Topic: Posts

I’m not too sure where to put all this academic content.

It’s all meta blogging on the state of the academy, and I found it in my search for Narrative/ID social science material. As ’everyone has a story’ the the most generally focused academic, category. Representing ID (in this case ID is Identity, not inter-disciplinary. Oh if there were only more letters….) is more specifically academic, but it’s a project blog, not a meta blog.

In that end I’ve added a new category called “The Academy,” to TealArt. This one won’t get it’s own sub-site: after all, http://tychoish.com/ is really still where it’s all at.

In that direction there are two sites that I’d like to point out right now.

First off it’s Dean Dad, Confessions of a Community College Dean, which is really a delightful site. I mean, it should be more than enough to convince anyone not to dean, (I love how Dean and Adjunct are verbs, but strangely tenure track and full time faculty (to professor?) haven’t made the syntactical transistion.) But it’s clear that someone has to do it, and frankly I think this is the kind of guy who should be doing it.

Secondly. Jill, of Jill/txt, a Norwegian professor blogging (in unsurprisingly flawless english), discuses academia, linguistics, identity, and all sorts of other fascinating stuff. I’m enjoying it a lot.

Cheers

Ok, this was fascinating. From my stash of cool academic blogs..

The end of insight?

“In my own field of complex systems theory, Stephen Wolfram has emphasized that there are simple computer programs, known as cellular automata, whose dynamics can be so inscrutable that there’s no way to predict how they’ll behave; the best you can do is simulate them on the computer, sit back, and watch how they unfold. Observation replaces insight. Mathematics becomes a spectator sport.”

(Quoted in Marginal Revolution.)

So it had to happen. Not the movie, me weighing in on the subject. I suspect I’ll have occasion to way in more after I’ve actually seen the movie. At the present point, I’ve just read the story and seen the preview. Bear that in mind.

First off, I think it’s horribly named. I haven’t been able to look at a poster, or read the title, without seeing the word “bareback” once. It still flies out of my mouth from time to time, which I’m really not in favor of. One big thumbs down there.

But more seriously folks.

I have a friend who noted that, it wasn’t so long ago, that “gay” themed art/literature was criticized for not expressing universal themes, which of course is a display of utter homophobia. I mean really, love stories are love stories, right?

Now, all anyone can say about Brokeback is that it expresses universal themes. Which on the simplest level I think, displays reviewer’s good intentions while safely avoiding engaging with the content of the movie. I would submit that very few movies deal with universal themes: Brokeback Mountain, Bridget Jones’ Diary, Eternal Sunshine of a Spotless Mind, Erin Brockovich, and Ladies in Lavender, don’t deal with universal issues. They’re still good, though. What about Far From Heaven, I mean it’s depressing but the guy comes clean and goes to live with his lover, and that wasn’t

I mean, really, actual gay cowboys,

I guess I’m just holding out for the day that an urban gay romantic comedy called about high powered executives leading double lives called: “Teamroom Traders,” to be praised as having “universal themes.”

Having said that, the story didn’t thrill me. It was a delightful short story. If it were any longer, I probably wouldn’t have read it, but it sort of felt like she was writing a novel and got slapped with a word limit. But it worked, so there’s that.

I was sort of pissed off that she/they needed to resort to death to catalyze the story. Queerness isn’t tragic, we know that. So why are all the “great” queer love stories, tragic? Blame it on Romeo and Juliet if you must, but that’s a cop out, As You Like It and All’s Well that Ends Well were perfectly good plays and not all tripe like. If Strong women can be portrayed outside of the Hedda Gabbler/Emma Bovary/Edna Pontellier archetype, then queer love can be portrayed outside of the death drive. Just saying.

Maybe I’ll have more to say after I’ve actually seen it.

The astute among you will notice that the “Blogging” category of TealArt has been moved under the “everyone has a story,” (the dandy new Narrative Studies section of TealArt, on the premise that blogs, at least as Chris and I are likely to write about them, are a narrative device, and should be included this discussion.

As I was writing a post about this blog, I noticed that the author referred to “web blogs,” which is testament to the fact that blog is indeed a word in it’s own right, but is in fact a combination of words which should never occur. Weblogs are logs, journals, which are made special/unique by a) the fact that they exist online and more technically, b) the software used to maintain them (this is a defining feature, and that’s why I feel it’s relevant to talk about WordPress upgrades on this site.)

Just saying!

I’d swear off such horrible pomo title puns, but I really don’t think that’s the end of it. Sorry folks.

As you might be able to guess I’m finished with the Norway sweater, that I’ve been working on for most of the last month. As we don’t have a camera here quite yet, I’m not going to be able to offer you pictures, but rest assured that pictures of this sweater, past completed projects will be posted eventually. For the record, I haven’t sewn down the steeks (they’re fastened, but I haven’t cleaned them up) woven in ends, or blocked the sweater, and I hope to have before and after pictures for that, so stay tuned.

