Monday, April 7, 2014

Obsessions

Image found on Pinterest, sorry I can't find the original creator.

My brain works a bit like the diagram above. If I have a book to read, I will either love it to bits and read it in a few days flat, often with an all-nighter in there to finish it off, or it will sit on my bedside table for 7 months and then go into the 'one day, probably never' pile.

Due to having these slightly obsessional tendencies, if I become hooked on a particular TV Show and there is an option to watch the entire Series in one hit, I will do just that. Two weeks ago I started watching the first episode of Breaking Bad and sure enough, 10 days later I emerged with the entire 5 years worth of episodes under my belt and the heavy eyelids and enhanced vocabulary to prove it.

Part way through my Breaking Bad marathon I considered having a little pause. Tiredness was creeping in and no one could find matching socks but then I reasoned that the sooner I just get to the end of the Series the sooner I can get on with my life. Binge watching seemed more efficient than the slow burn of an episode a week for 5 years. The only problem with this intense way of viewing is that you become completely absorbed in the Show and desensitised to bad language and criminal behaviour. If one of my friends knocked on the door right now and told me about their illegal Meth Lab, I'd be more likely to respond with "Yo! Is it the blue stuff? How much for a teenth?". 

Seriously though, it was a great Series with a fantastic cast of morally compromised characters and if you can get past the disturbing subject matter then it makes for captivating viewing. Did you watch it? Are you also worried there is going to be a rise in illegal meth labs springing up around the world as a result of this show? I'm still workshopping my feelings after watching the Finale the other day. I'm particularly disturbed at how upset I was with how the show ended. It was the 'right' ending but after all the bad stuff Walt did, I still just really liked the guy and wanted it to all work out favourably for him. Or maybe I just felt a connection to the actor himself, which may be why I was thrilled to read that Bryan Cranston plans on writing a memoir revealing the secrets and lies he lived with over the course of the 6 years of filming Breaking Bad. Yes!

Why everyone is obsessed with Breaking Bad

Anyway, The Game of Thrones Series 4 premiered Sunday night in the US (today, our time) so that will keep any Breaking Bad withdrawals at bay. Or so I thought! Game of Thrones is now only available to watch on Foxtel in Australia and will not be available for purchase through iTunes like the previous 3 Series were. We don't have Foxtel. Neither do my friends or the majority of people in this country. As a result, no doubt there will be a multitude of sites on the internet where you can download and watch the episodes illegally. This is not good. The only option is to wait until the end of the Season and buy it in the shops, a useless option because everyone will be revealing details of the show and talking about nothing else but Game of Thrones for the next few months. What to do? Moral dilemma. Or maybe I'm just still in Breaking Bad mode. If you are interested in seeing the funny Game of Thrones recap trailer doing the rounds on the interwebs, you can see it here.

Speaking of obsessions, I think a good indication of a burgeoning knitting obsession is going to the movies to see The Book Thief and spending the whole time drooling over the beautiful hand knitted items worn by the characters and hoping you will be able to find similar patterns on Ravelry so you can create the same wardrobe for your children. So much wardrobe and knitting eye candy in this lovely film. 
  



Images from here
I do not wish to live in war times but I would swap the cheap, mass produced clothing available now for their everyday clothing in all it's handmade and knitted glory in a heartbeat. 

I thought I'd better give my knitting a little break on the weekend and get stuck into tidying the household so I re-arranged my yarn stash. It's an 'installation' of sorts. It's by no means an excessive stash but I have nevertheless undertaken to reduce it before entering another yarn shop. To reduce my stash the only solution is to engage in more knitting. I will then have to replace my stash to keep the 'installation' looking pretty. Win win :-)



Another obsession to enter our household is the rainbow loom bracelet obsession. It has been part of our life for 2 weeks now and not since the arrival of Minecraft have I seen my children so absorbed in something. Eleanor was stopped at the Salamanca Markets on the weekend by a stranger who wanted to photograph this riot of colour.



The children come home from school, gather in the blue room for YouTube tutorials and make bracelets for each other and their friends and then spend lunchtimes swapping them with their mates at school. I'm not particularly fond of picking up thousands of coloured rubber bands all over the house but for an activity that has kindness and generosity at its core, absolutely! 


Just look at their little faces. They are completely obsessed. 


The apple doesn't fall far from the tree, does it?

