Rainbow Chills

A red spider fiat and matching lavalier necklaces

Women in their 30s all over the country are simultaneously cheering and cursing about the re-release of Francine Pascal's Sweet Valley High books.

There are pictures of me as a 9 year old, on the beach, reading a Sweet Valley High book. I wanted to BE Elizabeth Wakefield. I knew I'd never be cool enough to be Jessica but I could imagine myself with a best friend like Enid (much sweeter than Jessica's rich friend Lila) and a boyfriend like Todd. I eventually was the editor of the school yearbook and I'd like to thank Francine Pascal for introducing me to a character who loved to write (I also thank Lucy Maud Montgomery, Louisa May Alcott, and Patricia Hermes, the author of my all-time favorite YA book, Be Still My Heart*) for their literary-loving girls as well.

The anger that has arisen is because of one of the updates that have been made to adapt the series to today's world- changes like the girls sharing a Jeep Wrangler instead of the red Spider Fiat. Elizabeth is now the editor of the school website, rather than the newspaper. The big uproar is over the news that the girls are no longer "a perfect size 6." They are now "a perfect size 4."

A PERFECT SIZE 4.

No wonder I throw up my hands in frustration when I even think about my body and the ways I wish it were different. I have never been, and will never be a size 4. I wore a size 6 dress to my 8th grade dance. I still remember it because it never happened before and has never happened since. I will never wear a size 6, let alone a size 4 and I have pretty much known that since before puberty. The Sweet Valley twins are certainly not great role models for pre-teen girls anymore today than they were 20 years ago (what with Jessica's seduction of every boy who comes along and the cocaine that killed poor Regina even though she only tried it ONE TIME!) but girls are struggling with body image more now than ever before. And we shouldn't be contributing to that problem by making these fictional girls any thinner than they already were.

Links about this here:

• Gawker
• Oh No They Didn't
• Erin Shea: Totally furious and Just Mad
• Big Fat Deal- a blog I adore
• Elastic Waist

* Be Still My Heart didn't do any wonders for my body image either. Allison, the main character, is envious of her best friend who, of course, is perfect and blonde. Allison is a brunette and weighs an apparently atrocious 130 lbs. It's not until after Allison gets blonde highlights and loses 8 lbs that the boy she loves (who is, of course, dating her best friend) finally notices her. Can anyone explain to me me why I love this book?

Easter 2008

Checking in to say hi!

We had a great Easter yesterday with all but one of my mom's siblings joining us (she lives in Florida), all of my cousins, and all of their children.

These are the seven kids in the next generation:

My nieces and nephew are on the left: Evie, Abigail, and Joshua. These kids are ranging in age from nearly 7 (Cassidy, the one with the bangs) to 3 months (Emma, the one in Cassidy's arms). There will be another one next year! Have I mentioned that my sister Cathy is having a little boy in July? We're very excited to have another nephew to add to the bunch! I'm not sure where we're going to fit one more person in my mother's house though on a holiday. Boy, was it crowded yesterday!

Here's a shot of me and Joshua yesterday at my Grandmom's house. I got another 10 inches cut off my hair last weekend to donate to Locks of Love. That's 23 inches donated since July 2006!

Contrary to blog and Ravelry evidence, I have been knitting. I knit the Shetland Triange shawl in Louet Euroflax original that I got in a trade (the pics are in the stash of the person I traded with). I've also finished 1 of the Socks for Veronik and have the second one in progress. I'm using a yarn dyed by Cristina and purchased at the Waldorf School Holiday Craft Fair back in 2006. It's the green one in the pic of the fingering weight sock yarn. So yes, I have been knitting. And someday soon, I'll stop knitting long enough to take and post some pictures.

Have a great week!

Knotions!

Have you heard about Knotions?

Knotions is a new online knitting magazine created and edited by my very good friend, Jody. Jody has been a technical editor for a number of well known designers. She is a master at sizing patterns and modifying patterns to fit a variety of bodies. She has impeccable taste in designs and yarn, understands fit (do I sound like Michael Kors on Runway? You really understand a woman's body.), and is the best knitting mathematician I know. Jody also always seems to know what's going on in the online knitting world and is open to the suggestions of what will make Knotions a great magazine for all of us.

If you are interested in contributing to Knotions, check out the submission guidelines.

If you are excited about Knotions and want to help make it great, fill out the survey.

Subscribe to the Knoted blog so you'll be up on all the news about Knotions.

Congratulations, Jody! I am so happy for you.

Team Monkey 2.0

We're kicking off our fundraising for the 2008 Arthritis Walk.

As  many of you know, my girl Michelle has Rheumatoid Arthritis. It stinks. Plain and simple. She has to take tons of meds, including getting an infusion once a month. She has pain and swelling and joint damage. Sometimes she can't do things she wants to do (like wearing high heels or lifting our nieces) because of pain or fatigue.

Arthritis isn't just something old people get. It affects our lives in big and small ways every day. It's important that money is going towards arthritis research so that treatments can be improved, especially for people like Michelle who have moderate to severe conditions. The effects of arthritis, such as joint damage, are permanent and irreversible. The treatments that exist now can slow the progression of damage but once the damage is done, it's here to stay. We will not let arthritis win!

Last year, Team Monkey raised $2400 and were the second highest fundraising team in the Philly Walk. This year, we're hoping to get some friends and family signed on to walk with us and help us raise $4000. If you can help us, please visit the Team Monkey fundraising page. Every little bit helps.

For those of you who donate at least $10, you'll be entered into a raffle for yarn and other knitterly prizes. If you're not a knitter and you win, I'll knit you a pair of socks. You'll be entered for every $10 you donate so open those wallets. Last year, I raffled off two skeins of Socks that Rock and two skeins of Tess' Super Sock, in addition to a few donated prizes. I'm offering the same prizes this year-- 4 skeins of sock yarn and I'm throwing in 1 pair of socks, handknit by me to your specifications. That's at least 5 prizes. If I see something else really special at Maryland Sheep and Wool that catches my eye, there may be more up for grabs. So start donating! The walk is on May 17. Prizes will be awarded the following week.   

Donate Here: Team Monkey!

You can donate to the team account. We're working on being the top team rather than being top fundraisers individually. After donating, send an email to arthritiswalkprizes at gmail with your name and the amount you donated.

Thank you!