I recently made my first pair of thrummed mittens.
Thrums are bits of unspun wool that are knitted into a garment to provide extra insulation in the form of a nice fluffy lining. It is unclear where this technique first developed — most sources point to the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador, known over the centuries for its active fishing industry (and cold climate).
Read MoreIt’s up there with those other ugly childhood taunts, like “I know you are, but what am I?” and “Kindergarten baby, stick your head in gravy…"
It’s said with a sneer, emphasis on you. “What do you know?”
The implication being that whatever you could possibly share (right now, whenever, forever) has no value. “Just shut up. No one cares.”
Read MoreIt’s an irony of life that the more desperate you are for a thing that you want, the more elusive that thing is.
And when you already have plenty, it’s easy to come by.
How do you get from one state to the other? I believe that such a shift is related to a shift in our habits. And while changing our habits is difficult, it’s a worthy effort that can allow us to transform aspects of our very identity that we thought were immutable.
Read MoreWhen I bought sheets to outfit our tiny apartment, I just knew that they had to be 100% cotton.
I’m a snob when it comes to sheets, and a cotton/poly blend wasn’t going to do it for me. Maybe I’m too sensitive, like the princess of "The Princess and the Pea,” but cotton/poly blend sheets makes me feel like I’m sleeping in a plastic bag. So I walked down the aisle of the local Wal-Mart until I found a few 100% cotton sheet sets and picked one.
But over the next few months, I felt that something was off. These sheets just felt so flimsy. They were so soft that they always felt dirty, even when they were perfectly clean. I realized that even though the softness of sheets is often a selling point, I didn’t like soft sheets. I longed for the thick, cool, crisp sheets I had had has a child. Where were those?
Read MoreIt’s a weird time to run an online business.
On the one hand, I feel as though I have a lot to contribute that could be helpful right now. My experience with online education and remote work is suddenly relevant to many, and my broader experience as an educator could be helpful to families and teachers looking for stuff to do to keep their kids learning and engaged in meaningful ways.
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