sigh

for a while, i've been thinking about picking up loom knitting, but i wasn't sure if it would really be that much better for me than normal knitting. today i walked into joann fabrics, meandered around, looked at yarns, and REALLY got the knitting bug. i grabbed looms, yarn, and walked around the store in a glow of knitting excitement. then... i got apprehensive. so i put it all back.

after a short trip into petsmart, i popped right back into joann's and picked up everything again and checked out. for those of you unfamiliar with the price of yarn (btw, i was thinking of making a small blanket or throw), cha and ching.

super excited about my new acquisitions, and went right away to trying to develop some new skills. the first downside, i won't be able to loom knit without looking at it - that was one of my favorite parts about knitting! i could knit and watch tv or read a book oh well. that's something i can deal with. so i keep knitting. and... after just a couple hours (which in my world of knitting is really not much), i'm realizing that this is not going to work. too much pain for too little gain.

needless to say, i'm frustrated. i really do enjoy knitting - i like crafting things (even if my skills don't live up to Marisa's skills), having a finished product, and the joys of seeing something to completion, which is not something i do all that often. and i just can't do it anymore.

knitting sadness

as some of you know, i've had a lot of problems with my thumb/hand/wrist lately. sadly, i really can't knit until this is completely resolved. if i aggravate things too much, then i might need surgery. so no.

i am waiting for my birthday to ask for some knitting looms (hint hint), but until further notice, i will not be knitting. i know you're devastated, i'm sad too.

in the meantime, i want to learn how to quilt.

"for neda"

neda was the young woman who was killed in the post election protests in iran just over a year ago. today i watched "for neda," a documentary about her life, political convictions, family, and death. i had a very strong emotional reaction to this film, a reaction that i do not recall having at the time, and it's jarred me quite a bit.

first, even just seeing the camera phone video of her death (or murder, call it what you will) evoked anger and tears. her death was brutal. unjust. heinous. unscrupulous. ruthless. it is just one example of the lengths that some are willing to take to maintain power (even after rigging an election)

when the footage was shown of the sheer number of soldiers on the street during (what began as) peaceful protests was appalling. i would have to resist the urge to soil myself and run away, and i would certainly not have the bravery to join the accelerating protests.

i don't know why this all affected me so profoundly. i have never been an intensely patriotic/go america/toby keith is awesome/U!S!A! U!S!A! type of individual, but seeing this just made me feel like i have been taking everything i have for granted. the simple fact that the president is not engaging in massive election fraud and using the military to effectively hold the nation hostage was something that i never seriously... related to. i've always been aware that it happens. but this film made me feel an acute sense of empathy for those who live and struggle under such regimes and a great swelling of pride and respect for those willing to risk their lives to attempt to steer the future of their states.

if you'd like to watch "for neda" i believe it is on HBO on demand. i will most likely expand this post over the next day or two, but i really wanted to put this up while i felt this way.

obama's back

as you may or may not know, i'm interning for a gubernatorial campaign this summer (which i love), and the campaign was so wonderful as to acquire tickets for 5 of the interns to go down to racine for president obama's town hall meeting on the economy.

timeline:
8:00 am - leave fond du lac for milwaukee
9:30 am - leave milwaukee for racine
10:15 am - arrive in Racine, find the line to wait to get into the hall
11:00 am - doors schedule to open
11:30 am - line starts moving
12:15 pm - find seats in the center balcony

1:10 pm - national anthem and pledge of alegience
1:20 pm - president obama begins opening remarks

Needless to say, there was a lot of waiting and milling around. anyways... after seeing president obama speak, i have determined (and i know that the world hangs on my every word) that campaign barack is back. He still has the skip in his step, the measured, spontaneous, self depricating humor, and the beaming smile you can feel from 200 feet away.

it was inspiring. and moving. president obama will be here to stay. there will be challenges during the midterm elections for sure, but once the president gets back on the campaign trail in 2012, all will be well with the world. that time can't come soon enough for some of us.

peace, love, and president obama,

amanda