2010 SXSW update

Currently I'm caught in a messload of stockinette on a sweater of original design, so I thought instead of knitting content I could provide you with an update on SXSW 2010.

Except I'm like totally sick. I'm pretty sure it's just a cold (if you trust the hack doctor at the clinic this a.m., and yeah, there really are hack doctors), but this has become perhaps my number-one worst cold of all time. I'm not issuing a challenge, mind. If there are worse colds out there, it's fine. I believe you. No need to prove it with me. All I'm saying is, this is a bad cold. It's even spread to my eyeballs, and that's the kind of detail right there that makes you lose readers.

I'm on drugs now - the fancy-schmancy prescription kind - but my SXSW participation level has been lacking. As in, zero. Which apparently raises me to the level of a True Austinite: Complain about the traffic, welcome the sudden and temporary burst of municipal income, tell people not to move here, but above all, do not participate in SXSW if at all possible. (Unless, you know, you're an income-generating business. But don't worry, folks, I'm in no danger of becoming one of those. I'm a writer.)

So instead of standing outside Shangri-La trying to get into the showcase of a new Icelandic jazz/hip hop-fusion label and wondering where the nearest pink Port-o-Potty is in case the last $6 Lone Star (special SXSW prices) I guzzled is going to demand action, or standing outside a movie theater wondering exactly how far into the wristband line they're going to go before declaring capacity and hacking off all the people who didn't want to buy a badge, I'm watching a clip on Discovery channel about a newcomer hippo hoping to defeat the overlord hippo in hopes of having a chance at one of the like 200 hippo chicks in the watering hole. And what I'm wondering is, if he loses, what's the overlord hippo gonna do? Boink all 200 ladies? Come on. He's a hippo, not a rabbit. How is this to the genetic advantage of the species?

I'm also nosing over to Twitter on occasion to see Tweets like this: "Woody Harrelson moving E on 6th St. Watch out." And I'm like, (1) Where did Woody start out? Sixth Street is pretty long, if you're on foot. Did he start out at Buffalo Billiards? If so, then he's really going through some heavy foot traffic. Or did he start at I-35, in which case he'll be dodging tight-pants hipsters and Chevy pickups coming in from the East side and teed off that all these fariners are messin' up their town? Give us a starting place, or we won't be able to "watch out," and before you know it, we'll be nose-to-nose with Woody and boy will he be mad at you for not having been more specific. (2) Leave poor Woody alone. Dude probably just wants to find a blue Port-o-Potty. 'Cause the $6 Lone Star.

New Music for the Bum-Knuckle Blues

One of my knuckles hurts today. On my first day in some time to knit, knit, knit... I have to stop. Sad face.

Here's some other tidbits for you:

• Beats Broke has released three new albums in the last month... plus the wedding. Dude, have you seen our living room floor? 'Cause I sure haven't. Upside: free album download if you're speedy.
• Just finished reading Kicked, Bitten, and Scratched by Amy Sutherland. A fascinating book about exotic wildlife training and trainers. I also recommend her book What Shamu Taught Me About Life, Love, and Marriage.
• I'm still inspired by this Merlin quote on learning that Ms. Martini pointed out some time back.
• Professional research: I'd like to know which is your favorite from The Canterbury Tales, and why?
• I've discovered Farmville on Facebook. Love it!

Arts the Beatdoctor is watering my beans.

No, really. That's not a euphemism. He is.

The fella has ten Dutch hip-hop artists in Austin for SXSW, and five of them are staying at his apartment. That's a little too crowded for me -- but what about my poor, struggling potted plants, eking out an existence on the fella's partly shaded balcony?

Arts the Beatdoctor has been kind enough to water my veggies during his stay. Now, I'm not trying to ruin his ultra-cool hip-hop image or anything... but I tell ya, the guy's a sweetheart.

Otherwise... A friend said that today is the strangest day of the year in Austin, which is saying something. It's the day the film portion of SXSW segues into the music free-for-all, and all the gleaming Enterprise rentals head back as the sleeper vans and converted school buses roll into town. Whoosh!

If you're in town, try to make it to the Arts showcase tomorrow. And as Skiggy Rapz does his thing over Arts's beats, you can enjoy the thought of the man behind the turntables politely watering some potted bush beans.

Hill Country Yarn Crawl 2008

Or, Not the Thing I Did Today

Today, my fella asked me if I'd partake in a labor of love. He wanted me to go digging with him at the Austin Record Convention for hard-to-find vinyl records, in particular some rare hip-hop finds plus one or two soundtracks that usually go for around $50.

