What's on in March...

Sorry for the blog silence.  It's been a season of colds, Sally, our old dog, isn't feeling good and needs vet trips, and we've had a few other human medical appointments.  And meanwhile, I've had some articles run as well...

Over on the CBC, I had a piece come out about how the current Manitoba government is offering us $45 million in road infrastructure repair for the province's 150th birthday..and isn't prioritizing anything for a greener, more sustainable future or a future that celebrates or recognizes our diverse population.  (Happy anniversary, honey!  Here's a new vacuum cleaner?)

I didn't post anything about it at the time because I didn't know when it would run, and then the comments were full of some inappropriate stuff.  (so inappropriate that the comments were removed...)

I had a column run in two papers about how we can keep learning if our libraries stay afloat.  This winter I spent several weekend afternoons on the couch with a sick kid and good books.  Here's a link to Words of praise for libraries.

My article about how basic tools make a difference for handspinners went live over on the Spin Off Magazine's blog: 6 Handspinning Hacks....

Here's a photo of how you can use a dog waste roll core (a cardboard tube cut open) to create a bobbin for your spindle...when you are done spinning, slide the roll right off the spindle!  It's a Spindlewood spindle, in case you are curious...

Or you can use a toilet paper roll for your ball of handspun, and when you are ready, you pop out the roll, insert your thumb in the space left, and use both ends of the handspun for making a 2 ply yarn.

The hack that got left out?
Cotton bedsheets from the thift store: Every now and again, I end up with a lot of free or inexpensive fleece. I skirt and sort, shake out vegetable matter and contain the washed fleeces in countless number of sheets from the thrift store. 

Next topic: And, if you're a knitter and celebrate Purim? In honour of increasing your joy in Adar, you can download The Hamantaschen Noisemaker pattern for free, using the coupon code:
Adar
(ends midnight, CT, US & Canada--on March 10th, of course.)
Please consider this some virtual shalach manot from me to you!
Have fun! Have a great holiday!

Last, but not least...happy International Women's Day. Yes-We still need it...equal pay, equal opportunities, adequate healthcare and childcare access...we still need a day to talk about all this and more.

Worry Bear for Women

A friend graciously tested my Worry Bear pattern.  She has already given the first bear to a friend who is going through some mental health challenges.  Her second is destined for an older lady with dementia.  I feel like if this design is all I did for International Women's Day this year, so be it.  I was very moved by her images in the projects and how her handknits have such power to show care for others.  She gave me permission to repost them.

We had a quiet moment doing reading before bed this week, and I caught a funny photo of these cherished (but pretty worn) woolly socks I knit long ago.  They were dangling off the edge of the bed as we made our way through a Rainbow Magic Fairy book together.  --And, if you are looking, you can see an old baby blanket doing double duty on the handmade dog bed and the wool crocheted rug, a little worse the wear now, but well-loved by several dogs after 13? years or so!

After working at the computer, and getting groceries and other chores, I made myself a fabulous snack.  That's Greek/Turkish/Middle Eastern coffee....(1 tsp sugar, for those who wonder) made in a briki, a tall glass of water, and plain popcorn topped with a bit of olive oil, salt, and a tablespoon of maple syrup.  (Don't worry, I saved a lot of popcorn for twins' after-school snack, too.)  It was delicious.  May you have something similar soon!

Fierce

I think you'd have to be fierce like a lion to be a fundraiser in the Jewish community.  (Note homemade lion Purim costume for emphasis...he wore an orange -handknit-sweater and a pair of pants with a big handmade tail, too...!)

I read this article about harassment of women who work as fundraisers in the Jewish community, published by the JTA, and it really bothered me.  I followed it up by writing this opinion piece, which was published by the Jewish Independent this week:
A need for ethical guidelines
(My working title was something along the lines of: Ritual Sacrifice?  Or sacrificing fundraisers?)

