So I have spent a month blogging, and I loved it. I have had the opportunity to share a sermon (voice file and text), what I think about bookselling (and retail in general), reviews of a book, an exhibition and a gig. I've also learned that liveblogging is a bad idea (it's more like word vomit!).
It's been a lot of fun but I think from now on I'll stick to what I do best, and just blog when I have something to say. And the world breathes a sigh of relief!
Showing posts with label NaBloPoMo. Show all posts
Showing posts with label NaBloPoMo. Show all posts
Monday, 30 November 2009
The launch of Living it Out
Today, Living it Out launched in a church in Islington. Sarah and Rachel (the couple who authored the book) arranged with their publishers a lovely 'do', attended by a number of the contributors, friends and family.
I was surprised at how moved I was by the event, particularly the readings from the book (which I've not read yet); by how much hurt there is and yet also how much grace and simple truth there is to speak.
Being a gay Christian (or a lesbian, bisexual, transgendered, queer, polyamorous, asexual, curious Christian) is about so much more than "The Debate". We're living it, and I'm so privileged to have been given the opportunity to share that.
I was surprised at how moved I was by the event, particularly the readings from the book (which I've not read yet); by how much hurt there is and yet also how much grace and simple truth there is to speak.
Being a gay Christian (or a lesbian, bisexual, transgendered, queer, polyamorous, asexual, curious Christian) is about so much more than "The Debate". We're living it, and I'm so privileged to have been given the opportunity to share that.
Saturday, 28 November 2009
Thursday, 26 November 2009
Living it Out
I finally held a copy of Living it Out in my hands today! It arrived at my workplace yesterday and I was just so excited. Ignore that Waterstone's don't think it's published yet, it definitely is available.If you're planning to buy the book, it would be great if you could do it from a shop; persuade your local bookshop to keep a copy in. We need people to be able to see this book on shelves in mainstream shops. We need people to see that it is possible to be L/G/B and Christian, and that there are people out there just like them.
On that note, please request it from Christian bookshops; let them know that we are waiting for people to sit up and listen!
Congratulations particularly to Sarah and Rachel Hagger-Holt, this is a tremendous thrill and could really change some lives. Congratulations also to the other contributors including LilWatcherGirl and My Wife.
www.livingitout.com
The power of a well-timed word
The right person said the right thing at the right time today. Twice. I love my friends, they give me the strength to get up in the morning.
Wednesday, 25 November 2009
Role models
Once again, this was sparked by someone else's musings. This morning, a friend I follow on Twitter was looking for people's role models in order to find pictures for a presentation. I had a quick scan through the replies, and there were some interesting suggestions. Graham Coxon, "my mum" (lots of people's mums, not everyone looking up to my mum) and apparently she eventually settled for her own role model, the brilliant Ellen DeGeneres (incidentally, check out Ellen dancing with Barack Obama).
I originally came up with two people; a very dear friend who is pastor of the Big Easy Metropolitan Community Church of Greater New Orleans, and then for the sake of having someone famous, Mr. Stephen Fry.
The reason I came up with Stephen Fry is perhaps obvious to you. When I read Moab is my Washpot, I was struck by a number of things. Firstly, that he has a very clear and direct outlook on life that is actually pretty refreshing, secondly that he has a security about his sexuality that I admire deeply and that I feel we don't see very much even in this age of supposed freedom, and finally that he is able to accept and acknowledge his mental health difficulties as a part of him without making excuses or pretending he is anything other than who he is. That sort of security in one's identity is brilliant and hard to find in people. It is something I aspire to, and the reason I count him as a role model. Of course, the fact he is a classicist and brilliant general knowledge buff, and a very funny individual are all part of that, too.
But then there are all the other people who've touched my life. In no particutlar order:
Thank you.
I originally came up with two people; a very dear friend who is pastor of the Big Easy Metropolitan Community Church of Greater New Orleans, and then for the sake of having someone famous, Mr. Stephen Fry.
The reason I came up with Stephen Fry is perhaps obvious to you. When I read Moab is my Washpot, I was struck by a number of things. Firstly, that he has a very clear and direct outlook on life that is actually pretty refreshing, secondly that he has a security about his sexuality that I admire deeply and that I feel we don't see very much even in this age of supposed freedom, and finally that he is able to accept and acknowledge his mental health difficulties as a part of him without making excuses or pretending he is anything other than who he is. That sort of security in one's identity is brilliant and hard to find in people. It is something I aspire to, and the reason I count him as a role model. Of course, the fact he is a classicist and brilliant general knowledge buff, and a very funny individual are all part of that, too. But then there are all the other people who've touched my life. In no particutlar order:
- My whole family, my brilliantly talented sister, mum and dad, Granny Prue and Grandpa who had so much faith in God, G&G who have taught me what family is, and my fabulously diverse cousins, who are the smartest people I know;
- my friends - every single one of them - who have held my hands, prayed with me, let me cry and given me much-needed cuddles and kisses;
- the people who have shared my living space graciously and given me someone to come home to;
- the woman I shared my life with for two years, who will always hold a special place in my heart and taught me a lot about sincerity;
- 'My Wife', who shows more maturity and courage at 18 than I think I have ever had;
- the teachers who took the time to look out for me, who supervised school trips, or who are the reason I have such a passion for learning;
- the wonderful conductor of the first wind band I played in, who was the first person to give me faith in my musical ability;
- my flute and piano teacher, who deserves to be canonised;
- everyone who has ministered to me, lay and ordained, and prayed for me and given me time and space;
- girl at school who kept in touch with me when she left the sixth form (even though I was only a year seven), told me it was ok to be gay, and gave me some self-belief;
- the administrator of my academic department at university, who kept me at university through the worst of times;
- the former presidents of UCLU LGB Society who took me under their wings and showed me what it means to achieve things for other people;
- the sabbs who came before me and the ones who are doing the job now;
- everyone who has had a kind word or a smile for me when I was low.
Thank you.
Tuesday, 24 November 2009
Transgender Day of Remembrance and National Anti-Bullying Week
This reflection was published in the newsletter of MCC North London on Thursday, 26th November 2009
On Saturday, it was the tenth annual Transgender Day of Remembrance. Every 20th November we gather as a community to remember the trans men and women who have died as victims of hate crime.
Hate crime takes a number of forms. In its most extreme, it leads to murder. The murder of Ian Baynham in Trafalgar Square, or David Morley on the Embankment, or the brutal and unnecessary deaths at the Admiral Duncan pub ten years ago. But there are other things that happen that are dismissed. The people who call us names in the street, who make assumptions about others' gender identities and discriminate against them for it, even the people who were bullies at school. This is all hate crime, and it is all damaging.
