tl;dr

Come to my online craft evenings on Thursdays Tuesdays at 20:30 Sydney time. There’s a Google calendar at the bottom of this page that has the link to join.

What is this all about anyway?

I have found that 2020 means that everything becomes one long unending undifferentiated time period of unspecified duration, and that I am completely unmotivated to sit down and work on hobbies that I enjoy.

I also find Accountability Buddies/Body Doubles extremely helpful in terms of Getting Stuff Done.

Therefore, I thought it would be helpful for me to schedule a block of time once a week as Crafts Time, and to stop myself from getting off track (i.e. sitting and randomly searching the internet for nothing in particular) I’m going to do it as a video chat which anyone can join.

If this sounds like something you’d find useful, please come along!

What are the rules?

• BYO craft. You can’t come unless you have something to work on because otherwise it’s a video chat and that’s not really the purpose. Craft is an extremely broad church and includes but is not limited to: sewing, knitting, crochet, weaving, embroidery, cross-stitch, wood carving, candle making, dyeing, computer programming, drawing, painting (walls and/or artistic), Christmas tree decorating, flower arranging, cooking, baking, creative writing, bullet journalling, etc, etc, etc.

• Conversing/socialising is optional. Please introduce yourself when you join because otherwise it’s kinda awkward, but you do not need to speak to anyone if you prefer to just sit quietly and do your own thing. Answering questions with ‘I’d rather not chat’ is an acceptable response and will not be challenged.

• Join at any time; leave at any time. No requirement to RSVP or send apologies. Just turn up or not, as you wish. I’ll be there the whole time because it’s my chat.

• Management (me) reserves the right to boot you from the chat and/or restrict you from attendance if you are being a dick.

• Anyone can veto any topic of conversation at any time, no reasons required. If you don’t want to hear people talk about horse-breeding or trust law or covid or whatever, just ask to veto the topic for the rest for the evening and it will be done, no questions asked.

• Lucija must eat beforehand or bring food.

Sure, ok, how do I join?

Just click this link here to join! I’m doing this on Skype Discord because that’s the most user-friendly + free option that allows for multiple people and a longer meeting duration.

Standard scheduled time is Thursday Tuesday evenings from 20:30 to 22:30 Sydney time. If you’re not in Sydney, then you can check the time difference here.

I’ve set up a Google Calendar event, which you can access using the calendar at the bottom of the page, if you want to add it to your own calendar.

Conduct guidelines

If another attendee is making you feel uncomfortable and you do not feel comfortable raising the matter publicly, message me privately and I will deal with it.This especially includes circumstances where it’s me who’s making you feel uncomfortable.

Political discussion is fine, subject to the following. Everything is political. The decision to be ‘apolitical’ is itself political (and generally means that you personally are fine with the status quo.)

Diversity of views is perfectly acceptable on topics like:

• when is the appropriate time to take down the Christmas decorations? (Twelfth Night, which is Jan 5, not Jan 6)
• should school children be forced to stand for everyone else on the bus? (no, if it’s not obvious that someone needs to sit they should ask and they should almost never be denied)
• are jumpsuits good to wear? (yes, because they are super comfy but you need to be wary of toilet concerns, which is why I prefer no ties and a back zipper)
• which is the best Pokemon? (Charmander)
• which is the best Star Trek series and why, specifically, did you choose DS9? (DS9 is easily the best, but Voyager is probably my favourite? I have a real soft spot for Enterprise too #fightme)
• which is your favourite sewing machine? (Pfaff 1222)
• preferred genre of music? (late Romantic orchestral music)
• is CATS good or not? (yes, but the movie wasn’t great and there are some very racist bits in the musical, thanks TS Eliot and 1980s English musical theatre)
• which is the funniest income tax provision? (it was section 159GZZZZH of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1936 (Cth) because look how many Zs!! but they’ve repealed it #RIP and I don’t have a new favourite yet)
• who is the best Hollywood Chris? (Pine, but Hemsworth is the most attractive)

Diversity of views is not acceptable on topics like:

• are trans women really women? (they are)
• should we protest police and State violence against Black people? (of course we should)
• should people be allowed to have abortions free and on demand? (yes, and also it’s none of your business)
• should healthcare be universal and free? (yes duh)
• is compulsory mask-wearing a violation of your human rights? (no, just do it, it’s polite)
• should the Australian Government stop holding that family on Christmas Island? (yes ffs #HomeToBilo)
• who is the best Hollywood Chris? [this applies only in cases where you are trying to argue that it’s Chris Pratt because he’s objectively The Worst].

Schedule

[calendar id=“955”]