On the broader topic, I've written little so far that specifically addresses the #MeToo movement.  That isn't because I have nothing to say.  I have so much to say that I don't know where to start.  The problem is so pervasive.  The worst part is that I haven't encountered a single woman who doesn't have something to say about this, based on her lived experience.

For me, it seemed so clear when I had a brief conversation at the dining room table with my mom and she said something like "Oh, what's coming out now is only the tip of the iceberg."  We talked about how we'd handled it previously, often with laughter. For a long time, all you could do is talk about the harassment or awful unwanted attention/physical assaults with your female friends and family and---laugh.  It was embarrassing and awful and...there was little one could do to fix things. Bringing up these issues in public only resulted in shame. It potentially also drew more abuse--as if we, as victims, caused this unwanted male attention, touch or assault. (If I'd only worn something else, sat in a public area, taken a different train...the list goes on.) This movement is a first step in a long process.

As a writer, I feel obligated to amplify unjust things as I can.  I am not fierce or as brave as some of these professionals who spoke out in a way that threatened their livelihood...but I owe it to them to step up and help.

Handmade Resistance--it's much older than a 'buycott'

Here is my latest article...
 This one just went live this morning on the Daily Forward's Sisterhood Blog:

Ethical fashion is about more than boycotts--and it has been for a very long time. We can create great change through the work of our hands.

Curious to read more?  Here's the link:

Jewish Handmade Resistance

Tellin' it like it is

When I was a kid, I was sometimes reprimanded by my elders because I was not the most subtle or thoughtful.  If somebody asked me something, I occasionally responded without the right "polite" filter.  So, sometimes I maybe said mean things inadvertently, without thinking, or I was way too honest when asked my opinion.
" No, Auntie So and So, you don't look good in that color.  I don't like your new dress..."  
You get the picture?  Those comments did not go down so well.

  However, there's something to be said for telling it like it is.  My mother-in-law (may she rest in peace) was very good at this, and now I get it...often people encourage girls to be nice, act nicely and be polite...don't make waves.  Yet?  There's some serious feminist power in speaking my piece.

Even so, I am sometimes too kind due to this childhood "girly" training.  I try to excuse people by saying  things like "I'm not entirely sure what they were doing" (when I knew, in this case they were definitely pirating ebooks) and making excuses like "I was really sleep deprived.  Maybe I missed something."  The truth is, heck no, I did not miss anything.  As individuals, we often see people doing wrong.  If I were not so tired that day, maybe I would have called out those people who were stealing digital content, but in truth, I wasn't up to doing it.  I should have.  I should have even been more direct about it in this essay I wrote.  Oh well.

What am I talking about?  I just had a piece published on the CBC about intellectual property piracy:
Time to assess the true cost of digital piracy

Some of the comments posted in response may have their points.  However, some are downright mean and petty.  The professor pointed out to me that I should read all the comments through this lens:  Why are they commenting?  Do they feel defensive because they are guilty of stealing someone's intellectual property/content without paying for it?

If so, we can chalk it up to this: some people say inadvisable or unkind things when they feel guilty and defensive. Oops. :)

Even further...why do these trolls comment on articles all the time in this way?  Why not write your own opinion piece?  Why not speak out about your point of view instead?!  Are you willing to put your writing out there for publication and be open to the critique?

I mentioned this new article on a forum for knitwear designers, and got a lot of kind support, but the best one was someone who posted a link to this comic.  The comic is about EXPOSURE.  How creative people aren't doing their work for the money, but instead, for exposure.  (Warning, there is one well-placed bad word in this comic.)

This comic gave me a laugh, and it reminded me too of how far I've come in my work life.  When I first started writing for publication, I was very sensitive about every comment, criticism and critique.  It all hurt.  Now, I know that nothing I ever write is perfect, but that it's ok to write what I know...and sometimes it gets accepted for publication...anyway.

When I see the article go live, part of me is proud it was published for its own sake.  Another part of me is going: Grocery money!  Preschool fees!  Maybe we can afford take-out now and again!   

