14 July 2006

Crankypants

I am so relieved to find that I am not the only one that (apparently) gets cranky without my daily dose of fiber.

(I am not going there with that joke, just so you know.)

I feel, well, vindicated. If it was just me, I might laugh nervously, change the subject to something else, and dash off as soon as I thought I might not be noticed. But that it is you guys, too? Dude. I'm normal. (Immediatly followed by: So that's what its like. Who knew normal would have fiber?)

So, being the budding Librarian (note the capital L) that I am, I took it upon myself to do a little research. (Yes, I was supposed to be doing homework instead. What of it?)

A quote from here, which seems like a reasonable enough source for our purposes.

One of the papers presented to the Psychology Postgraduate Affairs Group annual conference in Derby this week argued that there is a tendency to describe relatively harmless hobbies as obsessions or even addictions. The researchers, Michael Larkin and Richard Wood of Nottingham University, suggested that the word has become "a scapegoat for the nineties," a moral label for what society feels isn't acceptable. Lots of people are being called addicts when they're just engaging in unusual behaviour.


Hmmmm...we're quite post-nineties, now, aren't we? And frankly, we need to define what's "harmless" and what isn't. I do have the pointy sticks, you know.

Oh, and could you be a little more specific on the unusual behavio(u)r for me?

The English word addict to start with had the sense of being obligated or formally bound to someone else.


I would say that those doing the Amazing Lace might agree.

He continues:

Pretty soon, though, it took on a reflected meaning of being attached to something through one's own inclination, or of being devoted to some practice. Examples in the OED down to 1790 refer to gluttony, lust, and "superstitious ceremonies".



Oh, that's rich. "Superstitious ceremonies!"

I was going to create a quiz, a sort of modified "Are you addicted to..." type, and have the best results or a random result number get a prize. (I even have the prize all picked out) I thought, perhaps, that you would laugh just as much as I did to questions like:

  • Do you spend more time than you think you should knitting (spinning)?"
  • Have any of your friends or family members complained about the time you spend knitting (spinning)"
  • Do you have troubling controlling your impulses to purchase items, products, or services related to knitting? (spinning)
  • Do you derive much of your pleasure and satisfaction in life from knitting (spinning)?

Yeah, I knew the answers without having to quiz ya. (Really, I just didn't want to take all that time. I have knitting (spinning) to do, you know.)

Now, I just need to address my addiction to parenthesis.

6 Comments:

At 10:56 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

too...many...facts...too...much...information...

...number five...cannot...process...

*ahem* sorry, my geek showed just a bit for a sec there... ;o)

RR is constantly complaining that he can't get near me because I'm always throwing the needles about...heh ;o)

 
At 12:46 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

#1. No, I don't spend nearly eough time knitting. Even though all my typos are because I can't post and yarnover at the same time.
#2. Hmmmm, were my friends and family talking to me? I couldn't hear them over the sound of the ball winder. Maybe they were complaining, but surely it's because they want me to knit them something, right? Better get on that...
#3. I don't have trouble controlling my impulses to buy yarn, needles, notions, books, mags, or more yarn. (This from the girl who travelled 1500 miles with you just to buy yarn for 4 straight days) Of course, I would have to try to control them to have trouble doing it.
#4. There are other pleasures in life? Sex? I thought that stood for Stash Enhancement Expedition. And satisfaction comes greatly form successful kitchener stitch, the first time.

I swear, if the prize is Olive the Cat, I want out of the contest. I have too much yarn lying about lately to have her tearing it all up.

 
At 6:26 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

It's not an addiction until you wake up in a strange place covered in vomit and fiber and unable to remember the name of the alpaca next to you.

love,
ter

 
At 4:38 PM, Blogger teabird said...

You can not (believe me) rid yourself of parentheses. You are (as I am) a magnet for the things, and they multiply like Tribbles (which, as we know, almost wrecked the Enterprise).

 
At 1:50 AM, Blogger Moderatrix8 said...

There is absolutely nothing wrong with parenthesis. They serve the wonderful purpose of filling in those thoughts we normally keep to ourselves or say under our breath (she says with a knowing smile). Now as for those of us who are addicted to trailing sentences...

 
At 2:34 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

1. Do you spend more time than you think you should knitting (spinning)?

No way, I don't spend nearly enough time!

2. Have any of your friends or family members complained about the time you spend knitting (spinning)

Uh... yeah, but so?

3. Do you have troubling controlling your impulses to purchase items, products, or services related to knitting? (spinning)

I'm sure I can control it.

4. Do you derive much of your pleasure and satisfaction in life from knitting (spinning)?

Well, duh, yes!

 

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