There's these moments in relationships where you look at the other person. You blink, and in that space of a blink, you must determine whether it's worth (a) an argument, (b) loving acquiescance, (c) tears, or (d) chocolate cream pie.

I almost had my answer. Then he said, "I'll go to yarn conventions with you."

I chose (b).

Quick: Can you find the only other female in the entire room? (Hint: I'm the one you can't see.)

(My fella is reading over my shoulder now and he wants you all to know that it really wasn't that bad, and that he was very sweet to hold my place in line for me to get a couple hardcover books signed by Michael Chabon for about two hours with nary a complaint or a request for chocolate cream pie. He's right, and I have treated him very unfairly. The above passage is a good example of hyperbole.)

Predictably, I didn't find anything to buy. However, I found the convention to be a veritable safari of fascinating people to observe.

I wanted to Kinear two of these guys especially, I really did. For complicated reasons, that didn't happen. One gentleman was quite tall, a black guy with what must have been a huge pile of dreads atop his head, which bobbled about on his neck under the weight as he walked. The dreads were tucked far inside a white crocheted rasta hat that looked like one of those giant, overnight mushrooms that shoots out of the ground after a hard rain and stands twelve inches high the next morning. It was as if the guy hadn't yet figured out how the mushroom had sprouted on his head, and it would be nice if no one mentioned it.

But the winner of all the goofy-looking people in the place (and keep in mind, this is me saying this) was a gentleman in the true sense. In an under-air conditioned room full of cut-off denim shorts and sweaty t-shirts, he wore a double-breasted suit, a tie, and a felted Sherlock Holmes hat. He was also spry and wirey, and he intrigued me so much that I had my fella (patiently, lovingly) follow him around with me for about fifteen minutes. Some of the things we overheard him say:

"Yes, I weigh the same amount that I did in 1967. In fact, four pounds lighter!"

To a large lady on crutches: "Have you decided? Are you going to run away with me yet?"

To my fella: "I must say, I don't think your lady friend there is finding a lot of these records to her liking."

Quite observant. Fortunately, there were other pleasures to be had.

FO: Duimloze baby-handschoentjes

Roundabout when I was finishing up the Leyburn Socks and noticed a copious amount of leftover, machine-washable sock yarn, I came across this post at Girl Who Knits. A perfect gift for two nice people about to welcome their first:

These no-thumb baby mittens go to overseas friends in honor of their upcoming release. Included are care instructions, translation into Dutch courtesy of Arts the Beatdoctor. Who says hip-hop musicians can't be sweethearts?

It took me even less time to knit these than it did to get around to posting about them.

pattern: Baby Mittens by Malin Nilsson.
completed: August 28, 2008.
yarn: The Woolen Rabbit merino/nylon sock yarn (colorway: Rosemary and Thyme; 1 skein; machine washable). Soooo soft!
made for: Inf and Nita's first true collaboration.
needles: size 1 dpns
notes: Used twisted rib instead of regular (just gotta be different). I got very confused by the vertical measurements -- I did what the pattern said, but it came out too long, for some reason, so I knit them to match the picture in the pattern. Also, I made a 3-stitch i-cord. If I had it to do over again, I'd use only 2 stitches. Otherwise an adorable, quick pattern!

I highly recommend this pattern. It's a quick, fun bit of easy knitting, and an excellent option for leftover sock yarn. I might just have to go make another six pairs.

It's here, yo!

The creation of brilliant work is so grinding.

All the making-of documentaries in the world can't capture the late nights, the back aches, the headaches, the surprises, the tiny pleasures, and the eventual relief and pride of putting out a new album.

Thank goodness you don't care about any of that. What you do care about is adding something brilliant to your iPod, so you can knit with a tapping toe and a wonderfully relaxed muscular system.

Arts the Beatdoctor is a 24-year-old Dutch producer with a stellar new album. Five songs, three of them instrumental (but don't you dare call them ambient!), make up Progressions, his newest achievement and his first American release on the Beats Broke label. Think Moby, Massive Attack, or DJ Shadow. Think about ending a really crappy day in bad traffic with a foot massage and a sexy scoop of chocolate ice cream.

Follow this link and go to the right side of the page to listen to two sample songs.

Then go to this link to get you some for only $4.99.

Let me know what you think!

EDIT: Okey-doke, for you iTunes peeps, here's the link. (I'm in the iPod-less stone age and didn't think.)