I’ll offer a more in depth description of the final project when I have a picture, and explain exactly what modifications I made, but right now I’d just like to offer the lessons I’ve learned by finishing this sweater, because I think that’s the best way to reflect. And I like making bulleted lists. So there.

• Yarn Choice: Cascade 220 is really great yarn and I should use it more.

  Don’t be so egger to mix yarn from different manufactures (unless it’s clear they used the same mill, because even though two yarns might look the same on the hank, if you make a sweater with them, it will be clear that they are in fact different. Furthermore, while this isn’t entirely a bad effect, it is one which should be used with careful consideration.

• The Three Halves of a Sleeving: More of an observation than a lesson, but I think the whole “sleeve island” concept, and the reason why sleeves are so tedious, deals with the fact that that sleeves have three ‘halves’. The first half, goes really quickly, because the knitting is new, the second half is a soul sucking black hole. and the third half goes really quickly because the finish line is so close. In honesty I think each half is pretty close to a third of the sleeve length wise (but clearly not knitting wise, because of how most sleeves taper), and it might surprise you that it doesn’t really matter which direction you go in. That’s what I think.

• Back neck shaping is a good thing. This was the first sweater that I did that had a back neck steek, and it was a bit bothersome, but I really really like the way that it looked and the way that it feels, so I think this is something that I’m going to continue to insert in my future projects. This technique allows the back of the neck to contour to the neck a bit better, and I think the collar lays flatter as a result, and I think if you look at mass produced sweaters, most of them have gentle scoops in the back. And here’s the cool thing. One might think that having another steek would increase the annoying factor of the sweater. Wrong! When I was binding off, I just three-needled straight across the back, and treated it as one steek. It was potentially less bothersome than only having one steek. So there!

• Make Collars Shorter: I think I have a secrete crush on cowl necked sweaters, and have made many of the necks of my most recent sweaters, too long. Collars needn’t be as long as the bottom hem, and in many cases can be much shorter. If your neck is cold, put on a scarf, that’s what they’re for. Sweaters become much more wearable if the collar is less obtrusive.

• Keep Sleeves Wide: The past couple of sweaters I’ve made have suffered from having sleeves which are in fact too narrow at the end. this, is I think the one ill side effect of knitting sleeves off of the shoulders… It’s too easy to get carried away with the decreases and go to far. Tight forearms are just unpleasant and having the sleeves of whatever you’re wearing underneath bunch up there is icky. Yes, icky. This isn’t enough to keep me from making sleeves this way, but enough to remind me to stick an extra stitch in-between each decrease on the bottom half (third) of the sleeve. This isn’t to say, that one should avoid a rather radical decrease for the cuff (especially in cases where corrugated ribbing is employed.), but before that point, just watch it.

So there you have it.

Cheers, sam

ps. circa 10:30pm: I just finished blocking the sweater, and it’s my new favorite sweater. it’s a bit big, which I have to keep reminding myself is better than a bit small, and since I don’t really swatch properly, It’s better to err slightly on that side than not. Anywhoo… It’s really really nice. Full report forthcoming still

This will be a quick post.

One of my projects this break has been to build up a habit of writing TealArt posts and to get a good backlog going. It’s been pretty good, I have five finished entries in the hopper, and another few in more rough drafts, so as to ride through the rough parts of the semester.. But this is an urgent news item that I couldn’t pass up.

While I’m waiting for the new version of quick time to download, in the hopes that I’ll be able to watch the 3 hour Battlestar Galactica miniseries, (dear lord, I haven’t downloaded a 50 meg application in FOREVER. What was apple thinking.) instead of doing laundry, finishing up some knitting, and packing.

I discovered that Apple released, or actually announced the new Intel Powered powerbook and imac. Allow me to offer this initial commentary.

Looks like a nifty processor. I’d like to see something that could top speeds hands down of the old powerbook (frankly I’m sort of embarrassed that I didn’t even bother looking at desktops.) Come on. Also, that card slot? What’s the point. now granted the PCMCIA card slot in my power book doesn’t get a lot of use, but I have from time to time used it as a card reader. There are also, at least theoretically cellphone cards for PCMCIA…

On the upside. The built in camera is very nice. The new power cord I think is a really good step. I think the resolution should/could be a bit better, (the 15in powerbook is an awkward and non-standard size, so the screen, which uses all the room it can, has always been on the small size.) But part of me is still sour that I got one of the old ones with lower resolution.

But I really love Zoe, and I intend to keep her for a long while. (and renew the warranty come april/may). Having said that, damn I need to buy more ram, like no other. Else-wise I might have to claw my eyes out.

Anyway, download’s done. Check out the apple website.

Have a good day.

I would like to submit to you all the following delightful little screen shot that I was able to capture in my travels across the web. This is a warning to you all against allowing computers to think that they are in fact smarter than you. It never ends well.

Eve would either be horrified, or highly amused. I choose both.