When people die as a result of hate crime, it is not always because they are physically beaten by their persecutors. These mental beatings take their toll. It is estimated that 50% of young trans people attempt suicide at least once. In the LGBT community as a whole, rates of depression, self-harm and addiction are higher than in the general population. This is not a coincidence, nor is it because we are naturally disordered. It is because we face such discrimination on a daily basis.
And in that spirit, we should also remember the victims of bullying. It is anti-bullying week and we know that the victims of bullying today may be the suicide victims we are remembering tomorrow. A single act of bullying can be so devastating to a young person as to lead to all sorts of mental health and emotional problems later in life. Bullying is not normal, it is not a rite of passage, it is a devastating and life-changing thing to happen to someone. Sustained over a course of years it can destroy self-esteem and erode hope in someone's life.
The bullies will also suffer, those who torment others doubtless suffer countless torments themselves. The young woman of 18 who has been charged with the murder of Ian Baynham will never get her life back. She will forever be marked as "different" and probably even as "bad". Her life has been destroyed because she was never taught that it is wrong to persecute those who are different.
So this week, as well as praying for victims of transphobic hate crime and all forms of bullying, let us think about what we can do to make the world a better place. Report it when someone assaults you in the street, refuse to accept that "it's just a part of life". Do not let hate-speak go unchallenged, have the courage to correct people who make ignorant and hurtful remarks about what they cannot possibly understand. If you are in a position to do so, share your own story with a young person who will be given strength from it; maybe even write to your old school and tell them about your experiences. A few acts of harm can destroy a life, a few careful acts of kindness may rebuild someone.
We are all one body of Christ; it's time to look after each other.
On Saturday, it was the tenth annual Transgender Day of Remembrance. Every 20th November we gather as a community to remember the trans men and women who have died as victims of hate crime.
Hate crime takes a number of forms. In its most extreme, it leads to murder. The murder of Ian Baynham in Trafalgar Square, or David Morley on the Embankment, or the brutal and unnecessary deaths at the Admiral Duncan pub ten years ago. But there are other things that happen that are dismissed. The people who call us names in the street, who make assumptions about others' gender identities and discriminate against them for it, even the people who were bullies at school. This is all hate crime, and it is all damaging.
When people die as a result of hate crime, it is not always because they are physically beaten by their persecutors. These mental beatings take their toll. It is estimated that 50% of young trans people attempt suicide at least once. In the LGBT community as a whole, rates of depression, self-harm and addiction are higher than in the general population. This is not a coincidence, nor is it because we are naturally disordered. It is because we face such discrimination on a daily basis.
And in that spirit, we should also remember the victims of bullying. It is anti-bullying week and we know that the victims of bullying today may be the suicide victims we are remembering tomorrow. A single act of bullying can be so devastating to a young person as to lead to all sorts of mental health and emotional problems later in life. Bullying is not normal, it is not a rite of passage, it is a devastating and life-changing thing to happen to someone. Sustained over a course of years it can destroy self-esteem and erode hope in someone's life.
The bullies will also suffer, those who torment others doubtless suffer countless torments themselves. The young woman of 18 who has been charged with the murder of Ian Baynham will never get her life back. She will forever be marked as "different" and probably even as "bad". Her life has been destroyed because she was never taught that it is wrong to persecute those who are different.
So this week, as well as praying for victims of transphobic hate crime and all forms of bullying, let us think about what we can do to make the world a better place. Report it when someone assaults you in the street, refuse to accept that "it's just a part of life". Do not let hate-speak go unchallenged, have the courage to correct people who make ignorant and hurtful remarks about what they cannot possibly understand. If you are in a position to do so, share your own story with a young person who will be given strength from it; maybe even write to your old school and tell them about your experiences. A few acts of harm can destroy a life, a few careful acts of kindness may rebuild someone.
We are all one body of Christ; it's time to look after each other.
Monday, 23 November 2009
We had church
As Delores Berry would say, tonight we had church!
There was so much power in the worship, people were really letting go and singing like they meant it. The worship leader spoke powerfully on her transformative experiences in the last few months, the intern who preached gave a wonderful message on Christ the King, and the crown of forgiveness Christ empowers us to wear. I felt, for the first time celebrating communion, able to fully understand what a blessing it is to be allowed to serve the congregation in that way. I left feeling elated. There was a joy and peace in my heart that reminded me what it is to know the grace and love of Christ.
May you all know that love in your lives.
There was so much power in the worship, people were really letting go and singing like they meant it. The worship leader spoke powerfully on her transformative experiences in the last few months, the intern who preached gave a wonderful message on Christ the King, and the crown of forgiveness Christ empowers us to wear. I felt, for the first time celebrating communion, able to fully understand what a blessing it is to be allowed to serve the congregation in that way. I left feeling elated. There was a joy and peace in my heart that reminded me what it is to know the grace and love of Christ.
May you all know that love in your lives.
Review: Moctezuma: Aztec Ruler at the British Museum
Today, I renewed my membership to the British Museum and went with two very dear friends to see the new exhibition on Moctezuma. I was a bit unsure about it, since I literally know nothing about Aztec culture and I was worried I'd come out feeling stupid and dazed.
But of course, as usual, I thoroughly underestimated the BM. In reality, even without a catalogue or an audio guide I got round easily. I spent 2 hours just marvelling at the incredible skill of the Mexica (the more correct name for the people of Moctezuma II's empire) craftspeople. Everything was so detailed and beautiful; each tile on the mosaic work was only a couple of mm squared and yet they were perfectly tesserated and the colour variations are perfect. I was reminded that this same demonstration of skill was what drew me into Roman art back in the second year of my degree.
The alien-ness, if such a word exists, was striking here. It felt truly 'barbarian' and other. The gorgeous sandstone eagle near the entrance of the exhibition was the first thing to draw my eye. I was concentrating on the shapes, the chisel marks, the materials used in its creation for a good few minutes. Eventually I glanced down at the label and noticed for the first time the hollow in the eagle's square back. This, apparently, was for the offered hearts of human sacrifices. My own heart skipped a beat. From then on, I couldn't look at anything in the exhibition without remembering how different life was. That stone eagle gave me a context within which to view the story of Moctezuma II.
