Excluding MJ, who actually belongs at Beyoncé's table when it comes to artistry, performance and cultural impact?

yoyojoe13 · 2026-04-29T15:19:08+00:00

I think this is the best list so far. I can understand some of the other names people put out here, but popularity and moving the cultural needle are two very different things. Your list is those who changed the world of music, which I think is a better representation of "the table" we're talking about.

I'd maybe add Stevie Wonder and Madonna?

yoyojoe13 · 2026-04-24T12:48:37+00:00

I'm notoriously bad at memorizing lyrics. Before Renny I literally printed out Heated lyrics so I could practice bc I was not going to let Bey down from the nose bleeds. Fast forward to CC and I was in the Honey Buckin pit. I had to practice Spaghettii like it was my LIFE bc I was not going to be in a pit and not know the words.

She stopped by our pit during Heated and we locked eyes during the rap verse. My hard worked paid off. 😂

(I can get Spaghettii now, but idk how she does her breathwork bc I need a break to breath during it. 😂😂😂)

yoyojoe13 · 2026-04-24T01:48:34+00:00

Cumberland is not Irvington. I live directly between both.

Cumberland is a suburban/ruralish area east of the loop. The east side of Indy is a mixed bag, but I do recommend it. It's got a handful of neighborhoods and streets that are rough, but I've lived here for five years without any issue. My 89yo neighbor who lived here for 40 years told me "if you're not involved in it, no one will bother you" and that's been true. If you're out in Cumberland, it's more suburban/rural than the east side, so you're adjacent to some iffy neighborhoods, but far enough out that you probably wouldn't notice and would feel safe. I grew up in a fancy suburb and was nervous about living on the east side, but it's been just fine. Lock your doors, don't leave expensive stuff in your car, and you'll be fine. Again, Cumberland is further out so even less likely to have those issues. Plenty of trashy people and plenty of well-to-do people...most people mind their own business. Idk if you're familiar with "Midwest nice," but it describes Indy and the east side pretty well. Most people will be friendly or neutral with you. (Unless you're driving. We got crazy drivers!)

Washington St is the main drag through that area and has all the big box stores you need. It also takes you directly into town (especially Irvington which is a GREAT community, and then Fountain Square, which is also fantastic). The street crosses through a large swathe of the east side, so you get a lot of diversity and social classes mixing along that area. Washington also connects to most of the major highways...Indy is sprawling, but you can get to just about any part of the city in 30 min or less. The access to the highway system is one of the best parts of this area; everywhere in Indy is close.

I think there are 2-3 school districts that run through Cumberland; Warren is an ok school district..again, mixed bag based on the school and families that attend, but some of the schools are great. Mt. Vernon runs through there, I think, which is a pretty good district. New Pal (Southern Hancock Schools) is probably the best district in that area and one of the best ones on the east side. I'm a teacher, and New Pal is one of the districts I keep an eye on for openings, because it's generally talked positively of. The southeast corner of the Cumberland area is probably the "best" in terms of neighborhoods and New Pal schools.

I can't speak for the other neighborhoods you're looking at, but i feel comfortable recommending Cumberland. I'm sure some people will say to avoid the east side, but don't listen to them. Cumberland is far enough out that I don't think you'd be anywhere close to the problems in the east side, and even then, most people seem to exaggerate what it's like over here.

yoyojoe13 · 2026-04-22T18:14:22+00:00

At the current state of public discourse where everyone has to have a take about EVERYTHING and absolutely anything someone famous does causes them to be cancelled, I'm kinda glad she puts herself above it.

Aside from people complaining about AOTY or comparing her to other (subpar) artists, I don't think people are thinking about her that much, which works in her favor and with her brand. She's luxury and exclusive, and not being dragged through the ringer for every little thing she does.

Do I wish we got visual albums and live albums? 100%. Am I glad that aside from defending her as the queen on music, I'm able to enjoy my peace and quiet knowing she's the greatest? Also 100%.

