Friday
Jul042008
The Yarnista Answers Your Questions, #3
Friday, July 4, 2008 at 4:15PM
Today (happy July 4th, if you're in the U.S., by the way), I have decided to answer only the most pressing of questions, those of monumental importance.
Abigail asks,
Hobbies? Hmmm...
My main hobby is dyeing yarn. When I'm not dyeing yarn, I like to wind yarn, twist yarn into skeins, label yarn, package yarn, and visit the post office. (Because you just can't pay for entertainment like this.)
I also enjoy answering emails, and dyeing yarn. Did I say dyeing yarn already? I did? Oh.
When I'm not engaged in the above hobbies (which I am all the time), I do love to read. I really enjoy nonfiction books that expand my repertoire of facts, useless or otherwise. (Like this. ) I am nearly finished with Eric Weiner's book, The Geography of Bliss: One Grump's Search for the Happiest Places in the World.
It's quite good, I would recommend it. Eric Weiner is an NPR foreign correspondent and he travels the world, visiting places that embody some aspect of what research indicates makes people happy. (For example, Bhutan for its spirituality. Qatar for its wealth. Iceland for its rotten shark meat.)
While we're on the subject of recommendations, I have one for all you Netflix Knitters. HBO's John Adams Miniseries.
It is truly phenomenal -- I watched all seven parts of it twice. The last episode is so moving, you won't be able to knit through the tears. This isn't a documentary, so it lacks the boring, "And now we shall see a picture of John Adams's childhood home. And now, a look at where John Adams went to school."
It's a historically accurate dramatization of John Adams's later life -- from the Boston Tea Party through his presidency, and beyond. Tom Hanks was the executive producer, and it was based on David McCullough's best selling book. (He was also a consultant for the miniseries, and during an interview, he said this is the single best and most accurate representation of the Revolutionary War period ever made -- every single detail, from the clothing to the set, was as accurate as possible.)
Even if you are not a history buff, this is worth watching. I promise, get through the first two episodes, and you will be hooked. Finish the whole thing, and you will be a blubbering mess who can't stop thinking or talking about it. If you like period dramas, like Pride and Prejudice, you will like this. If you like nonfiction, you will like this. If you like intrigue, amazing acting, stunning sets, and heart-wrenching music, you will like this.
So. You will like it. Watch it.
I bought it for my mother for Mother's Day.
I PRE-ORDERED an advance copy from HBO for Mother's Day. You will like it.
Watch it.
I think it should now be clear that I like movies and really excellent television.
Watch it.
I also happen to like occasional bits of drivel, like, Whose Wedding is it Anyway?
And also, What Not to Wear.
Because it's time everyone stops wearing pleated, tapered pants.
Did I mention knitting as a hobby? I didn't? Oh.
I do love knitting. I knit obsessively in the car. Traffic around here is ridiculous, and you would be amazed at how much I get done just while stopped at stop lights.
About the second part of your question, Abigail, the vacation part? I can answer this question in about two words. Alpine Europe. (Make that exactly two words.)
Alpine Europe for a few weeks with my husband, sans children. While I would love to take my kids to Europe one day, they're still too young, and the thought of an international flight with them makes me want to check into a mental facility.
My darling hubby and I would take our time visiting Switzerland, Austria, Italy, Germany, and France. We would eat enormous quantities of child unfriendly food (you know, the kind that does not involve quesadillas and chicken nuggets, and takes more than ten minutes to prepare), see the sights, visit all the out of the way places, and not go skiing.
That's the kind of people my husband and I are. Non-skiers.
(It's only one of the reasons I married him.)
I feel better that at least I was able to tangentially relate this post to yarn and/or knitting.
Perhaps I will add a picture of yarn, just to ease any residual fears I have.
Hope that answers your question, Abigail!
Abigail asks,
"What are your hobbies/what do you like to do in your spare time? What is your dream vacation?"
Hobbies? Hmmm...
My main hobby is dyeing yarn. When I'm not dyeing yarn, I like to wind yarn, twist yarn into skeins, label yarn, package yarn, and visit the post office. (Because you just can't pay for entertainment like this.)
I also enjoy answering emails, and dyeing yarn. Did I say dyeing yarn already? I did? Oh.
