I went to a lecture yesterday at the Kimbell (which is just a fantastic space) with my boss, who invited me along. The lecture was for the new exhibit at the Kimbell: Art and Love in Renaissance Italy. The lecturer was one of our faculty in the art department and a good friend of my boss's. In college, I somehow managed to never take an art history class and now, that saddens me. I'm not much of a modern art person, but the older works are so very fascinating.
The subject of the talk was Women's Vices portrayed in Renaissance Art - or something to that effect. The speaker talked about how women, since the time of Eve, have been thought of as temptresses and purely sexual beings. Man is where the reason lies; women tempt him from his godly pursuits. Several quotes were read from Augustine, Tertullian, and other Church fathers which were absolutely ridiculous.
I know you've heard all these things before... Women are made from Adam's rib, not in the image of God, like man, therefore we are not holy beings. Women seek only to lure men away from God. Women cannot think on their own, but need a husband's guilding hand in this so very difficult world...
This just goes to show that it is very hard to be both a woman and Catholic. I know that the Church is not the only guilty party of this kind of thinking, but still... I try to forget these things but they keep coming back, much like those annoying Medici. Being a historian, I'm pretty traditional but even this riles my potentially feminist feathers.
Here's one of the pieces of art on display in the exhibition currently at the Kimbell....
Venus, goddess of luv (as my prof used to say), with rays of light coming out of her (ahem!) nether regions, woos heroes from popular culture: Samson, Lancelot, and others. This is how women were perceived - as nothing more than godless, sexual beings.
Geez! I'm obviously not living up to my wanton-goddess potential!
Pattern: Generic No-Frills Sock Recipe by Judy Passman and edited by Linda Lucente
Yarn: J. Knits Super Wash Me Sock
Color: Mesa
Needles: US 2 dbl pts
CO: 60 stitches
Honestly, I cannot believe that they're finally done! Just as I took the picture of them, I realized that one (on the right) is redder than the other. Both came from the same skein but were started at opposite ends. Oh, well, I'm not complaining. They fit and that's a miracle, in my book!
I did the German Toe to finish them and, though this is much easier than the dreaded Kitchener Stitch, I absolutely hate p3tog - ering on small, double-pointed needles. The last four rows or so were torturous but (sigh), now they're done and I cannot wait - believe it or not - to start my next pair. I've already measured my mom's feet so I can get started whenever the mood strikes!
In the end, it only took me nine months to complete these. I was fearing it was closer to a year!
Over the weekend, I retook the Myers-Briggs test as it had been a good ten years, at least, since the first time I took it. Apparently I haven't changed much. I was hoping that maybe I had grown out of the ISTJ phase.....but no such luck.
I read up on my ISTJ self and it is truly scary how exactly this defines me. According to one book, ISTJs are, with their strong sense of duty and responsibility, the rocks of society. We are dependable, trustworthy; we believe in honor and our word is our bond. We are detail-oriented and responsible to a fault. In fact, we grow impatient with and cannot understand irresponsibilty or procrastination. We do our tasks efficiently and without flare, making them sometimes go unseen and unappreciated. We are often promoted because of these well-done tasks, but we generally do not seek leadership positions. Oh, yes, and we're often pessimistic and fatalistic.
In relationships, ISTJs (also referred to as Inspectors - ugh) are most compatible with Artisans (I forgot their letters). However, though we're often attracted to such unruly, passionate, unorganized people, the relationship can easily turn into a parent-child relationship instead of an adult-adult relationship. ISTJs, because of our sense of duty, will never quit a relationship and will even seek to rehabilitate our partners should they suffer from addictions or destructive habits.
Sounds absolutely lovely, huh? It is funny discussing this with my parents. My dad is an ESTJ (or a Supervisor) and we're continually butting heads. Both of us are always coming up with our own more efficient ways of doing things. My mom is an INFJ (or a Counselor) and she is always looking to the future, thinking of grand plans, seeking harmony both at home and work.
In some ways, this test is comforting as it explains some things I consider flaws. I can easily say that "yes, I'm impatient but what else do you expect from an ISTJ?" I can easily see how my personality attracted a boyfriend - or two - and why the relationships developed - and ended - as they did.
