Xmas mishmash
December 24th, 2007 | Uncategorized
1. Hats & Wind
The most radiant and sublime Lynda Barry knitted me a HAT! When I was hanging out with her and Chris Ware last month, Chris told a story about the baby hat Lynda made for his daughter, with little strawberries on it. Chris had taken to wearing it like a beanie as he worked in his cold house. But one day he forgot he had it on and went out to the hardware store, where his masculinity was impugned.
I kept finding my blue hat in strange places around the house, places I was quite sure I hadn’t left it. Then yesterday I caught my cat molesting it. She drags it off and thumps it with her hind feet. (Jeez! As I was composing this post, she did it again…I tried to catch her in the act but only managed this shot of her looking all innocent.)
Lynda does all this knitting because she’s spending tons of time sitting at meetings about wind turbines that are being built near her home. It was quite sobering to hear her talk about this. I don’t know much about wind power, and assumed it was more or less a good thing. But the massive turbines they’re starting to build on these large-scale windfarms can sound like jet engines. Here’s Lynda’s website on the subject.
2. The Regis & Amy G. show
Check out this little clip of Regis Philbin talking about sitting next to Amy Goodman at a dinner party. It’s like watching someone who’s been in a coma for 40 years suddenly open their eyes…then close them again.
3. Best American Comics
Speaking of Chris Ware, he edited Best American Comics 2007, and included a chapter of my book Fun Home in it. Yesterday it got a very nice review in the New York Times Book Review.
4. Here’s a picture of me opening my front door last Monday morning.
27 Responses to “Xmas mishmash”
you and your kitty looking out the window together….so adorable!
Oh my gosh – You won the Lynda Barry knits you a hat award?! – that should be on your list of accolades along with all the others.
I wonder what kind of wool (if it’s wool) she used to knit it. That might have something to do with your cat is harrassing it so badly. The smell of the animal it came from might be driving your cat a bit crazy.
The snow in the door photo is fabulous. This December couldn’t be any different than last December, could it? And it’s snowing again right now. Rained yesterday and last night, but you’d never know it looking outside, there’s so much snow on the ground to begin with.
AB, what were you and the cat looking at? Do you think the cat is jealous of the hat?
One fearsome beastie in residence here does the same with wool hats (and socks, and scarves, and painstakingly knitted sweaters, and…). Attacking, as distinct from wool-chewing/wool-sucking/pica, though she does her bit of gnawing to be sure. We have to put our wool stuff well away or she’ll destroy it.
Kitty, ah, such an air of confrontational entitlement. Of WHAT. But, kitten, you seriously need to keep an eye on your fiber intake. I don’t quite think Lynda made that beautiful blue hat for you, and Alison really doesn’t need another stringy reason to visit the vet. Trust me.
Pleased to see you, too wear Crocs.
That’s a lotta snow. Def.illustrates the need for snow-blowers as well as friendly neighbors…I’m glad my cats don’t go after my berets or cap,all made of wool. The most damage one of them does is claw the sides of the door to the computer room,despite the presence of two special scratching surfaces. I think Oreo (the scratcher)must be part dog.
Right now said cats are being lovingly tended in turn by two women in my writing group who are also my neighbors. I’m visting my sister and her family in sunny Mt. View,near Palo Alto,CA,where blue skies,blooming flowers and well-fed squirrels are the order of the day.
Anonymous (above) was a woman,most specifically,me.I’m typing from a different computer which doesn’t sign me in automatically.
Anyway,the reference to mishmash reminds me of my late grandpa Harry Beck,who late in life started writing poetry. Some was done in the style of e.e. cummings,”with apoligizes to mishmash.” Long before the p.computer and blogs,he solicited feedback on his writing from his grandchildren and others.
I am visiting a friend in the countryside and left a shirt to a room in the basement yesterday. This morning I went to pick it and mouse had chewed little holes all around it, I have no idea what else it could have been..
Cat in here just plays with a ball of yarn that I am trying to turn tinto a pair of socks.
Happy holidays everybody!
On another note, yowza. How long did that take to clear?
And, yeah, wind farms, I dunno. I am far from informed on the issue–thank you for the link!–but even so, have been made aware of the alarming bird-chopping occuring at some local ones. As if there weren’t enough obstacles for owls and raptors and migrants with cell and radio towers, powerlines, window strikes, road kills, loss of habitat here and on wintering grounds. And.