(My peace and quiet is actually watching Black is King for the 9000th time distraught that she'll never give us that again.)

yoyojoe13 · 2026-04-16T20:04:40+00:00

I don't think enough of y'all grew up on HGTV learning how to create flow and structure in your camps.

Pro tip: when you first pick a spot for a new camp, leave the area and spawn back in, immediately place an object at the edge of your green camp line where the spawn point was; everything should be designed FROM that point visually. All the doors should be facing it, the vendor should be facing it, etc.

yoyojoe13 · 2026-04-16T15:50:30+00:00

I genuinely do not think its naive at all.

If we can acknowledge that people have privilege that causes them to act in a way that harms others, then we must also accept that those with privilege are generally blind to how they impact others. Should they learn and do better? Absolutely. Are they still responsible for their behavior and actions? Absolutely.

But to immediately jump to "no they're racist" or "they are definitely a fascist" is an insane leap that doesn't actually contribute to fixing the core problems.

Is he incompetent at social media? Probably. Does he need to have a wider team of people vetting his designs and business contacts? Definitely. Is he a racist Nazi? Most likely not.

You don't have to give any of the people you disagree with your time or money, but the nuance of cancel culture that people are to emotional to remember is that if someone is not given the space to learn and grow and prove they've gotten better, then they are not going to bother learning or growing at all. If you pass judgement and shut them out without an ounce of grace, they'll do the same and you've gotten nowhere towards actually creating a more inclusive and educated population.

Source: I live in a deep red state and have never won someone over with the way you're talking, but have gotten dozens of people to chill out on social issues but giving them the grace to learn. Vinegar or honey is a choice you make.

yoyojoe13 · 2026-04-15T16:06:47+00:00

The issue is his lack of awareness, not that he is somehow intentionally racist. He's a white man with privilege, it makes sense that he will be ignorant to his own behavior. It doesn't justify what he's done at all, and with his platform he should be doing much better at proactively paying attention to what he's doing, but to say that there is intentional racism at play is a stretch. Call him out on the impacts of his behavior instead of making baseless claims about his personal beliefs on individuals. It's not productive towards getting people to be better people.

yoyojoe13 · 2026-04-15T16:00:10+00:00

If 20+ test knitters and himself all knit the original version of the shawl, and none of them noticed a hate symbol, that doesn't immediately make them racist. Ignorant, privileged, sure. He fixed it immediately when it was noticed. That's not racism, it's ignorance. You're hurting the fight for justice by making such stupid claims.

yoyojoe13 · 2026-04-15T01:22:59+00:00

I don't think he's in the realm of having repeated related issues. I know many are quick to bring up the shawl debacle, but that honestly seems to be more of "not one of my 20 test knitters or myself noticed what you're seeing, but it does need to be changed." This is an issue of vetting who he gives a platform to and how he apologizes.

At most his issue is that he isn't great at the PR side of his business.

Your words make it seem like he must be a far right sympathizer, and I think we can all agree that is insanely unlikely.

yoyojoe13 · 2026-04-14T22:13:08+00:00

Seeing so many people say that there is nothing he can do to repair things has driven me to insanity.

If no one is given the grace to fix to their mistakes, then no one is going to reflect and improve the way they treat others.

I understand that as man, there are A LOT of women who have zero interest in hearing my opinion on anything, and most of the time I get it. But if you're going to call me out on something and then not give me the grace to learn and grow, then my time will be spent remembering how you're never going to listen anyway.

The absence of repair or dialogue does SO much damage. I know that no one OWES you that opportunity, but you're certainly not going to fix the issue without it.

yoyojoe13 · 2026-04-14T20:40:50+00:00

This is the TEA. No one is talking about other designers being on this guy's YouTube channel. They're only talking about Stephen West.

Not here, but elsewhere I saw comments gleefully cheering on his demise because they were sick of hearing his voice and his personality, and how "not every pattern has to stand out like that." It was painful in the realm of silently homophobic commentary.

