Rant #4
Okay, so this is a rant and if you're a health fanatic, please just exit now or at least have the courtesy to realize these words are how I, personally, feel.
I'm 60 years of age (don't feel old, so don't use that), I'm short at 5'3" and I am, according to the medical experts, 100 lbs overweight / obese or whatever name you want to put with it.
This past week there was a big to do on the morning TV shows about a woman who posted a picture of herself with her 3 young children and she had captioned it "What's your excuse?". She was in very good shape and it later came out that she was a 'fitness expert'. Hey, good for her! I admire her determination to stay in shape and still keep up with 3 young children. That said, I don't have an excuse nor do I feel I should be intimidated into expressing one.
Should I lose weight? Well, hell yes, I should! I'm fat not stupid! My joints would thank me, my heart and lungs would thank me, my body would be so much happier with me if I'd lose weight. Would all that change the person I am? No, it wouldn't. I'd still be the same inside and that's what is so much more important to me than what the outside picture is.
I have a story here.... My dearest friend in the whole world was living in CO and I hadn't seen her in a couple years. I was planning a trip to go visit when she told me, "by the way, I've been going to Weight Watchers and I've lost 65 lbs." Of course, I praised her and meant it. Good for her. When I got up there, she seemed the same to me. I saw my dear friend, the person I loved for who she is not what size she wore. Had she not told me about the weight loss, I would have never noticed as it's simply not important to me. A lady who had worked for me and later we worked together at another business said something about losing 40 lbs. I said, "good for you". She got a little pouty and said, "Doesn't it look like I lost 40 lbs?" I looked at her and said, "well, yes, but I don't see you as a size. I see you as who you are. I like you for who you are, not the shape you are."
I appreciate those people are very careful about what they eat, the fact that they exercise daily, the fact that they obviously make sacrifices to stay in shape. Good for them. Why can't these people accept me for who I am?! I am not a LAZY person and yet that's the stigma attached to people of size - that they are lazy. There isn't a day go by that something isn't on the news about dieting, exercising, etc.... Does the media think they're going to guilt people into being different? Okay, I could go on and on and on about this subject. I have one other story to tell. In all my fat life ( there was time I've considered too thin), there has only been one time I've really had my feeling hurt about my weight and it came from my 4 yr old (at the time) grandson. I was there to babysit. His mom had already left and my son, his dad, was getting ready to leave for work. They (son and g-son) answered the door and my g-son said, "grandma, you're fat" and started laughing like it was a huge joke. His dad immediately told him "that wasn't a nice thing to say". I covered my hurt with, "well, he's just stating what's true." The reason it hurt was not because it was true but because I knew that someone he knew had been talking about me in an unpleasant way. A 4 year old doesn't associate a person by size unless they've heard it or been taught it.... Oh, I suspect I know who it was and I won't go into that... I feel they are a smaller person because they feel the need to belittle another person in order to make themselves feel better.....
Anyway, I am who I am. I like who I am. My size doesn't make me any less caring and I don't make excuses for my size..
End of Rant!
This is rant #3:
Let me start with saying right up front that this could (well I'm sure will be) controversial and it is my opinion only and not meant to influence anyone in anyway nor am I trying to sway anyone to my way of thinking. But this is something I want to say but not something I want to put out on 'public' social media as I'm not trying to start a verbal war. If you don't like what you're reading, please just don't read!
Okay, this is going to be about "the Media" and what the media finds "news worthy" and of interest to the viewing public. And yes, I do understand that we all find different things news worthy (remember... this is MY rant)
Let me start with William & Kate: Oh yes, the big hoopla of the royal wedding - thank goodness that's over!!! Now the big deal about their visit to CA ..... . Am I missing something? Is England planning on taking back the 'colonies'??? Quite frankly I don't care whether or not if "the Royal Couple" is planning a baby. Isn't there much more going on in America that the we should be made aware of? I do believe that the U.S. is almost to the point that if it was an individual or a corporation, it would be going bankrupt! Why isn't the media following what's going on there?
Okay, so much for political stuff - I have tons of opinions there!
Now the big story is the Casey Anthony acquital. I am so very sorry that a young child lost her life - no matter how. I did not sit in the courtroom day after day listening to testimony, so I am not going to judge whether Casey Anthony is guilty or not - it quite simply isn't my place to do so. But, I am also very tired of hearing about it! Who makes the decisions to follow what case of abduction, murder, etc.....? There was a 10 year old boy who went missing in the mountains behind where I live - it never made the national news. The boy (or his remains) have never been found (20 years later). The local news made reference to the fact that he was hiking with his step mother (there we go again - must have been the wicked step mother!) Also, we had in our small town a young mother who went missing - oh, oh, she had filed for divorce - must be her husband. No one was ever charged - no evidence of foul play.... (again about 20 years have passed) and nope never made the national news.
Okay so what am I trying to say here ------ quite frankly, I don't care! Yes I do feel bad for the families of those who have been gone missing, been murdered, etc.... and yes I do understand putting the word out there initially, but do I want to hear about it for years and years? NO, I don't. This is sensationalism at it's finest. I want to know what's going on in my country, about the things that affect me, my family and my life and future. Not whether William & Kate are planning their family.
Okay, another example and I'll shut up.... I was watching the local evening news and they had a "breaking news" flash. It was about a high speed police chase happening in Los Angeles. And that affected me how????? It started the news cast, it finished the news cast and when the news came back on again a half hour later, it was doing the "continuing coverage of the breaking news" Sorry, I live in Arizona and I really don't think that a high speed chase in LA had anything to do with me - it did not affect the local traffic in any way, shape or form . And yes I did email the local TV channel and asked why I needed to know about this - I received no response! I must not be news worthy :-)
So I'm done with my rant and I did not mean to offend anyone - this is my opinion only.
