emet scarf project

In these days of greed, corruption, imperialism and deceit, speaking the truth can be a revolutionary act.

In many traditions the color blue represents truth. Therefore, when the color blue is worn around the neck, it represents the speaking of truth.

The word for truth in Hebrew is "emet" which is what I have named this scarf. I have stitched in the word "emet" into the scarf in Hebrew script.

I would like to start a revolution and get the world to wear blue and speak truth!

You don't have to use Hebrew. You don't have to put any lettering on the scarf. I plan on making some without lettering and I would also like to make some using Arabic, Russian, etc.....

I am still thinking of a way to perk up the design and will be experimenting with different yarns.

If you have seen this post, and are going to make an Emet Scarf - or just a blue truth scarf in any language, or with no language......please contact me. I am hoping to get a website up about my project and keep track of people making these, in the name of truth, love and peace.

my other favorite stewart.....

have you ever seen him sing and dance? My mom discovered this film awhile back.....what a treat!

best of 2007......literary edition

Top 10 Books I Read This Year:

10. Practicing Our Faith - ed. Dorothy Bass

9. Eat, Pray, Love - Elizabeth Gilbert

8. The Male Body - Susan Bordo

7. Arc of Justice - Kevin Boyle

6. Water for Elephants - Sara Gruen

5. Imperial Life in the Emerald City - Rajiv Chandrasekaran

4. Black Boy - Richard Wright

3. Unbearable Weight: Feminism, The Body and Western Culture - Susan Bordo

2. A Thousand Splendid Suns - Khaled Hosseini

1. The Road - Cormac McCarthy

final friday youtube installment of 2007

Shakira and "Danzig" mash-up.......this just cracks me up. Hat tip to Robin.

And to quote Callie, "can you believe we ever liked Danzig?" Definitely one of my more embarrassing musical choices of days past. I just cant get enough of things that make fun of his Neanderthal nature haha! Did I mention there is a youtube video out there of "Glenn Danzig on Books"? I kid you not. It's no parody. But, it is totally laughable.

so....

Christmas has come and gone. I had a lot of trouble getting into the Christmas spirit this year. We got the tree up, bought and made some gifts, but it just never felt like the holiday season.

However, one thing Christmas did bring was the chance to go to St Louis and see my mom and friends. Whee! We had a really nice visit there and I will be back there in less than two weeks.

I finally got to meet one of my favorite online pals (fellow VCer and knitting obsessive) Robin, and we had a fun day/evening of Guitar Hero, some knitting, coffee and a delicious meal out. Even Emily had fun!! That was a joy.

I *heart* Robin!

Mom, Graham and I got a chance to go see The Kite Runner. It is very true to the book, with a few details left out. We all enjoyed it and it was nice to see with mom, since she had read it too. I am glad that it wasn't as sappy as the ads made it out to be. Ya know, with the syrupy orchestration and the default male voice talking about the one movie that will change your life. A beautiful film, of a beautiful book. Definitely worth seeing. It's funny, Graham and I have been to two movies in the last few weeks. We rarely go to the theatre, and had only seen one other movie in the theatre all year. Splurge!

Christmas Eve was delightful. I spent the day with Callie. I got to dote on her wee ones for a bit, and then she and I had a meal out at the Pasta House. Yum. I spent the afternoon with Dave, doing a little last minute gift shopping. Well, he did some shopping - I sat on a bench in the mall reading Cormac McCarthy. I never was much for malls. He then spent the evening with us at my mom's house. We had lots of yummy food, played Taboo! and enjoyed some reminiscing next to the fireplace. Graham, mom and I went to Christmas Eve church and then I drove Dave home very late. We did gifts on Christmas morning, and had to drive home later in the day, back to Chicago. I was quite weepy.

I got some lovely gifts: circular knitting needle set with interchangeable cords (WOW!), some nice books and CDs and I think that's about it. My favorite gift of the year was the print I got for Graham....an MST3K parody of a George Bellows (my great grandfather) painting. Whenever I see Bellows parodies pop up in pop-culture references, I feel like we have arrived! lol! I saw one in The Simpsons recently - and of the same painting. Graham also got an MST3K dvd set from his dad - and ones we haven't seen. Yippee!!