And I believe this was deliberate on the part of the curators, the journey through the exhibition was not a geographical one (although the empire ruled over by this last native ruler was a large one), but a journey that used themes to pass chronologically through the life of Moctezuma and his court. Everything to me was new and exciting, even those things that should have been familiar from earlier study. I know obsidian has been used as a mirror but I had never before taken the opportunity to look at my image in the highly-polished stone. I did not realise how eerie the reflection is, how it makes your own face alien and those of others seem like ghosts. I never fully understood the power of an art that is so stylised, nothing is real. There are no 'realistic' images of Moctezuma because all was idealised. Like the Greek art I'm familiar with, there are forms and shames that represent attributes and status. We don't know what Moctezuma appeared as to his people - he was god-like and therefore physically ideal, however he really looked. He presented himself using his name-glyph, the royal diadem and highly decorated ear scroll meaning emperor, just as Julius took the epithet Caesar.
With classic post-colonial guilt, I truly wish that Cortés had learned from Moctezuma, instead of destroying the culture. The things we have lost through the Spanish destruction of artefacts and codices is more than equivalent to the loss of the library at Alexandria. What we know now is piecemeal, from the remaining artefacts still being recovered from temples in Mexico City, but the BM have done a fine job in making it comprehensible.
But of course, as usual, I thoroughly underestimated the BM. In reality, even without a catalogue or an audio guide I got round easily. I spent 2 hours just marvelling at the incredible skill of the Mexica (the more correct name for the people of Moctezuma II's empire) craftspeople. Everything was so detailed and beautiful; each tile on the mosaic work was only a couple of mm squared and yet they were perfectly tesserated and the colour variations are perfect. I was reminded that this same demonstration of skill was what drew me into Roman art back in the second year of my degree.
The alien-ness, if such a word exists, was striking here. It felt truly 'barbarian' and other. The gorgeous sandstone eagle near the entrance of the exhibition was the first thing to draw my eye. I was concentrating on the shapes, the chisel marks, the materials used in its creation for a good few minutes. Eventually I glanced down at the label and noticed for the first time the hollow in the eagle's square back. This, apparently, was for the offered hearts of human sacrifices. My own heart skipped a beat. From then on, I couldn't look at anything in the exhibition without remembering how different life was. That stone eagle gave me a context within which to view the story of Moctezuma II.
And I believe this was deliberate on the part of the curators, the journey through the exhibition was not a geographical one (although the empire ruled over by this last native ruler was a large one), but a journey that used themes to pass chronologically through the life of Moctezuma and his court. Everything to me was new and exciting, even those things that should have been familiar from earlier study. I know obsidian has been used as a mirror but I had never before taken the opportunity to look at my image in the highly-polished stone. I did not realise how eerie the reflection is, how it makes your own face alien and those of others seem like ghosts. I never fully understood the power of an art that is so stylised, nothing is real. There are no 'realistic' images of Moctezuma because all was idealised. Like the Greek art I'm familiar with, there are forms and shames that represent attributes and status. We don't know what Moctezuma appeared as to his people - he was god-like and therefore physically ideal, however he really looked. He presented himself using his name-glyph, the royal diadem and highly decorated ear scroll meaning emperor, just as Julius took the epithet Caesar.
With classic post-colonial guilt, I truly wish that Cortés had learned from Moctezuma, instead of destroying the culture. The things we have lost through the Spanish destruction of artefacts and codices is more than equivalent to the loss of the library at Alexandria. What we know now is piecemeal, from the remaining artefacts still being recovered from temples in Mexico City, but the BM have done a fine job in making it comprehensible.
Saturday, 21 November 2009
I am breaking up with Old Rosie
I'm serious, it's over. I wake up with a different person every time I've been with her the night before. Consider this hangover my last for a long time; I embarrassed myself, ruined a lovely pair of shoes and have massive gaps in my memory.
We've had some fun times, Old Rosie, but it's over now. I love you; it's time to let you go...
(On the plus side, apparently I stopped a Co-Op on the way home and bought Capri Sun and cookies. Time for breakfast!)
We've had some fun times, Old Rosie, but it's over now. I love you; it's time to let you go...
(On the plus side, apparently I stopped a Co-Op on the way home and bought Capri Sun and cookies. Time for breakfast!)
Friday, 20 November 2009
Review: The Decemberists at the Coronet
The Decemberists
The Coronet, Elephant and Castle
Thursday 19th November 2009
This was one of the best gigs I've been to in a long while. We arrived in time to catch half of Emmy the Great's set, which was really excellent. She has a gorgeous voice, and the songs are lovely. I'd happily listen to her to chill out of an evening.
The Decemberists first played through Hazards of Love as a suite. Only five or six musicians (I didn't actually count), but playing so many instruments and swapping in and out didn't interrupt the flow of the album. It was incredibly powerful, although it was musically not different to the album, it had a very different feeling. I was all shivery and cheerful at the end.
And just to make it even more exciting, they came back! Highlights of the second half were definitely 16 Military Wives and the finale, The Mariner's Revenge. Particularly as someone had been chucking an inflatable killer whale around which was confiscated by the band until the point at which it was required to eat a few sailors!
The conversation in the second half was witty, the audience were possibly the politest and most tuneful I have ever seen at a gig and I loved it. You definitely must see the Decemberists at least once in your lifetimes.
The Coronet, Elephant and Castle
Thursday 19th November 2009
This was one of the best gigs I've been to in a long while. We arrived in time to catch half of Emmy the Great's set, which was really excellent. She has a gorgeous voice, and the songs are lovely. I'd happily listen to her to chill out of an evening.
The Decemberists first played through Hazards of Love as a suite. Only five or six musicians (I didn't actually count), but playing so many instruments and swapping in and out didn't interrupt the flow of the album. It was incredibly powerful, although it was musically not different to the album, it had a very different feeling. I was all shivery and cheerful at the end.
And just to make it even more exciting, they came back! Highlights of the second half were definitely 16 Military Wives and the finale, The Mariner's Revenge. Particularly as someone had been chucking an inflatable killer whale around which was confiscated by the band until the point at which it was required to eat a few sailors!
The conversation in the second half was witty, the audience were possibly the politest and most tuneful I have ever seen at a gig and I loved it. You definitely must see the Decemberists at least once in your lifetimes.
Wednesday, 18 November 2009
Recipe: My bean tacos (v)
To serve 3 hungry people or 4 if you've had starters. I make it differently all the time but this is how I made tonight's (with help from Mark, master taster) and it turned out nicely.
