It's interesting, working at home. I enjoy what I'm doing, and often don't feel like I'm "working". It also helps when I can toss in a load of laundry when I need a quick break, rather than hang out at the coffee machine feeling guilty and wondering how long I can break before someone is going to look for me! Really, it's about being my own boss and making my own schedule. I no longer need to ask for time off - I tell the people I work with when I'll be out of the office. Granted, I'm at my computer by about 7am on weekdays, and the phone starts about 8, but I usually walk away between 3 and 4pm and call it a day. I might answer the phone after that, but only if necessary, like if something needs closure by the end of the day.
I am a lot more relaxed than I've been in ages. Fewer migraines, less stress, no childcare dilemmas...the "stress" at work now is more like excitement. A deal is about to go through. Or not. And I have a hand in it. Also, I generally have a purring cat in my lap all day. One or the other of them is almost always keeping comfy on my legs or tucked behind me in my office chair!
And because you asked, I am working as technical and sales support for a laboratory instrumentation manufacturer's sales representatives. I'm not going to get too specific, but I wear a lot of different hats each day, from data entry to quote requests, talking to potential and existing customers about the scientific needs, and chasing down people who aren't answering their phones. There are a number of other tasks I fulfill every day, too, and like any job, not all of them are fun or enjoyable. I don't love every aspect of what I'm doing, but I have the freedom to decide when I'm going to do an onerous task. And the benefits far outweigh the onerous tasks!
As for craftiness, I have several projects underway, always. I'm almost done with the plying of a superwash merino which I'll show when I finish it. What I did finish, though, is the first fleece I ever bought, back in 1997 when I was teaching myself to spin.
I went to my first fiber festival that spring. It was incredible. I was a broke grad student and needed a diversion and some spinning help. I drove out to the fairgrounds that Saturday, alone, after a clerk in the local spin/knit/weave shop gave me a flyer (I think she was tired of me hanging around and asking for advice!) I wandered around, watched demos, talked to people, was invited to try a few wheels, and had a terrible time deciding what to buy! A wonderfully nice woman in a booth convinced me that raw fleece was the better bargain for my money, and that I could buy a well-shaped fleece and spin right from the locks after washing, no tools necessary. So I bought two - a yearling Romney and a first-shearing white mohair.
And they sat until I sent them to Spinderella for processing. In 2006. And they sat again. Until June of this year. I started spinning during my layoff, when I was stressed and trying to negotiate the contracts for this job. I pulled out the 2.5# bag of roving, lovingly rolled into balls straight off the carder, and started spinning.
It seemed to go on forever, the spinning did. Singles forever! I ended up with 12 Schacht bobbins stuffed full, mostly wound off onto TP tubes so I could keep spinning without running out of bobbins.
Finally plied into a beautiful pile of wool. Three-ply. About Dk-weight, maybe light worsted. I haven't washed it yet, so I expect it will bloom and fluff some when I get the carding oils out. I've been admiring it, petting it, and imagining what it will become since I finished it at the end of July. And agonizing over the decision to come: should I dye it? It's not my color of brown, it matches nothing I own, and is the wrong shade for me to wear without looking washed out.
Only yesterday, sitting at my dining room table, talking with my sister did I realize...
It's totally her color. It matches her hair.
Should I make her a cabled zip-up hoodie?
1 comment:
Congratulations on the new position. I hope you are continuing to keep finding enjoyment in your daily activities. What did you decide to do with the finished product?
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