Wednesday, March 26, 2008

Great Day

Well, zowie. After I pressed "Publish Post" and my recurring nightmare became public reading matter, I had a long moment of wondering whether I ought to delete it. As you know if you're a frequent visitor, this blog is seldom a venue for soul-baring. One ought to play to one's strengths, and frankly there are lots of people blogging whose naked souls have more to offer the reading public.

Still, I use this space to clear the occasional emotional blockage. It was indeed kind that so many folks not only indulged the momentary lapse, but also offered comfort, advice, and encouragement. And it's fascinating to hear from others who still break a cold sweat at the sound of "Clean up on Aisle Four!" over a fuzzy loudspeaker.

Today was a terrific day, spent in the company of yarn industry types (mostly independent shop owners, along with a sprinkling of manufacturers, distributors, and sales representatives) who gathered in Chicago for a conference hosted by Yarn Market News. I do illustrations for that charming and useful publication on a regular basis, and when they rolled into town on their Big Wheels they asked me and my little camera to come over and play.

I'm too zonked to do a full report with photographs and tap-dancing alpacas, but I'm too wired to fall asleep without first saying what a positive jolt it is to spend the day (and then dine well) in the company of people whose waking hours revolve around keeping us supplied with yarn, needles, and the sundry impedimenta of the fibery life.

I know well that not every LYS owner is a saint with an encyclopedic knowledge of Cast Ons of All Nations. Nor is every yarn shop the rose-covered cottage we might wish. But this group–they love what they do and are spending several very long days learning to do it even better. As they fly in the face of grim ol' American practicality by supporting creative work in the midst of a yawning recession, I salute them and wish them godspeed.

There should be a little drawing here of eighty shop owners storming the barricades with knitting needles aloft, or maybe raising a cable swatch over Iwo Jima; but when I start wishing people "godspeed" it's time to step away from the keyboard and go to bed. If my prose got any more purple it'd be on television group-hugging a chorus of child actors and singing "John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmitz." Feh.

Good night, y'all.

27 comments:

Mel said...

Good lordy lord, you did get a lot of comments on that dream. Sounds like today was a very nice counterpoint, though.

Amy said...

Glad you had a good time! Sleep tight.

Anonymous said...

If you're going to bed now, could you pass the peanut M&Ms? Thanks...

Anonymous said...

If you could just work a tap-dancing alpaca into one of your cartoons, I would be satisfied. Clogging would be OK, too.

Sweet Camden Lass said...

^^ Now I'd pay good money to see a morris dancing alpaca...

Jane

~x~

La Cabeza Grande said...

Captain's suggestion of a clogging - even better, Irish step dancing - alpaca!

Oh, and I do love a good "Feh!" every now and again.

dragon knitter said...

i would think they'd be singing 'kum bah yah'

i've had high school dreams like that, blech

Betsy said...

It was a pleasure meeting you - thanks for spending the day with us.

Anonymous said...

Wow. Now I know the reason for the existence of Barney--that was the most adroit and apt reference to him I've ever read. That you can write so well even when you're tired (edging toward purple or not) speaks volumes about your skill.

Anonymous said...

I absolutely adore John Jacob Jimgleheimer Schmitz. Brings back memories of singing at the top of my lungs with my kids in the car!

Thanks for the grin,

CanAm, Ravelry, sadly blogless

nosenabook said...

I look forward to hearing - and seeing - more about the Great Day. Should I subscribe to the Yarn Market News to see more of your photos?

christine (threedogknits) said...

"his name is my name, too. Whenever we go out, people always shout..."

Oh sheesh now you got that song in my head! I'm glad you had a great day after the nightmare from your teenage days. It's as if the universe is telling you that in your adult life you get to better pick who you travel through life with - in this case wonderful knitters.

Criosa said...

I'm with la cabeza there - bring on the Irish dancing alpaca! though we'd need more than one to get a proper line-up a la Riverdance

Alwen said...

Oh, great, now I have tap-dancing alpacas singing "John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt" in my head!

Out out dratted alpacas!

Jeanne said...

Tap dancing alpaca?! I simply MUST know more! You're nothing but a tease, Franklin. A tease.

(and I mean that in the best, neighborly love kinda way)

Anonymous said...

dear franklin: we are your friends as well as your readers out here; those of us who check in on a daily basis probably feel truly comfortable with that idea and are probably nodding in agreement as they read this. You needed to get that ugly dream off your psyche, it wouldn’t have been good for you to have simply allowed it to retreat, muttering to itself, back into the dark place it hides. Sharing it with the people who read your blog is akin to shining a very big flashlight on it; bad dreams don’t like that. Perhaps it will be a long while before that dream will return. If it does, remember the comments and encouragements from the day before….
mary e.

Seanna Lea said...

No purple dinosaurs! I remember going to a college class (cue: long, long ago) and seeing one of the vidtechs testing the equipment in the classroom with a Barney video. I'd never seen it before, but felt immediate nausea.

Funnily, it is the same feeling I got when I saw David Hasselhoff playing Dr. Jeckyll.

Anonymous said...

Ya see, and that dream post was one of my favorites you've ever posted. Sometimes it's nice to see more of the human behind the witty wag.

Cara said...

I'm glad you got to go to the Yarn Market News event. I love going to fiber festivals and yarn-related events--it's so energizing! All the color and texture everywhere, so many people wearing things they made, so much to learn, and such a giving, sharing community. And almost every conversation you might eavesdrop on or happen to overhear is contains some tidbit of yarny goodness! It's the best! I'll be looking forward to reading more about your adventures.

Kristen said...

"tap-dancing alpacas" Ha!! Very glad to hear you're recovering from your nightmare!

Carson said...

Anyone who can use "zonked" and "impedimenta" in the same post gets my vote.

Plum Texan said...

Well, that hangs it...I've been reading you for a bit over a week, and now I'm bound and determined to come meet you in Austin. Thanks for all your sharing, particularly your beautiful work.

(Even though I might get a rash if I manage to participate... :) )

Bronchitkat said...

^^ Now I'd pay good money to see a morris dancing alpaca...

Me too. Or even a whole side of Morris dancing alpacas! Please.

Pretty please.

With sprinkles.

georg said...

I would never want a rose-covered cottage for myself or a LYS- I'm too violently allergic to roses.

I imagine if you handed Delores tap shoes, she'd start off on a story about what happened when she was younger with this tap dancer...

Melissa said...

Somehow your mention of John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt led me directly to Robin Williams in the Wong Foo movie - one of our favorite flicks. No knitting content, but what a cast!

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