from the pile of expensive yarn.

“Yarn Dog” giggled one of the little female hippies with glee.

The Golden Retrieve jogged over to take his place at his master’s side. Yard Dog looked to Zimmerman and then to Yarn Man and whimpered.

“I am not allowed to have a Utility Belt.” stated Yarn Man.

Yarn Dog snarled at the Zimmerman Droid. Sitting back on his hind legs he put up his paws as if he was going to take on the mammoth robot alone.

“I don’t think the Dog-Fu is going to work on that.” injected Yarn Man.

In a single motion Yarn Dog leapt into the air twisting like Bruce Lee as he roundhouse kicked Busey in his gigantor teeth. The evil Yarn Nazi crashed to the ground.

“Good work Yarn Dog. Too bad you can’t Karate shop that thing.”

Yarn Dog sat back on his hind legs again and tapped his collar. Two small arms extended from the collar and placed a set of Teflon coated robotic hands on Yarn Dogs paws.

“The dog gets a utility belt, that is messed up man.” cried Yarn Man.

“It is a utility dog collar” replied the debonair narrator.

Yarn Dog hopped over to one of the Knitting Grannies and took her knitting needles and project with his super dupper opposable thumb gloves, available in stores just in time for Christmas.

“Dude you’re the Narrator, are you selling stuff while my life is in peril?’ questioned Yarn man.

The Narrator ignored him knowing that his cut of the merchandising would pay for his own yarn habit.

With needles in hand Yarn Dog switch the yarn from his right to the left just as the Zimmerman was within a step of their position. Without explanation the metallic monster stopped in mid step.

“Good thinking Yarn Dog, she can’t kill anyone knitting Continental Style.”

The Zimmerman placed her foot down and leaned over to look at the knitting dog. The great mass of metal and knitting furry closed her helmet and looked to the sky.

Without a moment to spare her rocket pack activated and she flew into the sky above the city of Steel.

“That’s it” whined Bret who was still tangled in the Cody Spun.

“Your dog beat up Gary Busey and started knitting and we are all save. Man that was a gyp.”

“Hey I don’t write this, I am just the hero.” commented our girly hero vainly defending the fact that he was shown up by his smarter and better looking dog.

<>
“Hey man that was not necessary.” simpered Arquette unable to deal with his own limitations. <>

So we leave our hero’s as they pick up the pieces in the steel city. Gary Busey would be put away in a federal Basket Weaving Asylum. There he could gnash his teeth at will making small handy crafts for minimum wage. <>

What would become of the Zimmerman Cyborg. Well no one really knows. It is been said that she is teaching knitting at a Joanne’s in Detroit. Still, no one really knows. Tune in next time to see what foe our Hero my face.

Monday, October 16, 2006

Yarn World News

All the News that is reletively fit to print. As long as it had something to do with yarn. Anyone wishing to submit and item email to zeeppo_the_great@yahoo.com

London, England – Flash the world largest ball of Yarn in DuBois, Iowa had been surpassed by what we believed to be a rather large Iranian Immigrant. It turned out it was an Australian Merino Sheep smuggled into London by PETA. When questioned PETA stated they had been hiding the sheep for fifteen years and refused to sheer it. The sheep is being hidden at an undisclosed location because of threats from local Spinners to sheer the sheep.

Lima, Peru – Unidentified sheep bandit strikes, five sheep turn up at a local Motel Seis.

New York, New York, United States – Black Sheep Yarn company is discovered to actually be a very dark Navy Blue.

Sarasota, Florida, United States – Renegade Circus Long Scarf attacks a plain looking Audi Car full of German Tourists. No one is injured although the car was totaled.

Tokyo, Japan – Knit Hello Kitty Doll robs liquor store and only steals chocolate covered candies soak in Grand Marnier.

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States – This is the longest place name in this report.

Sydney, Australia – Knitter who vowed to knit Scarf for Opera House is put into mental institution for observation.

Stay tuned to this blog for the latest in Knitting News.

Sunday, October 15, 2006

Babies - Children - Little People of all Kinds are Welcome.

Tonight I would like to talk about babies for a moment. I have had a couple people ask me if children were welcome at out Knit together on the South Side (see sidebar). The answer is yes even ugly ones (see side picture if you do not believe there are ugly children, or ask my mother). The original knitting groups would meet in the houses of housewives. Babies and small children were part of these groups (Well actually the original knitting groups were all men and met in guild halls were they created some of the finniest textiles ever know. And small boys were pressed into service as apprentice knitters. So there were children at both groups. Is it grammatically correct to put this much in a set of brackets? Well I digress.). So if you have not been coming because there is a little one in your life, pishaw. Bring the little ones and teach them to knit. It is good for them. Besides they are easier to brain wash when they are young.