When I'm not engaged in the above hobbies (which I am all the time), I do love to read. I really enjoy nonfiction books that expand my repertoire of facts, useless or otherwise. (Like this. ) I am nearly finished with Eric Weiner's book, The Geography of Bliss: One Grump's Search for the Happiest Places in the World.
It's quite good, I would recommend it. Eric Weiner is an NPR foreign correspondent and he travels the world, visiting places that embody some aspect of what research indicates makes people happy. (For example, Bhutan for its spirituality. Qatar for its wealth. Iceland for its rotten shark meat.)
While we're on the subject of recommendations, I have one for all you Netflix Knitters. HBO's John Adams Miniseries.
It is truly phenomenal -- I watched all seven parts of it twice. The last episode is so moving, you won't be able to knit through the tears. This isn't a documentary, so it lacks the boring, "And now we shall see a picture of John Adams's childhood home. And now, a look at where John Adams went to school."
It's a historically accurate dramatization of John Adams's later life -- from the Boston Tea Party through his presidency, and beyond. Tom Hanks was the executive producer, and it was based on David McCullough's best selling book. (He was also a consultant for the miniseries, and during an interview, he said this is the single best and most accurate representation of the Revolutionary War period ever made -- every single detail, from the clothing to the set, was as accurate as possible.)
Even if you are not a history buff, this is worth watching. I promise, get through the first two episodes, and you will be hooked. Finish the whole thing, and you will be a blubbering mess who can't stop thinking or talking about it. If you like period dramas, like Pride and Prejudice, you will like this. If you like nonfiction, you will like this. If you like intrigue, amazing acting, stunning sets, and heart-wrenching music, you will like this.
So. You will like it. Watch it.
I bought it for my mother for Mother's Day.
I PRE-ORDERED an advance copy from HBO for Mother's Day. You will like it.
Watch it.
I think it should now be clear that I like movies and really excellent television.
Watch it.
I also happen to like occasional bits of drivel, like, Whose Wedding is it Anyway?
And also, What Not to Wear.
Because it's time everyone stops wearing pleated, tapered pants.
Did I mention knitting as a hobby? I didn't? Oh.
I do love knitting. I knit obsessively in the car. Traffic around here is ridiculous, and you would be amazed at how much I get done just while stopped at stop lights.
About the second part of your question, Abigail, the vacation part? I can answer this question in about two words. Alpine Europe. (Make that exactly two words.)
Alpine Europe for a few weeks with my husband, sans children. While I would love to take my kids to Europe one day, they're still too young, and the thought of an international flight with them makes me want to check into a mental facility.
My darling hubby and I would take our time visiting Switzerland, Austria, Italy, Germany, and France. We would eat enormous quantities of child unfriendly food (you know, the kind that does not involve quesadillas and chicken nuggets, and takes more than ten minutes to prepare), see the sights, visit all the out of the way places, and not go skiing.
That's the kind of people my husband and I are. Non-skiers.
(It's only one of the reasons I married him.)
I feel better that at least I was able to tangentially relate this post to yarn and/or knitting.
Perhaps I will add a picture of yarn, just to ease any residual fears I have.
Hope that answers your question, Abigail!
Reader Comments (4)
Thanks, Sharon! :) I've added the miniseries to our queue, it sounds excellent.
Your choice in dream vacation sounds marvelous, except of course for the "not skiing" bit! (yes, skiing is only one of the reasons I am marrying my fiance). We were in parts of France a couple of years ago (to go skiing, you see) and it was marvelous. I hope you can make it there some day!
I don't think that dyeing yarn (and winding, skeining, labelling, packaging and posting yarn) count as a hobby any more, since it's basically your life.. right? ;)
Just wanted to add - I put the John Adams miniseries on our Blockbuster queue and my fiance saw it and wondered how it had got there (usually he adds things to the queue) - he was surprised by my excellent taste and said it looks really good, and then he moved it up to the top of the queue! ;)
I've always had a special affection for John Adams, since he had the good taste to marry a woman named Abigail!
If this seems weird, please forgive me. Love your beautiful yarns, to begin. My mother works in the USPS, and says thanks for shipping your yarns via the post office. I say thanks for dyeing the yarns!
Why rent when you can watch thousands of new release