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Last week was my last pottery class, so I got to bring home most of my pots. (There are still a few big bowls left to be glazed.) Here they are:

Beyond “D’oh!”: Simpsons Quotes for Everyday Use.

Because I was talking about it at the Guild meeting yesterday, here’s a worthwhile blog post about the turkey slap debacle. I keep returning to the author’s description of being humiliated in school, and her spot-on analysis of the aggressors’ defense (that what they did wasn’t sexual, because they weren’t interested in her sexually). She’s right; these guys are dirtbags, and the culture that encourages and tolerates such behavior is disgusting.

We joined Amy tonight for a showing of Pirates of the Caribbean 2. It was… eh… okay. I was entertained. There were some good fights and some exciting action sequences. The digital effects were amazing. (I love the sound the Kracken’s tentacles make.) Davy Jones and Bootstrap Bill were also excellently realized. Tom Hollander makes for a suitably hatable villain. (He’ll always be Bosie to me.) But still… eh. I still don’t like Keira Knightley, and the sight of her macking on Sparrow made me rally behind poor Will (who is way too good for her and, by the way, pretty damn hot). Also hot is Jack Davenport, back as a wonderfully scruffy (and morally ambiguous) Norrington. I couldn’t give a crap about anybody else in the movie. Jack Sparrow indirectly caused the death of, like, hundreds of people (his own crew, the ones that picked up Will, the French guys who got his hat), and we’re supposed to care whether everybody risks their own lives to save him? Yeah, yeah, Johnny Depp, Keith Richards, swanning about, blah blah blah fishcakes. I’m so over it. As I’ve said before, two (and a half) hours watching Johnny Depp are never wasted, but the character is really starting to wear a little thin. I don’t care whether they rescue him or not. All I could think was that poor Will should cut his losses and get the hell away from The Curse of the Duckfaced Anorexic. In summation, and as I said as the credits rolled: “Okay, so that was a total Empire Strikes Back ending, except in this version, PRINCESS LEIA’S A WHORE.”

The Snook’s review: “The baddies were the same as in the first movie; they used the same thing-rolling-down-a-hill gag twice in this movie; and there weren’t enough boobies. I liked Davy Jones.”

Addendum: It seems I am not alone in my opinion.

Friends don’t let friends knit with Feathers
I made Miss Fee a T-shirt for her birthday. 🙂

Do you know the Moomins? Last year the Snook introduced me to this utterly charming series of children’s books from Finnish author Tove Jansson. I had never heard of them in the US before, and I’ve never come across anyone outside of his family that have heard of them here in Australia. (I am sure Jussi will chime in with a comment about their popularity in Finland.) I can’t get enough of these stories. He reads them to me at bedtime, and we’re nearly at the end of Comet in Moominland. They’re some of the funniest children’s books I’ve ever come across, and in a just world Moomintroll, the Snook Maiden, Sniff, and Snufkin would be as popular as Pooh, Piglet, Eeyore, and Tigger. And check it out: there’s an actual Moominland! We’re so going to Finland. If you like children’s books – and we’re talking Dahl, Milne, Lewis territory here – I highly recommend you pick one up.

Breaking News: The Snook and I are heading to Melbourne next weekend! His company are sending us for a couple days as a reward. I’ve never been to Melbourne before. What’s on the Must See list? (I’m definitely riding a tram.) Any good yarn shops? Paging crumpet…

Update: Looks like we’re being pushed back a week til the 21st. Keep the suggestions coming!

Ooh, there’s a new Knitty! How did I miss this? Patterns I like: Toe-up socks (with a non-short-row heel? I must make!), Similar but lacy toe-up socks, Japanese flip-flop socks, Fairisle leg warmers, and – DEAR GOD, THE BRILLIANCE IS KILLING ME – a Sock Monkey Hat. (Next year’s Oscar Contest winner may be gettin’ one of those, I tells ya.) And hey, there I am in the Editor’s Note!

A computer accessory for the Snook…

Attention Sydney Knitters! The long-dead Manly Stitch and Bitch has been revived by the lovely Yasinta. It’s starting up on July 11 with the goal of having it every second Tuesday. The group is planning to meet in the Lounge Bar area of the Manly Wharf Hotel, East Esplanade, Manly Wharf from 7:15pm. See the Yahoo group to contact Yasinta for more information.