Cheers, sam

I was looking around for websites to link to/discuss, on the new ’everyone has a story’ section of tealart, when I came across subjuntivistis, a website for the preservation and acknowledgment of subjective tense in the english language. It’s clever, and I think it’s pretty well written. Once I have time to peel through some stuff, I’m sure I’ll find more good content to link to, but for now, I just wanted to submit it for your enjoyment.

Hello fellow knitters,

I’d like to present you with the diary’s of a begging knitter from an old friend. It’s delightful, and frankly reminds me a lot of my own trials learning knitting. Let’s note that I said learning knitting, not learning how to knit, It looks like indi, is attempting to figure out knitting, not just how to do it. He’s going to be awesome at it soon.

I’ve Learned to Knit. and Not Quite Right.

(Via indiboi.com.)

So, having gotten everyone caught up on where my knitting has been this semester, I think it’s fair time to tell you my plans for the next semester. Because that’s the unit my life exists is semesters. Not days, not months, not years: semesters. So be it.

One of the (many) things I could do next semester is a special project as an art class for knitting. Basically I’d keep notes for my knitting, which is something I currently do, I’d journal, which is basically ta:ks(s?) entries, and I would be making a few sweaters. Two. Possibly just a vest and something with sleeves. I’m going to write an email to the instructor, and see what kind of credit I could get for that. shrug

Anyway, the following is the foundation for that email.

Right now I’m in the progress of putting sleeves on my version of Alice Starmore’s Norway Sweater (from Fisherman’s Sweaters). I will very likely finish that one up by the middle of next week.

Then, I have a blue and white vest. My mom got this pattern, and the yarn to go with it. She even started on that sweater, except, that, well she doesn’t like to do big color work projects, which means I have the yarn for a vest with my name on it. Cool.

So here’s the plan for the Vest. I’m not a big fan of that pattern. I think it looks little too rug like, and single color ribbing next to color work I think is a bad idea (flexibility issues, and it’s just a bit… meh) So I’ll do some corrugated ribbing at the bottom, arm holes and collar. Stay tuned for my post next friday, about how much I hate corrugated ribbing. I’ve also lifted a pattern from the palm of an Estonian Mitten from Nancy Bush’s Folk Knitting in Estonia, which I’ll use for the sweater. It’s actually the same size as the pattern I rejected from the original sweater. So some of the pattern can be used for some of the shaping (vest armsyes, and vee-necks).

Then I have pyarn already for a sweater, using a sport/fingering yarn. Louet Sales, Gem’s. It’s about the same weight as Koigu KPPM, in fact they, both used to use the same mill until there was a falling out. I think Koigu switched. Whatever, it’s nice stuff, and I’ll make some sort of sweater, I’m liking the vertical pattern panels, but we’ll see what mood strikes me when I get there.

Those are the concrete projects, as I already have the yarn for them.

I thought that I would want to progress in to multi color, true “Fair Isle” style pullovers at this point, but alas the urge hasn’t struck me. the Norge Fantasia sweater I talked about in the last entry really drove me off horizontal pattern paneling. I think true Fair Isle is still really cool and it’s not something that I’d like to give up completely, but it’s not something I think would be wise to buy yarn for at this point. Other things which might find there way into the cue (no order) are:

• The Great Sweater Trade: More news on this coming soon, but I’m going to make a color work sweater for my mother in exchange for a cabled one.
• A Color-work Cardigan for Sam: Mom wants a cardigan, and seeing that I’m still antsy, a little bit, about cardigans, especially color-work ones, I’d like to make one for myself for practice. you know, with the hems and what not. And I’d like a cardigan/jacket for myself. I’m thinking it’ll probably be out of Cascade 220, as I live in the frigid north, and I like Cascade, and it’s about as bulky as I’d ever want my color work to get.
• A Pullover in Alpaca: I’m a huge fan of alpaca yarn and, the owner of my favorite yarn store is talking about making an order from Henry’s Attic, and i’ve thought about getting in on that, because its amazing yarn, and the perfect weight for a sweater, and would be really fun to knit with.
• A lightweight sweater for Sam: Given the nature of color work, and the fact that I swear I haven’t used anything smaller than size fives since may, most of my work has been somewhat thick, and I’d like to make a lighter sweater, because I don’t really have any good fall/spring sweaters. I have my eyes on some merino lace weight, which would probably be pure insanity, but I’m up for it. I’m keeping my eyes on what this maker has, and when the right thing comes along I’m all over it, otherwise I’m thinking about 2/8 shetland, or something of that sort.
• Binary Patterning: I’ve always been intrigued by the prospect of using binary code for a sweater. I’m big on text, but the thing that makes color work so gripping is the way that the patterns build and the rhythm that that creates, and binary looses that, in all the ways I’ve thought of using it, so it needs a little thought before it’s ready for prime time.

There you have it. Stay tuned for developments on all these projects.

Cheers, sam