Cause the Canadian dollar is low these days, and groceries cost more and more.  It's a fine thing to be able to put my education and experience to work, and earn money for that work.  Some folks might not agree with me.  Oh well.  I can live with that, particularly if I still get to earn money for my writing, and it pays some of the bills.  It's a feminist thing: getting paid fairly for my work.

That's saying it like it is.

International Women's Day

Last year, I posted about International Women's Day here. I wanted to post again today, but I haven't been feeling well and this post got delayed. (I didn't sleep much last night and am very out of breath lately from these twin fetuses squishing my lungs.) Then, I saw the Yarn Harlot's outstanding post and it spurred me on. I didn't have to cover that ground--cause Stephanie Pearl-McPhee did that part already. Well done...but I didn't want to miss my chance. So, I hauled myself back up to the third floor to post this.

I was reflecting on something important with the professor yesterday, and it fits here. The thing is, I was raised by a working mother who embodied a lot of the ideas of how feminism works. She was raised by a mom who worked, and a grandmother who worked...all strong women -- but there were two true feminists in my parents' household. My dad is a feminist, too. He took over a lot of childcare, cleaning, and other things when my mother couldn't do it all, and in the middle of the night, well, they were both there, taking turns, when one of us got sick.

I'm reading a lot of "this is how you give birth/care for a baby/care for twins" guides right now. I feel so lucky that I don't have to live in the households described in of some of these books. The world described there is one where mothers might have to "convince" fathers to help. That isn't how my parents did it, and it's not how we do it either. How do I know? Well, first, I worked hard to choose a person who would try to be an equal participant in my household. I was lucky to find one.

As my belly gets bigger and bigger, I have a hard time doing basic stuff in the house that I used to do or chores we used to share. That's ok, because the professor is doing it. Things like ALL the laundry, changing the bedding, walking the dogs, cooking a lot of the meals, all the grocery shopping...all of that and more. He also goes with me to all the doctor's appointments, and that is a huge support.

This past weekend, besides all the grocery shopping and laundry, he put in bannisters. A lot of bannisters. We have an old house, and matching up the bannisters or trying to make them fit properly was sort of difficult. Some of the details aren't perfect because the house is quirky, but the professor put up bannisters for 3 separate staircases this past weekend. Basement to first floor, first floor to second, and second to third floor. He knows I want to keep climbing these darn steps (dang it!) and now I can use my hands to haul myself up if necessary.

Many things in our society are still unequal. For instance, this week, I've been dealing with roofing estimates. (Fixing the roof will ultimately solve our ice dam/"raining inside" problems.) The amount it will cost to fix our roof? It's a lot. The cheapest estimate was $20,000. The most expensive ballpark figures are ridiculous--2 to 3 times that amount. Why is it ridiculous? Well, if I've never earned it in a year ($40,000?) in a "traditionally female" full-time profession like teaching? It seems ridiculous for me to even consider those figures, especially if only men quote them to me. One of them, I might add, had a bombastic macho confidence that leaves me somewhat speechless...won't be hiring him! Women's status in terms of income/health/well-being are so far behind men's status in most countries that it is still hard to imagine what it will look like when we're equal.

I keep hoping for change, and on a daily basis, the professor and I work on it together. My parents work on it, as do my brothers and their wives. I am often inspired by the men (and the women who raised them) who seek change and who make change in their daily lives. They work hard to break down stereotypes, and I want to support that. It goes without saying that I am incredibly inspired by the women who often fight on the front lines for equality on this front.

I know, too, that all these assumptions about nurturing being a "female" thing are just that. Assumptions. Harry (posing in a favorite position here) is a born nurturer...and he's not even a human male. He follows me around, kissing me, sleeping near me, and being absolutely sure I am safe while pregnant. He walks with me up and down every staircase. Sally helps too, of course, but lately, Harry is taking more of the on duty shifts.

