Oh, hello, Friday. Where did you come from?

The problem with have "flexible work hours" is that instead of thinking in terms of Monday-Tuesday-Wednesday, I tend to boil it down to "work days" and "not-work days."

This tends to cause problems when it comes to planning.

So here is a funny story that I shared on Tumblr, because I'm not just a dork, I'm dork who's slightly brain fried at the moment:

So today at work, I discovered that when the alarms on our front doors are in maintenance mode, they don’t make the usual beep-beep-beep noise, but rather they sound like the alarms from the Enterprise. And they were going off a lot:

1st time it happened: “Did we just go to Red Alert?”

2nd: “Is it the Klingons or the Romulans this time?”

3rd: “I’m really glad I didn’t wear the red shirt today.” (Yes, I was planning on wearing red this morning, but changed my mind to blue.)

10th: “Where the hell is Lt. LaForge? That sound is really annoying.” Also, our A/C wasn’t really working and it was really hot. Between the malfunctioning alarms and the environmental controls, a full ship’s diagnostic was needed.

As he was packing up, I walked by the technician. He was wearing a blue shirt.

"Isn’t Engineering supposed to be doing that?"

He just gave me a blank look.

No one appreciates my sense of humor.

A Small Celebration

I'm not much of a video person, so I took this photo this morning to celebrate International Typewriter day. I wanted to have a typecast to share, but really, haven't had much of interest to say.

I did however, figure that it was high time I added in some of that knitting I mentioned in the new blog tagline, especially since I finished up that baby sweater this week. Originally, I was using Debbie Bliss' Lace Edge Cardigan pattern, but really, this sweater is about as divorced from the original as it is possible to get. Due to gauge, I cast on about 50% of the recommended stitches (I used a worsted yarn, I think, rather than a light fingering. The name escapes me, but it's eco-cotton or something, available at Joann Fabrics), and due to time I went with a scalloped crocheted edging rather than the lace because it would have taken me forever to figure out how to alter it to the size I needed (I also had to scale the pattern itself down ever so slightly to get a newborn to 3 month size sweater versus the 3-6 months which was the smallest size in the book, Simply Baby.

The sweater will go to the new mama tomorrow, just before I have a celebration of my own: my birthday is tomorrow, so I'll be having a couple of friends over for dinner. Between now and then, I've got a lot of work to do, especially since this is my last week at my current job before starting the new one. Got my hours today, very exciting. And now I must get back to work! No more internet slacking!

Back Again

Currently Reading: Ghost Moon
On the Netflix: Love and Other Disasters

Between a week of vacation and a week and a half of being sick, I've let a lot of good habits slide in the last month, among them blogging. However, since I've spent the majority of the last two weeks in bed or camped out in front of the TV so there hasn't been lot to blog about to begin with. Trust me, you haven't missed much.

Once I was feeling better and my eyes stopped watering long enough to read more than two or three sentences, I finished Karen Chance's Midnight's Daughter, which is the first book in her Dorina Basarab series. It runs alongside her Cassie Palmer books (reviews found here). At this point I'm not planning on reviewing the series, but I will say Dorina certainly lives up to her forerunner and I can't wait to start reading book 2. (Are you keeping up with the summer releases? I've got a list of my top picks at the end of this post)

In addition to the reading, I managed to finally finish the second sock of the pair I've had on the needles since March. That was an Event, since it started with a massive kitchner fail on the toe and ended with me realizing there was a rather massive error in the pattern that resulted in a-symmetrical socks. They fit fine, they just don't match. So once my fragile knitting ego has recovered, I'll have to rework them. At the moment, however, I can't fathom the idea of knitting those socks again. It's not that I dislike the pattern, it just took so long to work out the cables around the cuff and there was a lot of ripping back. Either way, it will have to wait about two weeks since I've got some deadline knitting on the needles right now. I need to finish a baby sweater for a coworker before A) she goes on leave; B) she goes into labor; or C) I leave for my new job.

That's right, I'll be starting a new job later this month. Same company, different location, different position. And since I like to keep my work life as separate from my online presence as possible, that's all I'm going to say on the matter.

