America is full of hate, and it breaks my heart

Last night Largo, FL officials voted to begin the process to fire Mr Steve Stanton, city manager of Largo, because he is a transgender individual. Mr Stanton expressed his intention to begin living as Susan as part of his process to become a woman. Hundreds of Largo citizens turned up at the city meeting last night, but ulitmately hate and bigotry prevailed.

I cannot begin to imagine what Mr Stanton and his family are going through. One has to feel enormous internal conflict to want to begin such a difficult journey. I'm sure this is very difficult for both him and his family. And it is made worse by people who hate him simply because he makes them feel uncomfortable or because they think it is weird or wrong.

I see people do things I find as weird or wrong every day. I certainly don't understand Mr Stanton's feelings. However, I am lucky enough to feel comfortable in my skin. I have never doubted my gender. So imagine feeling uncomfortable with something that for the rest of us is at the core of our being. He has obvoiusly had to make a very serious decision and should never be mocked for doing what he feels is necessary for him to feel like a whole person. It doesn't prevent him from doing his job. It doesn't mean he has been a bad city manager. It simply means that he is a human being in need of our understanding and support.

I cried last night because of the hate displayed still in this country. It makes me so sad that people continue to preach hate, when love is so much easier and more wonderful of a path to follow.

Please know Mr Stanton, you have a supporter in me.

Tears!

Wow. A girl scout earned her gold award doing the red scarf project. Story here... http://nownormaknits2.typepad.com/red_scarf_project_2007/

Wow. As a scout for 12 years I am so proud to see things like this. Girl scouting is such an amazing program that really creates strong women with incredible values.

Make new friends but keep the old, one is silver and the other gold.

Joan, I'm sorry

There is no way I am going to make that sock deadline. I started last night and there is just no way I will be able to get my first pair done on time. But, I'm inspired to do some more charity knitting and will get a pair of socks done for The Dulaan Project in March. I'll knit some more in the months to come and ship them all off together. Promise.

Progress pictures!

Got in a good amount of knitting time this weekend, so I've been able to move ahead on both of my major projects. The yarn from elann.com is

nice to work with, especially for the price, and I adore the color. The Patons SWS for Lady E continues to be heavenly, with the exception of these three rectangles of red that have showed up rather unexpectedly. Not a fan. But overall I still adore the Lady E. I'm about 9 tiers in so far. I've also made progress on my first grownup sweater, Wicked. The neckline is below. I have made it just one row past the pattern and I'm about ready to start the increases. Yay! Of course, by the time I finish it will be way too warm to wear in Florida, but my office is cold so maybe I can sneak it in just once.

I also heard that at the shower this weekend the baby sweater was a hit. I do hope she likes it. I've got to get started on more baby gifts soon. If only my friends would slow down with the reproducing!!

Finally! Something wicked this way comes

I have finally cast on for Wicked. I am so excited about the color of the new yarn. It's my favorite color of green - kind of a sagey seafoam. Gorgeous. I will take pictures very soon.

I'm just so excited... my first sweater ever is on the needles!

Never ever trust my lists of projects

I am seriously a huge flake. I have a designated area for my stash and I really want to keep it that way. The basket is already overflowing with yarn that really is being used (Lady Eleanor takes a lot of yarn, people!) Last year when I was a new knitter (it seems so long ago!) I planned to make myself a felted bag. In cream. Oh how boring. I'm sure it will come out nice and that after doing a bunch of complicated stuff I will be happy to make something nice and simple. But for now, I need complicated. I need challenge. And grandma needs a birthday gift. And I need to get rid of 5 skiens of Patons Wool Merino in cream.

Enter Wandering Aran Fields. It's a gorgeous cabled capelet that I think would be great to do but might never get worn. Who would wear it? Grandma who is cold constantly would love it. She has a birthday in April. A wool capelet in a gift in April? Grandma keeps her house at like 90 degrees. Trust me, she'll wear that bad boy all summer.

Yay. Problem solved.

Oh the cuteness!

I totally cheated by making my first sweater a baby sweater, but who cares. Look at that cuteness! I hope little Nora loves it.

Pattern: February Baby Sweater from Elizabeth Zimmermann's Knitters Almanac

Yarn: Elann Highland Silk in Celadon

Needles: Knitpicks options size 6

This yarn was great to work with. It's nice and soft and yet very affordable. It has a great sheen to it and the color is just gorgeous. It's a bit more green than it appears in this picture. EZ, of course, is the goddess of patternmaking. I really feel as if I learned a lot making this one and now I feel ready to tackle almost anything. Seamless hybrid here I come!

And as proof that I have been making progress, here is the lovely Lady E. Photos do not do her justice. The colors are a bit more muted and earthy in real life. I keep praying that it stays cold, at least in NH and SC where I will be visiting, throughout March so I can get this done and wear it.