Katie
This is Rant #2:
Who are "they"? You know when someone says "well they say......" Ever wonder who "they" are??? I do. I don't think I've ever met "them". Actually, I'm assuming that "they" are the experts, the professionals, those who have been lucky enough to get a book or pattern published. Now this isn't about bashing those who have worked their butts off to get some well deserved recognition, this is about those who use them (they) as a way of enforcing their opinions!!
Okay, what's this all about???? Well, for one - the 100% cotton fabric rule. Who the heck came up with that? Ever see a Crazy Quilt? I'm talking those that are considered collectible. The ones that have the silks, the satins, the velvet, the damask and, oh yes, even some cotton ! Okay, Okay, I do understand that not all fabrics wear the same and that it is a good idea to keep all fabrics consistent in a quilt. But to have someone tell me I can't use a fabric because it isn't 100% cotton............ AND "don't use sheets as backing". Why???? oh yeah, the tighter weave, the more threads per square inch thing. Excuse me, I must be missing something here. Aren't batiks tighter woven fabric??? And aren't batiks some of the more popular fabrics not to mention more pricy??? And don't forget that the only good cotton fabrics are those purchased at the local quilt store! Well, excuusse me! If I'm comfortable with using the fabrics from the fabric chain stores, that's my business. Now that doesn't mean I'm going to use a fabric that I can read a book through - even I'm not that rebellious. But seriously, I've bought fabric at the chain stores that were glorious to work with and I've bought fabric at the LQS that was, quite simply, garbage! Truly, I don't feel you can tell the exact quality of the fabric until it's washed and all the sizing is gone. Which brings me to another point..... They say you have to prewash your fabrics but if you don't then don't prewash any of it. Why? Okay, I know shrinkage. So.... when I make a quilt, not all the fabrics in it are from the same 'fabric line' anyway. So my thinking is, it's not all going to shrink the same anyway if it hasn't been prewashed. But for the record - I do prewash because I want that sizing stuff out of the fabric when I'm working with it. Not to mention that sometimes (from what I've read) there are preservatives in fabric until it's washed. And what about the 100% cotton thread? I like cotton thread, but I hate the lint it leaves. I do know about the more expensive brands, less lint and all that and for the most part, I do use 100% cotton thread when I'm piecing and usually when I'm quilting, too. But, I have seen quite a resurgence of polyester and other mixed media thread.
Okay, I could really ramble on here and lose you completely :-) so what brought this all on??? I'm unemployed (my choice) and living on a relatively tight budget. I shop at thrift stores - and I did that when I was employed. I buy 100% cotton clothing and tear it apart for fabric. I look for 100% cotton sheets, but when I see a print that I like that's 60/40 - I'll buy it. And... I'll use it with 100% cotton! Whenever I'm buying sheets or clothing (or whatever) I do look at the tags, the seams and whatever to check for wear. I try to buy top sheets more than fitted bottom sheets. 1 - because they have more fabric and 2 because the top sheet usually has less wear. But when I look at the tags, I can also tell if the sheet/shirt (whatever) has been laundered frequently. If I can't read the tag, I won't buy the item. I do so much quilt making for charity that I simply could not afford to do so if I was buying only the products that "they" say is acceptable. And, quite frankly, I think my quilts turn out pretty nice (still need to spend more time with the TL!)
Me rant? But of course, don't we all?!
This is going to be Rant #1:
Bicycles on roadways: If you're an avid bicycle rider, you may not want to read this.
I absolutely respect anyone who has the ambition to get out on a hot/warm (I live in AZ!) day and work their buns off on their bikes. Me, personally, I'll stick to riding my ATV, which I do absolutely love to do. My ATV is street legal meaning it has added accessories, it's insured (fully) and registered and licensed. Now the only time my ATV is ever on a 'street' is to take it down to put gas in it. Otherwise, it is ridden on trails. I do not 'tear up' the landscape (as some ATV riders have been accused of) I remain on established trails. So my ATV is registered/state licensed, it has an OHV (Off Highway Vehicle) registration as well as having a state land use permit. I pay these fees every year to be able to legally ride my ATV wherever is safe and legal to do so. I also pay every year to keep my trucks and car legal to drive on the public roadways. Now when I see a bicyclist weaving through traffic that is stopped at a stop light, it just burns my butt. I'm not talking the ones who come up the right side and stop. I'm talking the ones working their way through the stopped cars from the right to left! Then I really get ticked off when I have to swerve out into the left lane because a bicyclist is riding directly on the right painted line. So why do I, as an ATV driver/owner, have to pay all these registration fees when I don't (or rarely) drive my ATV on a roadway and a bicyclist just has to buy a bike????? When I think of the revenue the state would make by making any cyclist register/license their bike to be legal to ride on the streets, let's just say I think our state debt would go down dramatically. AND..... what about those bicycle lanes????? You know the ones on the side of the road, that's been painted especially for cyclist and have signs indicating a bicycle lane. Wonder how much it cost the state for those extras????? and again the only thing the cyclist had to pay was tax when they purchased their bike........Okay, now you're thinking I've really lost it here - what about all these children on bikes????? I'm not talking about a kid who rides his bike in the neighborhood from his house to his(her) friend's house. I'm talking these cyclist that you see out on the highways and the major city streets. But in all honesty - it wouldn't hurt for a one time small fee to register/license the child's bike either - might be easier to trace if it ever got stolen!
So if I've offended anyone, I'm sorry - but this is MY rant.
Katie