If I fall off the blogosphere again, someone poke me. Why is it that good habits are so hard to start and bad habits are so hard to break?
---------------
(Recent and) Summer Book Releases (For the United States)
Spirit Dances by C.E. Murphy (Okay, so this one is already out, but it was just released so it counts)
Hunt the Moon by Karen Chance (Also newly released)
Spider Bones by Kathy Reichs (So May/June was an exciting time for some of my favorite authors. So sue me)
Fallen by Karin Slaughter (June 21)
Heartless by Gail Carriger (June 28, but already released in some areas)
Ghost Story by Jim Butcher (July 26)
The Son of Neptune by Rick Riordan (October 4)

If you're part of C.E. Murphy's latest crowdfunding project, she's also released three of the promised short stories thus far as well as a novella called Right Angles to Fairyland. Thus far, these are only available to her crowdfunding sponsors, but cross your fingers that they're released mass market soon!

In One Piece

About a week after I got home, my bag showed up. Everything was intact, praise Hermes (not the cat, but I assume he would appreciate praise as well. "In ancient times, cats were worshiped as gods. They have not forgotten this." I beleive that's either Neil Gaiman or Terry Pratchet, but I'm not positive. Please correct me if you know for sure).

A few days after that last entry, I hurt my back. I tend to injur myself in the strangest ways, like when I fractured my ankle sophomore year when some idiot wasn't looking where he was going and hit me with the steel door in the ceramics lab. This time, we have no idea how, but I managed to pull a muscle in my upper back so hard than when it knotted up it pulled my spine out of alignment. And it didn't just knock things side to side, oh no. It actually twisted the vertebrae. I'm back to normal now, four weeks ahead of schedule, and just doing some follow up stuff with the chiropractor.

Two weeks after a decision was supposed to be made on the internship, I got a call from the person in charge asking if I wanted to interview for the position. I thought I'd already been eliminated, so I told my boss at Discount Retailer that I was ready to start back. I'm not actually on the schedule until Sunday, but still. I made other arrangements. I told her I'd interview, though. Still waiting on the results of that. She said I should know by today or tomorrow, but I'm not really expecting a response for another five days. Considering how long it took to get an interview (two weeks after they were supposed to have picked an intern), I'm not certain it's someplace I'd really want to work. Call me crazy, but I like it when people are on top of things.

And that is about it. I'm laying low while I wait for my first paycheck, and then I might have more intersting things to post about.

Sigh

By now everyone has probably realized that I'm not the best at the whole promotional advertising thing. I try, but really, not that good at it. So, after much debate, I decided this week that I am closing down my etsy shop. Basically, I'm taking offers. Want something? Just tell me how much. I'm sick of looking at this stuff. I've still got items that were posted when I originally made set up the shop. I had things that I wanted to add, but they just weren't cost effective. Since it opened in 2007, I've lost over $100 to etsy, either through fees, shipping, or materials. I tried the whole "you have to spend money to make money" thing, and it really never worked out. So, either it sells or it's gone. Some of it I might give away or tear apart, but a lot of it will probably end up in the trash--like the wool. I doubt the local thrift shop will take roving, and I don't know any knitters here who aren't allergic to it. So, save a fleece and make a purchase. Really.

It's just been kind of depressing in general in internet land for me. See, on top of shutting down my etsy site, I also have been skimming though the job boards on ravelry, and it's like a graveyard there. All of these "ISO Work" listings, and no one hiring. There has to be a way for a group of skilled fiber artists of varrying sorts from around the country (or the world) to make a living doing what they love. I just can't think of a way to do it that would provide fair pay to everyone without giving the customers sticker shock (or outright heart attacks, if they didn't die laughing first). What do you guys think? Some kind of fiber arts collaborative? I keep thinking of programs that I set up for spinners and knitters in third world countries, but those women get paid pennies (even if they're still paid double what anyone else in the area receives), and then their products come here and we get $40-50 balls of yarn, or $150 sweaters. So how could an American female support her family on her knitting without charging thousands of dollars? How could she do it with a product that normal people could afford and find useful?

