I had never really thought my roommate could be a C.H.O.K.E. (Cultural Humiliation of Knitters Everywhere) operative. My roommate would, for the most part, ignore my knitting. Occasionally she would ask a question, seemingly interested in what I was doing. I had never heard a negative word about knitting out of her mouth...until last night.
I'm having a bit of trouble writing down exactly what she said. Not because I don't remember it, but because I remember it all too well. And it's shocking. You might want to have a seat.
Here is the following selection of our conversation gone awry:
Roommate: I'm going to go have a cigarette and then go straight to bed.
Me: (In reference to smoking) Shame, shame.
Roommate: Well, at least I'm not doing anything as boring and antisocial as knitting.
Let's just have a pause, shall we? Because I think we all need a moment to gasp and quite a few moments to understand the full remark. I am not surprised that a CHOKE operative called knitting "boring" and "antisocial." These are their normal tactics. But they have, with my roommate's help, reached a new low. She actually compared knitting to smoking and reached the conclusion that smoking is a better activity. (Time for another pause. Remember to breathe.)
Knitting is a less attractive activity than smoking? For a second, we'll put aside that the facts that knitting is more productive, knitting isn't chemically addictive, knitting doesn't leave a terrible smell in your hair or clothes, and knitting isn't banned in all Washington, DC bars and restaurants. Instead, I'm going to focus on the fact that I've yet to hear of the negative health affects of knitting. No one has ever coughed up phlegm because of knitting. No one has ever gotten cancer from knitting. No one has ever DIED from knitting.
And while I told my roommate that I have more friends because I knit, that I enjoy being productive, that it's relaxing, and moreover that it won't eventually cause my death...She ignored all of this and accused me of spending my time "making sweaters and socks."
Which personally, I'm not sure that's a bad thing. And I would definitely be happier knitting until I'm eighty, instead of dying at sixty or younger of lung cancer.
But maybe that's just me.
Jenn
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6 comments:
sigh... All you can do is shake your head, I hate when I get dragged into ridiculous debates like that.
My grandmother got lung cancer from smoking and died from emphysema (also from smoking), so I can say with some authority that smoking is definitely a less than healthy addiction.
some people will never get it. i say "knit on, sister!"
Goodness! What a terrible thing to say. Although, I will say that I think knitting is addictive. I still don't think that's a bad thing either. As you said, it doesn't hurt anyone.
ouch. You should pat yourself on the back for not knitting an i-cord and chiking her with it:) Knitters Unite!
What peaknits said! My goodness...
HOLY CRAP!! Ok I'm sure you and your roomie get along on some kind of level but where does she get off saying something like that??? my dear mother has emphysema partly because of smoking (it's an inherited kind but her smoking certainly didn't help!)and she can hardly walk up stairs without wanting to stop for a second. if i saw a knitter or a smoker i would go to the knitter in a heartbeat and strike up a conversation. you're right--you'll be knitting your grandkids stuff when you're 80 (and i'm sure youre heart rate will be perfect too because of the calming qualities that is in the mere act of knitting) and your roomie might not even be able to meet her grandkids!
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