Charity knitting was good today. And speaking of young ones there were a couple young ladies there with and even younger little boy. Besides being cute kids they were knitting stuff for charity. A good value to instill at any age.

Well I hope everyone liked the comics today. As I said earlier I am open to suggestions. Someone sent me a note about a knitting Cartoon. I checked it out and it is cute. I will probably throw one in next week. And no one got the Lance Lawson Cartoon yet. This one is pretty simple as are they all. It is so obvious that it may be really hard. By the way half the Scooby Do episodes were solved in this manor. So even a pot head like Shaggy has a chance of solving this one.

By the way tune in Tuesday to see if the evil Yarn Nazi Gary Busey is thwarted or not. I always though Mathew Lillard looked like Jake Busey. To bad Jake Busey was not in the Scooby Do movies or that would have been a really cool segway. As it is it is just another tangent I have wondered off on that is irrelevant.

Well I must being going to catching some z’s work comes early in the morning. Be safe out there and keep you stick on the ice.

Saturday, October 14, 2006

Sunday Comics

I do not know what a Sunday Comics Sections has to do with knitting. I do know that between Church & Charity Knitting I do not have much time to put together a post. Well I think this is reletively entertaining and much better drawn than if I had tried to do it myself. Enjoy!


This is me putting together the Sunday Comics Section of this Blog.










Now I know why my cat wants to have pockets. I thought I was loosing my mind when he started projection thoughts of cat with pockets into my mind. Know I know my cat was communicating with me telepathically. Wow that is load off my mind. I am not insane my cat is just projecting his thoughts.

Lance Lawson

The Natasha suggested a contest for my blog. Well here it is. The first person who guesses the right answer wil get their blog listed as the Blog of the week. I will say complimentary things and the link will be there for my highest traffic days Friday and Saturday.


Jerry on the Job

Jerry on the Job is a perfect example of a time before child labor laws. This is a little kid that works in a train station. I have a bunch of these and I have yet to see his house or parents. I think he is some kind of force labor for this Rail Road Tycoon.

This helpful hint comic is for the troops out there. I know all those men serving so valiantly over there are reading this blog. Well at least they are in my mind. These is a Abian Wallgren cartoon from Stars and Stripes, WWI.

Well Savage Chicken just speaks for it self.

Bob the Squirrel

I have been looking for a squirrel cartoon to add to my blog and here it is. I was so desperate I nearly drew one of my own. It was great an opera squirrel. Well I tried to sell it to Steven Bochco. He did not go for it he was still hurt over Cop Rock. By the way if you remeber Cop Rock you are nearly as big a nerd as I am. By the way you can thank Lani over at Punk Rock Knit Girls for saving you from "Peppino the Opera Squirrel".

If anyone has an out of the way cartoon that is not profane I would love to see. I figure I will need quite a few cartoons to do this. Be safe out there and keep your stick on the ice.



He He He He He He

Countries That Have Visited Here

I have found a new feature on the Counter Gizmo. Actually I never really looked at the features until recently. Any way the gizmo will tell you what country the people who are visiting your site are from. I find the neat. So I am noting the people who are visitng this site in this entry.



Number One outside of the USA is Cananda, I always loved Canada after working there for some time I have especially grown fond of Toronto. You have to love a people that came to a continent and said they wanted the frozen part.



Number two is Australia. I have never heard anything bad about Australia. Never been there either. Still, if Paul Hogan is the unofficial ambasador of you natation it must be a happening place.


Number three is the United Kingdom. Besides being the place that half of my ancestry came from it is the third most populace country besides the United States. This is the flag of Scotland and not te United Kingdom. I have not found a flag for the United Kingdom in the round type shape I am looking for. I will paste when I get a good one.



Next up is Finland, I am just as surprised as your. I am going to have to start saying nice things about Finland. Actually I don't think I have said anything bad about Finland. Well here is to Finland you guys are so much cooler than the Dutch.



Next up is Turkey. Well that is just down right unexspected. I figure maybe Ierland would be up next. Any way I think this is really neat. Besides having a really cool flag they are the country that makes a candy I really like. I am sure they know what I am talking about.



Well France you disappoint me. you like Jerry Lewis so much what am i chopped liver.