Takes about half an hour to cook (an hour if you've got it). Best served immediately, piping hot. As with most chili dishes, it is also excellent reheated the next day.
The basis of this recipe came from Boy Housemate, so all thanks and lip-smacking noises in his direction.
Ingredients:
1 can each of kidney beans, black eyed beans and borlotti beans
1 can of chopped tomatoes
Schwarzkopf fajita spice mix (about 1/3 jar)
1 onion
1 red bell pepper
1-2 cloves of garlic
Tsp-ish of smoked paprika
Juice of 1 lime
Splash of red wine
To serve:
12 taco shells (or tortilla wraps)
Lettuce
Liberal helpings of cheese (grated)
Salsa
Guacamole
Soured cream (or vegan soft cheese if preferred)
Takes about half an hour to cook (an hour if you've got it). Best served immediately, piping hot. As with most chili dishes, it is also excellent reheated the next day.
The basis of this recipe came from Boy Housemate, so all thanks and lip-smacking noises in his direction.
Ingredients:
1 can each of kidney beans, black eyed beans and borlotti beans
1 can of chopped tomatoes
Schwarzkopf fajita spice mix (about 1/3 jar)
1 onion
1 red bell pepper
1-2 cloves of garlic
Tsp-ish of smoked paprika
Juice of 1 lime
Splash of red wine
To serve:
12 taco shells (or tortilla wraps)
Lettuce
Liberal helpings of cheese (grated)
Salsa
Guacamole
Soured cream (or vegan soft cheese if preferred)
- Fry the onion and pepper in vegetable oil and some spice mix until the onion is translucent.
- Add the tomatoes, all three tins of beans (drained) and more spices and half the lime juice.
- Stir thoroughly whilst the remaining liquid cooks off, then add a splash of wine, the lime juice and paprika.
- Cook the taco shells as instructed, continuing to cook the bean mixture over a low heat until mushy and without a separate liquid component, stirring constantly. During this time, taste and add more spices if necessary.
- When they are cooked, stuff the tacos with the bean mixture, cheese, lettuce, salsa, sour cream, guacamole, etc. to taste.
- Share with friends.
What I remember about being a kid
...is laughing. Until the age of about 5 or 6 when I moved to a new school and started being bullied, all my memories are of people laughing and smiling.
I just found a photograph of me, my sister and some friends aged about 4, when we still lived in Ealing, eating ice cream and giggling. I feel like life will never be that straightforward again but thank God that I still have friends who are happy to eat ice cream and giggle with me.
I just found a photograph of me, my sister and some friends aged about 4, when we still lived in Ealing, eating ice cream and giggling. I feel like life will never be that straightforward again but thank God that I still have friends who are happy to eat ice cream and giggle with me.
I'm on the far right. That is not a political statement.
Tuesday, 17 November 2009
The opposite of entropy
I have several wonderful, very wise friends. One of them, who's particularly brilliant, posted this on Facebook in the small hours of Sunday morning;
This was my initial response;
(Incidentally, not being a scientist, my understanding of entropy is based on social entropy, not thermodynamics.)
So I have indeed been giving it some more thought. And I have also been listening to Sex God, written and read by Rob Bell. Turns out Rob Bell is completely brilliant; I love the way he expresses his ideas. There is one chapter in which he talks about Animals and Angels and the way in which we as human beings sit between animals - he sees animals as all body and no soul - and angels - all soul and no body. We are neither, we are the result of neither reflecting the image of God correctly. So he then talks about how clearly it is expressed in the creation poem in Genesis 1 that we were made after the animals in in God's own image:
Only humans were created in God's image - all genders created in the image of God. And there is a progression in the creation poem of Genesis 1, according to Rob Bell, from chaos into order. From God's spirit moving over the waters of chaos to the order and peace of Eden. The lines only become blurred, in this narrative, through human action. Through deliberate rejection of God. And, that being so, we begin to descend back into chaos.
So what do we call chaos? For that matter, what do we call love? Chaos is created through heirarchy, through viewing each other not just as distinct but as having different worths. To see oneself as greater or lesser than another contributes to chaos in the social order. I suppose, in some ways, it is an animal part of ourselves. The idea that there must always be an "Alpha", a dominant personality. Try as we might to suppress this with democracy and systems and order, perhaps we just enhance a chaos that is born out of the rejection of God that makes it so hard for us to truly love and respect one another. Don't get me wrong, I don't advocate anarchy, but in an ideal world there would be no need for the systems we find so necessary today.
And if that is the case because we do not know how to love one another then, yes, perhaps the opposite of entropy / chaos truly is love. For true love is perhaps the least chaotic thing that there is. It confuses our animal natures, because it is so deeply spiritual, and it confuses our angel natures because it is so physical, but that is not chaos. That is how we were created to be, as God is, existing between the physical and the spiritual. It is our nature, our now imperfect nature, that fails to realise what a great thing we have going on, that rejects it and calls the feelings that go with love 'chaotic'. In fact, they are perfect. They are what we, in God's image, were created for.
How about the theory that entropy has an equivalent and opposite force?... what if that force was love. Love is God. God is order. Entropy is chaos.
Yes, ok, so there's lots to pick at that argument... But I'm intrigued by what people might say...
Essay question set... now class... Discuss!
This was my initial response;
I think there's plenty of room for love in chaos. Love is dangerous; even love for God puts us at a certain risk in this world and even faith is chaotic and subject always to several forces at once.
This is a poorly-formed thought I realise, but it's a gut reaction. May think more about that..
(Incidentally, not being a scientist, my understanding of entropy is based on social entropy, not thermodynamics.)
So I have indeed been giving it some more thought. And I have also been listening to Sex God, written and read by Rob Bell. Turns out Rob Bell is completely brilliant; I love the way he expresses his ideas. There is one chapter in which he talks about Animals and Angels and the way in which we as human beings sit between animals - he sees animals as all body and no soul - and angels - all soul and no body. We are neither, we are the result of neither reflecting the image of God correctly. So he then talks about how clearly it is expressed in the creation poem in Genesis 1 that we were made after the animals in in God's own image:
24 And God said, "Let the land produce living creatures according to their kinds: livestock, creatures that move along the ground, and wild animals, each according to its kind." And it was so. 25 God made the wild animals according to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good.
26 Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground."
27 So God created man in his own image,
in the image of God he created him;
male and female he created them.