I guess what I'm trying to say today is this:
I don't think being pregnant or giving birth or nurturing defines me as a woman. Not at all. That said, now that I am pregnant, it is even more clear to me how imperative it is that not just women are feminists. Men need to nurture women (and each other) as we all demand, support, and work towards creating equality. It's hard to do this stuff alone--and women don't have to. There are men out there who also can help make this world a better place. Sadly, not all men are working on this, but they could be.

In the meanwhile, we just have to start getting everyone else to step up to the plate and do their share. That's the kind of environment I dream of for my future offspring.

(I'm also thinking of how yarn might be used as insulation and roofing...cause I do have a lot of that, and it certainly doesn't cost $40,000. I'm also thinking babies, whether they are female or male, need a roof and a way to avoid getting rained on inside...can one spin/knit or weave a roof?!)

Here's to hoping that in a few years, this kind of post will seem hopelessly old-fashioned..like when women couldn't legally vote or drive. I can't wait.

international women's day

One of the things I notice the most in my first year here in Canada is the way in which holidays are emphasized. For instance, I listen to the news on the radio every day, and here I listen to the CBC. This morning many of the weekend documentaries and reports were about women in honor of International Women's Day.

As a feminist in the USA, I knew about this holiday, but never knew anyone who did much about it. This year, according to their website, there are 125 events in the USA (population approximately 307 million people) and 58 events in Canada. (population something in the range of 33 million) Without boring you with the math, let's just say there seem to be many more events happening for International Women's Day in Canada than in the U.S.

Ways I'm connecting with this event? I like to celebrate the many opportunities for equality in political, environmental, social and economic expressions. On Thursday night, a new friend came by to pick up her eggs. There's a lady in the country outside of town who is raising few organic laying hens, and through a network of women's contacts, we are supporting her small micro enterprise through buying her eggs. The lady in the country sends the eggs to town to her daughter's house. My friend Christine picks up those eggs, and delivers some of them to me. That other friend comes by to pick up her eggs from my refrigerator, as she does not drive in winter. Small, personal, neighborhood exchanges, and $3.75 a dozen for some eggs...it's buying locally and economically supporting women's farming on a small one to one, old fashioned scale.

Then, also on Thursday, we went out to hear some stand up comedy. In the US, I hadn't been into most of the stand up comedy; it tended to make fun of somebody or be mean or vulgar somehow. I found it often didn't make me laugh much. Canadian comedy is different--I watch it on TV, and I went to hear Punchlines for Peace. It's an Israeli-Palestinian comedy act, and it's smart, funny and has very good intentions. The premise? "If we can laugh together, we can live together." Thinking critically about international politics and being involved in the political process when possible? A great way to express women's equality. A century ago, not many women had the vote or the right to think and talk about political matters.

On Friday evening, I led a sing along here, complete with guitar and full audience participation. The event was part of Shabbat Across North America-- where congregations all over the US and Canada had Sabbath celebrations together. It was fun--and another expression of my chance to celebrate women's equality. A hundred years ago, just like in many other religions, Jewish women weren't singing and leading congregational life in any public way. Today there are women rabbis and cantors, and in many congregations, women have the chance to fully participate in an egalitarian setting. That's progress.

This morning, I read an article in the newspaper about the carpet trade in Afghanistan. Apparently this amazing traditional weaving skill is struggling, due to competition from other countries' less expensive imports. As I warp my loom again, I'm thinking of the women involved in this economic issue, as 80% of the weavers affected are women. I'm not in the market for an Afghani rug just now, but each warp string that I successfully measured out and sleyed through the heddles connects me to those women, whose skills are legendary.

The photos in this post prove that I finished measuring my warp, I've wound it (with the professor's help) onto the back beam, and I'm slowly threading those threads through the wire heddles of my loom. It's nothing compared to an Afghan rug, but for me, it shows great progress!

There's still a lot more to do, obviously, to support women's health issues, rights, and well-being in the world. I think one easy step to take for International Women's Day is to think about how we, as individuals, advocate for equality and also to celebrate our rights together.