Sweeden has at least showed up.




?Mexico, Donde Estas?





Well this is just so I can have a button for England.

Friday, October 13, 2006

Bus Knitting - Job Hunting - Clown Wrath

Today was a day full of bus knitting. Once again I am working on a pink scarf. Someone on the Bus asked me if I was knitting for Breast Cancer. Well I am not. Not that I think it is unimportant. As a male I can think of few more horrible things than mastectomies. That is only half a joke.

Moving along I have received many nice comments about Yarn Man. As a programming note I will be posting another installment of Yarn Man on Tuesday. Heck since everyone was so nice I might even edit the next part and fix the grammar and misspellings.

I am also feeling that I am in a position that I may be able to teach knitting classes. In the last month I have taught five people to knit. I have even been able to knit continental enough to teach two of them in this style. Well if anyone knows of a store in the Pittsburgh area that would not mind letting a slightly off male knitter teach. Anyway I have the time and am looking for the diversion and employment.

The most important part of a Master Clown’s duties is teaching Apprentice Clowns. I figure if I can teach people to do dangerous things without killing themselves then I could teach knitting.

I received a notice for Michael’s Yarn Sale. Well I suppose I know what I am doing next week. I may have pedestrian tastes in yarn. Still, they are easily satisfied

I am a bit discouraged by the number of Ring surf Rings that have not gotten back to me. I suppose the virtual world is not as fast as everyone would say. I have also noted that there appear to be no clowns out there who are knitting and reading this blog. Well at least none that want to join the ring that I set up.

When I yahooed clown, knitting, blog the first two blogs that came up suggested that clown were evil in some way. If clowns were really as evil as many think then they would be wise not to post such disparaging things on their blogs. I left comments to the effect that clowns are not evil. One stated something about “Clown in a Blender” type yarn. I warn you all that if the world has come to clown genocide they will unleash a wrath unlike any other. Just ask the mimes what happens when you cross clowns. They are so fearful of our wrath they would not dare even share the details of their defeat.

Oh and by the way on Close to Home tonight they caught a serial killer. He kept trophies of his victems and turned them into a memory quilt. Just remeber the true evil in this world is mimes and quilters. And we have already taken care of the mimes.

Moving along I would like to thank everyone who has been complimentary of the Yarn Man thing. I hope part two will meet your expectations.

Be safe out there and keep your stick on the ice.
Today I my mother's birthday. I am not joking it really it.

Thursday, October 12, 2006

Rabbit Day - World Tour News - Fun with Terror

The Yarn Man adventure is two posts down. Check it out if you dare.






Well today is Rabbit Day. I simply could not resist. Today it is Bugs Bunny. I have never personally worked with Mr. Bunny but no Rabbit has so influenced slap stick and comedy in general. This is something that I clown can appreciate more than most.

My world tour had another fruitless stop this evening. The group that meets a Te Café has not met for some time according to the person behind the counter. Of course that could not have been the person that I called before I went out there. Well I suppose finding out that a group is not meeting is just as important on my quest to visit as many knitting groups as possible. Although it is more fun to report that there is an active friendly group.

Doing the math I have a fifty percent failure rate on my World Tour. I was so sad that I had to come home and make my favorite comfort food Macaroni and Cheese with Spam. If I don’t find more groups that are meeting my arteries might begin the harden. By the way needing comfort food is a manly thing. Women stool that from us.

Well if anyone thinks they have a group I should visit let me know.

Oh and as a good citizen and at the behest of Yarn Man I have begun posting the Terror Alert level at the bottom of my side bar. It is just above my counter. By the way the Terror Alert Level was brought to you by the letter “A” and the number “5”.

I am still working on Yarn Man’s costume. Any suggestions?

I have no idea why everything is underlines. Blogger is being funny. Be safe out there and keep you ice.

Tonight's Savage Chicken is in honor of the Hair Cut I did not get tonight.
The first episode of Yarn Man is just bellow this post.

Wednesday, October 11, 2006

Yarn Man 1: The Case of the Yarn Nazis and the Terrified Hippies - Part 1

It was a day like any other in the Steel City. Mother’s baked apple pies and father’s went to work in their gray wool suit. You know a regular Normal Rockwell painting with a stagnate economic base and a tore up down town.

The citizens of da Burg were still basking in the glow of the Super Bowl even though not a single beer bellied over the hill Steelers fan had squat to do with it. While dusk approached the good little Burg Hippies and Knitting Grannies made their way to the Bee Hive for their weekly knitting meeting.

