shellebellecreates

bits of random

missing spunky margaret :)

this photo is two years old, and i don't know if we will ever get all of the cousins together at the same time again, the sad thing about living away from family

this "yarn sculpture" hung in my office for the longest time, it was made from dry cleaner hangers that i meant to turn into sock blockers and small random yarn balls

my favorite road sign, taken on our family trip to England 2005

Happy Halloween!

photo circa 2006? not really sure what he is but he put effort into that make up!

Unfinished Objects

The side of my bed is littered with a variety of knitting projects in various stages 

these were christmas in july now birthday present in November, luckily they are mostly finished

mitts for the little man, i finished these last night and he is wearing them :)

and a scarf that I think should be ripped out, I think the fabric is too dense

I also have a vest, a sock, ends to tidy on a washrag and towel... but I really want to knit this:

dream in color shrug in visual purple

Monday: does authorship matter?

This morning in my inbox was an email that was supposedly David Letterman's statement. I read it and did not think it sounded at all like Letterman and researched it, and turns out to be the work of a right wing author. It is an opinion piece and I love free speech, and realize I am not expected to agree with it. And last week I received Some Rules Kids Won't Learn in School, attributed to Bill Gates again the author is a right wing radio host and author. The person who forwarded the email to me responded by saying I missed her point and that authorship was "secondary, or irrelevant actually." I beg to differ, authorship is extremely important. Do we give the same amount of credit in medical studies funded by drug companies who will benefit from the results as independent studies? Are we infringing on the original authors' copyright privileges by not citing them? Do we think differently about a written piece by knowing who wrote it? Does it hurt the person wrongly attributed as author? 

Why have so many become zombies to their inboxes and send out propaganda? The two above pieces are fairly harmless but I have read how Obama is not a "real american" and is a radical islamist. I first received the email from a Hillary supporter and I was embarrassed for the person who sent it and deleted the message. How many continued to spread the lies? Is that email now sent out by McCain supporters? 

I hear that we are a Christian nation and the ninth commandment says "Thou shall not bear false witness." Doesn't that mean we should speak the truth? Are we damaging our own reputation by not authenticating a message? 

I remember receiving chain mail back in the day when "snail mail" was all there was. I am sure I was about to receive many years of bad luck by not sending it on, but I did not have the money for postage, and thought it was not true and broke the chain. I wish more people would break the chain.

edit: I wrote to Charlie Sykes author of "Some Rules Kids Won't Learn in School" and to Craig R Smith author of "Made in the USA: Spoiled Brats" thats the real title of David Letterman's Statement.

I asked them both how they felt about the importance of authorship and copyright, and how they felt knowing their words were attributed to others.

The response from Mr Sykes:

It has been misattributed... but I'm glad that people know that it's mine. Thanks for noticing!

and Mr. Smith said:

They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.
My column after it's original appearance was run under Mr. Leno's
name for about 11 months. www.snopes.com listed at one time
as thier #1 urban legend.
Now it appears someone has associated Mr. Letterman with the essay.
I haven't thought much about what some might think given it is now
credited to two comedians. I guess I should feel double whatever the
feeling don't you think?
Regards
Craig

So, I am sad that my right wing friends would not seriously debate the issue. Let's see what David Letterman has to say, although I am not counting on getting a response :)

Parent child pottey

Little man made tons of guys, I struggled with making two objects!

coffee snob

I have to admit I am a serious coffee snob, I have almost given up drinking coffee because of the awful drinks served in and around my home town. I like the milk to be steamed to 140 degrees, that is what we did where I worked and that follows guidelines that espresso 101 recommends. When I have asked how hot the Barista steams there milk I have heard things like:

--I don't know we don't use a thermometer

--I have been doing this for sooo long I don't use a thermometer- I stopped going there as he made the worst lattes, bad shots over heated milk and didn't like the attitude

--I don't know, we rely on our hand on the pitcher and the sound- this was todays, I requested they use a thermometer and to stop at 140 and it was still too hot, and it was frothed more like a capp

--local starbuck heats to 160, which means it is hotter as the thermometer does continue to rise- these are so hot that it will burn your tongue 

Once I asked that the drink be heated to 140 and the waitress at a cafe said "so you want it extra hot then?" I changed my order to a cold drink!

I know this is rambling and does not make much sense. Being a Barista is just not a cool job where you stand around talking. It is an art form to create a good tasting drink. 

edit: i should not write after drinking too much of a bad drink :) 

Inappropriate?

I saw this in our library's children's section on the lower shelf, best viewing for the littlest. I do not believe in censorship, in my opinion this would do better upstairs in the young adult section, what do you think? (really not sure when guns become appropriate)

red cactus

red cactus
Originally uploaded by shellebellecreates

"Nothing will hasten humanity in its own down fall more than the propagation of ideals based on race, nation and blood."
--Rudolf Steiner

red

red
Originally uploaded by shellebellecreates

Red is the color of vitality, energy and power. Red governs our base or root chakra, our area of survival and stability. Red is cupid and the devil.

When I first moved to "Colorful Colorado" I had a hard time seeing color. My eyes were trained to the rich color of the wetter regions where I grew up. Colorado seemed washed out, burnt and monochromatic. Now I see color everywhere and can distinguish between the subtle greens and browns. Fall of course is the time of changing colors as the energy moves inward. I am going to spend some time exploring color from local scenery. Enjoy!

At the park

"there is a way between voice and presence where information flows. In disciplined silence it opens, with wandering talk it closes." -- Rumi