At the end of the day, the ISTJ is not the life of the party. In fact, the ISTJ probably went home early to do laundry. The thing that makes us attractive to our mates is that responsibility - we'll take the reigns of a household and pay the bills on time and get the kids to school on time. We cannot resist being responsible. Yes, basically, I'm just plain boring. Why would anyone want to be around someone who is, by nature, fatalistic and pessimistic? Honestly, I have no idea. My mom deals with two such people, so maybe there's a bit of hope....
Random Pic of the Day.... This may seem random and it is, but this is where I'm going this summer, which is when I'll need my brand new, spiffy passport. AL took this pic and she can't say whereabouts it is. I'll tell you all about it sooner rather than later, I promise. But it's a cute pic, with the dog and all.
Last night, I finished reading A Burnt-Out Case by Graham Greene. This one was even better than Greene's The End of the Affair, which was truly moving.
One again, you cannot be misled by the summary that appears on the back of my very old, used copy. Going by that, this is a love story. Well, there is no romance here, at least not your typical romance involving two people.
I was a bit skeptical when I was first given this book. It's about a famous architect, Querry, who loses all inspiration for living - for his work and his women. He leaves it all and catches a random plane to Africa. Once there, he boards a boat and goes as deep into the Congo as he can. When the boat ends its journey, he gets off and finds himself at a mission, filled with nuns and priests...and lepers. A cure for leprosy has been discovered and the mission has founded a hospital to treat all those afflicted with this terrible disease.
Querry is given a room by the priests and he lives there, doing nothing more than changing the bandages and dressings for the lepers. Eventually, he helps them build a new hospital. At first, he comes seeking only solitude, quiet, and anonymity. He gets most of what he wants and gradually finds a kind of happiness there, among the "uncivilized" Africans. Slowly, however, the world intrudes and his anonymity is shattered.
This novel is, like a lot of Greene novels, about faith - losing it, regaining it, taking it to extremes. It's about ego, motive, and love. It's inspiring - Deo Gratias the leper, I loved - and interesting - leprosy is something you don't read about everyday. You don't have to be Catholic to read this and enjoy it - and I highly recommend it to you.
BRIDESHEAD REVISITED arrived in my mailbox the other day, a la Netflix. I got around to watching it last night and was surprised; I guess I'd not read the description that well as I had no idea this movie was about religion. Sure, it's set in Britain (post World War I) and has sumptuous sets and deals, once again, with those annoying aristocratic types, but this movie tackles a huge topic: God's grace. (I have not read the book, by Evelyn Waugh, but I may have to as I seem to be on the verge of going through the major Catholic novelists, as Dr. M suggests....)
If you read a summary of the movie it will undoubtedly sound like this: "A middle-class university student befriends an aristocrat and is soon propelled into a world of money, leisure, and frivolous travel." But that only scratches the surface.
Charles Ryder makes the acquaintance of Sebastian Flyte but, just as their friendship blooms, Sebastian's family makes an appearance, bringing an awkwardness into the relationship. His mother is a devout Catholic (Ryder, the outsider, is an atheist) and has apparently used her faith to stifle her children with guilt - at least two of the children, Sebastian and Julia. Catholic guilt, sometimes viewed as preposterous by outsiders and rarely understood by Protestants, is on display time and again in this movie. Sebastian and Julia are constantly weighed down by guilt that they've been instructed to have since birth. They are exhausted and uneasy with their faith. But it is God's grace that will eventually take center stage.
Despite the ridiculous British aristocracy, I found myself oddly moved at the end when upon his deathbed, a lapsed Catholic accepts his last rites, coming back into the Church and proving, very movingly, that no one is beyond God's grace.
A good movie, but one I shall not likely watch again. Let's just say that this doesn't leave you with a warm feeling inside. And, I'm Catholic, and do not need a movie to witness Catholic guilt. BRIDESHEAD does, however, have a soundtrack that, though a bit inconsistent, is interesting.
Over the weekend, I finally finished James Tipton's Annette Vallon. This book, though it centers around a romance, is actually a good history of the French Revolution. It is wonderfully descriptive and, though the characters live outside of Paris, you get a sense of what the terror must have been like for ordinary people.
The British poet William Wordsworth fell in love with Annette Vallon shortly before the Terror began, but the Revolution soon separates them. For a novel centered around two people in love, those two share precious few pages together. William returns to Britain and Annette begins to help those who are unjustly hunted by the revolutionaries (including at various times, herself).