As the good boys and girls pulled out their yarn and needles the over bearing racket of techno music was shattered by a maniacal kackle. The front door was kicked open and a jack booted figure in a gray uniform stomped into the Hive.

“Great Caesar’s Ghost.” exclaimed a terrified little hippie having a Scooby Do flashback.

“It’s Gary Busey, the Yarn Nazi.” she squealed with her Boye needles trembling in her hand.

“Ha, I found you, you hippies. Sipping coffee, unwinding from your day jobs at Giant Eagle you make me sick.”

The gray clad Hollywood Icon reached into his rolling tote and pulled out a skein of cashmere yarn made in the retched sweat shops owned by Kathy Lee Gifford.

“You dead beat hippies knitting with your Red Heart on metal needles make me want to puke. I mean sicker than when my agent tells me I can’t get work for scale plus ten percent. Give me your entire pay check this yarn costs 80 dollars a skein. Do you know how hard Kathy Lee works getting 3 year olds to operate spinning wheels?”

“No I will not knit with it, and the first Lethal Weapon movie sucked most because of you, man.” defiantly stated the brave young hippie through the pot induced haze he lived in.

Bussey pulled out his bamboo size 50s and cracked the hippie across the knuckles.

“Dude, that’s not cool.”

“You try finding your motivation with Mel Gibson calling you a Jew Loving Panzy because you love knitting.” snarled Bussee holding the 50s over the hippy’s head.

“Sorry Dude, I had no idea. Just don’t hit me again, Dude” pleaded the hippy hiding his hands under the table in a defense mechanism he learned in Catholic School.

“Kahn, I will make you pay, Adolf” threatened Bussey halting after every word while using over exaggerated hand motions.

“The name is Bret, Dude”

“Adolf” bellowed Bussey.

“Bret, don’t talk back to him. He is switching into William Shatner mode. He is capable of anything” stated a wise Granny who had read about this horror in the back pages of Rebecca Magazine.

“Not William Shatner mode. Someone call Yarn Man, Dude” cried Bret with all the anguish his little girly voice could muster.

Across the continent a red phone blinked on a Plexiglas end table in a room full of inflatable furniture. Dressed in a black suit Michael Cain entered the room that looked over the beach in Malibu.

“I won and Oscar and I’m playing the bloody butler in this crappy short story. I’m going to throttle my agent when I get back to London.” murmured Caine in a powerful Shakespearan oration that deserves at least a People Choice Award.

“No use kissing up now. You and the rest of your Yank friends can bugger off” grumped the foul mouthed Brit who was still pissed they lost the Revolutionary War.

“You were not the only theater we were fighting in you yober. And do you want me to answer the bleeding Bat Phone or Not?”

“It’s the Yarn Man Phone and yes answer it now.” replied the dashing narrator who lived in the world’s only super power.

“Bloody Yanks, just because you have more missiles than us you think it makes you special.” moaned Caine as he picked up the phone.

“Yarn Boy Headquarters, how may I help you?”

“It is Yarn Man” corrected the narrator.

“Do you honestly think anyone cares?” snapped Caine like Elton John letting into his personal pastry chef.

“Are you calling me a puff you colonial degenerate. Honestly, the things one does for scale plus 20 percent.” whined Caine getting back to the scene on answering the phone.

“Right, you say Gary Bussey is attacking a coffee shop in Pittsburgh. Yes Commissioner, I will get Yarn Man this instant.” forcefully stated the butler pushing an alarm button.

“I hope DC Comics sues you.” quipped Cained because of his deep seated inadequacies about not being American.

“And you wonder why no one likes America.” scratched back Caine like a Valley Girl at a Pravda sale.

As Caine simpered at the Bussey terror that had been unleashed our beaded scruffy hero bounded into the room bouncing off one of the inflated couches and landing near Caine.

“Master Arquette, the Yarn Nazis are attacking Pittsburgh.”

“Holy Home Spun.” snapped David as he jumped to his feet punching his fist into his hand.”

“To the Bat Cave!” exclaimed our dim witted Hero.

“It’s not the Bat Cave! You are Yarn Boy.” corrected Caine.

“Dude you just call me dimwitted?” asked Arquette who could also inexplicable hear the narrator.

“No that is the narrator, David. He thinks he is witty.” simpered Caine with a look of anguish as he knew he was no match for the Narrator’s snappy comeback.

“It’s your bloody story can I just get this dullard into his costume and get on with this drivel.”

