There's a pseudoscience born every minute...

Because food is such an issue for me with celiac disease and a number of anaphylactic level food allergies, it really gets my dander up when fear mongers like the Food Babe and others get people riled up about things.  That's saying a lot for a *mostly* logical person like me.

It's not that I mind getting riled up about things... I just think you should know what you're talking about before you do.  Vax/Antivax?  Hey, I made my choice and I totally support you making yours - but *be informed* before you do.  Organic/raw/vegan/paleo/the all twinkie diet?  Again, I've made my choice and will support your right to make yours - but *be informed* before you do.

This has been a hot spot for me for decades when I first researched herbal medicine and found so many things were misrepresented simply to sell capsules. Seeing a marketing campaign online does "not" make it true.

Not sure what the current dander is all about?  Check out these links... because you know... I'm actually allergic to dander!  ;o)

Jennifer Raff, Violent Metaphors - Business Insider - best summary I've read to date and includes a lot of informatice pass through linkys so you can learn more.

Yvette d'Entremont on Gawker - aka Sci Babe  - I thought she was going to be my new best friend when she mentioned Real Girl Scouts, but her comments about the seriousness of food allergies won be over, along with the dirty jokes.  ;o)

Steven Novella, NeuroLogica - The Google University Effect - It's not just Food Babe!

James Fell - Avoiding Weight Loss Snake Oil - So many good things in here.  Just read it.

Even Uncle George Takei posted this one... which is how a lot of this stuff gets sold.  Buyer beware - whether you're buying a product *or* information.
 

Here Kitty, Kitty!

Cute right?  Would you be surprised to know that these little kitties are crocheted using only single crochet?  The shape comes from increasing or decreasing the number of stitches in a round.

You can find Nekoyama's free pattern for these beauties HERE.

This is one of the reasons I enjoy making toys.  yes, I may have to count my stitches, but I can let muscle memory take over and I don't have to think much farther than 1-2-3-4-increase. 

My other reason for enjoying toy making?  Giving them away!  These babies are on their way to my friend Swati's house...

Interestingly, most of the toys I make end up going to adults.  Although my grandsons get whatever they want from Gramma, it's the grown ups who love an excuse to "play" again.

Whether it's a geeky fandom or just something that makes us smile and feel happy... we all deserve a little playtime.

Speaking of playtime, Steve and I had fun last week trying to decide what should go into these "shaker" eggs. 

Yes, that mental image of us running around the house putting various things inside a plastic egg and shaking it is completely accurate!  It was an interesting experiment to see if something we thought would make an interesting noise actually did, and it was more difficult than you might think!

Here's what we came up with: nuts, plastic pellets, a nickel, a jingle bell, glass beads, and a large paper clip.

Each makes a fairly unique sound, and I think perhaps we had more fun with them than our two year old grandson, but that's how the egg rolls.  (I crack myself up with the yolks.  Haha!)

Hope you find a way to play today. Whether it's simply running around with your eyes closed in the park or making someone laugh... it's the best medicine!

Crochet Keeps Me From Unravelling

Over the last few years, my health has become more and more complicated.  It's no coincidence that this is also the same period in which my dedication to the art and craft of crochet has taken root.


I often say that crochet keeps me sane, buying yarn is still cheaper than therapy, and lots of other quippy half jokes... but you know... they're true.

Share my fifteen minutes of fame with me and check out my chat with Swati over at The Purple Flower about how crochet heals.  There's a also a super easy tutorial on how to crochet a journal cover!