Only humans were created in God's image - all genders created in the image of God. And there is a progression in the creation poem of Genesis 1, according to Rob Bell, from chaos into order. From God's spirit moving over the waters of chaos to the order and peace of Eden. The lines only become blurred, in this narrative, through human action. Through deliberate rejection of God. And, that being so, we begin to descend back into chaos.
So what do we call chaos? For that matter, what do we call love? Chaos is created through heirarchy, through viewing each other not just as distinct but as having different worths. To see oneself as greater or lesser than another contributes to chaos in the social order. I suppose, in some ways, it is an animal part of ourselves. The idea that there must always be an "Alpha", a dominant personality. Try as we might to suppress this with democracy and systems and order, perhaps we just enhance a chaos that is born out of the rejection of God that makes it so hard for us to truly love and respect one another. Don't get me wrong, I don't advocate anarchy, but in an ideal world there would be no need for the systems we find so necessary today.
And if that is the case because we do not know how to love one another then, yes, perhaps the opposite of entropy / chaos truly is love. For true love is perhaps the least chaotic thing that there is. It confuses our animal natures, because it is so deeply spiritual, and it confuses our angel natures because it is so physical, but that is not chaos. That is how we were created to be, as God is, existing between the physical and the spiritual. It is our nature, our now imperfect nature, that fails to realise what a great thing we have going on, that rejects it and calls the feelings that go with love 'chaotic'. In fact, they are perfect. They are what we, in God's image, were created for.
Monday, 16 November 2009
Doctor Who "live" blog: The Waters of Mars
So I'm watching the Doctor Who special and decided to have an attempt at Live Blogging. However, I'm watching it on iPlayer (with Girl Housemate), so it's not really live.
00.01 - Oooh video links. Weepy moment already...
00.30 - I don't like the Doctor arriving on his own, it's weird. Although, very retro orange suit.
02.33 - It looks like the Eden project.
02.36 - Is that Wall.E's long-lost cousin?
03.25 - "The Doctor. Doctor. Fun." Who's writing this? I'm loving the dialogue so far. Bowie Base One particularly good.
04.21 - Does it have to keep.... Oh. The Doctor just said that.
05.49 - The trailer spoiled this bit. Damn, shouldn't have watched it.
06.19 - Who's the aussie actor again?
08.00 - It's a bit like the Fires of Pompeii, but without the world history bit.
08.51 - The doctor just saluted. Huh.
09.38 - DEATH AND DESTRUCTION. The Doctor's back!
11.25 - Here's the sob back story, putting the apocalypse into post-acopalyptic.
14.06 - "Sounds like me; the maintenance man of the universe." Awesome.
17.02 - "We should like that world."
18.45 - Zombies. Want. Braaaaaaaiiiiiiins.
19.16 - Not zombies, then. Zombies don't run.*
20.00 - Housemate. "She looks like she's in Thriller!"
22.06 - It's gone a bit Runaway Bride. And I miss Donna.
23.08 - "Water always wins." I'm now thirsty but a bit too scared to get a glass of water.
27.53 - Oh she's mad now...
26.33 - That was Martian for, "Freeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeedooooooooooooooooooooooooooooom"
30.11 - Odd to be continuing the Journey's End storyline, isn't it? Are they setting up bringing assistants or Daleks back (again) for the Christmas special? I much prefer new villains and dangers to the old enemies.
33.36 - "One day a Brooke will even fall in love with a Taledonian prince, and that's the start of a whole new species!"
34.40 - They're not dying of water; what is going to kill them?
35.10 - It wouldn't be Doctor Who with bikes, though, they have to run.
35.35 - The Doctor has a theory - I can see it in his gorgeous furrowed brow.
36.47 - What is the gorgeous blonde's accent supposed to be? (Housemate says German. Figures.)
38.00 - Even the music is sounding like Donna's theme. I still miss Donna.
39.00 - Why is the Doctor's access denied? He's never denied anything. He's the Doctor!
39.32 - He loves her? Is this hyperbole or another River Song? Ahh, see now even he's referencing The Fires of Pompeii.
40.16 - Accent update: Housemate now says Serbian.
41.16 - Not sure how I'd feel about finding out the day I die. I don't even like having a cold. (This just ruined a perfectly good moment of catharsis as my housemate giggled over my shoulder. Whoops.)
42:54 - This is making me very thirsty and a little hydrophobic. Maybe I'll have a Capri Sun, they're probably hermetically sealed.
44.17 - Ah, he is a vision in orange.
44.38 - Steffi update (this is the blonde crewmember's name); the video of her family shows them talking German. Also, she's less pretty as a water zombie.
46.56 - Oh, vaguely familiar Aussie down. Without even becoming a zombie, poor bloke. Horrible look in his eyes at the last minute, too.
47.50 - Apparently he was a water zombie. Hence the eyes. Observation fail.
48.17 - Not sure why they're playing the Gallifrey theme and doing the Last of the Time Lords thing again. Are they bringing the Master back for Christmas? The music has gone all Utopia / Sound of Drums. (Is it too much that I can recognise themes?)
49.26 - What's the knocking four times thing? Was not a fan of the last special so not familiar with it. Did I miss something?
49.54 - "The laws of time are mine - AND THEY WILL OBEY ME!" (He's quite hot when he's angry at the space-time continuum.) "We're fighting time itself - AND I'M GONNA WIN!"
50.50 - "Molto bene". Of course.
51.19 - I will be saying, "Gadget, gadget" to everything for a long time now. Because deep down I'm still an irritating, small child.
52.40 - Tai chi for zombies?
53.15 - Are they going to keep Gadget as the new K9? Hope not, he's cute enough for 1 episode but could get well annoying...
54.10 - What? Argh! What happened?! TELL MEEEEE.
54.27 - I'm guessing it's not real snow, a la Voyage of the Damned. Self-referencing, Doctor Who, it's getting a bit much...
55.30 - Oh, it is real snow.
56.41 - He's going to take them back, right? Oooh, dunno. He's gone all "tough". And is being a bit of a knob, to be quite honest. Not sure I'd shag him any more. (Housemate still would. There's a power thing going on I think. All very Freudian.)
58.07 - He's acting like the Master. Scary stuff.
58.43 - She killed herself. Shit. Has that knocked some sense into him? Apparently it preserved the history of the human race; maybe history is still stronger than the Doctor.
59.55 - Housemate: "Where'd he get an Ood from?" Also, since when was Death an Ood?