The grand old lady of British stage and screen led out hero to a book shelf with every known issue of Tiger Beat.

“See if you get me back for another episode.” grumbled Caine as he pulled the bust of Alfred E. Newman to reveal a secret passage with a fire pole.

“To the Yarn Stash.” excitably stated Arquette jumping down the hole without holding onto the pole.

As he hit the bottom with a thud Caine rode the pole and followed him down.

The climate controlled cave had individually labeled air tight bins tucked neatly onto shelves. Caine stepped over Arquette as he walked over to an oversized Computer Terminal with a jumbotron for a screen. Hitting a couple buttons a rocket powered super sonic jet rose from a hatch in the floor.

Yarn man’s side kick Yarn Dog appeared from an elevator next to the fire pole. Yarn Dog sniffed Arquette as he staggered to his feet.

“How come the dog uses the elevator?” asked Yarn Man as he tied his aquamarine garter stitched mask around his head.

“I believe it is because he is smarter than you.” the elegantly attired golden retriever barked in agreement with Caine.

Mean while back in Pittsburgh Gary Bussey’s cohort had entered the Bee Hive. With a white Chef’s uniform and a soup ladle in hand the approached Bret.

“Didn’t your agent give you the uniform.” question Bussey.

“No he told me you wanted to do the Soup Nazi bit. And since there is no Seinfeld reunion in the works I was desperate.”

“What ever, just do your thing to that impudent little Hippy.”

“No soup for you.” stated the soup I mean Yarn Nazi menacing Bret. Bret gave a confused look at the rest of the group.

“It’s yarn, take his yarn.” screamed Bussey.

“OK, OK your lucky I needed the work.” shrugged the yarn Nazi.

“No yarn for you.” he threatened with his soup spoon and snatched the yarn from Bret.

“Noooooooo,” cried Bret with a primal terror.

Just as it appeared all was lost Yarn Man and his side kick Yarn Dog shoved open the doors to the Bee Hive.

“Unhand that Hippie’s yarn.” demanded Yarn Man.

The Yarn Nazi looked confused.

“You told me this was a bit for a birthday party.”

“You asked for it then.” In a single motion Yarn Man pulled off his pink garter stitched scarf and unfurled it to it’s full length of forty feet. Like Indiana Jones he whipped the yarn from the Yarn Nazi’s hand.

“Are you smoking crack. No one told me some dipstick would be whipping me.” at that the Yarn Nazi stomped out of the Bee Hive smacking Arquette with his spoon as he went.”

Ha ha ha ha ha ha HA” snicker Bussey.

“You have fallen into my trap Yarn Boy” stated Bussey smacking Bret with his needles again.

“It’s Yarn Man,” corrected Arquette whipping the size 50’s from Bussey’s hand.

“Unleash the cyborg.” roared Bussey with a fair amount of criminal glee in his voice.

Some where down Carson Street a thunderous crash could be heard, then another, then another.

The hippies and Yarn Man rushed into the street to see what it was. Had they been smart they would have run for cover. Still, it would not be as entertaining if they did.

The horror of the mechanical form could be seen towering two stories over Jack’s bar. The drunks fled in terror as the six story behemoth crashed first through the façade of the old drunk house.

“English style sucks” cried a thunderous voice from inside the creature’s helmet.

As if able to feel the presence of knitting hippies the leviathan turned to stare down Yarn Man and the hippes that cowered on the side walk infront of the Bee Hive.

As it turned the visor on the helmet opened to reveal the head of what could only be described as evil itself.

“You animal,” yelled Arquette looking into the still open doors of the Bee Hive.

“You reanimated Elisabeth Zimmerman and turned her into a killing machine.”

The Opinionated Cyborg of Knitting death slowly stomped toward them crushing cars as she went.

From a compartment in her torso compartment she pulled a 10 foot wide ball of yarn out.

“Eat expensive wool death” cried Zimmerman as she launched the wool ball of death at the group. It landed on Yarn Dog and Bret flinging them down the block.

Tune in next week to find out if Michael Caine really quits.

Is yarn Dog really dead or is it just a ploy to get you to read next weeks addition?

Find out next time on Yarn Man.


This is an inspiration for my soon to be new Super Hero.

Tuesday, October 10, 2006

Ha ha ha ha HA HA !!!!!!!! Dude

I have been working on swatches for the clown uniform sweater and I have decided that I am obsessing over it. I have knit them in three sizes and am still not pleased with them. I do believe that I will loose my mind soon if I do not settle on a gauge. ARG!!!!

