Band of sisters

Not just the Footballers

As usual, its another week another football scandal. Mostly it been the story of the gang rape of the NZ woman, but there's been a soccer story or two. The blogosphere has written some great articles about the stories.

I recently saw Shane Warne: The Musical. I enjoyed most of it very much, it captured the highlights and lowlights of his sporting career and sometime tabloid fodder. I'd seen an interview with the man himself at the beginning of the year and he admitted that he himself enjoyed it, and that his main concern that it wasn't too hard on Simone and his family. That I would have to disagree with.

There was one song, which although it was a great song vocally for the singer playing Simone, the lyrics made her out to be very stupid and that's why she couldn't understand Shane and perhaps that was an excuse for him cheating. A few songs later there was another song that made me cringe and also remember that cricketers too could get involved in sex scandals. The casual dismissal of the women in his bed as sluts reminded me of the footballers and their attitude to women; ie. the women had no personal agency, were interchangable and were essentially 'prizes' for being a sucessful sportsman. Yet another song seemed timely and that was about Shane having to apologise to Australia for some of his behaviour. The song pointed out that everyone appreciated his ability to bowl for Australia and that should be all that mattered. That to me raised the issues of the expectations we place on our sporting heroes to be role models and to live 'perfect lives'. I'm quite willing to be OK with the drinking (as long as its not used as an excuse for other behaviour such as drunk driving or assault), smoking and partying etc, but when it involves other human beings being used for group bonding or as rewards, that where its stops being cheeky & larrikin and starts being a crime. As for the role model thing, as long as they making money from the endorsements to represent a product & brand image, then yes they are signing up to be role models.

Happy Christmas

I can't believe I didn't think of doing this earlier. An off-hand comment on Friday made me realise I had patterns for knitted trees. I had to rush home and knit one in time to attach it to presents that had to mailed on Saturday. The pattern is from Nicky Epsteins Knitted Embellishments and I added beads to represent decorations. Next year I will be more organised!

As if we needed another reason to love Karen Allen

I've already been to see the new Indiana Jones movies. Very flawed but still fun, and of course Marian is back. Karen Allen as Marian in Raiders of the Lost Ark was a fantastic female character. She was under utilised in this movie, but still the best match for Indy. (It would been easy to go with Kate Capshaw from Temple of Doom, after all she is married to Spielberg, but I don't think the fans would have put up with that.)

Anyway, of top of looking fabulous in all the promo pictures it turns out Karen Allen is a knitter. She has a fibre arts business where she sells knitted and other items.

I'm an aunt again

One of my sisters has had another baby, her 3rd. Now I have five nieces and nephews, but this is the first one I actually made booties for.

I found an old Patons pattern in a local shop for baby items, it originally cost 1'6, so it must be pre-1966, but other than that I don't know how old it was. In keeping with the use of an old pattern I used some yarn that I received from a friend after her mother died. It is called Bimbo yarn. Most of these old yarn claim to be Moth Proofed- I never realised this is something I should be looking for in a yarn.

Another old pattern book I bought, a book of girl's wear, comes 'with TV designs'!!! Some of the patterns also claim 'Its the Jet Age'. Amongst my mother's stash is a few balls of this futuristic yarn (also mothproofed)

Two steps forward,

...one step back.

Quentin Bryce will be the new Governor General of Australia, when the incumbent's term is over. This has generally been perceived positively, with most people and media acknowledging that she is very accomplished and extremely suited for the role, as well as saying how great it is that a woman has broken another barrier.

However, even when it looks like we are making progress, that it is normal for women to be considered for and obtain these roles, there's always someone who can't accept it:

...I thought the Governor-General was there for all Australians, not just women, those who live in the bush or indigenous Australians. But then what would I know? I'm only a white, male city-dweller.

This was from a Letter to the Editor in the Sydney Morning Herald. Naturally, he was shot down the next day.
Aren't there enough white, male city-dwellers in power?

The thing that struck me about this letter, was yet again the assumption made by white men that white men can represent anyone, but any non-white and/or non-man must have some agenda that means they are out to strip privilege from those who have it. As the second writer pointed out, the white city-dwelling male population doesn't have anything to worry about.

This whole concept of the 'other' not being considered able to include the whole population is really playing out in the run-up to the US election. With both the Democrat contenders being different from the traditional old white man candidate, issues of race and gender have really come to the fore. I find it amazing that a country that believes it is world leading still has problems with the idea of diversity in it heads of states.

Project Update

Since I've been taking a bunch of photos to add to my ravelry notebook, I figured its a good opportunity to do an actual knitting blog entry.

Noni Majolica Bag Vases Full of Flowers

Obviously a long way to go. I found a picture of one that had been done in Black & White. It is stunning.

This will be the Vogue Knitting Embellished V-neck.

It is another example of one where I have knitted all the pieces, but am avoiding the sewing. Rather than the suggested Merino I have used Bendigo Caprice, 50% alpaca, 50% wool. It's very nice, but its not included on the latest BWM sample card.

Finally, one where I actually have started the sewing - Little Miss Sunshine.

Progress is slow, I last referenced this in Jan '07, and first talked about it as a possible project in April '06. Friends and sisters keep popping out the babies, so the possible recipitents have increased.

Finally a finished object: