Friday, February 27, 2009

Knitting and Chatting

I took a knitting class so i could finish my socks. I have a sock from a previous class. Now I have 3/4 of another sock. 1 3/4 socks. Not quite a pair.

There were two of us in the class, plus the teacher. The teacher, Barb, owns the Frost and Steam Coffee Shop. It is right around the corner from my house. So, because we had such a great time together, we are talking about have a knitting group. We have also discussed having a little yarn shop in the coffee shop. It is something to still be considered, but it would be great. There is a quilt shop in town, but not a yarn shop.

Today, we invited a woman to sit with us while she was having a muffin and coffee. She is Barbara MacKinnon. She wrote a book called "Where Rivers Meet." She live here in Waconia. Cute lady. We chatted for about 2 hours AFTER the class was done. I love meeting people.


I lived in Utah for almost 41 years. I am not a drinker. I had friends in Utah that drank, but not many. Now that I live in Minnesota, I have a lot of friends who drink the occasional wine or harder liquor.

We even eat in bars or restaurants that serve liquor...however you want to look at it. It took a while to get used to, but that is how it is in Minnesota and, I am guessing, other states.

However, "Utah's attempt to normalize its liquor laws could take a significant step back under a proposal that would require restaurants to pour alcoholic drinks behind 10-foot-high walls and make it illegal for someone to show any signs of being drunk."
(http://www.standard.net/live/news/165406).

What? A 10 foot high wall instead of a bar? I think that making drinks behind a wall will make drinking more mysterious and thus more enticing and exciting to our youth.

More from the article: "The court said exhibiting traditional signs of being drunk, such as slurring speech, being boisterous or stumbling, was not a crime.

"His bill would make it illegal to be a very exuberant, outgoing person. It would make it illegal to have a seizure disorder," Marcy said. "All you would have to do is show the signs, and you would meet the definition. Whether you touched a drop of alcohol or not, you could be cited for intoxication. That's how far reaching and scary that statute is."

If this is the case, I have numerous exuberant, outgoing people in my life who would be arrested just for being. If this bill goes through then Cherran Zullo of Murray, Utah will need to be bailed out of jail every day and she doesn't drink.

All I can say is...my goodness. Don't we have better things to do with our time, energy and money?

I read this blog - http://cartoonbrickwall.blogspot.com/2008/08/my-run-in-with-majority-leader-in-utah.html- and I just want to say "what a complete and utter jerk of a man/politician. I don't care if it was his "time of the month" or if he was tired. He was rude and brainless. If Karma works, then one day he will feel as small and insignificant as he made this woman feel when she delivered his pizzas.

Be Nice!

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Wow. Utah seems to think that if they try to hide the harsh realities of the "non-Mormon" world that it will keep people, especially kids, from getting themselves in trouble. Wrong! Too much protection just makes people more curious. I say that as a life-long Mormon who was raised outside Utah but lived there for a few years. Your knitting group sounds fun. :)

April said...

I want to be in a knitting group! I really want to learn how to knit. I agree that that drinking wall sounds pretty ridiculous! I asked my dad about the politician from the blog (Curt Bramble) and he said he's an arrogant ass. Too bad some people are like that! It seems like if you're a politician, and you were elected BY the people, then you have an even GREATER responsibility than others to be courteous to them. Duh.

Dana said...

I don't understand what mixing drinks behind a tall wall will accomplish, and I'm dang conservative. What in the world would that help with?

Anonymous said...

Yes Lisa! you are right. I would be arrested everyday, but it's worth it to have fun!! Love and miss you.

Laryl said...

I grew up outside of Utah. Most of my friends had parents that drank and had alcohol in their homes. Most of them had a drink with their dinner. Most of them had a drink at a restaurant. All of them were wonderful people who didn't abuse alcohol. None of them ever attempted to make me drink. I think this guy in Utah is an idiot!!...people like him are the reason I am often embarrassed to say I'm from Utah. (We need to build a 10' wall and put HIM behind it!!)

Anners said...

As someone who is conservative and has grown up in Utah (outside of the predominant faith) I do understand the caution, but the 10 foot wall makes it seem like we are all unable to make a good decision for ourselves. It does seem a bit backwards. I'm not sure what it really accomplishes.

I'm so glad you are enjoying people and groups in your town and letting them enjoy YOU! You are a treasure and they are lucky to know you.