Any thoughts would be welcome. It just doesn't seem right that there are so many people out there with these skills and the exact same problem finding employment, and yet no way to join the two.

Hey, Look Over There! Knitting!

I present you with: A very exciting photo of 3/4 of a stockinette sleeve. Ooh, Aah. Have you ever seen anything as interesting?

I <3 Sarcasm, by the way. Just in case you didn't notice.

So what is going on in CrazyLand? Well, for starters our kitchen is getting redone by our landlord, who wants to sell the house this year. Which means we have no appliances except the fridge, everything from the kitchen is in the dinning room (which was our craft room) and everything from the dinning room (i.e. all of our craft and art supplies) has been moved into our bedrooms, because once the kitchen has been put to rights, the dinning room is getting re-done. And I didn't know about any of this (at least the part involving the dinning room) until after I had finished cleaning and organizing my room, which I'd been meaning to do since December. Let me just express how happy I was to move all of that stuff into my (newly cleaned) living space: #$%^*&##$%^&%@@¢∞¶™!$&%$#µµ∫˚©ß†ˆ¬˚…∂å%**^@!#$!$%^&**!!

I keep asking if they need help (the landlord and his wife), but they keep saying no, so I've been hiding in my room knitting for the last few days. I feel kind of guilty because their son has been coming from the East Side to help, but every time I ask, "No, we've got it."

In better news, my printer came yesterday, which surprised me since I'd only ordered it on the 18th. It's shiny and spiffy and photo quality with a flatbed scanner and I can't wait until my mini comes to try it out. I could hook up the laptop, I suppose, but I prefer to only install things once. Now if only I could get the rebate center to work and get my $100 back, everything would be just dandy.

I've been in a much better humor since graduation. Probably because I have time to breathe now, and it doesn't feel like every single thing has to be done RIGHT THIS SECOND OR OH MY GOD THE WORLD WILL END AND I WILL DIE ON THE STREET. I have a little bit of leeway at least, though the job hunt continues and I still don't have any options for grad school.

To Do List

The things that have to be done by Saturday or OH MY GOD THE WORLD WILL END:

1. Finish Anthropology Essay--45 minutes
2. Do Anthropology readings and responses (about 50 pages)--1 hour
3. Get caught up on vest for Construction (I'm only a week behind...which means everyone else is probably finishing theirs today).--three hours
4. Finish SOMETHING for papermaking because Mr. W things I'm a complete slacker.--minimum 45 minutes
5. Hand out copies of Thesis paper--20 minutes
6. Hang show--3 hours
7. Fill in the little gaps at the end of the rows on the Peace Project.--2 hours minimum
8. Back the Peace Project.--probably at least an hour
9. For surface design: Dye a synthetic fiber, disperse dye a yard, burn out print, discharge print (this would be so much easier if the lab was actually open during the day, but no, it doesn't open until 7:30 PM. Hello! I'm working here!)--3 hours

Total hours behind this week: Minimum 34.5

That is on top of all of my new assignments this week, so add another 35 hours.

HELP.

The Univerise Provides

As in most households, things have been a little tight here around Chez Loco. After the housing fiasco last semester, I was lucky enough to have parents who could charge the cost for me, but Alice had to do it herself. The result was an overdrawn credit card and payments that jumped from $20 to $200, literally overnight. She's been paying down $20 here and $40, but with the economy what it is jobs are hard to find and she's had no income other than her Etsy Store. This means that she's been living off of her student loans, which don't go very far. I've been keeping us fed, picking up the late/no pay fees her brother left behind on the electric bill (don't even get me started on him), and generally taking care of the household expenses. When our January checks come in, she'll be paying me back for part of this, but not much. And I've been surviving off of loan money and $7.00 an hour (well, $7.25 since Thanksgiving).

The last two days have been a windfall. While talking to a coworker, she mentioned she's looking to have her senior pictures taken at Walmart. Instantly, I recommended Alice, who is a fantastic photographer and did my senior pictures. When I said she'd do them for under $100, I could tell that the coworker in question was sold. I'm bringing her the pricing information today, along with some samples. Anything that gets Alice a few extra dollars makes things easier on me.