Any obsessions in your household at the moment?
What are you looming? Knitting? Watching?
Did you watch Breaking Bad?
Are you a Game of Thrones fan?
Can you recommend a new Series for me to watch?

Have a great week!

Mel xxx

45 comments :

  1. Sienna was given a loom for her birthday and her and James were making lots of bracelets...I too have found many a brightly small coloured band on the floor, couch, kitchen bench, bedroom floor which drives me crazy. James made a bracelet called the "x twister" which he found on You Tube. Get your kids to look at that one...it's so thick and cool and it's basically covers the top of your arm and underneath you just have it joined with a thin one but it's cool for boys and/or girls. Regards Kathy A, Brisbane, Australia

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  2. No obsessives here at the moment, though there have been times ......I have to admit to have been obsessed with The Walking Dead which sounds disgusting until you really get into the story line. It's more the people than the zombies I tell you! Now that has reached a mid-season break until October (now who does that). We do have Foxtel and I am trying to get into Game of Thrones, picking up at Session 3 is prob not a good thing tho? Maybe I will be obsessed by the end of it. I'd really like to tackle the books when I have a spare couple of months.... Love the last photo of your kiddos all together, that particular obsession just has to be good. cheers Wendy

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    1. I think I needed a good 2 or 3 episodes of Game of Thrones before I understood vaguely what was going on... :-)

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  3. I've started Breaking Bad, but I found it a bit slow so I've stopped for the time being. Might go back to it though. Maybe I'm not watching it fast enough!

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    1. Yes! I agree, it was a bit slow but I needed to know how things were going to turn out which is probably another reason I had to watch the episodes back to back :-)

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  4. Hi Mel, Hope you've managed to catch up a little on the lost sleep! Love the photos, especially the one of the kids on the bed with little Flynn not too far from the action, too cute! My eldest is in three year old kinder so I'm sure in a few years we'll be 'enjoying' all the latest fads too :)
    I haven't seen any of Breaking Bad or Game of thrones so am a bit out of the loop but really want to see The Book Theif! Love that gorgeous knitwear! I just finished crocheting my first blanket which I gave to my sister who is battling cancer. I'd love to be able to create gorgeous cardigans for my girls! x Dre

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    1. Oh Dre, I'm so sorry to hear about your Sister. What an incredibly tough time for her and your whole family. Sending lots of love your way xxx

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  5. I think the loomed bracelets are a great idea ... such a special moment captured in that photo of them all concentrating on their projects and conversation. My daughter and I became obsessed with friendship bracelets (using embroidery threads) a while back and we made huge piles of them. It was such fun coming up with new colour patterns, but also it was the time spent together laughing and talking that was the best. So, yeah, I can become obsessed over something quite easily. I haven't watched Breaking Bad or Game of Thrones, but I'm curious about The Book Thief just for the knitting aspect. I can only watch shows if subtitles are included, so I'm out of the loop for a lot of this stuff now. I buy series on DVD, and like you, I watch them all at once ... why wait for one episode a week?! I like your modern wall art with the balls of yarn. I have a small(ish) stash too, but just shove it in totes ... no wall space ;) Enjoy your obsessions while they last Mel, it's all good! Wendy x

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    1. The latest fads are either hit or miss so it's nice to see them all so engrossed in this one...I can't remember watching something on TV just an episode a week, I'm usually late to the party and then it's the whole series at once, either on DVD or purchased through iTunes. x

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  6. Hey Mel,

    I have just surfaced from a 'The Good Wife' marathon. Would thoroughly recommend. The latest series is airing now, but I am currently halfway through series 4. I have lined up 'Homeland' as my next back to back viewing. I am also the sort of person that would rather watch a series all in one hit. Thank goodness for Netflix.
    Your photograph of your children all sprawled together engaged in the same exercise is so lovely. My boys are too spaced out in age to share that kind of project together. My older boyswere never that crafty. They have always been writers, and huge Lego fans.
    Have a great week Mel,
    Leanne xx

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    1. This is why this fad is so interesting. The 5 year-olds are the ones that come home the most excited about making bracelets after finding out their friend's favourite colours. The lego obsession is alive and well here too. Oh I love The Good Wife but haven't seen it for a while, might need to jump back into that one :-)

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  7. I'm in the middle of a mystery marathon. I just started Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries. I'm also still in the middle of a Fair Isle knitting binge, although I have added in other, non-Fair Isle projects too. I watched the first two episodes of Breaking Bad and just couldn't get into it, partly due to the fact it was about making meth. So many people keep telling me to give it another chance, and now I see you got addicted, too. I might just have to give in and watch it. I love the picture of your kids making the bracelets. It's that rare kind of moment every mother longs for!