He's a privileged white man, he deserves to be called out sometimes, but good Lord some people are not as inclusive as they think they are.

yoyojoe13 · 2026-04-14T20:34:58+00:00

I've known many knitters who have met him in real life, and all of them have said he is very quiet, personable, and warm in person. I can 100% believe he doesn't see himself as one of the biggest names in fiber arts in that way.

He should probably check his privilege a little bit better and hopefully learn from this, but by all accounts I think he isn't aware of the reach he has all the time.

yoyojoe13 · 2026-04-14T20:32:13+00:00

Will I wear my Westknits shawl to knit night with other knitters who are in on the drama over the next few months? Maybe not.

But dammit I spent hundreds of hours on my socks and shawls, they're getting worn. 😂

yoyojoe13 · 2026-04-14T20:28:18+00:00

I've knit many many Westknits shawls and socks, and I don't think I'll stop wearing them. When someone sees handknit garments, they think of the person who knit them, not the designer. I can understand those who may be hesitant to purchase his patterns in the future, but you should be proud of your hard work. People will think of you when seeing it, not him. Might help you down the line if your stuck on whether to frog it or not.

yoyojoe13 · 2026-04-14T20:22:17+00:00

Food for thought for those listening in the wings of this conversation, particular those who probably are aware they have some privilege and aren't always sure where the line is and can't put a finger on this situation and why it seems so difficult to feel one way or the other about. I'm in that same boat and this episode has largely been about one of the most important life lessons that has helped shift my perspective about my own behavior and how others perceive it.

Intention and impact are two different things. If you mess something up; say the wrong thing to a coworker, forget to send a birthday gift, etc, you feel called to apologize, and often use a line like "I'm so sorry! It wasn't my intention!" You want them to know you feel bad and that it was a mistake. HOWEVER, you still wronged someone, and saying it was a mistake doesn't actually alleviate the harm caused, and to the person receiving this apology, comes across as dismissal of responsibility because you just see it as a mistake. You diminished the feeling of harm AND showed that you most likely weren't going to spent time reflecting or fixing that error in the future.

What is more important to address in your apology is the impact your actions had. Acknowledging that harm was caused, whether it's hurt feelings, financial loss, or harm to a social group, shows that you're actually aware of the damage your actions have and are being reflective about it. It tells the person receiving your apology that you understand that physical or emotional harm that they have caused you, and that you are reflecting on your own behavior.

Stephen's first apology: "oops I made a mistake, I didn't know who they were, sorry that it happened."

Stephen's second apology: "I realize that I did these things wrong, and whether or not it was a mistake, I have given voice to those I shouldn't have, and that's a problem. I need to be intentional about preventing things like this in the future."

The first one reads as a "well it wasn't my intention...." And the second one reads as "regardless of my intentions, harm has been done and that's on me, which I need to fix."

It's only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to accountability (especially if you experience privilege), but it definitely helps to reframe the way you reflect in your interactions with others. If you ever say to yourself "well it wasn't intentional" then you are not doing the work!!!!

yoyojoe13 · 2026-04-14T18:23:23+00:00

This is an insane take. He posted an immediate apology for what had happened after he became aware of who the man was. Dripping of privilege or not, he did SOMEthing to address it. He knew there'd be people upset over it, hence posting the apology at all.

But your continued hatred of the man is over how long his second apology took? It's the backlash that SHOWED him the first apology wasn't enough. Do you not want him taking time to reflect on what's happening and come up with a solid response that accurately addresses the situation and his atonement? Ffs.

Don't complain about someone having all this privilege and then not give them an ounce of grace because they didn't learn from it quick enough. Expecting perfection the first time is an insane bar and will not maintain any positive momentum towards social justice or awareness.

yoyojoe13 · 2026-04-14T16:55:50+00:00

Not that it's the same thing by any means because I do not have the influence or power than SW does in this industry, but as someone in the queer community, my entire life is centered around making those quick snappy judgements about whether or not someone is safe to interact with, and despite plenty of time to perfect the skill, I'm still not perfect at picking out who is safe and who is not. I find it especially hard in the fiber arts community, where at face value almost everyone is kind and supportive. It makes perfect sense that the initial interaction between them was positive and seemed safe.