In this novel it is made clear just how blurry the lines between royalist and revolutionary truly were, changing with the various tides of fanaticism. And there were so many tides! One forgets just how prolonged and agonizing this Revolution truly was!
This is a great historical novel, with just a hint of romance and tons of adventure. It is refreshing to see a courageous heroine, one who is intelligent and unafraid of anyone's negative opinion. I can't say this made me a fan of Wordsworth, but then, I've never been much into poetry. If you want a good read, I recommend it.
BROWN RIPPLE BLANKET
Yarn: Berroco Comfort
Colors: Browns/Light Browns/Creams
Needles: US9
Pattern: Edith's Baby Blanket by Edith Elg
For: Me!
Last Touched: probably nine months ago
This picture is an old one. I probably have about two inches of light brown added to the top of this. I really do like this blanket. The problem with it is that it's a blanket and it'll take forever no matter what I do. This is what keeps me unmotivated to touch it. Pathetic, eh? Right now, it's sitting on the couch, begging to be knitted on. We'll see.
To end this UFO week, I guess I should lay out some goals for my future knitting...
1. Finish the socks for they are beautiful!
2. Start and finish the Scarf for African School Children by May 1st so that I can mail it to Ruth. Hopefully I'll get a few more scarves from some colleagues so we can send a package full of scarves!
3. Finish Market Bag - yes, another UFO I didn't have time to mention.
4. Begin AL's gauntlets.
Hmmm....that's a lot of knitting - especially at present knitting rate!
MY FIRST LACE PROJECTYarn: Jarbo Garn Baby Pascal Solid
Color: Light Blue
Needles: Circ 5
Pattern: Lavender Linen Lace Shawl by Nancie M Wiseman
For: Me, I guess
Last Touched: Six months ago
Remember this one, dear blog readers? I took a class at JSY last summer to learn how to do lace. This pattern is definitely tricky enough to keep me engaged but I made a bad yarn decision on this one. My budget was stretched pretty thin so I went with a yarn I was not all that excited about. I don't like how it's knitting up. Sigh. Maybe I should start this one over eventually with a better yarn, eh?
In other knitting news, I found out that the other LYS in town is closing. That will leave only Linda at JSY. While I'd only been to the other place a few times - the staff were not nearly as friendly as Linda - it is sad to see any LYS go. It just proves that we need to support our local shops, even if it means only taking an occasional class. Those classes add up as does every little thing you buy.
FOUR SEASONS THROW
Yarn: Manos del Uruguay Wool Clasica
Color: Blue and grey tones
Needles: US8
Pattern: Four Seasons Throw by Design Source Collections
For: um...that's a long story
Last Touched: A long time ago
Way back, when I was a brand newbie knitter, I began this throw which will - eventually - be made of twelve such squares in shades of blue and gray. And I began this for my boyfriend at the time. There, I said it. He has now been my ex-boyfriend for almost three years but we're still really good friends. I imagine I'll decide who to give the blanket to when I finish it - which will probably be in five years or so, if I'm lucky.
In other knitting news, I had a surprise on my socks over the weekend. I was so concerned with knitting the foot that I kept going...and going a bit to far! While one of them was perfect, which meant I got to start the toe, the other one was an inch too long! So now I'm agonizingly taking out stitches, one by one. My eyes cross after a row and I have to take a break generally. I think I only have a row or two to go, however, after I sat and undid stitches during the President's speech last night.
Still, this is very exciting! I tried them on and they're perfect and beautiful! Yay! I may just finish these in March - like a year after I began them! Woohoo!
NEVER-ENDING SCARF (not the official name!)
Yarn: Colinette Prism
Color: Toscana
Needles: US11
Pattern: Woven Knit by Candi Jensen
For: Me!
Last Touched: Best guess is two years ago but I have no idea
I love this yarn and the way this scarf knits up. Unfortunately, I do not like the tediousness of bringing the yarn backwards and forwards. I have no idea when this one will get finished. Furthermore, there are mistakes in the scarf that I did not know how to correct as a new knitter. Now, they drive me insane!
