Nov 27

Random Randomness

–I love Jay-Z’s 99 Problems.  I do not love that the version available on iTunes is just the vocal track.  Thank goodness for Amazon.

–When I listen to Edith Piaf on my iPod, I do miss the sound of the needle in the groove.  Ann Peebles doing “I Can’t Stand the Rain” is the only other time I really, really miss that noise, that warm schusch-schusch, pop, crackle.  That magic.

–I need crochet help.  I can’t decide how to join Mack’s granny squares and I’d like someone with more experience to help me think about it.

–I’m not sure, but I think that Andrew Sullivan is saying that, if only we give up on affirmative action, he’ll stop saying that black people are just naturally stupider than white people.  And yet, I still read him, so what’s that prove?

—Little Pasture reports that Martin Kennedy believes we should do away with pre-K programs, because, apparently, educating children lets parents off the hook for their well-being.  America, I truly believe that Martin Kennedy thinks that, if only parents were left alone with their children, they would rise to the occasion of taking care of them.  When I read stuff like that, I wonder if I’m skewed by my time as a minister’s kid and the brief time I spent working at the family crisis center.  When you hear the deep secret ways so very many families go so terribly wrong, I don’t know how you can’t believe that the more eyes on the kids the earlier the better.  It makes me think that Martin must only meet nice people.

–I cannot stand when people ask me for money.  Not people I know.  Panhandlers.  If I had a gun, I would wave it at them; I hate it that much.  I feel threatened by it, like, if I don’t give them money, they’ll give me a reason to feel uncomfortable.

—S-Town Mike reports that the State is going to put up “Closed at Night” signs in Bicentennial Park.  I’m sure that will deter those law-abiding rapists.  And, really, if they don’t put cops in the park, how will they enforce the “closed at night” rule?

17 thoughts on “Random Randomness”

  2. If they put up “Closed at Night” signs in the park and some dizzy bitch goes and gets herself raped in there after dark, the rest of us don’t have to worry about it because it’s her own damn fault.

    I mean, it would of been her own damn fault anyway, but at least know we can all go, “Jeez! Can’t she read?”

    P.S. I know you don’t know me, so rest assured I’m being *really* sarcastic.

  3. Oh, yeah, the libertarianism, the deep and abiding Christianity, the smarter-than-me-ness–I could handle all of that, but knitting?

    You should never take anything I say on a day with no caffeine at face value.

    Did Sarcastro’s mom introduce you to Ravelry, too?–on a side note…

  7. I would join the squares by just sewing them together. A nice yarn needle and some time, and you’ve got yourself an afghan. You can choose whether to use a contrasting yarn or a blending one for extra fun.

    You might also find help here, here, here, here, here or here. (Akismet is just going to eat it. I know it!)

    Little Pasture reports that Martin Kennedy believes we should do away with pre-K programs, because, apparently, educating children lets parents off the hook for their well-being. America, I truly believe that Martin Kennedy thinks that, if only parents were left alone with their children, they would rise to the occasion of taking care of them. When I read stuff like that, I wonder if I’m skewed by my time as a minister’s kid and the brief time I spent working at the family crisis center. When you hear the deep secret ways so very many families go so terribly wrong, I don’t know how you can’t believe that the more eyes on the kids the earlier the better. It makes me think that Martin must only meet nice people.

    Not just nice people, but nice, incredibly smart people with a talent for being in multiple places at once. Pre-K programs require quite a bit of education to pull off well, and have lasting effects for children’s development and eventual educational attainment.

    (My grandfather was the director of a Preschool for nearly a decade, and now teaches Early Childhood Development, Multicultural Education, and Parenting classes at three local colleges. I type his syllabi and tests, and sometimes make original syllabi for some of his lower level classes. That means I’ve got a lot of exposure to the theory and application, and if I had time, I could throw books at the question like nobody’s business. Just trust me on this.)

    But even considering that one can do just fine on one’s own… why on earth would you want to? If you’ve got a hurt knee, and you could just irrigate it and put a bandaid on it or you could have it cleaned and inspected by someone with a bit more skill, what would you rather do? And so on and so forth for just about everything. Expertise isn’t the only factor in anything, but it sure as hell helps.

  9. Crocheting!

    I never bothered to learn the proper way to do much of anything, but here’s how I’d join up squares into an afghan:

    The way I see it there are two options. One is to get a great big needle and just stitch it all up. But I hate stitching things and would try to avoid that.

    The other option would be to hold the squares that you want joined together right sides in (or out if you think the seam looks cool) and slip stich through both their edges. That’s what I’d do.

  10. I figured we’d just learn to live with the knitting. :)

    Oh, and I’d hook the squares together with either a slip-stitch (as Rivikah mentions) or I’d do a single-stitch seam.

    I like single-stitch seams because they’re more decorative. (Slip stitch seams look like chain stitches on one side, and sewn stitches on the other, whereas single-stitch seams look like an extra “row” of crochet, and make the squares appear to be “made” together. )

    I do crochet on occasion, less so as my arthritis has worsened. But I am, at heart, a knitter. Which means I only crochet on days of self-loathing.

  12. … wait. It let me through with that many links? What is this program and what has it done with Akismet?!

    What are you talking about? I’ve had my coffee, but I don’t see your linky post.

    Oh, and that Pre-K thing? Does that mean that parents who pay to send their kids to nursery school to get them out of their hair, used to playing with other kids, and whatever, are also trying to get off the hook for their children’s wellbeing? I am soooo going to blame my mother about that. Or is it only when you’re poor that that’s what it means?

  14. Oh, and that Pre-K thing? Does that mean that parents who pay to send their kids to nursery school to get them out of their hair, used to playing with other kids, and whatever, are also trying to get off the hook for their children’s wellbeing? I am soooo going to blame my mother about that. Or is it only when you’re poor that that’s what it means?

    One wonders what he’d make of nannies? Play dates? Boarding school?

  16. Pingback: Volunteer Voters » About As Good As A “No Sex Crimes Allowed” Sign

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