The Theory of a Few Things—the pen is mightier than I

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A place to write, a stack of scratch paper, and a cupful of pens (and a dog–Polly in this case)

So, I have a theory.

A few theories.

Abstract

This past year is probably the most difficult I’ve gone through since I was diagnosed with depression.

Summary: Twenty years ago, I tried meds. They helped for a few months, then turned on me (which is not the same as Timothy Leary’s recommendation to be turned on by drugs; depressive episodes often result in my dropping out of just about everything though, so maybe they’re related after all). After the drugs went south, I got some alternative and effective help. For many years I lived a life almost free of the disease. But like cancer—does it really go away? In the past decade I gradually became accustomed to summer SAD, then autumn SAD, holiday SAD, Spring SAD. This year it was finally difficult to find a significant number of SAD-free hours almost every day.

Theory 1

It’s important to keep busy. Read More →

Adventures in Pin Loom Book Writing—the love of friends

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Do you consider yourself a neat and tidy person?

I grew up watching The Odd Couple on TV, with Felix the uptight neatnik and Oscar the grouchy slob. I like this photo because they’re both smiling. Sometimes they got along.

Jack Klugman and Tony Randall, 1970s television’s Odd Couple

Like most people, I suppose, I identified somewhere in the middle—not too neat, not too messy; just right. I think the show’s writers wanted us to like Oscar the best though. I certainly did. I grew up always liking Jack Klugman and not liking Tony Randall, didn’t matter what other productions they were in. And I seem to have become more Oscarish in my habits. Read More →

Hey, remember me?

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If there’s anyone out there still reading my blog (stats tell me I get the occasional visitor)—just want to let you know I’m still here, still weaving, knitting, crocheting, and occasionally sewing.

I have an idea about my pin loom patterns and “book.” If you’ve read the assorted blurbs on the Sue’s Book tab of this blog, you’ll see I vacillate. My original intention was to write and publish a children’s book, but after many years of serious effort I’ve abandoned the idea (maybe temporarily, maybe permanently). Lately I’ve toyed with the idea of writing a pin loom weaving book—well, more than toyed—I’ve put in some serious effort and had significant assistance from my friend, Tanja in the Netherlands, who is a typing wizard. She transcribed all the notes I sent her and paired them with the photos I sent her.

Here’s what part of it looks like (in miniature):

a glimpse of the Library of Patterns

Obviously Tanja couldn’t type up the stuff I didn’t send her . . . and haven’t sent her. I’ve been whipping up more patterns in the last week, and playing around with color combinations and pattern variations. I still write everything out by hand, but I’m slightly more organized about it now—I write on note cards and keep each card with its square in a Ziploc bag.

Old way . . .

New way

You might have noticed the photos are blurry. I did that on purpose for a couple of reasons. One is to protect the patterns’ privacy. The other is that we’re having a swap on the Facebook Pin Loom Weaving Support Group and I don’t want to give away any surprises (because I might be using some of these squares in the swap).

So, my idea is to give up on the idea of a book—my heart isn’t in it; I just like making up the patterns—and instead, release the patterns here under their own tab. That way we can all have access to my patterns instead of waiting for a day that likely will never arrive (if it’s up to me it isn’t to be—unfortunately).

Any comments?