Knitty, Gritty, Dirtband.

The resurgance in pro-knitters has the world on pins, and needles. There is a yarn to be spun about these dedicated dilletantes whom offer the world the purls of their wisdom, and their scarves. An old addage has that a knitter should never make their loved one a sweater as it was a harbinger for the end of said relationship. Who knew the power of the thread was so absolute? The Greeks mytholigized that the human existance was actually a fabric woven by the Fates, higher beings than the gods themselves that garnered Life as we know it. Society has evolved by traditions and stories told around "sewing circles", inasmuch our nation was born on the lap of Betsy Ross. The creative process is pared down to no more simpler example than knitting; one length, changing into something completely different in a series of turns. Actually it reminds me of the Wonder Woman series from the 70's starring statuesque Linda Carter. I'll bet she knits. Julia Roberts does. Many people are still confused on the lyrics to the Wonder Woman tv show by Norman Gimbel and Charles Fox, so I've provided them for reference.

Wonder Woman Lyrics
Wonder Woman, Wonder Woman. All the world's waiting for you, and the
power you possess. In your satin tights, Fighting for your rights And the old
Red, White and Blue. Wonder Woman, Wonder Woman. Now the world is ready for you,
and the wonders you can do. Make a hawk a dove, Stop a war with love, Make a
liar tell the truth. Wonder Woman, Get us out from under, Wonder Woman. All our
hopes are pinned on you. And the magic that you do. Stop a bullet cold, Make the
Axis fall, Change their minds, and change the world. Wonder Woman, Wonder Woman.
You're a wonder, Wonder Woman

Gritty is such a great tactile word. It evokes an image of an unfinished end of 2' x 4', with the sawdust still around the perimeter of the fresh cut. Gritty is texture of a dipstick of an old neglected automobile forced to make a roadtrip. Gritty is a great word because it starts with a "grrr" and has two t's in the body of the word. Gritty rhymes with chitty which makes people think of the classic Dick Van Dyke movie Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. He was supposedly a raging alkie at this time and that some of the scenes show his hands shaking more than the car. I loved this movie because I thought the character of the Childcatcher was misunderstood; He was only a man doing a job with a certain amount of flair. And really weren't the streets alot quieter without those unattended crumbsnatchers? The movie is an american classic, it's a shame the musical blew chunks. Maybe it just needs a monkey twist, "Gritty Chitty Bang Band, a new revival"! It involves Jack Daniels, some hillbillies, and sending a car over the moon. Maybe this has been done already. Oh wait, Dukes of Hazzard did it in the seventies.

Dirtbands have long been a favorite of mine. Steve Miller, Bad Company, Alabama, Aerosmith, Pure Prarie League, Little River Band, Bob Seager, Santana. If there could be sawdust on the floor of a roadhouse playing this music, I could easily be found there. The simplicity of it all is very nurturing. And remember when you could smoke in a bar? That's a question like, "remember segregation?" the world changes so quickly. I'm glad to have cut my teeth on a diet of BB King and the Nitty Gritty Dirtband.

This post was a waxing nostalgic to the seventies and wax.