Sometimes I am serious, even about knitting.

Recently in Petaluma, Ca., a city council member knitted her way through a debate that would, in her words, "change the entire fabric and character of the community.” We all tend to doodle, think about what's for dinner, and other trivial things when our minds wander but an elected official should probably give the appearance of paying attention to the speakers rather than picking up a purl stitch. Will she remember that night as the meeting a new shopping center was approved or for the really cute sweater she finished? Was she working on socks for our military because Walmart ran out?

When is our hobby/addiction appropriate and when is it just plain rude?

I tend to always have a project in my purse. Perfect for alleviating the boredom of doctor's offices, two hour lines to pick up a holiday ham, or anywhere I am stuck waiting. Although a knitting project is like a very pregnant mother's belly. Strangers tend, for no apparent reason, to just reach out and touch it! I don't know about the mom's to be but I get a little pissy even if they are saying how lovely it is. I wash my hands before touching my projects so the oil from my skin doesn't harm the thread or yarn. Is it wrong to yank away the project? Want to ask if they have any infectious diseases? Mist the project with disinfectant in front of them? Maybe I am just overreacting. I have had people work on needlepoint and knitting at my wedding shower, a dinner party, and plenty of other social interactions. Of course, no life altering decisions were being made but I like to think we were having engaging conversations. I had always taken it as a bit of an insult but now in light of our elected officials simply saying it's multitasking, perhaps I was mistaken.

Will Hilary Clinton start a scarf during translator delays when meeting with foreign dignitaries next? Perhaps Sarah Palin could further her soccer mom image by whipping out a hat for Trig during a long debate. I love what I call zombie knitting. A repetitious stitch involving no counting or pattern that allows me to also watch a movie or listen to my husband drone on about sports or work. The reality is that for anything else I have to pay attention to what I am stitching.

Today this city council woman has Tweeted that it is all a smear. That "Knitting is an amazing way to stay present + focused during 3 hrs of heated public debate. Too bad some confuse knitting with not listening.". I can only speak from personal experience. When I am involved in a project the language I hear is like a Charlie Brown dialect, " blah blah blah, Denise, blah blah blah blah blah". Not to mention I was hoping an elected official had a three hour attention span for public issues. So to all our creative elected officials, please leave the needles in your bag while on the dais.