But Wait, There's More

Just in case you didn't already learn more about me this week than you really wanted to know, some time ago I was interviewed by my very own George Stephanopoulos, Carole. (That may not be a fair comparison. If you ask me, Carole is far more talented than George, and very nearly as pretty.) Without further ado I present my answers to her astute and probing questions.

1. What has been your biggest challenge as a parent?
   Carole told me I could answer this one seriously, or not, as I wished. Since I already gave a serious answer, here are some wiseass ones: getting Miss B to clean her room, showing up at school conferences on time, scaling Mount Laundry. Come to think of it, that last one is fairly serious.
   
   
2. What's your favorite thing to knit and why?
   This is a tough one, since I like to knit lots of different things, using lots of different techniques — about the only thing I don't like to knit is miles of plain stockinette. I'm going to say cabled socks, preferably incorporating some color motif. I love the way cables look, and I love socks in all their compactness and portability and many other well-documented virtues. And I love intarsia, and I love how knitting intarsia cables gives people, including many who should know better (i.e. other knitters), the idea that you're doing rocket science. I am (trust me) not that smart, but it's fun to make people think otherwise.
   
   
3. Do you think gauge swatches lie? Why or why not?
   Do you remember that scene from Postcards From the Edge where Dennis Quaid seduces Meryl Streep by telling her a string of outrageously flattering lies? He all but admits they're lies, we all know they're lies, even she knows they're lies if she thinks about it, but she'd rather not because it just feels so good. Gauge swatches are sort of like that: it's tempting to believe that they don't need to be all that big, and that if you find a single one- or two-inch stretch of stitches that measure just the way you want them to, you're all set. The temptation to squish or stretch just a bit can also be well-nigh irresistible. I try to overcome this wishful thinking by knitting big swatches and measuring in several places.
   
   While most swatches are only out for what they can get away with, some are just plain evil.
   
   
4. What's your favorite thing to make for dinner?
   Lamb steaks, zucchini and potatoes on the outdoor grill. Sadly, the Diet From Hell does not allow potatoes, but the lamb and zucchini are still pretty good.
   
   
5. Have you been spinning much lately?
   No. My wheel is sadly neglected. I am way, way behind on my charity and gift knitting, and plan to get rolling again as soon as possible.

If for some strange reason you would like to be interviewed but haven't yet had the opportunity, leave me a comment and I will interview you.

Still here? I have some Friday eye candy for you.


Happy weekend, everyone!