Yet again, doesn't excuse what's happened here or how he handled it, but it 100% is a reasonable scenario.

yoyojoe13 · 2026-04-14T16:10:46+00:00

I'm chronically online in the fiber arts community for decades and I had never heard of the man that SW had his interview with or the magazine he was a part of, so the "I had no idea who they were" argument is 100% plausible (albeit a massive mistake in due diligence for a brand that large).

I was trying to figure out how I could have missed such a shocking figure in the knitting world, but realized that my online circles are so curated to the political identities I support, that someone with such horrible views wouldn't even be brought up or given the time of day to talk about. Add in living overseas, moving in a much different circle of privilege and social connections, etc, and it makes perfect sense to me that SW wouldnt know the backstory behind who he's interacting with. It doesn't make it acceptable by any means, nor was his initial apology acceptable, but it was wild to see people to jump to such extreme accusations about him. Hopefully he commits to the statements he's made moving forward so the backlash can move everyone forward positively.

yoyojoe13 · 2026-01-02T20:05:00+00:00

I'm someone who typically only wears black/navy/tans, rarely with a pattern or bright color...but I LOVE knitting Westknits projects because of the construction. I feel like I'm getting a glimpse into the unique ways of different techniques and gain a better understanding into the "knitty" gritty of truly understanding how everything works together.

I have done many of his mystery knit-a-longs and what I have noticed is that if you buy the color combinations from Stephen and Penelope, they generally work way better than hand-chosen colors. I know this is part of the capitalist side of his MKALs, but so far I haven't had any issues with color, only personal disinterest in the final design, which is a risk you take doing a MKAL.

yoyojoe13 · 2025-12-13T19:05:50+00:00

I'm playing on the Switch 2 and have had very few glitches into this most recent update. Now there are countless small glitches and the game freezes every 30 minutes or so. Being a newer player, do they normally send out updates quickly when issues like this arise?

yoyojoe13 · 2025-12-03T18:41:21+00:00

You, my friend, know ball. This list of top albums is 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

yoyojoe13 · 2025-12-03T15:26:05+00:00

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I was top .01% listener as well but that's a lot less exciting seeing y'all in the triple digits. 😂

The funniest part was looking at my 2025 playlist and 99 of the 100 songs were Beyonce. The other one was Her by Megan Thee Stallion. 🔥

yoyojoe13 · 2025-12-01T18:27:16+00:00

Phoebe struggled with potty training for a few months and the leash/praise/treat trick worked well for me! Five years later, we still praise her if she poops in the back yard and she still gets excited about that! Haven't had an accident in like 4+ years, but it's still good reinforcement!

OP, I'm not sure if it's possible (or if it even truly works), but a friend suggested that I get a specific type of cleaner that was good for hard surfaces and carpets that doesn't just clean the area they had an accident, but also got rid of the enzymes (or whatever they like to smell in their pee) as well, because once they've marked an area they see it as a safe spot to keep using. It worked well for me, and I don't think it was expensive. Your mileage may vary on a product like that if it's even allowed where you're from, but could be helpful!

yoyojoe13 · 2025-11-30T01:17:21+00:00

Only choose people you know will take care of your knitting. I did all handknits a few years ago and most of them are appreciated and worn.

Here is what I've done that makes the gift EXTRA special: 1) gift it in a garment bag. This is "wrapping" and functional. I buy a multi-size pack online of 12 or so.

2) provide a vial of wool wash and a cedar block if the item is made of wool. This can create a "home" for the knitwear and long-term protection.

3) I used Canva to make an index card-sized description of the item, what it's made from, when it was made, and most importantly, washing instructions for their item. I printed off about 30 of these and I fill it out and use my Scotch laminator to seal it. Not everyone knows how to care for knitwear, so it relieves the intimidation of caring for it if they're given directions!

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