1:01.7 - I TOLD YOU Donna would be back. And the Master - I am just too good. What will the Master be like if he's not John Simm, though? I loved John Simm's Master. *I can't decide, whether you should live or die...*
Verdict: The best special since the end of S4. Didn't rate Christmas so much last year, and was almost unimpressed with Easter. But that was just too awesome for words. Even if I did spend the whole thing obsessing about clues and story arcs (I've not seen any Christmas spoilers and don't want to, ta). Housemate was not so keen, mostly because of Mean Doctor. But hopefully Mean Doctor was a short-lived thing, because I didn't like him either.
Also, reading back my stream-of-consciousness blogging I believe I might be completely barking mad. Apparently you should know that by now (thanks for nothing, housemate)...
*Except in Dead Set.
00.01 - Oooh video links. Weepy moment already...
00.30 - I don't like the Doctor arriving on his own, it's weird. Although, very retro orange suit.
02.33 - It looks like the Eden project.
02.36 - Is that Wall.E's long-lost cousin?
03.25 - "The Doctor. Doctor. Fun." Who's writing this? I'm loving the dialogue so far. Bowie Base One particularly good.
04.21 - Does it have to keep.... Oh. The Doctor just said that.
05.49 - The trailer spoiled this bit. Damn, shouldn't have watched it.
06.19 - Who's the aussie actor again?
08.00 - It's a bit like the Fires of Pompeii, but without the world history bit.
08.51 - The doctor just saluted. Huh.
09.38 - DEATH AND DESTRUCTION. The Doctor's back!
11.25 - Here's the sob back story, putting the apocalypse into post-acopalyptic.
14.06 - "Sounds like me; the maintenance man of the universe." Awesome.
17.02 - "We should like that world."
18.45 - Zombies. Want. Braaaaaaaiiiiiiins.
19.16 - Not zombies, then. Zombies don't run.*
20.00 - Housemate. "She looks like she's in Thriller!"
22.06 - It's gone a bit Runaway Bride. And I miss Donna.
23.08 - "Water always wins." I'm now thirsty but a bit too scared to get a glass of water.
27.53 - Oh she's mad now...
26.33 - That was Martian for, "Freeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeedooooooooooooooooooooooooooooom"
30.11 - Odd to be continuing the Journey's End storyline, isn't it? Are they setting up bringing assistants or Daleks back (again) for the Christmas special? I much prefer new villains and dangers to the old enemies.
33.36 - "One day a Brooke will even fall in love with a Taledonian prince, and that's the start of a whole new species!"
34.40 - They're not dying of water; what is going to kill them?
35.10 - It wouldn't be Doctor Who with bikes, though, they have to run.
35.35 - The Doctor has a theory - I can see it in his gorgeous furrowed brow.
36.47 - What is the gorgeous blonde's accent supposed to be? (Housemate says German. Figures.)
38.00 - Even the music is sounding like Donna's theme. I still miss Donna.
39.00 - Why is the Doctor's access denied? He's never denied anything. He's the Doctor!
39.32 - He loves her? Is this hyperbole or another River Song? Ahh, see now even he's referencing The Fires of Pompeii.
40.16 - Accent update: Housemate now says Serbian.
41.16 - Not sure how I'd feel about finding out the day I die. I don't even like having a cold. (This just ruined a perfectly good moment of catharsis as my housemate giggled over my shoulder. Whoops.)
42:54 - This is making me very thirsty and a little hydrophobic. Maybe I'll have a Capri Sun, they're probably hermetically sealed.
44.17 - Ah, he is a vision in orange.
44.38 - Steffi update (this is the blonde crewmember's name); the video of her family shows them talking German. Also, she's less pretty as a water zombie.
46.56 - Oh, vaguely familiar Aussie down. Without even becoming a zombie, poor bloke. Horrible look in his eyes at the last minute, too.
47.50 - Apparently he was a water zombie. Hence the eyes. Observation fail.
48.17 - Not sure why they're playing the Gallifrey theme and doing the Last of the Time Lords thing again. Are they bringing the Master back for Christmas? The music has gone all Utopia / Sound of Drums. (Is it too much that I can recognise themes?)
Last of the Time Lords is "a vision in orange." Screenshot from the Waters of Mars.
49.26 - What's the knocking four times thing? Was not a fan of the last special so not familiar with it. Did I miss something?
49.54 - "The laws of time are mine - AND THEY WILL OBEY ME!" (He's quite hot when he's angry at the space-time continuum.) "We're fighting time itself - AND I'M GONNA WIN!"
50.50 - "Molto bene". Of course.
51.19 - I will be saying, "Gadget, gadget" to everything for a long time now. Because deep down I'm still an irritating, small child.
52.40 - Tai chi for zombies?
53.15 - Are they going to keep Gadget as the new K9? Hope not, he's cute enough for 1 episode but could get well annoying...
54.10 - What? Argh! What happened?! TELL MEEEEE.
54.27 - I'm guessing it's not real snow, a la Voyage of the Damned. Self-referencing, Doctor Who, it's getting a bit much...
55.30 - Oh, it is real snow.
56.41 - He's going to take them back, right? Oooh, dunno. He's gone all "tough". And is being a bit of a knob, to be quite honest. Not sure I'd shag him any more. (Housemate still would. There's a power thing going on I think. All very Freudian.)
58.07 - He's acting like the Master. Scary stuff.
58.43 - She killed herself. Shit. Has that knocked some sense into him? Apparently it preserved the history of the human race; maybe history is still stronger than the Doctor.
59.55 - Housemate: "Where'd he get an Ood from?" Also, since when was Death an Ood?
1:01.7 - I TOLD YOU Donna would be back. And the Master - I am just too good. What will the Master be like if he's not John Simm, though? I loved John Simm's Master. *I can't decide, whether you should live or die...*
Verdict: The best special since the end of S4. Didn't rate Christmas so much last year, and was almost unimpressed with Easter. But that was just too awesome for words. Even if I did spend the whole thing obsessing about clues and story arcs (I've not seen any Christmas spoilers and don't want to, ta). Housemate was not so keen, mostly because of Mean Doctor. But hopefully Mean Doctor was a short-lived thing, because I didn't like him either.
Also, reading back my stream-of-consciousness blogging I believe I might be completely barking mad. Apparently you should know that by now (thanks for nothing, housemate)...
*Except in Dead Set.
Saturday, 14 November 2009
Orlando
I've just finished listening to Virginia Woolf's Orlando and I'm now unsure as to how I got to be 23 without it. It's a stunning book, much richer than anything I had expected. At once fantastic and somehow believable, and a fascinating commentary on the many facets (over 2,000?) of human nature and the strangeness of trying to commit and identity to the page.