All in all, December has been a lovely month. I have been studying for my exam on the 11th of Jan - but I have also been getting in plenty of rest, knitting and time with friends. The next semester at Loyola promises to be a lot more difficult than the last.

I have been working on a new knitting project that I will talk more about soon. It is my own invention, and design (though a simple design). Once I get some photos and have more time to write about it, I will. I finished most of Emily's hat I did for Christmas, but it's just too small. Bah! So, I didn't finish the liner on it. I may knit it over again and adjust the pattern to make it wider. I like the yarn I used and loved the design......so, it won't be a big hassle. It knits fast, too! I am still working on the MSt3K scarf for Graham - though I am just not pleased with it - I may try a change in technique and yarn......I have been contemplating my next step there.

A few year end words of advice:

- read The Road by Cormac McCarthy. Hands down, the best fiction I have read this year. Yes, I am on that bandwagon

- go see No Country for Old Men. Hands down, one of the best films I have seen in a number of years. (book also by McCarthy) However, this film is not for the squeamish. It is hard to watch, can be pretty nerve wracking and terrifying, but wow - what a work of film making genius. The Coens' rarely disappoint.

Happy New Year!

tuesday at the 'bou

it's amazing how quickly the day can pass when you are in the back of a Caribou Coffee, nose in book, taking notes etc.....it's already almost 1pm. I swear I just got here. I have about 100 more pages to tend to today and then have to finish a knitting project for a Christmas gift that I am mailing off.

I was supposed to leave for St Louis today, but decided to wait and drive down with Graham on Friday. I know it sounds weird, but I just don't like traveling without Graham when I can help it. We travel so well together, and I really treasure that time. In addition, we had a crazy day yesterday and I was just beat tired. I couldn't even think about packing. I also didn't want Graham to have to deal with getting Emily, dog and car ready and then drive down on his own. He has so much to deal with, with work and all. I know if I had gone to St Louis I wouldn't be concentrating much on studying, which I REALLY need to be doing. I just can't slack at all. My exam is 3 1/2 weeks away. Yipes!! So, I think I made the responsible decision, even if I would likely prefer to be hanging with my pals, eating Imo's and doting on toddlers.

My last grade was finally posted for Loyola.....I had my first 4.0 semester, ever! I have come very very close before. But, in undergrad there was always a lame class that got neglected so I could work in the studio - and in grad school, I never did well in Spanish. So, this is exciting!

I picked up the 20th Anniversary Joshua Tree Box Set this morning. I got a little Christmas gift money. That was at the top of my list, so I am quite excited. I plan to watch the DVD this evening.

We went to Graham's work Christmas party last night. I was tired to begin with, but I felt SOOOO out of place there. Graham didn't know very many people there, and it was just really out of our element. We ended up having a couple drinks at the end of the bar and watched the Bears game. That was nice. We then came home for some MST3K. :)

Back to the books.....at least the one I am reading right now is tolerable.

Also, do yourself a favor and see No Country for Old Men. Yes, it is violent, but it is the art of film making and storytelling, perfected. I have never read any Cormac McCarthy, but put in an order for this book and The Road for some post exam reading.

for one oh one

you've been rick roll'd

one hundred

wow, this is my hundredth post.....exciting, huh? I was hoping to make it something spectacular....but, how can I top the two Go-Go's videos I already posted today?

I just heard from my Lat Am History prof and we are good to go for a Jan 11th MA Exam on Cuban History. Now, I just have to be ready for it! Ouch. It is nice to have this deadline, as it has now become an issue of now or never. I will have it finished before Loyola starts back in on the 15th. There is no way I can squeeze it in during the semester, since I have a very heavy class load this term. I will then do my oral defense sometime in the spring semester, but I am not too concerned about that.

I am heading to St Louis on Tuesday to spend some time with my mom and friends before Graham, Emily and Kerry join me on Friday evening. I will be using my days to study and my evenings to hang out and have fun. My mom has decided to sell the house in St Louis, which I am still struggling with. We have had that place since I was 14. She had considered giving it to us, but we all decided that it wasn't the best fit for our family. So, I will be saying my goodbyes to the townhouse on Waterman Ave. It's such a great place.

