Across the universe

After yesterday's lengthy, heavy post, I'd like to take some time to discuss Michael Vick and dog-fighting. No, no, just kidding. Enough is enough, as far as I'm concerned with that story. (Please ESPN, I just want to see my Bengals in their only preseason game of any significance.)

Before moving on to lighter fare today, I would like to thank everyone for the respect they showed me regarding that topic. I didn't expect anything else from you--thus why I wrote it, even if it could stand to be shorter --but religion can be a hot button issue. A lot of people struggle to wrap their heads around someone being able to be progressive and spiritual. Good grief, an offhanded comment in this piece led to some rather unpleasant assumptions commenters made about the writer. Opening yourself up in writing is a risky thing, and I felt bad reading the pig pile that built there. Those readers are a different crowd but still...

Above you see the Asherton Reversible Scarf that I'm knitting for the Red Scarf Project. (You have to join this Yahoo group to download the pattern, but it is free.) I've finished one repeat, most of which was done at picture time, and I really like how it looks. It's an easy knit, and I'll be happy to send it off to an unknown recipient.

Whenever this scarf is finished, I hope it gets to its intended location. It's been a week since I mailed the Texas dischloth to my brother and sister-in-law who reside in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. My brother says they haven't received a package from me. If necessary, I won't have any trouble knitting it again, but this marks the second time I've had a mailer containing a hand-knit item encounter some problems getting to its destination. In the other case, the item was intact despite the padded envelope being ripped.

Speaking of gifts, I need your feedback. I have a birthday coming up soon, and my mom asked what I want for it. I haven't given any thought to it, and I've been drawing a blank. I have been interested in the Knit Picks Options needle set. Opinions?