If you have not read it, do so right away. I think this book will haunt me for a long time.
Also, I found out that I share a birthday with Virginia Woolf, and that has to make me pretty awesome, right?
If you have not read it, do so right away. I think this book will haunt me for a long time.
Also, I found out that I share a birthday with Virginia Woolf, and that has to make me pretty awesome, right?
Paraskevidekatriaphobia
This is just to let you know that I survived Friday 13th intact. I'm not someone particularly affected by paraskevidekatriaphobia (quick Greek lesson: Paraskevē (Παρασκευή) - Friday, dekatreís (δεκατρείς) -13), but there's always a small thrill in something being riskier than usual. I'm the sort of person who always walks under ladders, partly to prove that it's not bad luck and partly to tempt fate. So I suppose I'm a bit disappointed that I wasn't afflicted by any comical misfortune to regale you with. On the whole, though, surviving another day intact has got to be a blessing, right?
Wednesday, 11 November 2009
Remembrance
In silence, at 11am, we will remember those who have died in wars across the world. I will be thinking of the families who have lost loved ones since November 11th last year.
In particular, having visited Israel and Palestine in December 2008, I will be thinking of the people suffering in that conflict zone. I will be thinking of the people in Sderot, who daily are shelled between twice (in peacetime) and sixty times (in times of conflict). I will be thinking of the people who endured horrific wounds, or died, with the illegal use of white phosphoros in Palestine in the most recent conflict. I will be thinking of the people I met who lost loved ones in suicide attacks during the last antifada, or whose lives have been destroyed by borders and curfews. I will be praying for those who believe war is the answer, and those who work for peace.
Pray for peace around the world. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem.
In particular, having visited Israel and Palestine in December 2008, I will be thinking of the people suffering in that conflict zone. I will be thinking of the people in Sderot, who daily are shelled between twice (in peacetime) and sixty times (in times of conflict). I will be thinking of the people who endured horrific wounds, or died, with the illegal use of white phosphoros in Palestine in the most recent conflict. I will be thinking of the people I met who lost loved ones in suicide attacks during the last antifada, or whose lives have been destroyed by borders and curfews. I will be praying for those who believe war is the answer, and those who work for peace.
Pray for peace around the world. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem.
"Pray for the peace of Jerusalem" - the close of a light show at the Tower of David, Jerusalem
December 2008
December 2008
How bookselling changed the nation
I am a bookseller, and have been off-and-on since April 2005, and I have a confession to make - I love it. So when I got into work yesterday, the whole place was buzzing about this article from yesterday's G2.
I've read the article, and I think that Stuart Jeffries perhaps has made some valid points. It is true, for example, that the book industry has changed since more unusual retailers joined the throng. Even before Amazon - on which more later - the supermarkets branched into bookselling, and it's easy to forget that WHSmith used to be a stationery shop. This was the beginning, as I see it, of the age of mass-market paperbacks. As retailers got into a price war, the face of bookselling began to change. I remember going with my mum to Waterstone's in Ealing Broadway (in the early days after Waterstone's bought out Dillon's) on a semi-regular basis to see what was in the 3 for 2 offer. It became a highlight of the school holidays when we were able to get books to read on car journeys and on holiday.
As for the growing trend for coffee shops, that is also not necessarily a new or a bad thing. In 1998 the Times Higher Education Supplement published this article on the changing nature of campus bookshops. Again, some valid points are raised.
I take the point that it would be lovely if we could all sit and browse books in the coffee shop, but surely it's obvious why that is not allowed? I love new books. I can't help it, I love the mint condition of them. I read books and barely even bend the spine. Of course, I have copies of old favourites that are well-loved (I have ruined more copies of Oranges are not the Only Fruit than I can count because they keep falling apart), but on the whole I like books to look neat. I detest the idea that someone could not only take away and read a book before buying it (they might break the spine!) but that they could even take it into a coffee shop (coffee! argh!). Just thinking about it makes me begin to hyperventilate. So I'm afraid I'm firmly on Waterstone's'* side there; the Borders in Charing Cross Road allows books into Starbucks and it's always full of books and magazines that are so used as to look second-hand. It's an odd decision for a retailer to make, and a nightmare for book lovers. If the only copy of a book is in that condition, I would rather cross the road to Foyle's, or even walk to Blackwell's or the nearest Waterstone's, than buy it.
And this leads me, inevitably, to Amazon, where the new books are always in good condition (the only coffee spillage likely will ruin your laptop, but the book is safe). There are no other customers, no booksellers to confuse you with additional offers, no loyalty schemes. It's just cheap. OK, so some of the other sellers are confusing but on the whole it's straightforward and it automatically offers recommendations. You can even shop naked. Not that I do.
I remember the advent of Amazon, of course. I remember jungle.com (was this Amazon's first incarnation?), and the way it revolutionised shopping. And, I admit, I love Amazon. I use it sometimes when I'm feeling pretty broke, and it's my go-to place for electronics. And with the advent of first MP3 players and now e-Readers (Amazon's Kindle and Sony's Reader) it does make sense to buy electronic books and music from the internet.
And what I love about this is the way our reading habits have changed. I work in a bookshop with an excellent range of academic books, and popular non-fiction. And with every promotion, I see more and more brilliant non-fiction being discounted and selling. Almost every academic bookshop in London sells Oxford University Press' Very Short Introductions for 3 for 2 at least once a year (I love these; if I had time I'd read them all). Authors like Tom Holland, Niall Ferguson and David Kynaston are increasingly popular and David Starkey, Simon Schama and Diarmaid MacCulloch are becoming household names thanks to their BBC history series over the past few years. Yes, Mitchell and Webb and Coleen Nolan will still sell well. After all, we still like a good nosey into someone else's life. But so too will the brilliant Wolf Hall and Christopher Andrew's fascinating history of MI5. Maybe Waterstone's has changed the bookselling industry for the cheaper, along with WHSmiths, the supermarkets and Amazon. Is this a bad thing, if it means we are reading more? We are buying and reading non-fiction at a much greater rate than ever before, and I think that's brilliant.
We're a nation of book lovers like never before, but despite all the new technology you'll never be able to beat going into a bookstore. Even though Amazon and Waterstone's offer preview chapters as PDF files, there's nothing like a good browse.
But - and I will end my small rant here, I promise - there is a limit. And I found the opening premise of the Guardian article slightly strange.