The second windfall happened not long after. Remember how I was talking to my boss about family and handmade dishcloths? Well, when her sister saw them, she freaked, so The Boss commissioned another set for her birthday--$20, paid in advance. I'm bringing them to her today at work.

Third, while cruising around CraigsList, I came across a request to make rocking chair cushions. It's simple, it's fiber, and its local. We're still hashing out the details, but I think I can get about $50 for it.

On top of that, Alice's parents sent her $150 for Christmas (among other things), about half of which is going to things like bills and food. And our checks from the student art sale came in, so I've also got a cushion there.

Don't get me wrong. Things are still a little dicey, and these are only temporary fixes. I still need a new job (one that pays minimum $24000 a year, by my estimate), but it makes things easier for the time being. It should at least get us through the next couple of weeks, until our overpayment checks come in.

The Plague of Locusts

Dear Retail Consumer,

Our store is very easy to navigate: fitting rooms are under the FITTING ROOM sign, restrooms are under the RESTROOM sign and womens sizes are located under the sign that says WOMENS. Now please get out of juniors because you are not a size seven. Put down the canary yellow leggings and back away slowly.

Your kid is not cute, and even if he was it would not excuse the fact that he is screaming, running, and making a general mess of the store. It would be very helpful if you would spend as much time corralling your child as you do wondering if that lime-green jersey knit dress that costs more than I make in a week will look good on you (it won't. For one thing, that's not your color and for another that style wouldn't look good on a size 00 model. It would make your ass look like a zeppelin).

And another work about your kid, because I know it was him. If I catch him spitting his half-chewed candy into purses, I'll take him out back and beat him myself.

I have enough to do every night without having to clean up after you. If there's an item you don't want, either put it on the reject rack of the fitting room or, better yet, put it back where you found it rather than hanging it off the collar of another item, draping it over a rack, or cramming it into a rack that is already overfull.

And before you ask, no, I am not bitter. Not in the least. I just spend 20-30 hours a week chasing after you and your ilk, cleaning up your messes and getting paid minimum wage for a job that is not even remotely challenging mentally, unless you count my ability to put up with you and your inane questions. If you can afford to spend $139.99 on an ugly purse just because it has a designer logo on it, then you damn well can drive the ten miles to make sure that the one we have is the one you wanted that the other store was sold out of.

Thanks,

Retail Associates Everywhere

Here, there, everywhere.

I feel like I'm wasting space, because there really hasn't been much going on lately. I picked up the knitting/crocheting again, and have started making slow progress. Nothing has been frogged yet--thankfully. The project that is now a shrug has been torn out so many times that I was afraid I had damaged some of the yarn, but it's knitting up nicely and doesn't seem to be complaining.

I started my new job, working for my favorite discount clothing retailer. I won't specify here, just to ensure job security, but I am enjoying it. The pay isn't too great, but I'm supposed to get a raise after I've been there six months, and then again after a year, and I think I'll be there long enough to get those raises. The people have been really nice and they treat their employees well. There is no yarn involved, but I enjoy looking at what comes out of designers heads--mostly though, I make fun of it in my mind (shh, don't tell!); some of them would be...brave choices for the average person, to say the least, and some of them wouldn't be very flattering on anyone, not even the size zeros that most things seem intended for (for the record, our widest selection comes in sizes 8 and 10, which I think is an average size).

Anyway...For those of you who are in the Columbus Area, Alice and I will be at Knitters Connection on Thursday and Friday, checking out the Ravelry forum and the market--sadly, the classes were just too far out of our price range.

I started listening to a new podcast (well, new to me) called Stash and Burn. They have about fifty episodes up, so I've been listening to them starting with the first on that was on Itunes (12, I think). I needed audio stimulation that was both free and entertaining.

Since I last posted, I was introduced to a website called surfthechannel.com. I've been catching up on my Doctor Who, and last night I introduced it to my mom, who was thrilled to see that they have Emergency! available to view. It's been enjoyable and once I finish with the 2005 series I'm going to go back and watch it from the beginning. I'm a nerd like that, I can't help it.

Well, that's about it in my world. What's going on in yours?