What do I do now?

So I'm confronted (in a nice way) with a sort of request that I figure out what the hell I want to do next.

And I don't really know.

Over the course of my life so far, I've wanted to be a lot of things, some more practical than others. Sign language interpreter, opera singer, a bunch of things. Lately, since my job is partly a webmaster position, I've thought about being not a website designer but a content provider, a writer for sites, something like that. But it has been brought home to me that I really don't KNOW anything. I'm a decent writer and high-information political junkie with a little experience with CSS and HTML but nothing huge. I do plan to take a course in HTML in the next year, but that doesn't seem like a dream, you know?

I would like to write for maybe a radio station website (I love radio) or a political campaign or political website (Talking Points Memo internship sounds really great right now; unfortunately it would involve getting an internship at my advanced years and moving my family to DC with no visible means of support). There are certainly areas I am excited about and would like to write about. But, again, I don't have a PoliSci degree or anything, I'm just a self-taught occasional political blogger that no one reads.


And yet I feel as though this might be my chance to choose something new to do, something that would keep me interested and passionate until the end of my working life. Which isn't that far away, realistically speaking. Relatively.

So is now the time to go back to school? To look for an internship or training program? To throw everything up in the air (again) and see where it falls? The last time we did that it was for my husband to come out to L.A., which has had its ups and downs, but the kids are incredible and we are at least functional at this point.

In my heart of hearts, I would like to be able to stop struggling so hard and spend a few years becoming a Master Spinner, write a book and teach spinning and spin forever and ever. Yeah. I know. But that is because I have always wanted to stop doing anything tedious and just do interesting fun things. I'm basically lazy, after all.

Perhaps it's time to decide what I DON'T want to do and at least eliminate some options. I do NOT want to be a lawyer. I do NOT want to go back to secretarial work unless it's a dire emergency. I do NOT want to choose what I'm doing just to make money and not to feed my soul. Which argues for staying with what I do now, as although it is not perfect, does offer a path to some fulfillment most of the time. I do NOT want to go into the ministry (ha!).

I think I need to think some more...

Vacation 2010

I shall refer to it that way to encourage the Multiverse to not make me take a furlough again next summer.

At any rate, having a lovely time!

We started out in Essex, Vermont for my brother's wedding:



It was luxurious, fun, cold, hot, relaxing, nourishing and wonderful!

Congratulations, C and M! Hope you're having a fabulous honeymoon! And great thanks to my father for the amazing experience, especially the chance to get us all together. What a gift!

Then we moved on to New Jersey where I took no pictures, what is the deal with that? Oh, one:



Hope somebody took pictures later...mom? Doug?

Then the kids went to Pennsylvania with dad, where they still are and I came home to my (hopefully? possibly?) annual recharging time at home with the dog. I'm about ready for some people now, you can come back!

However, uninterrupted time to work on big projects--Girl Scout Troop film, cleaning out dressers, reorganizing spinning fiber and catching up with Doctor Who--really great!

Taking the summer off from most of my job is a mixed bag, certainly, especially for the bank account, but it's only money, right? Time with family, time with spouse, time with children, time with dogs? Priceless.

May peace prevail upon the earth.

The Upside

Today is my first day off in...three weeks.

It is also my first day off of two months of days off.

Which is good and bad, as you can imagine. But I will focus on the good! Because today is Pajama Day at our little house! No one is getting dressed until it's time to go swimming this afternoon. Oh, except for Daddy who does in fact have to go to work. Sorry, Daddy!

I am on a two-month furlough from two of my three jobs (they are all at the same place) which hurts the bank balance, but not the psyche, I hope. I shall knit and spin and clean and watch Doctor Who and spend time with my family (near and far).

What was I doing working the last three weeks every day? Vacation Bible School!

Which out of the 7 I've been involved with was absolutely one of the top 2 and possibly the best. In some ways it was the easiest, even though I used to have a smaller job. But the kids and youth were the most engaged I've ever seen. The teachers were all at the top of their game. The Director (congratulations, A!) was terrific and creative and fun. And on top of it all, I got to spend a lot of time with wonderful people (A, J, K, this means you!!) and get paid for it. What's better than that?

