lots of random thoughts

So, I have been ruminating on many things this week, probably because my new facebook app on the kiersey temperament sorter reminded me that I am a healer (along with less than 1% of the population). So when I was at the Green Festival yesterday (I'd post a link, but I noticed it wasn't up today...greenfestivals.org), I was thinking about my passion for social justice and fair trade and how I see environmentalism through that lens, rather than through the fear of global warming and the future of the United States. Oxfam America, Heifer Project and of course, Ten Thousand Villages have so much opportunity to end poverty and injustice, and the environment is a piece of that. I think that perhaps through framing environmental causes through the lens of global poverty and injustice may help disbelievers understand the green movement better. I think it can be frustrating for people to be yelled at when not throwing things in the proper container and having others lecture you for driving a less than ideal mpg car.

I know I'm a hippie. I blame my (when growing up) long-haired mom who made me listen to PPM, the new Christy Minstrels, Joan Baez, Judy Collins, and some other hippie-esques who I still love today. In fact, right now I am listening to Storyhill, a male folk duo beloved by some of my granola-y friends (the things that happen to you in Minnesota!). But back to my hippie mom, who made baby food from scratch (you can do this at home too). Anyways, now I can't even remember where I was going with this whole thing. My brain has been corrupted by my consumption of a sketchy salad kit that was lurking in my fridge. It seemed to be ok...or was it?

Anywho, I wanted to also mention that I read an interesting thing on the happiness project this afternoon -- 50% of your propensity for happiness is genetic, 10% depends on circumstances, and 40% is through your own devices, such as blogging, reading, eating, drinking coffee, kindness...OOPS, for others it could be exercise, or some such crap (exercise being the crap part). At least yoga will count. We did try to go to a yoga session yesterday at the Green Festival, but it was a demo. So instead we did beer tent yoga, where we got beer and sat cross legged in the corner. But we did meet the owner of Great Lakes Brewing Company, who was super nice and told us about his beer. It was tasty, and now I am a fan (and it comes from Cleveland, which is also faboo!).

So, today's happiness was boosted by not driving to the city, listening to good music, blogging, cleaning my kitchen floor (I know! a miracle!), and now I will read. I have the second sisterhood of the traveling pants book to start. In the last link, I used the book site Better World Books, for whom I worked four hours yesterday to earn my pass for the festival. They are really cool people, and I will try to get some of my reading from them. We scanned all of the books that were donated yesterday, and some of them I really wanted.

Next time I will try to have some pictures to post. So instead of my photos, I will link you to the daily click, the new feature on our college website.

no politics today

I found a lovely tract about knitters here. It was posted on my friend's blog, so I stole it. I do think knitting is definitely a religion sometimes. I spend so much time on it, it must be a spiritual expression. I am in the midst of making a tunic with lovely yarn from River Knits Fine Yarns in Lafayette, IN. If I get a chance, I will post it on ravelry.

I have heard that the Purdue Communications PhD students are enjoying my baby blankets for their various offspring. It's a lot of fun to make the blankets, and I like that people are enjoying them. However, I keep forgetting to put my labels on...oops. I will have a zillion left. Maybe I could start putting them in various sweaters I've bought and pretend I made them.

I will go back to knitting and watching random TV. I have my rugs in the dryer and should put them back where they belong. I did laundry, for EH had mice in her apartment, and wants to stay away until they are gone.

thoughts on Hillary

I watched Hillary give her speech after the Penna primary, and this is why I like her:

1. She said that the moms and dads in the room with their daughters can whisper in their ears, "see, you can be anything you want to be."
2. She said that each generation was able to see change, and that our children will be able to say that that an African-American or a woman can be president.

I really really hope that I can be wrong, and that a woman can win in my lifetime. I still think it might be impossible. But it was a great speech, and I think she connected. It will be an interesting convention. I can see this splitting apart the party...oh, I hope it doesn't.

I am getting a little cranky about the patriarchical society I live in -- I am feeling v. silenced somedays, and it is frustrating, to say the least. I have not really been in this situation before, so it's even more frustrating...

I will post more this weekend I hope, but wanted to get this out (it's been in my head since the night of the primary).