Rock Stardom

I had promised to talk about my rock-star talk, but now I'm frantically researching and working on the next talk, due tomorrow, on top of a job interview.

So here's the quick and dirty version:

• I was invited to give a lecture on nineteenth-century itinerant dancing masters. Although I whined quite a bit, being invited was a big honor. The lecture was sponsored by an archive at a major state university. There were only three lecturers, and I was one. The whole idea kind of blows my mind.
• There were about ninety people in the audience, one of whom was knitting a pair of bright green mittens. I found that comforting. A few more nodded off. I tried not to take that personally. At least they napped for the other guy too.
• I wore my Mardi Gras stole and got complimented on it.
• The lecture part went well--I spoke for almost forty minutes and then answered questions for what seemed like just as long, but was really more like ten minutes. Answering the random questions was like being on a quiz show, but I managed to pull it off.
• In addition to the lecture, I also taught a dance workshop for sixty high school students. Although it was the first time I ever say anyone text and dance, the workshop too went well.
• I was in a play.
• I also had a rock star gig.
• The money is all spent already.

So there you have it. I stand in front of a room full of people every single day, so while I'm inclined to whine, speaking in public doesn't really bother me.

The best part though was that they put me up for two nights in a suite at the Hilton. Normally when I visit this town, my friends kick their kid out of his bed and I end up wedged in next to a pile of boy-smelling stuffed animals. I'm glad to be in a bed instead of the floor, but my god, those beds at the Hilton ... It's true what they say about them.

While I claim to be a rock star, I'm more like the garage band travelling around in a beat-up van, sleeping on someone's floor, and stealing sugar packets from the gas station. I am unaccustomed to luxury: cable TV, a business suite with free color printing, free breakfast, a feather bed, down pillows, a down comforter, high-thread-count sheets, a plush blanket, the most comfortable mattress I've ever slept on. I returned feeling like a new woman.

I also had time to visit two LYS and to junk. The haul was as follows (clockwise from the top):

• A book on dolls with an entire chapter on what were called "peddler dolls." I bought the book because of one small photo of a peddler doll at a charity bazaar. On her table is a tiny knitted miser's purse.
• Three huck towels, one in a fairly unusual burgundy and grey combination. The tag on the box of towels read "Old cloth tops $6 flat full" in a shaky scrawl. It turns out that meant I got a box of about twelve towels, three of which were huck, for $6. I'll recycle the others.
• One pair of nineteenth-century coral branch and gold earrings. They look quite a lot like these, but with a integral hook. I looooooooove them.
• A ridiculously expensive, two-sided, enameled shawl pin. I'd been looking for one for a long time and had bought several different styles I ended up not liking. I'm glad to have it; don't ask me how much I paid for it. Like I said, that rock star money went fast.
• Over 400 yards of 100% silk yarn. I decided that winding it would be a nice way to relax after my rock star gig. I was wrong. It kept me up until after 2 am and had SIX knots in it. S.I.X.
• Four skeins of silk perle to be used for knitting miser's purses.
• Yet another wishful attempt to find the pompom maker of my dreams. I'll let you know how it goes if and when I ever try it out.

By far the best purchase was this sweet, delicately hand-cut sillhouette of a boy and girl winding yarn.

It makes my heart sing.