When is a pen like a knitting needle?

When it's a de-stresser. Apparently someone has invented a pen that will measure the user's stress level and give bio-feedback to help that person de-stress! Think of playing with pens in a nervous or stressful situation. Well, our new stress pen will measure these actions and if they are too stressful, the pen will itself become more difficult to "play" with, thereby slowing the actions down and calming the user. Amazing!!

Now knitters have known all along that "playing" with sticks is a de-stresser. Maybe that's why we keep several projects on the go at once. Some knitting just naturally slows us down - lace for example - while other projects zip along when we are perhaps less stressed.

Footnotes from Fiber Trends

I think we could take this de-stressing idea a little further.  What about de-stressing shoes for the toe-tappers. Could shoes be programmed to be more difficult to maneuver, the more we tapped our toes or the more we swung our legs? We could also take a look at jewellery - rings and pendants could become more resistant, the more we twisted them. I'm not sure we would want to extend this de-stressing idea to body parts for the hair twirlers, nail bitters, nose and ear pullers etc.

As good as knitting is, it is still difficult to pull it out when being interviewed for a job or getting a traffic ticket. But I have seen a serene looking mom knitting and discussing life's problems with a know-it-all teen - you may have to rip it all out the next day - but you, at least looked calm at the moment!

Personalized Pouch from Infiknit

Dinner? Maybe Penne. I find that pasta is always a de-stresser. I have it a lot - does that mean that I am over stressed? Last night I decided to use up what was left of the smoked salmon we had as an hors d'oeuvre on Christmas Day.  I made a bechamel sauce added some mushrooms, smoked salmon, scallions, pepper and parsley. I never know what herb to use with smoked salmon. I could use dill - but no one else likes it. I could use tarragon, but it's not my favourite and I forgot all about rosemary - lucky I had lots of parsley.

The pictures are of knitting and crochet with a flare for writing!