A Little Something

I've had something bothering me for a little while now - I just need to vent a bit. It is absolutely never appropriate to make fun of another person's interests. Teasing, taunting, whatever does nothing but kill self esteem. (Ask me how I know.) Yesterday Eric showed me a very upsetting video on youtube of a little girl crying hysterically and her mom, holding the camera, and her siblings teasing her and making it worse. Why the hell would a mother - or anyone - vidoetape that, let alone post it to the internet? I'm so upset with myself for watching it, but I'm more upset with a world that thinks it's acceptable. New interests should be encouraged, whether in a child or an adult. If everyone did the same things as everyone else all the time, well, use your imagination.
I'll let that be enough. You know what I'm saying and where I'm going - I need to get back to my creative mind and the anger was killing it. I'll be back in a day or two with a new project that I'm tickled with.

Guesswhatguesswhatguesswhat!!!

I just met another knitter in town! I'm just so excited. I told her about ravelry and she told me about a fiber guild that's kind of close. I got her email so I can let her know when the group meets again. She also told me that she spins alpaca from a local farm - how cool is that? Know how we met? I was wearing one of my shawls! We exchanged some information while we could - she's a cashier at Kmart so I had to go when people got in line. I'm just so excited, though. I had to tak about before my head exploded from happiness. Squee!

Technological Frustration

Last week I was helping some kids with their vocabulary words at a grade school in town. They were working along so I looked out the window because the sun had come out - it had been raining like crazy all morning - and there, sitting on the ground, was a gorgeous blue jay. He was spectacular. His colorings put an idea in my head to make a colorway and knit a sweater for myself in those blues and grays. Unfortunately, however, we don't have cell phones anymore. Even when we did the camera on mine was crappy. At that moment I would have loved to have been able to take a picture and email it to myself. I suppose it will be a little while before we get phones again, too. I'd really like to get an iphone, though, because of frustration number two - many podcasts now have apps for iphones with special content and features. It's very frustrating for me, and I'm sure other listeners, because not everyone is Apple-crazy. Maybe I'd like to look at an android phone - but the apps probably don't work for that. I don't have an ipod touch, either - my little pink buddy is a first-generation nano, no bells or whistles, just audio pleasure. I won't stop listening to the podcasts that have decided to add app features, but I will be pouty about it.
I guess if any of you want to buy me an iphone, or another app-friendly smart phone, so that I can keep up, I would love you forever and sing your praises daily. Just sayin'.

My Favorite Podcasts

Well, I warned you all awhile ago that I would share my favorite podcasts with you. These are not all of the ones that I subscribe to, just the ones that excite me the most when there's a new episode.
Let's talk about the non-knitting ones first. I only listen to one Doctor Who podcast and that's the big one - Doctor Who:Podshock. I think they were the first on the subject and they're amazing. The hosts are very knowledgeable on the episodes, audiobooks, actors, and everything else about the show. I love the interviews they've done with former Doctors and companions and the episode reviews. The latest episodes have been from the biggest and oldest Doctor Who convention - Gallifrey One. Yes, someday I will be there having cocktails with Louis, James, Ken, Tara, and all of the people who make it sound like the best place to be in February.
I listen to two main Harry Potter podcasts - MuggleCast and PotterCast. Both have several hosts and cover the same stories and news, but they each have unique features. For example, PotterCast has a segment called Potter Pundits which explores the Harry Potter books in relation to other types of literature. MuggleCast has a segment called Chapter by Chapter - you know what that is. I like listening to the hosts talk about each chapter in detail in regards to both what's happened in previous books and what's still to come. Both podcasts are usually an hour long and have fun, interesting hosts - they all know each other, too, so once in awhile one show will reference the other. I've linked to the main webpage for each, instead of straight to the podcast, so you can see the other fun things each site has.
The last podcast I enjoy that's not about knitting is Smart Mouths. It's news, politics, entertainment, and a variety of things. The hosts, some of whom are from MuggleCast, are young and educated but also not afraid to be silly. It's not something for the mild - they use very adult language. I must confess, most of what I know about the world's politics I've learned from these guys.
Okay, on to knitting! It's a big list so prepare yourselves. Of course, since many of you are knitters you probably already listen to them all!
We'll start with Brass Needles. Miss Kalendar, the hostess, has such a sweet voice ad not only talks about her knitting and spinning but sci-fi and steampunk. I have a huge online girl crush on her - how can I not? Yarn, Star Trek, steampunk conventions....she's amazing. Oh, and she's beautiful and brilliant, too. Of course!
Electric Sheep is so funny. She's English, so there's the great accent - but she has great essays and the absolute best reviews of knitting magazines ever. Once in awhile she gets upset and lets off some steam but it's never trivial. One of her episodes has a story she wrote about her knitting group robbing the Victoria and Albert Museum - cracked me up to the point of not being able to stand.
Double Knit is two women who knit, watch lots of movies, and read tons of books. I don't know how they have time! There's also a baby who contributes the occasional adorable noises and giggles.
The High Fiber Diet is all kinds of content - knitting, crochet, spinning, gadgets, even recipes! Coggie has alot of tips and tricks to share. She's had several different cohosts, including her husband, Sarge, and her daughter, Boo. There's alot of laughter with Coggie.
I believe I've already talked about how much I love the Knitmore Girls. How can I not? Both Jasmine and Gigi are amazing knitters. They have segments in the show called Mother Knows Best and When Knitting Attacks - both full of helpful information to make one's knitting better. I could go on for days about them.
Chrissy from Manic Purl has, I must say, the greatest opening music for her show. I dance every time. She's in Vancouver and I loved hearing her excitement about the Olympics this year. She podcasts like she's talking on the phone to her best friend - full of enthusiasm.
Stash and Burn is two girls from San Francisco. They've been podcasting for a long time together. They use yarns I've never heard of before and talk about them so that it's easy to visualize. They also led me to check out patterns in my early days - to look at knitwear beyond what I saw on Craftster.
Does anyone not listen to David on Sticks and String? His accent alone is worth the half hour of his show - but his essays are so good and thought-provoking. I think it's adorable how he kind of talks to himself in a rambly way sometimes, too. He knits very complicated things - but seems to only work on one thing at a time. He's a sci-fi lover, too.
Meghan and Stitch It - well, I really don't know where to start. I learned so much about spinning from her. She's so much more than fibery, though - she's a make-it-from-scratch and grow-it-yourself powerhouse of supermomness. I need to learn how to be motivated from her. She seems to do more in a day than I get done in three.
So those are my must-listen-to podcasts. Please check them out. A search on itunes will find them all and many, many more. You don't even need an ipod - just speakers on your computer.
I want to confess, though - alot of these podcasters are good friends with each other. I'm so jealous of that. I'm in their groups on ravelry but never know what to say - I'm very shy in forums for some reason and don't know how to become friends with online acquaintances - well, except for Jenny, of course, but that was a different situation. If you could offer any advice or suggestions I would love it.
I hope the links work for you - please let me know of any problems or if you have any podcasts I should check out.