Any way obsession aside I have been attempting to practice continental style knitting. When I originally learned to knit I was told that was the only way to knit. Any way I please to say that despite the arthritis in my left hand I have been able to make a few labored stitches continental style. I don’t know what it is. It does not effect my typing unless I type for many hours.

The last five months I have been doing my old magic exercises and my left hand has felt better than it has in years. Still, the simple task of throwing yarn is almost impossible. A less obsessed person would give up and just knit English style. Well even keeled and able to except limitations is not how I do things. I still think I have a fair shot at growing to be six foot tall even though I am nearly thirty. I could have a growth spurt, I really could.

Well Lionel is singing All Night Long on the Yahoo Radio. I hopefully will not go that long on this entry. Still, as Lionel would say life is good and sweet.

I spent the better part of this evening finishing up the first installment of Yarn Man. It can best be described as a phenomenal waste of time. Much like rambling on about my knitting woes to a group of people I will probably never meet. Although, that is the wonderful thing about this cyber knitting community. You get just a little snippet of other people’s opinion from all over the world.

I logged into the web page link attached to my hit counter. The gizmo actually tells you how many people visit your blog on a daily basis. I find it had to believe that a hundred people a day look at this thing. And Finland tons of people from Finland have read this thing. I have always though of Finland as a slightly brisk European Utopia. I find it hard to believe that is enough boredom in Finland to make this blog look entertaining. Sure I can imagine that kind of angst and self loathing existing in Los Angeles. There must be enough blow laying around on coffee tables out there to even make this look interesting.

Well I digress and apologies to the Californians who may be reading this. I have always enjoyed your state. At one point it was one of the few places in the country you could get good tacos. Foamy was right “Mexico es Muy Bien” although I do like the repetitive Mexican Music. I just imagine Antonia Banderas shooting Gringos with guns concealed in musical instruments. “Mate los Gringos con my guitarra”. I am not really sure where than came from. I should probably apologies to Whitey now. Who am I kidding I should apologize to everyone in general especially the people of Irvine, California. And you know why.

By the way when I was in a band it was just like the Mariachi Movie Antonia did. Except, when our show we just kind of hid from the crowd and no one save the President of Mexico.

Well I think I have wasted enough of your time this evening. Tomorrow will be the first installment of Yarn Man. Be safe out there and keep you stick on the ice.


This may be disturbing. Still it is no where near as horrific as the adventures of Yarn Man. What deep philisophical issue will Yarn man deal with in his first adventure on this blog? Well probably none. Still, I can assure you that the high standard you have become acustom to on this blog will be maintained in Yarn Man Deffender of all things Fluffy.

Monday, October 09, 2006

Happy Thanksgiving

Happy

Thanksgiving

Canada

We are not even going to talk about that Punk Columbus.

A Vision of Weirdness.

It has been a long day. I did not get pictures take but I had a very good time at Hive KNitting. We started off another person on their own knitting adventure. That makes five people we are teaching to knit. Life is good. By the way if you want to learn to knit or Chechet stop by.

By the way I had a vision of weirdness that I will share with you all when it is complete. And if I think it is strange then you know it is not only in left feild it is out of the park. All I will say is that you will either think it is really really cool or really really wrong. I will leave you with the title bar.


Be safe out there and be very very super dupper boggie disco scared.

I hate when a perfectly good DeNiro gets all tore up.

Sunday, October 08, 2006

The five things FeministsHave Done for me.

The Natasha made a comment about a list of five things the feminists had done. I am supposing this was a personal list and so I wanted to take a moment to list what feminism has done for me. You may think it is odd for a male to be posting something like this. Well if you have been reading this blog and you have not figured out it is a little off then you are more tolerant than most of the people I know.

Thing #1
Made the women on Star Trek wear pants. Dag nabbit that it one of the reason men watch. The only way I got through Spock being logical was by knowing Uhura could come into the shot at any time. Well I will have to settle for reruns of Dr. Who with Leela. Gloria Steinem eat your heart out.

Thing #2
Ended barefoot in the Kitchen, well there goes the foot fetish thing.

Thing #3
Convinced Madonna and the goblin Dixie Chick that they had something important to say. There are some people that should just do one thing and not try and be thinkers. That is true for women as well as men. I knew a rather unenlightened person that always said “the world needs ditch diggers”. Well the world also needs people to be pretty and sing. And what is with the English accent? I am not blaming anyone for that it just bothers me for some reason.

