The Sin of Fin

MJ and I recently watched a documentary where fishermen sliced off the fins of sharks, then tossed the bodies back into the sea to drown. The brutal practice of shark finning is fueled by the high price that Chinese restaurants can charge for shark fin soup: $30 to $40 per small bowl.


Outraged, MJ resolved to never drink this popular Asian delicacy again. I agreed.

A few months ago, MJ and I attended my cousin Ray's wedding, where they served shark fin soup. It didn't look exactly like this:


Despite insistences from my relatives to "eat it, it's good for you", MJ politely yet firmly refused to drink the soup.


Bravo, MJ! I'm proud of you for standing up against shark finning.

What did I do? I'm embarrassed to say I caved to peer pressure and finished my bowl.

But from now on, I will follow MJ's example and skip the shark fin soup. I will listen to Sherman the Shark:

MEGAnnouncement

My job-savvy cousin, Ray, surprised our families with a mega announcement: he had gotten married at a garden getaway earlier this month and we were invited to celebrate their joyous union at a lavish dinner!

I wanted to crochet something nuptial-y for the special event, so I made this:



A crocheted bride & groom might have been a more traditional wedding gift, but a megaphone is fitting for a mega announcement, isn't it?

The celebration wedding dinner was held last weekend, and here's a video of Ray and his lovely wife, Joanne:

Here are the happy newlyweds. With baby megaphone.



Congratulations, Ray & Joanne! You make a MEGAdorable new couple!

Vices

My cousin, Raymond, is a job recruiter who recently wrote an article titled "How To Land and Protect a Job in a Down Market". From his article:

"Apply for jobs in 'recession-proof' sectors like vice. People tend to gamble, drink and smoke more when they’re stressed."

With that helpful advice, here are my handmade vices:


The beer bottle is decorated with an oval pattern from Edie Eckman's book, Beyond-the-Square Crochet Motifs. The dice were stitched together from six square pieces each, stuffed, then embroidered with white dots. The cigarette pack has a firm cardboard box inside, and its outside is decorated with red yarn stitched around a plastic bone ring. Each cigarette contains a wooden dowel for support.

I rarely—if ever—indulge in these vices, but my alter ego, Woomi, has been known to overindulge:


He'll never land a job in that condition!