My high school 15 year reunion is the Saturday after Christmas. This is where I went to Jr. High. I left the school my freshman year. I am not planning on going. I may have a quick change of heart, and drive down over that weekend. I am not sure. I may hold out til the 20th. I went to the 10th, so I got to see everyone all grown up. ;)

I think that's about all there is. I am still enjoying my new coffee maker and have been good about getting my exercising in. I have been knitting like mad to get Christmas gifts completed. I just need to study....study.......study.

go-go's vs. bangles?

It falls in line with all of those other vexing eternal questions: chocolate vs. vanilla, stones vs. beatles, oasis vs. blur, cubs vs. sox.....you can only choose one.

Well, sadly, aren't they really the only all women bands in the 80's who played instruments? (well, on top 40 radio anyway) *sigh* Come to think of it, how many bands are there made up by ALL women in any decade? And I don't mean girl groups of singers, I am talking bands. I can think of a handful....how about you?

Anyway, I am sorry Susanna, but the Bangles are simply a low rent, second rate Go-Go's. Ok, so Walk Like an Egyptian was fun for a few minutes, and it's nice to hear every few years on 80's radio. But, the Bangles don't hold a candle (or an eternal flame, har har) to the Go-Go's.

Coming out of the LA punk scene (heck, I think Lorna Doom - of Germs infamy - was in an early incarnation of the Go-Go's, if I recall correctly) the Go-Go's were a pop force to be reckoned with. Even in their pop music, you can hear twinges of their punk roots. This is likely why they really stick with me.

In the 80's days of muscle shirts and the male dominated recording industry, these women stood out to young girls like me, who for the first time wanted to be the band, not be a girlfriend TO the band! Sure, we had our fill of vacuous female pop stars in the 80's....none of them could play an instrument. But, these women took charge of turntables, stages and televisions. There was none of this pouty, come hither Like a Virgin nonsense......they didn't need that to sell records. One could argue that they were popular because they were a novelty, a one off. I don't think this is the case at all. They were a solid band and wrote catchy, fun pop songs. They had a vibrancy and, dare I sat it, liberated sexuality, that attracted men and women alike. These were the women I wanted to be like: spirited, fun, talented and in charge.



So, how about you....Go-Go's or Bangles? (or Bananarama? do they count? did they even play instruments? - that Cruel Summer song was pretty awesome....well, it was when I was ten. ha!)

glenn danzig goes shopping

Thanks Robin for the link - this is hilarious.

been guarding the homestead with a pitchfork for many years now

Bonfire of the Disney Princesses

This trend started when my Emily was on the tail end of the age that this concept was being marketed to. Thank goodness. However, while I gave into a number of toy concepts, the Princesses were banned from darkening our doorstep. (oh yeah, and the Bratz)

I was always really distressed with this whole princess concept and especially with the grotesque abundance of princess swag. Not only were the Disney princesses banned from our house, but any shirt or item that suggested, "I am a princess," or "it's all about me," were off limits. This consumerist trend for young girls to be self centered and narcissistic is not only disturbing in the present, but I believe it has had significant negative repercussions on our girls as they grow into young women. Add in the fact that in these princess stories, most of the women have to lose something or give up something of themselves to please or rope in a man.

Emily never had these things, but it amazes me how narcissistic and self obsessed she is - add in an inflated sense of entitlement - and you have my daughter, and most of the girls she knows. I know she didn't get this from me. I tried everything to curb this kind of thinking. It is evident that the princess trend is just a piece of a much larger cultural puzzle, symptomatic of the cultural ills....ethnocentrism, imperialism, glutton, consumer capitalism, crass individualism and self absorption.

I promote care and respect for self and for others. I stand behind the development of healthy self esteem, self worth and valuing the wonderful talents and gifts one has. However, the princess line of thinking breeds unhealthy narcissism, and ultimately low self esteem. The whole marketing campaign is to sell things, not make young girls feel worthy or good about themselves. There is a difference between healthy self worth and self absorbed entitlement.