In other news, my mom and I went into Dallas to see the King Tut exhibit yesterday. She had wanted to see it for her birthday but this was the first day we could both get off from work. We did some shopping (I bought way too much!) and then headed to the Dallas Museum of Art.
I used to like the DMA but I will not be going back (hopefully ever) unless they have an exhibition of outstanding proportions. The staff were rude, the exhibit was badly arranged, crowd management was horrible, and the tickets prices exorbitant. I'm going to stick to the Kimbell, where people are nice and customer service is still alive - and where they do not search purses twice.
The exhibit was good, though there were too many people to really enjoy it. I don't like people bumping into me or having to stand five deep to see an item. We were trying to avoid this by going on a weekday.
Oh, well. I got some clothes by day's end, so all's good.
My very compulsive self likes the idea of a weekly blog topic. Therefore, this week is UFO Week! No, not of the alien variety but of the unfinished knitting project variety. I'm airing my dirty laundry - er, my UFOs that are stacking up.
First off, the first real scarf I ever made - well, started!
BLOSSOM SCARF
Yarn: Trendsetter Yarns Blossom
Needles: US9
Pattern: um, yeah, knit every row
For: Me!
Last Touched: maybe six months ago, to do a few rows
I loved this yarn when I began and I still do. It's very similar to chenille and would be very nice around the neck - if I ever get to put it around my neck! It's a bit of a pain to work with, however, and is not easy to do for extended periods of time. And it's boring to do: knit, knit, knit, knit....
Despite the fact that I've started two (I think) scarves for myself, neither of them have been completed. Sadly, I don't have a scarf of my own to wear. Other people have scarves from Doniamarie but not me. Ironic, eh?
Maybe some day. Maybe.
A colleague gave me a Cranberry/Orange Scone recipe which I have been tweaking for quite some time. Now, I think I have it perfected: I've gotten it down from 6 Weight Watcher points to a mere 3! Here it is...
1 c White, All-Purpose Flour
1 c Whole Wheat Pastry Flour
1/2 c Splenda granular
1 c oatmeal (not instant! but original)
1 T baking powder
1/2 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
10 T Smart Balance Light buttery spread
1/2 c Craisins
1 T minced orange zest
1/2 - 2/3 c low-fat buttermilk
2 egg whites
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Blend butter into dry mix by hand until mixture is fine consistency. Add Craisins, orange zest, buttermilk (little by little) and egg whites. Turn with spatula until wet ingredients are folded in - do not overmix. Dump onto floured surface. Divide in half. Pat each half into a smooth disk (1 in thick). Slice each into 6 wedges. Place 1 inch apart on greased baking sheet. Optional: brush with milk and sprinkle with sugar.
Cook in the middle of the oven for 20-22 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes and serve. Store in air-tight container.
And only 3 WW points per wedge! And SO yummy! The Whole Wheat Pastry Flour is a bit tough to find and I've only seen it at Whole Foods.
The basic recipe is great and I want to try a different fruit next time. Maybe blueberries and lemon zest? Or cinnamon and raisin? The possibilities are endless!
Finally, a post about last weekend!
It was a great weekend because I got to spend it with my two best friends. We hadn't been together in a year and a half and before that....we got really close during our 3 1/2 weeks in Europe in 2004. We went to a nice dinner near the American Airlines Center in Dallas and then headed to the game.
It was a close game and very exciting. Dirk had a bad shooting half in the beginning, which contributed to the close score. Then Jason Terry broke his hand (though they made no announcement and we had no clue until AFTER the game). We were down going into the last few seconds until Jason Kidd made his one and only basket of regulation - a three pointer to tie it and take it to overtime. Dirk came alive in overtime with something like 10 to 13 points, securing the win for the Mavs. The Bulls didn't stand a chance once he got his game on!
Granted, the Bulls played some horrible ball, with more turnovers than I've ever seen, so it should have been a blowout. However, the Mavs are not, sadly, what they were two years ago.
It was a great night. I haven't had much friend time lately and it was a blast to hang out with my girls!
Our crazy adopted kitty is making a name for herself within our bird population here, in the country. She's quite the little terror of the flying things. She stalks them and finally, last weekend, she caught one of them. Talk about traumatizing for her human keepers!
And, she's now killed about four cute little lizards (of the gecko variety, I think). The odd thing is that when she kills something, you can't exactly tell how they died. They're just non-responsive. Some lizards have crawled away overnight but not many. The bird didn't fly away. 
