Lost blogger returns...

Well it's been a hell of a time since that Lazy Sat. in November. After that weekend DJ and I created our Christmas gift.... A cookbook we designed from scratch with all the recipes our families have given us. Then we had it printed for delivery on the day we were to leave for the holidays. Needless to say it was a period of 4 straight days of work to design the book and upload it a few days prior to the holiday cutoff deadline. Sadly no where did the site say that if books were printed in quantities over 20 (we made 35) there would be an extra week to two of processing time!!! WTF! So we only received the books on Dec. 26th. Though by that point we had lost our holiday spirit, or at least I had.
That was the day my paternal grandma passed away. She was 90, we had just had a huge birthday party for her back in March with all of her friends, her college roommate and it was wonderful. I'm glad we had that before she starting her downhill slump that led to the end.
Okay and then from there the holidays were a bit sad. We did New Year's Eve back in Brooklyn, cuddled on the couch.
Sorry for the sad ending, it's just been that kind of start to 2008

Lazy Saturday........ for once

I enjoy sleeping in. I wish the boy could sleep in with me on Saturday's, but starting last week and for the next 4 after this, including today, he is teaching a class in the a.m. in the city. It means he gets an extra hour than a work day, but it's still not the same knowing you have to get up. I got up as he was leaving and walked the pup-a-doo. Then I toasted waffles, ate them watching a cartoon and hand washed my bras. Then I came online. And here I am. Oh but I did do the dishes. And I knit a bit on C-A's 2nd sock.

I have to say this past week has been a blur. Starting a new job and all will do that I guess, except that the job is a bit of a slow one. It's a low stress environment and I get a bit sleepy in the afternoons. But it's a job and it's mine and I get full health insurance and dental with no cost to me from day one! That's a bit abnormal, but I'm not gonna look a gift horse in the mouth.

Well now I am preparing to dye yarn to Rnd. 2 of The Hand Dyed Yarn Swap. My partner will be Debbi And since I told the Boy that the next time I dyed, he would get to dye his yarn for the first socks I will make for him. So we just have to find time to dye soon. Our free time fills up fast. Next week we already have plans for Monday with Sheri, Tuesday is the BTC reunion, Thursday is dinner with Shelley & Damien, Friday with Tara, Tomorrow is Art Day with Christin, and Mark is coming this time.

Plus on top of it the Boy and I still need to make the mock-ups of the book for the BTC reunion, and start designing and getting together the stuff for our Christmas gift (we are making a cookbook). And all this before Thanksgiving. Oh and I should finally (2 years later) upload all our digital photo of the wedding to winkflash and order the prints my mom's been asking for every time I see her and maybe make them part of her Christmas, though she did say she would pay for her copies....

Now I'm feeling like a lazy bum, and need to do something productive. Off to the Grind.

Oh before I go.... Cass is having a Contest. Go play along and mention me and we all get chances to win stuff. It's her 333rd post. I think I'm getting close to the 15th!

Gratuitous Photo time!

Day of the Dead & my Ancestors Gave Me a Job

So now that it's the Day of the Dead, what do I get you ask? Well along with some half priced candy, I got a new job. For real. I start on Monday. It's awesome. I love new jobs. Not in a way that means I go out of my way to start new jobs on a regular basis, I just mean that when I don't have a job I like new jobs. Thank you ancestors!

In other news the boy, the pup & I will be heading out of town this weekend to visit one of the twins and his girl in VA. It will be good.
Plus I am half way through the 2nd of C-A's birthday socks. I took a picture of the first one but I don't know what the boy did with the camera. I do enjoy the yarn, and since I bought 5 skeins (for $2.50 ea.) And each sock only uses 1 skein, I will have enough yarn to make myself a pair of these awesome looking wool, silk, cotton socks.

This picture comes from when they were starting to be leg warmers, but I didn't like them as that. I love them as socks, and I hope C-A does too when her birthday comes around the end of November.
Well now off to work on that 2nd sock and revel in the fact that I have a job to start on Monday!

Temping and Potential

So I started a Temp Job today. They said it's for 3 months plus. So at least I have work for the next 3 months if nothing else comes along. Also yesterday I had an interview with a stationary and greeting card company, today I got the call for a 2nd interview to meet the Owner/Head Guy. That's exciting. Now temping and admin stuff (which is what the greeting card place would be) are all good, they aren't my dream job, but they will do for now. I just want to not hate the people I work for. Is that so much to ask in the world? I guess so, but it's what I want.
On the knitting front, I made 2 bibs for the little girl that was just born down the hall. I made them up as I went along, and then crocheted around the edge twice to neaten them up and finish them off. I swear I'll take pictures and post them. Along with that 2 weeks ago I finished my own version of the Anthorpoligie Inspired Capelet. Really it's just a basic top-down Raglan. I made it with 3/4 of a skein of Joseph Gellar's Peruvian Alpaca. I double stranded it on #11's added a button and wore it to my interview with the temp agency.
Plus I'm super excited because we are supposed to carve pumpkins this weekend with our pals Joe & Dawn. I love carving pumpkins!
Also then 2nd round of The Hand-Dyed Yarn Swap in in sign-up stages. I'm all signed up and ready to go. Especially since in the GetStitchy Yarn Swap I was picked as a prize winner and will be receiving a skein of BFL Sock weight yarn! from Shelia at Wool2Dye4 I never win anything, so that made me all excited. I have 2 skeins of the KnitPicks Bare Sock weight left from last time I bought and got the dyes too. So as soon as I have my partners info DJ and I will have a dyeing day. One for my pal, one for him, and the BFL for me! Photos of the Zombification will follow.
Now off to make a big ole salad for dinner, I bought croutons!

