Songs of my life (first installment)

I've been meaning to make a list lately.  A list of songs that remind me of a feeling, or a person, or a place, or a... You get the idea.  I've been feeling very nostalgic lately.  This is probably going to take me a long, long time, and may, like many of my projects, be soon abandoned.  LOL.

The first thing that comes to mind for me is probably "Bohemian Rhapsody" by Queen.  Like most people my age, I associate it with Wayne's World.  But it also reminds me of my best childhood friend from that period of my life, Ms. E.S. She will always be the Wayne to my Garth.  Party on!

And then there's "Thriller" by Michael Jackson.  I go right back to feeling like I'm 6 years old again when Vincent Price starts speaking.  My mom had the album on vinyl and we used to listen to it all the time.  And when we would listen to that song, my brother would sneak behind the couch when I wasn't looking and jump out and grab me and the big scary part.  Maybe that's why my heart still races during that part of the song, even after 25 years.... *shrugs* Brothers, right?

Speaking of family, one of many songs that remind me of my dad is "Cherish" by The Association (if you don't know it, look it up! LOL).  In the car with my father, he 1) always drove and 2) HAD to have the oldies station on the radio.  Inevitably, "Cherish" would start to play sometime during the trip.  It seemed to always happen, whether the trip was 5 hours or 5 minutes.  And he would sing it.  Dad was a good singer.  It always made my insides all warm and squishy when he'd sing to me...

Another song, probably a better one to associate with my dad, is "Little Surfer Girl" by The Beach Boys.  I have this memory from when I was little, though I can't remember how little, of being in my dad's arms as we danced in the living room while listening to the album that this song is on.  My little arms around his neck, I remember looking at him while we danced and he sang this to me and thinking that he was the best daddy in the whole world.  He and I definitely had our differences over the years, but he was my dad and he loved me the best that he could. 

I could go on and on about music that makes me think of my dad, but let's move on for the moment.  Actually, let's just end it here for the time being.  Play on, music, play on.

International Autism Awareness Day

It's April 2nd, and it's International Autism Awareness Day.  I hear about talk people wearing blue, or Lighting It Up blue or black or whatever for this day (aka: "slacktivism").  Most of them donate money to this organization or that organization, never really knowing what their money is used for.  I don't support this day for them, the "slacktivists" or the large organizations.  In fact, I don't support THEM at all.  But what I do support is my son. 

 

This is Kevin.  He's 6 years old.  And he has autism.

I know there's a huge debate going on about what causes autism.  Yes, please, to the eggheads and researchers and scientists and etc, find the cause to help future children.  But finding the cause is a less important to me because my child already has it.  He always has.  From the day I brought him home, he wasn't a "normal" baby.  He didn't like to lay down, preferring his car seat carrier.  He would scream (and I mean scream) if I laid him flat.  Thankfully, that's something he grew out of.  He would scream if I played the "wrong" music.  You don't know how many hours it took of trial and error and screaming newborn to find the right music.  Kevin was born in Minnesota in December, but hated clothes or coverings of any kind.  He still does, when he's at home anyway, but he has accepted that going outside means getting dressed. He didn't potty train until he was 5 years old.  He has the same thing for breakfast every day, not because he wants it or always eats it, but because he can't change it. And these are just a few examples of his "abnormal" behaviors.

I know there are autistic children out there that are "worse" than he is.  I am "lucky" because Kevin's not one of the non-verbal cases, or because he doesn't wander off, or some of the other more challenging behaviors that autistic children can have.  But that doesn't make it easy.  He still has meltdowns about things that seem irrational to "normal" people, like changing his breakfast or not taking the same route to go to Target.  And when those meltdowns happen in public (which is almost always where they do happen, over-stimulation and all), we are stared at by "normal" people.  Occasionally, I see sympathy in their eyes.  But more often than not, it's the "Oh my God, what is wrong with your kid?" look.  Or the "You are the worst parent I've ever seen" look.  It's for those people that I support Awareness.  And it's for my son that I'm Active. 

I may not be standing on a soapbox and screaming about the evils of mercury or gluten or etc, but that doesn't mean I don't agree.  And who am I to tell someone else how to raise or care for their child?  I would be quite angry if (and I am when) someone tries to tell me what's best for my child.

Kevin is autistic.  It's too late for prevention for him.  But there is treatment, support networks, special teaching and tools to help him learn and grow.  Imagine how big that support network could be if "normal" people really saw how close to their homes autism really reaches...

Support Autism (research, families, children, teachers, programs, etc)

Spread Awareness (to your friends, your neighbors, your co-workers, society)

Always,

Tina Jo

PS.  Shameless plug, yet still in line with the topic, I have created a line of items (designed and made by me) specifically for Autism Awareness.  They are being sold to raise money for Kevin's ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder) classroom so they can get an iPad.  You can find them at AlwaysTinaJo on Etsy

My first pattern... Dur's Hat!

OK, so technically it's not the first pattern I've written or come up with, but it's the first one I'm sharing.  I'm looking for feedback from all those in the crocheting world to let me know if it makes any kind of sense.  

The pattern came from duplicating a store-bought hat for a friend.  The original hat was very well-loved and was showing some wear.  She asked me if I could make her a new one.  "Of course!" I said, while thinking, "It can't be that hard. It's just a hat." Well, I was a little wrong.  It took me days to figure out the right gauge and stitches and everything, but I did it!  So here's the pattern...  Please let me know if you have questions about it and feel free to leave comments!

Dur's Hat

Yarn: Caron Simply Soft in black

Hook: J/10 - 6.00 mm

A bit of elastic thread

Rnd 1:CH 4, 16 dc in 1^st ch, join to 1^st dc, ch 2 – 16 dc

Rnd 2: Fpdc ch1 bpdc ch1 around, join to 1^st dc, ch 2 – 8 fpdc, 8 bpdc

Rnd 3: Fpdc ch1 (bpdc ch1 bpdc ch 1) in bpdc around, join, ch 2 – 8 fpdc, 16 bpdc

Rnd 4: Fpdc ch1 (bpdc ch1 bpdc ch 1) in bpdc, bpdc in bpdc ch 1 around, join, ch2 – 8 fpdc, 24 bpdc

Rnd 5: Fpdc ch1 (bpdc ch1 bpdc ch 1) in bpdc bpdc in bpdc ch 1 twice around, join, ch2 – 8 fpdc, 32 bpdc

Rnd 6: Fpdc ch1 (bpdc ch1 bpdc ch 1) in bpdc bpdc in bpdc ch 1 thrice around, join, ch2 – 8 fpdc, 40 bpdc

Rnd 7 – 13: Work fpdc in fpdc and bpdc in bpdc around, join, ch2 (on rnd 13 ch1, not 2)

Rnd 14: (crochet over elastic thread in this round for 64 sc) 2sc in ch1 sp after fpdc, 1 sc in each ch1 sp between bpdc, 2 sc in ch1 sp before fpdc around DO NOT JOIN, sc in next 33 sc, ch1 turn

Brim
Row 2: sc in next 25 sc, ch1 turn – 25 sc

Row 3: sc2tog in 1^st 2 sc, sc across, sc2tog in last 2 sc, ch 1 turn – 23 sc

Row 4: sc2tog in 1^st 2 sc, sc across, sc2tog in last 2 sc, ch 1 turn – 21 sc

Row 5: sc2tog in 1^st 2 sc, sc across, sc2tog in last 2 sc, ch 1 turn – 19 sc

Fasten off

With the top of the hat facing you, join yarn at the right edge of the brim and sc evenly around. 29 sc

Fasten off, weave in yarn ends. Knot the elastic thread and weave in the ends.

Viola!