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    1. I know what you mean, the whole drug thing is confronting, but at the same time I was drawn into the story and characters. The worrying thing was that drug use was portrayed to be so prevalent but I didn't feel like it was glorified, its destructive nature was evident in almost every episode.....

      I really want to have a go at Fair Isle, your projects are so lovely x

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  8. It's so nice to see your kids all working together. In my house, the obsessions are computer programming (my son) and anything to do with coloring, painting, or gluing things together (my daughter). I have to admit that I do not like Breaking Bad and I did not watch it beyond the first episode years ago. I live in Albuquerque, as you know, and I think it reflects poorly on our city. It was filmed here, so the scenery is all real. I often cringe when I hear that people in other parts of the world love it so much because I hope they don't think we're all like that! :) I'm glad you've enjoyed it though, it's always nice to have a show to get wrapped up in.

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    1. You can imagine how we all felt when Crocodile Dundee came out :-) The scenery in your part of the world is stunning and I enjoyed seeing the Mountain and Dessert location shots knowing you live there. My Uncle is a Texas Ranger working on the Mexican border and I'm sure he'd have a few interesting things to say about how this was all portrayed on the show too. At the end of the day it's an entertaining show x

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  9. I know what you mean about obsessions yes!!! Last year it was cookie cutters for some reason, and now they are abandoned! Cake stands have been another and candles, TV series have been a thing in the past when there was no option to watch and/or buy the DVD, but I am trying not to buy DVD's these days! I suspect that most people go through some sort of obsession at some point. I love that your children are obsessed with their weaving creations, so creative, sharing and caring and not a computer in sight, what more could you ask for in an obsession!! I am currently obsessed with trying to finish making my blanket!! xx

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    1. That reminds me of my glass cloche obsession....If I put a project down for a while I hardly ever get back to it so being obsessed with finishing projects is a very good thing! x

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  10. Such cute family photos, today I took Little Miss and 2 girlie mates to the cinema, the 2 girls were wearing those rubber band bracelets - I imagine we'll be out to buy some very soon!
    Number 1 son has watched all Game of Thrones and Breaking Bad but I've seen none.
    And as for obsessions in this house....what do you think?? (with the exception of me!)

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    1. I have a feeling my boys will be on the Cricket bandwagon in due course.....x

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  11. Breaking Bad has a huge number of discerning fans, Mel. I have never seen it but my husband thinks it is brilliant. I am exactly the same: if I love a series I will watch back to back episodes until I feel guilty ;-) The Good Wife has always been a favourite in our home and I very much like Parenthood, in particular the latest season.

    Stephanie

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    1. I've heard good things about Parenthood, will have to check it out and I like The Good Wife too :-)

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  12. I just lost my comment! We are all a bit obsessive in my house. I have not watched Breaking Bad but I have watched other series in ultra marathon mode and I read books until they are finished, no matter what time. Sam is obsessed with Minecraft and Annie with Tracy Beaker (both books and TV). I love it when children all work together to make stuff. The photo with your five in Eleanor's bedroom is just sweet. Cx

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    1. Ooo I haven't heard of Tracy Beaker, I will have to look that one up x

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  13. I keep my yarn in sealed boxes due to the prospect of ravenous Welsh moths, and I wouldn't know a Breaking Bad episode if I fell over one ... can we still be friends? Hehe!

    Game of Thrones I've deliberately avoided and watching that hilarious spoof trailer I know I've been right to ... but the BBC's latest version of the Musketeers - great swashbuckling fun without the gore, dragons, Sean Bean and boobs - I absolutely loved! The only TV I've been obsessed enough by lately to watch a whole series back to back was 37 Days, the Beeb again, which tells the story of the 37 days between the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand and Britain's and her Commonwealth allies' entry into WW1.

