LIGHTS OUT

Have you ever hear of EARTH HOUR?

It's at 8:30 pm (wherever you live) on the last Saturday in March, which happens to be tomorrow! http://www.earthhour.org/home/

The idea is for every home & business to turn off all non-essential lights and appliances for one hour. It's so simple that I really can do this. And it will be part of world-wide action.

Problem is that it is SO SIMPLE that many people will take the approach that they did to Moses when he told them to just LOOK at a stick and they would be healed.

Well, why in the world would I not do something that I know for a fact would benefit me? If things in my home are turned off for one hour more than they usually are--my utilities will go down accordingly! DUH.

What will you do tomorrow night at 8:30pm?

Hyperbolically Speaking

Well, the crafting part of the Hyperbolic Crochet project is winding down. I have had a blast with this, but I am willing to admit that it's time for a change. Three solid months of hyperbolic is enough. However, I will continue to do hyperbolic work on my own and create some unique things.

Teaching some of the workshops had been so much fun. I really got into this, and learned so much. It wasn't just the crochet, it was finding something I could be passionate about; at least for 3 months. I will still continue to use less plastic in as many ways as I can, and some of you will have to listen to me talk about it, endlessly.

Notice on the table above, there is a white piece with a pink edging. . . It's almost sitting on the shoulder of the person in the corner. I didn't have enough pink to finish the edge. I tried three stores. So I picked out another that was on sale and used it. What do you think of how it turned out, below?

These are the larger of the pieces I turned in today.

When TK finishes making a loom hat, there is almost a yard of yarn that is cut off. I began saving that yarn and tied it together. This is what it looked like made into a hyperbolic piece. Yes, the ends are sticking out on purpose.

This (and the white one) was made out of plastic bags. Yes, the kind you get when you buy something at a store. I made them into PLARN (plastic yarn) and crocheted just as if it was yarn. Some of you have tote bags I have made from plarn. Others will get one later (especially if you make your own plarn). See the link to "How to make PLARN".

I have stopped getting plastic bags if I don't have to. I tell them that I will put my purchases into my purse or a tote I have with me, because if I take it home, I have to crochet it!

Scottsdale Arts Festival

Last weekend was the Scottsdale Arts Festival. I worked on Friday afternoon. Here are some pictures of crocheters and our tent.

Our tent was next to the "LOVE" sculpture. I think it is a requirement to have your picture taken at least once in your life with this sculpture.

Here is a very tiny part of what the Hyperbolic Crochet Coral Reef with look like. Most of the pieces on top were done by me. I felt that people had to be able to touch it in order to really experience it.


Eventually all of us kicked off our shoes and enjoyed the grass! Call it "Nature Therapy".

What are you doing "in spite of" ?

No matter how many stories I hear about someone doing amazing things in spite of having problems that usually mean they couldn't do what they desire, I still love the story of the underdog! Here is a great example.



You can also see this story at: http://cosmos.bcst.yahoo.com/up/player/popup/?cl=12597183

A Letter From Margaret

Dear All

I am writing because we have received emails from concerned Reefers and Crafters in NYC about a project that is being undertaken by ABC Carpet and Home in Manhattan. ABC is a large company that manufactures carpets.

In recent days they have announced on craft blogs and sites that they are crocheting a coral reef to exhibit in their storefront windows on Broadway. They are calling for crafters throughout NY area to get involved in this "community project" and make their Reef happen by April (next month).

Their announcements make no reference to the IFF and our long-standing Crochet Reef project. Nor do they acknowledge that there already is a NY Reef that has been exhibited at two NYC window-front locations - at Broadway Windows (NYU) and the beautiful Winter Garden at World Financial Center. Lion Brand Yarns - a major yarn manufacturer - are also getting behind the ABC project and have donated hundreds of balls of yarn. All this is being done as a kind of corporate raiding. ABC contacted me several weeks ago and asked about showing the whole Reef Project. An ABC executive had seen my talk about the project at the recent TED conference and was deeply impressed with the Reef. Instead, they have taken the idea and decided they can do it on their own. They are claiming it is their idea.

Christine and I would like you all to know that we do not sanction this project and we resist this usurping by a commercial company. ABC are also attempting to take crafters for a ride - they asking artist "volunteers" to give their skill and their time freely to promote a commercial company. The IFF is a tiny organization and we have little power to intervene in this effort legally, but we believe the power lies with the craft community. We urge all of you who can to send out word on the craft blogs and website to resist ABC's enterprise.