I would encourage browsing in a shop, always, and I think seating is a great thing in a bookshop. You need to be able to compare books before you commit to buying one, and I've picked up some great things that I never would have bought if the first chapter hadn't grabbed my attention when I was browsing. (The latest is Andrew Ross Sorkin's Too Big to Fail. Not my thing at all, but it turns out it's a great read.) But a bookshop is not a library. If you just want somewhere to sit and read something, Tacitus is available in any public library, or free online. But that notwithstanding, Mr. Jeffries clearly didn't look very far. I'm not sure about the lower floors but I do happen to know of a lovely, comfy armchair on the second floor, a window seat on the first floor and a sofa on the third. That particular bookshop is not starved of seating areas.
*Yes, I'm pretty sure that's the correct use of apostrophes.
I've read the article, and I think that Stuart Jeffries perhaps has made some valid points. It is true, for example, that the book industry has changed since more unusual retailers joined the throng. Even before Amazon - on which more later - the supermarkets branched into bookselling, and it's easy to forget that WHSmith used to be a stationery shop. This was the beginning, as I see it, of the age of mass-market paperbacks. As retailers got into a price war, the face of bookselling began to change. I remember going with my mum to Waterstone's in Ealing Broadway (in the early days after Waterstone's bought out Dillon's) on a semi-regular basis to see what was in the 3 for 2 offer. It became a highlight of the school holidays when we were able to get books to read on car journeys and on holiday.
As for the growing trend for coffee shops, that is also not necessarily a new or a bad thing. In 1998 the Times Higher Education Supplement published this article on the changing nature of campus bookshops. Again, some valid points are raised.
I take the point that it would be lovely if we could all sit and browse books in the coffee shop, but surely it's obvious why that is not allowed? I love new books. I can't help it, I love the mint condition of them. I read books and barely even bend the spine. Of course, I have copies of old favourites that are well-loved (I have ruined more copies of Oranges are not the Only Fruit than I can count because they keep falling apart), but on the whole I like books to look neat. I detest the idea that someone could not only take away and read a book before buying it (they might break the spine!) but that they could even take it into a coffee shop (coffee! argh!). Just thinking about it makes me begin to hyperventilate. So I'm afraid I'm firmly on Waterstone's'* side there; the Borders in Charing Cross Road allows books into Starbucks and it's always full of books and magazines that are so used as to look second-hand. It's an odd decision for a retailer to make, and a nightmare for book lovers. If the only copy of a book is in that condition, I would rather cross the road to Foyle's, or even walk to Blackwell's or the nearest Waterstone's, than buy it.
And this leads me, inevitably, to Amazon, where the new books are always in good condition (the only coffee spillage likely will ruin your laptop, but the book is safe). There are no other customers, no booksellers to confuse you with additional offers, no loyalty schemes. It's just cheap. OK, so some of the other sellers are confusing but on the whole it's straightforward and it automatically offers recommendations. You can even shop naked. Not that I do.
I remember the advent of Amazon, of course. I remember jungle.com (was this Amazon's first incarnation?), and the way it revolutionised shopping. And, I admit, I love Amazon. I use it sometimes when I'm feeling pretty broke, and it's my go-to place for electronics. And with the advent of first MP3 players and now e-Readers (Amazon's Kindle and Sony's Reader) it does make sense to buy electronic books and music from the internet.
And what I love about this is the way our reading habits have changed. I work in a bookshop with an excellent range of academic books, and popular non-fiction. And with every promotion, I see more and more brilliant non-fiction being discounted and selling. Almost every academic bookshop in London sells Oxford University Press' Very Short Introductions for 3 for 2 at least once a year (I love these; if I had time I'd read them all). Authors like Tom Holland, Niall Ferguson and David Kynaston are increasingly popular and David Starkey, Simon Schama and Diarmaid MacCulloch are becoming household names thanks to their BBC history series over the past few years. Yes, Mitchell and Webb and Coleen Nolan will still sell well. After all, we still like a good nosey into someone else's life. But so too will the brilliant Wolf Hall and Christopher Andrew's fascinating history of MI5. Maybe Waterstone's has changed the bookselling industry for the cheaper, along with WHSmiths, the supermarkets and Amazon. Is this a bad thing, if it means we are reading more? We are buying and reading non-fiction at a much greater rate than ever before, and I think that's brilliant.
We're a nation of book lovers like never before, but despite all the new technology you'll never be able to beat going into a bookstore. Even though Amazon and Waterstone's offer preview chapters as PDF files, there's nothing like a good browse.
But - and I will end my small rant here, I promise - there is a limit. And I found the opening premise of the Guardian article slightly strange.
In the Bloomsbury branch of Waterstone's, I am trying to find a quiet seat to read Tacitus's account of Seneca's suicide
I would encourage browsing in a shop, always, and I think seating is a great thing in a bookshop. You need to be able to compare books before you commit to buying one, and I've picked up some great things that I never would have bought if the first chapter hadn't grabbed my attention when I was browsing. (The latest is Andrew Ross Sorkin's Too Big to Fail. Not my thing at all, but it turns out it's a great read.) But a bookshop is not a library. If you just want somewhere to sit and read something, Tacitus is available in any public library, or free online. But that notwithstanding, Mr. Jeffries clearly didn't look very far. I'm not sure about the lower floors but I do happen to know of a lovely, comfy armchair on the second floor, a window seat on the first floor and a sofa on the third. That particular bookshop is not starved of seating areas.
*Yes, I'm pretty sure that's the correct use of apostrophes.
Monday, 9 November 2009
Columbia beret
I've just cast on the Columbia Beret (here it is on Ravelry). No pics yet, still on the garter stitch brim, but very excited about having a lovely winter beret. Yum.
Sadly, my history with knit hats is not good; I keep losing them! I lost my Hannah in Manos silk blend (though think I have enough yarn to do a new one when I can bear it!) in T.K. Maxx at New St in Birmingham last November.
Then I lost my first Grace on the Victoria line between Pimlico and Euston in June as soon as I finished it! I didn't even get a photo of it finished. Sob.
I just hope that somewhere they are being worn and keeping people warm. That's all a knitter needs.
Sadly, my history with knit hats is not good; I keep losing them! I lost my Hannah in Manos silk blend (though think I have enough yarn to do a new one when I can bear it!) in T.K. Maxx at New St in Birmingham last November.
Then I lost my first Grace on the Victoria line between Pimlico and Euston in June as soon as I finished it! I didn't even get a photo of it finished. Sob.
I just hope that somewhere they are being worn and keeping people warm. That's all a knitter needs.
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