Work and WIPs

So looking for work is never fun. But it's especially not fun when you are not quite even sure what it is you want to be doing for work. This is my dilemma. I need a new job, but I don't know what I want to do. I signed up with a temp agency for now, but so far no work from them. I also had an interview the other morning, just waiting to hear back. I've sent out tons of resumes and cover letters with very little response. Now all of these jobs cover various fields from admin work to sales to teaching art. So far no response. Now I know I've only been actively looking for 2 weeks now, and in the past I was unemployed for months at a time, but this is starting to wear on me. I just want a job that I don't get yelled at and a good work ethic is respected and appreciated. You would think that this isn't a lot to ask, but my track record proves otherwise.
Plus the longer I'm home the more random projects around the house I want to start. Like sanding and staining the new to us used bookcase we got. Or Binding off and seaming together all the yarn company sample squares to mail out as a baby blanket to a preggers girl in need. Or taking everything out of the closets and chucking stuff we don't need and reorganize what we're gonna keep. Then there are the knitting projects I want to do, or the cookbook for Christmas, or working on Mom's Photo boxes for Christmas. So many things, but what projects are too big and just distracting? What projects can I walk away from for interviews and job hunting?
For now I'm working on a trial run sweater for the puppy.
I need to line the bag I just finished so I can sell it to the lady in the next building and make some needed cash.

Tom's mitts now that he tried on the first one and it needs to be resized.
Now I guess I should get back to it so I don't feel so guilty not getting anything done.

What a way to go

So after Braking the Cycle, and all it's support and love and good times, I realized something. I was unhappy. So I talked it over with mr. man and I gave my 2 weeks notice at work last Wednesday. I was still scheduled to work this week, actually it was the first time in a while where I was scheduled to work a full week. It's Sunday nite at 7:20 pm when I get a call on my cell phone while DJ and I are driving back from our celebratory outing to The Gilded Otter in New Paltz for our 2nd Anniversary fun day destination (more on this in a bit), when I'm told I've been taken off the schedule for the week so there is no need to come in. And they aren't sure if they will need me next week or not.
So whatever. I'm done. I no longer work in a knit shop. I currently don't have a job, part of the reason I gave 2 weeks instead of walking out the door was to have a job for 2 weeks while I looked. Oh well. But I did interview with a temp agency yesterday and I have a few feelers out there as well so hopefully something will come along sooner rather than later. I don't know if later will work well for us. Soon would be nice, but that means more resumes and emails and phone calls. More reading postings and ads, searching for something good-ish. I'm not looking for the perfect job because honestly I don't know what that would be at this point. I am looking for something to do, something that doesn't make me hate myself, or feel like I need a hot shower to wash off the icky-ness of it when I get home. So I'm off to find just that.
So long Knit shop and all the icky jobs I had to do there!
So long crazy hours and unknown weekly schedule changes!
So long working my butt off to get under appreciated!

I will miss all the students I had in my knitting classes and all the loverly people whose projects I helped them pick out and do and just a lot of nice people that came in on a regular basis. Though I loved my job, I despised the people I worked for.
Adieu! And Goodnite!

Good way to end a Bad Day

So I had a horrible day yesturday, not only because Braking the Cycle was over, but because I was at work until 10:30 pm after having no sleep for 4 days straight! But a good way to get back in a good mood is to come home and find out that your swap packages have arrived. Thats right I said packages with an "S" and that is because my buddy was so generous that she sent me 2 boxes full of things! I felt so much better knowing that people rock, and you would think I would have remembered that in the 24 hours I had been home from the ride!! Shame shame on me!
Well here is my swag!


Right now I just have one more item to get for my own buddies' package and then I will be able to ship it out soon. I should send her and e-card to let her know I haven't forgotten about her!
And on top of it all I found out that I won in the drawing for the Get Stitchy Yarn Swap!
I can't wait to see what the prize is!
Now that I've had a day to relax and finally do some of the computer things I needed to get done, like looking for work and such, I feel better. Too bad my laundry, dishes and other house work were ignored today. Ah, I'll always have those to do...
Til we meet again.