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    1. PS I can't wait to see the knitwear in The Book Thief now :)

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    2. I think I'm the one who needs to worry about losing friends after revealing my enjoyment of TV shows involving blood, guts and criminal behaviour! To be honest, I'm mostly looking down at my knitting while all that yucky stuff is going on...37 Days sounds up my alley, I will see if we can get it here :-)

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  14. Mel I burst out laughing that you watched the whole entire series of breaking bad in such a short amount of time. How did you manage that?!!! You must have been totally exhausted. I'm like you, once I get stuck into watching something I'll keep going until I watch all of it. But I'm not sure I could have matched your feat even in my pre-children life!!! I'm impressed. I haven't seen it, but my husband loved it. Oh and I loved the book thief, it was such a great book and I liked the movie equally as much (which I rarely say about books made into movies). Gregory Peck is such an amazing actor c

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    1. Well I literally stayed up very very late watching back to back multiple episodes. You mean Geoffrey Rush? He was amazing, just gorgeous to watch :-)

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  15. Fun looms are big in the Hunter Valley at the moment. At one stage, all of the shops in the Valley had sold out, and it took a couple of weeks before more supplies arrived!
    We are big fans of Game of Thrones, we are watching the 3rd series at home at the moment. We want to saviour the series, so we are watching one episode per evening.

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    1. I love that you consider an episode a night as 'savouring' - you're almost as bad as me!!! :-)

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  16. I the same with books, love it or just skip to the end to get it over with and pass it on to someone else - bad books don't get space on my shelf.

    We are pretty much done with rainbow looms now and Miss 8 prefers wearing the knotted cotton friendship bands, she has even had a bigger kid at dancing ask if she could make her one, apparently those rubber bands are not so good on hot days.

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    1. I like those friendship bands, we had them growing up and they are a lot less messy :-)

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  17. Haha, I'm a bit like you! I LOVE watching an entire season of favourite shows in one hit. I hate having to wait. GoT is debuting here in NZ only on Sky too. but then I hear people talking about season FOUR and I'm wondering, hey have I missed one? (I own series one and two; what happened to three?)

    And "HOW COOL" to the rubber band bracelet obsession! Love seeing kids so absorbed in something that's not electronic! x

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    1. Season 3 is a bit of a show stopper so you have to see it before 4 otherwise you will be wondering where all the original characters are at..... :-)

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  18. So with you on this!!

    My Dexter obsession has left me with a cat called Dexter xx

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  19. I still love the knitted cardigans in the Narnia movies. When the Narnia exhibition came to Sydney I spent most of the time looking at the children's "England" costumes rather than the Narnia special effects! I haven't watched Breaking Bad but my husband has, I think I might have interrupted him watching the last episode last night!
    My girls are a bit old for the loom obsession, five years ago it was all Hama and Scoobies here. But I do have the joy (?) of picking up little coloured elastics from the floor, except these ones have been on braces and abandoned at mealtimes - gross!

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  20. Oh yeah - Rainbow band madness in our house too but I do love ow the boys actually sit quietly for a while and do something together like this. I'm like you though in that I am either completely uninterested or completely obsessed. i hear about something that sparks and interest and then I am googling it and buying books and signing up for courses... and then Bam its over and I move on to the next thing haha. Are you Gemini by chance? xx

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  21. It took 3 attempts for me to get into Breaking Bad (it's that awful bath tub scene - yuck) but once I made it to episode 3, like you, I was hooked! x

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  22. Oh how I relate. We recently got fox but my husband and I are still at odds - I want to wait till we have a stash so we can marathon it but he wants to see them the day they're out. But I hate cliffhangers! Ack, silly little problems.

    I'm currently (for the last gazillions years, and probably a gazillions more) reading Games of Thrones. Ob.sessed. I sit on the end of my littlest's bed at night reading while he goes to sleep, as he's not fabulous at going to sleep alone. I know it's silly, but some nights I just feel like saying 'could you fuss a little more, and sing to yourself a bit longer? Mama wants to keep reading and doesn't want to go wash up...' Darn child. He's learning to drift to sleep too quickly...

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  23. We have just discovered the loom bands here, and I am loving that they are engaged and enjoying them together. Try the West Wing (if you havent already seen it). It is my absolute fave series. The Newsroom is a new one which is also great (same creator as West Wing).

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  24. Oh Mel, you are my kind of woman. But I knew that anyway. We are box set nuts too, devouring them in a week. We are currently obsessed with House of Cards. It's superb, dark and clever and funny. Games of Thrones - love it, but only seen the first season. i have a major thing for the actor who plays Jamie Lannister (what can I say, he's Danish...)

    When we went to the cinema to see Anchorman 2 I spent the whole film looking at costumes and chairs. That rubber band thing hasn't really caught on here yet but I'm sure it's just a matter of time! x

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