Thing #4
Bra Burnings, yes it is a typical male response to something that was deeply symbolic of generation of oppression to focus on the underwear getting burned. Well I am male and what can I say. I am not sure how that did anything to get rid of the glass ceiling; still, it was nice while it lasted.

Thing #5
Debbie Stroller – My mentor Herman Braun had issues with Zimmerman the great knitting woman of her time. Well Debbie you are my Zimmerman. It is a male dominated world and I want knitting back. I can see it now a knitting sections at the Super Bowl, yarn for sale at NASCAR events, needles at Pirate games. Not that I mind that much being out numbered ten to one by women at knitting groups. That part does not bother me. Although Debbie did pretty much skip over the male knitter in her book. It is not about rehabbing knitting’s image so that it fit’s into the image of the on the go woman. It is not some kind of social statement. It’s supposed to be fun and enjoyable. Good grief why can’t something be fun?

On a more serious note there are many feminists that have been lost to time. Like Abigail Adams who tried to convince her husband to give women the vote. Or Catherine Booth cofounder of The Salvation Army. She saw suffering and decided to do something about it. Or it could be as simple as someone like Molly Pitcher who saw an immediate need and filled it. In general we worry too much about image these days. Why can’t we do something because it needs done.


Well that was rather long winded to list five things. well be safe out there and keep your stick on the ice.
A good time was had a Charity Knitting Today. There were only a handful of people. Still, they were friendly people and much fun was had. The Checkered scarf is done and I will post a picture of it tomorrow. I am considering making a hat of the same Galaxy yarn to go with the scarf. It might also make a nice addition to the booklet.

Onto exciting news if you think this is exciting. I am going to begin the Clown Brigade uniform sweater that I have been working on the design for. It is going to be a fairly typical button ups sweater with a couple differences. First rubber buttons like rugby shirts a must for clown practice apparel. Second extra wide ribbed cuffs to keep the sleeve out of the way while juggling. And finally shoulder loop straps for the rank insignia loops.

It will be knit out of Red Heart Mexicana to give it that brightly colored flair. Besides just giving it that incredibly festive look it is also durable and will stand up to tumbling during practice and other abusive things we do to our clothing on a regular basis.

By the way for those just tuning in I working on putting together a clown troop with my church. It’s primary function will be humor therapy. We will also do some gospel clowning as needed. Last week we had out first show at another church in our denomination. It went very well. The apprentice clown that I have worked the most with performed admirable and I am proud of him. It was not a stage show so we did not have opportunity to use our knit props such as the long scarf. I am sure that will be coming in the near future. By the way the long scarf I speak of is 90 feet long. When I say long scarf I mean long scarf.

Back to the knitting stuff. It has been a while since I have done a sweater and I am looking forward to it. I have had a lot of baby blankets to make recently and it is good to get onto something a bit more exciting. I will post pictures of progress.

By the way has anyone hear Nelly Furtado’s version of Maneater. I always did like that song. There was some punk band that redid the Hall and Oats song as well. I cannot remember who they were. I never did date any women who used men in that manor. Perhaps I do not have enough money for that. Maybe I have just been lucky in that arena.

That reminds me this year is the 20th anniversary of the movie Man Hunter. Someone should really let William Peterson do more movies. The Red Dragon version was alright but Man Hunter was truer to the book. Something that I always look for in a movie from books. I don’t think there was any knitting in Man Hunter. In the second book there is a lunatic that tries to make a suit out of human skin. That probably does not count. Although that is one heck of a story at the arts and craft convention. "No I didn't finish my project. The FBI took my hostage and I didn't have enough material to finish it."I am just wandering around in my mind as a type this, pay no mind.

I had very complimentary comment from a reader yesterday. They suggested that my blog was so funny that it could lead to weight loss. Hey if that Atkins punk can make millions by telling people not to eat bread I think that is as good a plan as any. I don’t suppose I am loosing any weight typing this blog. Or maybe I am simply demented and am taking all of this seriously and do not think that it funny.

Well anyway I think I can officially say that at least three people are reading this a day. The counter gizmo is over 5000 hits. I think someone should send blogs secret decoder rings that have over 5000 hits. Where is little orphan Annie when you need her? And what kind of maniac named their kid “Little Orphan Annie”. I suppose it is a good thing she was orphaned or it simply would have been confusing every time her real parents introduced her. I wonder it she was forced to knit her sweater. And if she was forced to knit it did they make her make it ragged or is she just a bad knitter. If I ran an orphanage I would probably dress the kids raggedly to play the sympathy card when visitors came.