I mentioned to my sister that this blog is very erudite and usually posters self-correct misspellings and other errors. She replied,”you actually contribute to something like that?” Very strange coming from someone who still continues her habit of nit-picking on, well,just about everything. But now she has a better sense of humor.
I used to live next door to a Tonkinese (Siamese/Burmese) cat. Odd socks would disappear from our washing line, but it took months to find out why. Her embarrassed owner had to knock on every door with a bunch of socks that Minnie had stolen, when she found the stash. She was a serious sock fetishist – and only socks.
Who knows the secret lives of our non-human friends?
Happy Holidays, everyone. 🙂
Judging by the flickr photos, AB, it looks like your home will be safe from maurading headgear for many years to come. I am sure that is a very comforting thought. You will never fear from being bowled over by a bowler, capped by a cap, billed by a billcap, toppled by a topper, or muffled by earmuffs.
In the words of America’s foremost military hero, Captain Kangaroo:
Whether you live
on an island or isthmus,
we’d like to wish you
a Merry Christhmus.
Whether your tree
is a fir or a balsa,
we’d like to wish you
a Happy New Year, alsa.
I want snow, i know it has many downsides but it just doesn’t feel right, a winter with out snow, would currently settle for some frost. Have a merry christmas and a happy new year Alison.
Dr. E and Cat Pimp,you are in fine form today.
Check out the Regis and Kelly clip. They admit more than once that their show is about NOTHING! And worse than the show Seinfeld.
Why do you torture us by not telling us the cat’s name?
Many cats have a wool fetish, especially Siamese types, and many cats enjoy the smell of stale human sweat on socks, shoes, and the armpits of shirts.
My Lydia likes to rub herself all over the dog’s rawhide chews.
I lived in a third floor flat in Park Slope in Brooklyn in 1982-3, at around 13-14th St. (now probably incredibly posh and expensive). My bedroom was in the back and I had a Navaho blanket for a curtain. One morning in January (?) I woke up, flung back the ‘curtain’ and 18 inches of snow fell into my bed, snow that had filtered through the infinitesmal cracks between my window panes and the window sash. It was also the day I saw a horse-drawn sleigh with bells a-ringing go up the main street in Park Slope. Snow has the most incredible capability of generating/preserving memories.
My cat has no love of snow, but does amazing kangaroo leaps through it. My friend’s cat had kittens, who were rehomed once they were weaned. Their mother, for years later, would go into Cindy’s sock basket, draw out 5 folded pairs of socks and line them up on the floor in front of you and meow until you petted them (i.e. the sock-pairs) and then the mother-cat. Cats have memories, even if somewhat un-defined. … Happy holidays!
The hat is lovely — what a wonderful cozy gift!
As long as kitty is not tormenting the hat when you’re wearing it, things are good.
The hat is lovely — what a wonderful cozy gift!
As long as kitty is not tormenting the hat when you’re wearing it, things are good.
Thanks for the neat links! I liked the thoughtful review, only that’s hooey about being a bad influence. More like an inspiration, which is a sure a joy to the inspiree.
Yeeks (in a thrilly sort of way) re the snow!
In the ‘regis and kelly’ video, when reg says: …and then they put the whole hour on some kind of pbs radio…, do you think he meant NPR/PRI? Ow, that was painful to watch. I think I might have to put my eye out now. signed, oedipus the precious. 😉
Little Gator,
I think the cat’s name is Sydney.
I love Lynda Barry!!
My friend’s cat used to suckle at my armpit after I’ld gone running. Some cats must like fresh sweat.
A.B., your cat might be getting…uh…sexual with the hat! My little orange and white tabby loves to “get jiggy” with my comforter; mostly when I’m underneath it! He is fixed and the vet seems to think he (the cat, not the vet) does this as a form of comfort, like a human child sucking a thumb.
It’s kind of funny and he makes this hilarious squawk/strangled meow if I or my girlfriend try to stop him from his appointed rounds. Oh, and he likes sweaty feet and earwax, too! Yuck!
Spike! I was starting to think I was the only one sharing life with a neutered pervert-kitty. His veterinarians had never even heard of the behavior in cats. In “small dogs”, yes, and Small Dog is one of his nicknames now. I haven’t tried to research online, since I’m afraid of the hits I’d get. (thank you, pornified western society and/or my inability to think of correct medical phrasing)
My little perp is also orange and white tabby, and he purrs while he does his business, which lends strength to the comfort-behavior theory. Also squawks when interrupted.
The things I learn here.