Sookie's been wandering further away - out of the backyard, that is - and we got her a spiffy collar and name-tag. It looks as if she likes her home, however, as she sits on the porch, surveying her kingdom for most of her outdoor playtime. She's pretty funny to watch!
My mother's birthday was Sunday and though she was - at first - quite annoyed with the Super Bowl extravaganza that would play out on her day (in other words, dad in front of the TV), she made the best of it, as she always does. She and my dad invited some friends over - a nice couple - to watch the game and eat and drink. Of course, this meant my mom would have to cook - but she seemed fine with this. And after a few glasses of wine, we were quite happy in the kitchen!
Our menu was quite decadent and I think I gained a few pounds, at least! We started with our new favorite salmon recipe - Citrus-Roasted Salmon -
but then had Tex-Mex sides: refried beans, Creamy Cheese Grits (gross!), and taco salad. For dessert I made Hot Chocolate Fudge Cakes - which were yummy but not quite as creamy as the pic looks (maybe I overcooked them; our oven is crazy anyway!). I just do not understand grits. I know it's a Southern thing and I was born 'n raised, so one would think I would get this cultural dietary staple...but I don't. We had chips and dip on hand - along with all kinds of liquor (yes, my parents have become lushes in their old age - haha; just kidding). Our guests brought more dip, carbohydrates, and more liquor. I ended up drinking about four glasses of wine which is more than I've ever drunk in one sitting (ahem, of wine, that is). In my defense, they were small glasses. I think I found a nice Chardonnay as well (I generally don't like white wines). All this eating means I'm doing a lot of cardio for my workouts this week and very little toning. Must burn some calories!
Twenty or so years ago, when we lived briefly in Missouri, I took ice skating lessons. I don't remember much - mainly that I got to buy spiffy shoes. Ever since, I've been afraid to step back on the ice. On our last day in Tahoe, I conquered my fear and did pretty well, all things considered.
There is an outdoor rink in South Lake Tahoe, just near the gondolas we took up the mountain. My sister, Julie, my neice and nephew, and I went to skate while my dad took pics. Once I got my ice-legs once more, I had tons of fun. It was especially nice to spend over an hour with my niece. 
We noticed that there were lights strung up over the rink and decided to come back at night, to see the lights and skate once more. I'm so glad we did! My sister's mom paid for my niece and I to have a short, private lesson where we learned how to twirl - in theory. Mary-Helen did better than I but I still had a blast. And during this lesson, while trying to do a figure eight, I fell down for the first and only time. A kamakazee girl ruined my figure eight and I was trying not to hit her!
It really was a blast and I don't think I've ever had so much fun - well, maybe while building the snowman. Our family friend who joined us on the trip, Eric, also came out to skate, though he seemed a bit shaky. It was the perfect ending to a near-perfect trip.
I am back home from the awesome Tahoe trip, which will surely go down as one of the funnest trips ever. Sure, there were moments of lost patience with some of the family, but when you're in tight quarters, that's to be expected. Nothing, however, could dampen my spirits and I have more pics to show you!
After the big snow on Christmas Day, the town seemed to finally wake up on the 26th. The roads were finally plowed and there was a line of cars trying to get to the ski resort up the street. The temperature dropped and never rose above twenty degrees. We stayed inside until our scheduled sleigh ride in the afternoon.
You know it's cold when the water bottle in your pocket freezes during a thirty minute outdoor adventure. I've never been so cold! But the views were stunning, especially with the lake...
The Pony Express came through Tahoe once a week during it's eighteen month duration in the 1860s, and our route on the sleigh was similar to theirs - though they went farther up the mountain. 
Can you imagine seeing this mountain without it's modern homes, businesses, and casinos? It would have been spectacular. Heck, it's spectacular with those things!
After our ride, I went for a walk with a few in our group, where I almost froze. We went down to the lake and it was stunning. The beach was white with snow and there looked to be a few feet of frozen water. The lake as a whole never freezes because it's too deep - 1600 feet. Unfortunately, I forgot to take my camera on this walk. You'll have to believe me when I say that a Lake Tahoe sunset is unlike anything else.
I'll post pictures of our ride up the mountain tomorrow. Talk about breathtaking!