In one way this event is heartening: it highlights the power and value of the Crochet Reef Project. If a large company like ABC feels it is worth taking there must be something truly worthwhile here. We believe there is and I am happy to announce that the Reef has been formally invited to show at the Smithsonian. It is the first time the Natural History Museum will show an art project - so it's a huge honor. It is also with great joy that we can say that in addition to the already existing NY Reef, Chicago Reef, and UK Reef, there are now community-based Satellite Reefs coming into being Scottsdale Arizona, Sydney Australia, in Latvia and in Toronto. The project continues to grow virally. [Information about all these Reefs will be up soon on the IFF website.] Christine and I are always happy to work with genuine community groups on the project, but it is not to be done for commercial purposes and we encourage all crafters Not to participate in ABC's endeavor.

with best wishes
Margaret Wertheim
Co-creator of the Hyperbolic Crochet Coral Reef

Margaret Wertheim
Institute For Figuring
PO Box 50346
Los Angeles CA 90050
323.256.5641
www.theiff.org
mail@theiff.org

How do I store all these cans?

I am a firm believer in getting food when it's on sale and keeping a little of all the things you like to eat. Especially these days. The problem comes when you try to fit all this into the cupboards! If we didn't have any dishes or appliances, it would be much easier, but that isn't the case.

So what do you do with all the cans of food? You could make a decorative wall of all the cans, but that if the cat or children start to play with it? It would kill the cat when it fell or give a child a nice owwee that might need stitches. Not to mention the looks you will get as your child is seen by the rest of the neighborhood!

Rolling shelves are the best answer.

Now you can do this a lot of ways, with various amounts of monetary outlay.

• You can build them in many different ways. (here is one http://www.wikihow.com/Build-a-Rotating-Canned-Food-Shelf)
• 
  Or you can buy them. (here is one seller http://www.shelfreliance.com/shop/frs)
• 
  You can adjust your existing shelves so one end is lower and find a way to keep them from rolling off the front side. (least expensive, biggest pain-when a can hits your toe)

I bought one large rolling shelf and some small ones that go in my cupboards.

How about you?

The Truth About Me

It’s time to start sharing the changes in my life! But in order to do that, I need to give you a quick glance into my background so you will understand the significance of these changes. I don’t read someone else’s complaints if I can help it, so I don’t want to make you read mine.

So here is the short version:

Bi-polar depression - Since age 5
Panic Attacks - Since age 5
Interstitial Cystitis - 15 years (like having a constant bladder infection)
Chronic Fatigue - 25 years
Weight gain - More than I am willing to admit before I lose it

On February 28th I began to take a supplement which is created in a way to feed the cells. I started to notice a difference in 2 days!

Here is the short version of the changes SO FAR:

Day 2 - More mental clarity
Day 4 - Noticing more energy that is NOT the manic of bi-polar
Day 5, 6 & 7 - Attended evening events 3 days in a row (unheard of)
1 week - My clothes are just a bit more comfortable
2 weeks - My bladder starts great improvements

As you can imagine; I am starting to feel better. I am still not a morning person; but it’s only been 2 weeks. But I am doing more around the house; in baby steps, but they are steps.

T started a week ago. I am not going to list his problems; I will just give you 3:

Legally blind
Diabetic
Weight gain

He has noticed changes in just one week:

Memory improvement
More energy
Weight loss (one belt notch)

I will keep you posted on changes as they happen. As you can imagine, the mood around our house has become much more positive.

A Death in our Home

All of you know what it's like to lose someone/something really important to you! It's so traumatic! I was so upset yesterday - and I rarely get upset like this - that I actually threw something. Mind you , it was not something that could break or hurt anything, but that's how upset I was.

It just died! Without warning! It's not fair! Just gone!

I do have to admit that I am more blessed than others. My dear hubby has the ability to breath life into dead things and make them new again. Well, not exactly new, and not exactly the same. But he at least can replace what is gone.

So now, after T has worked so hard and for hours and hours, I have a new one. I don't feel so much like throwing things. There are times that I growl very menacingly, but I'm not throwing anything now.

Probably a month from now, I will be able to say that things are back to "normal", but it has been a terrible loss for me.

Thank you for your sympathy and support! It means so much in times like these.

Now please flood me with e-mail and such so I can rebuild this silly computer with the files, addresses, links and pictures I so desperately need to do the work I am trying to do.

Names
Email addresses
Pictures
Files
Crochet pattern links
Blog links
Calender Events
Anything else I should have but haven't thought of yet

NOW!! PLEASE!! SEND!!!