Well be safe out there and keep your stick on the ice.

Jimmy was tougher than we give him credit for. When he first met Anwar Sadat he put him in a head lock and gave him a noggie until he cried uncle.

Saturday, October 07, 2006

Wolrd Tour's Next Stop - Hank Aaron, Suitcase Simpson, Jerome Bettis - Secret Message for Male Knitters - Dr. McDreamy, George Clooney

I had a rather uneventful day knitting today. I was accepted into the beginning knit designers ring. That is the last one on my list. I am thinking that I should move all of the ones that have accepted me to the top of my list and relegate the ones I am waiting on to the end. There is no greater scorn than being at the end of a rather long list.

By the way I am still looking for places to visit on my World Tour. My next stop will be the Te Café in Squirrel Hill Thursday. I am not batting 1000 for that neighborhood. I hope to do better next week. Their entry on Pittsburgh Knitting is a very friendly one. They are stating that they want new people to show up. That is a good sign.

The next bit is for the Dudes, if there are any reading this. Women should feel free to read this it is not like is it secret. Besides how would I keep you from reading it if I post it on a public blog.

Anyway in the dozens or so knitting groups I have been apart of in the last couple years I have only attended two sessions where then men outnumber the women. And to be quite honest half the men who attended I was teaching to knit. The next week the group grew by a couple and men were once again the minority. I don’t recall what the national male female ratio is. It is probably statistically irrelevant to the number of male knitter versus female knitters.

Any way I propose a gathering of male knitters. I now know four in the greater Pittsburgh area and I imagine there are more out there. Perhaps we could meet a secret location so those in the closet will not have to be outed.

Hank Aaron is one of the best all around ball players that has ever lived. He deserved his spot in the hall of fame. And the Indians stink.

Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting

If any male knitters are reading this they could post in secret on this blog. All you have to do is write two sentences about a sports team, especially football, and women will not read on. With my wife all I have to do is mention Suitcase Simpson and she tunes me right out. It is how I got her to agree to turn the laundry room into a repair shop. Actually when I talk she appears to be tuning me out no matter what I am say. Still, that is another subject.

OK place you secret messages in the comment section of this post. Alright I am going to post a picture of Leonardo DiCaprio to go all the women reading the blog again. By the way mentioning Dr. McDreamy or George Clooney has the same effect. But not in print because this is a blog and not a conversation, but, I digress.

Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting
Anyway I can not believe he did not get and Oscar for the Titanic Movie. I mean he died for her. Kate Winslet is dishy but would have made her move over on the raft and we both could have taken our chances. I suppose that is why I am male. Although my wife would have pushed me off the raft and drowned me. And I would have been grateful for it. My days would be miserable and pointless without her.

And Blogger is at it again with the pictures. I am giving photobucket a work out just to keep this drivel interesting.

Well everyone be safe out there and keep your stick on the ice.

Friday, October 06, 2006

Rings and Things - that was supposed to be witty

I will finish the checked scarf for charity knitting this week end. I think it will make a fine addition to the knitting booklet.

On the internet front my ring surf ring is up and relatively running. Well, it is a ring for clowns or anyone that is funny or thinks they are funny. Well anyone who is interested the link is on the sidebar.

Well enough of the self promotion. I spent part of the day at the yarn store picking up a couple things for my secret pal. If I were not so manly I might be giddy about the entire process. I suppose if I talk about what I picked up that would ruin the surprise. It would probably be against the entire secret thing in the secret pal.

Well being this is my first secret pal I hope I did what the secret pal is supposed to do. When I write my grand opus on the knitting culture of the world this will certainly be one of the chapters.

Onto other ring surf news I added some gizmos for a couple rings that I thought I should join. The Ring Surf Knit Together and the Midatlantic Knitters are on the sidebar. At this point about half of the links that I have listed have not gotten back to me. I wonder if any of them are dead and unattended. I am fairly certain the uknittednations is rudderless. That one has such a neat name it is a shame that no one is looking after it.

Oh here is a random picture of Alan Alda for my wife.

Well I didn’t have that much to say tonight. I suppose I have been rather long winded the past few weeks. I did notice the counter thing was getting near five thousand. That sound like some sort of mile stone as well. Although if I recall Natasha’s blog she has had like 20 million visitors. Her blog must be like the crack cocaine of the blogging world. I should probably apologies for comparing her blog to a highly addictive substance. Well I meant that a lot of people visit it.

Be safe out there and keep your stick on the ice
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