These days, as it has been for so long, girls are identified by what they associate with, not by what they do. Its about trinkets and clothes, boys and bands. Not that I am opposed to all of those things.....but, within reason. And the thing is, she is the opposite of princess culture on the surface. She wears dark eyeliner and dyes her hair black. However, these days, the whole "emo" thing is just a black and red version of the princesses.....it's all neatly packaged and ready to sell. Emily has given up all forms of personal creativity and expression for a shallow identity wrapped up in an image she bought at the mall, what she has and what consumerist products she likes. I have been grieving and mourning this.

Just the other day, Emily saw that I had put a photo of some friends of mine on my computer desktop. She said, "you aren't in that picture.....so, why is it on your desktop?" I was a little surprised by the question and answered, "well, they are my friends and I like the photo." Later, I realized, I should have used the opportunity for a "teaching moment," because on her computer she puts pictures of herself......not with friends....just pictures of herself (ya know with the come hither, myspace smoochy face). I don't understand this. But, it is just part and parcel of this "it's all about me" culture....yuck.

40

Taken from Psalm 40, this might be my favorite U2 song. I never really noticed it in all my years of listening to the War LP. This song was playing in my car when I came to the realization that I was in love with my now husband. We had pulled into my garage in St Louis, and I put the car into park. Casually, he said, "I love this song." We sat there for a moment, the engine still purring, looking at each other, and I had this overwhelming sense of love and peace overcome my whole being. He leaned in and gave me a kiss. The rest is history.

I do revisit the psalm and lyrics of this song often.....have used them in theological reflections and papers....

I waited patiently for the Lord
He inclined and heard my cry
He brought me up out of the pit
Out of the miry clay

I will sing, sing a new song
I will sing, sing a new song

How long to sing this song?
How long to sing this song?
How long...how long...how long...
How long...to sing this song

He set my feet upon a rock
And made my footsteps firm
Many will see
Many will see and fear

I will sing, sing a new song
I will sing, sing a new song
I will sing, sing a new song
I will sing, sing a new song

How long to sing this song?
How long to sing this song?
How long...how long...how long...

treat your mother right

oh, happy day!

Today, I decided to purchase a coffee maker. Now, you might say this isn't a very big deal. But, it is! It is my first coffeemaker! I can't even tell you how wonderful it is to have the smell of freshly brewed coffee in the house. It also has a timer so you can set it to go off in the morning. This will be perfect for when I am rushed in the morning to get downtown!

This evening I made a cup of coffee with pumpkin spice creamer and a little Splenda......Happy Day.

***UPDATE

I programmed the coffeemaker to brew at 7:30 this morning. I just have to say that groggily emerging from sleep, in bed, with the smell of freshly brewed coffee in the air is bliss. Yes.

it's a patrick swayze christmas

I was reminded of this earlier this morning. Had to share.

In related news, Graham and I decided yesterday that MST3K could very well be one of the greatest things on earth.

sampson and friend

sampson and friend, originally uploaded by katherine stewart.

A squirrel approached our screen door this morning. He and Sampson got to be rather well acquainted. When we opened the glass door, the squirrel proceeded to climb the screen door. I think he was after food. Sampson just wanted a new friend.

MAPC Ladies

We had a lovely Christmas celebration last night at Nancy's house. These are some of my favorite people in the world.

your weekly youtube installment

"Where the Streets Have No Name" is more like the U2 of old than any of the other songs on the LP, because it's a sketch - I was just trying to sketch a location, maybe a spiritual location, maybe a romantic location.

I was trying to sketch a feeling. I often feel very claustrophobic in a city, a feeling of wanting to break out of that city and a feeling of wanting to go somewhere where the values of the city and the values of our society don't hold you down.

An interesting story that someone told me once is that in Belfast, by what street someone lives on you can tell not only their religion but tell how much money they're making - literally by which side of the road they live on, because the further up the hill the more expensive the houses become.
That said something to me, and so I started writing about a place "where the streets have no name."

- Bono from Propaganda 5, 1987

we got our tree up tonight

our tree, originally uploaded by katherine stewart.

I put up the tree tonight after Emily left in a huff because I wanted to listen to *gasp* Christmas music! Sampson is quite taken with the tree, as per usual. At least he hasn't tried to destroy it yet!

winter is here!!

Graham and Kerry in the snow, originally uploaded by katherine stewart.

Sunday Night Soul

Sharon Jones rocks my world.