Kids are good. DD on swim team, DS trying valiantly to get to the next level so he can join her. We are looking forward to our trip to Vermont/New Jersey/Pennsylvania in a couple of weeks. The dog is cute, the fridge is full, the house is a mess but I will fix that.

Coffee time! Have a great day!

May peace prevail upon the earth.

A Quiet Week, considering

DD has been at camp all week with school.

No fighting.

But I miss her! Lunchtime today, she will be home, filled with new experiences and stories to tell, yay!

Meanwhile, DS has been in despair with the missing of the sister. "The house is not the same." "Can I stay up till she gets back?" Too bad he won't remember not to pester her. He's planning to give her a PRESENT.

In work news, no news is good news, I guess. There will be another (unpleasant? nonevent?) meeting next Tuesday after which I think it will all go away at least until this time next year. Or not.

I've been fibering for the Ravelympics, though and finished projects for both of my events:

Sock Hockey Firefly socks, 2-ply BFL dyed by Twisted Fiber Arts in Firefly colorway and

Flying Camel Spin

Navajo plied Shetland from Spunky Eclectic in Selfish

I think I meant to 2-ply that, but ended up wanting to N-ply, which I really enjoy. I would do it more, but to get a true sock yarn, the singles are SO thin, it takes forever, like lace.

I didn't ever work on the sweater yarn, too much stress at work to do a big project, but I feel like I did accomplish something considering all the circumstances.

Today I will start the sweater yarn and watch both the long and short programs of the Ladies Singles. I know the results, but I hear the performances were amazing so I don't want to miss them!

May peace prevail upon the earth.

"I'm ambivalent."

A phrase my parents taught me when I was barely speaking, I guess to amuse their friends. It must have been funny, though!

But I am a bit.

The last ten years were the first ten years of motherhood, which has been just the most amazing experience of my life. My children are thriving, intelligent, healthy, a joy to my life and cause of much consternation (of course).

The last ten years have been something of a political and social awakening, however, and not for good reasons. The Bush Years, starting with the Supreme Court appointment of the President, through the worst terrorist attack on American soil, through the heartless reaction to Hurricane Katrina, straight on through the things we are still learning about torture and politicization and pointless war. I became a high-information voter, a blogger, a writer of news (with a left-leaning bias, admittedly), and a videographer by necessity to stop my head from exploding.

My relationships have had their ups and downs but seem to be going in a good direction. I have certainly clarified what I think my purpose is here in the world and in my community. And I have come to many conclusions about how I would like my life to be going forward.

So, although I am not making any resolutions to break and be disappointed in myself (honestly, haven't we done enough of that?), I do have hopes for the Tens or the Tweens or whatever they are:

• I hope my children turn out well-adjusted and find something that they are passionate about to do.
• I hope everyone around me knows how much I love them.
• I hope my marriage grows in love and friendship
• I hope that the people in power in our country find a way to be truly compassionate, to work for the common good, to remember "the general welfare" is in our founding documents, to shine some light in the dark places that will shame us, but sterilize us as well.

And I hope for you, my dear readers, that your Tweens are healthy, happy, joyous, fulfilling, fun, challenging and whatever you want them to be!

May peace prevail upon the earth.

Lordy McLorderson, who has time to blog?

Not me! Sorry!

Christmas knitting is done, though, and cookies.

Got a bit stressed this week with all of it AND working this many hours. Realized a bit late in the game that this is the first time I've had to do Christmas AND work this many hours, so duh. When I used to work an office job, I would start baking right after Thanksgiving and just get it all in the freezer little by little. I probably should have done that this year. Next time!

I do have a few pix of Christmas knitting, though, as none of my giftees read here AFAIK:

For my boss/singing partner/co-worker/friend:

For my son's 3rd Grade teacher (handspun):

For my daughter's 5th Grade teacher (handspun):

For my new Music Director's wife (they don't eat cookies):

You'll just have to believe I knit them, no time to take a picture till later this morning (when there's no time to blog. I will update sometime as I have to take a picture before the gifting (Sunday). Poor thing has shingles!

Will knit another Santa hat for DD's new American Girl (that she's getting for Christmas) but not till after they all leave me for a few days.

Today: Make salad for and attend 5th Grade Pasta party, take 2 girls to swimming birthday party for the afternoon, do laundry for trip and pack.

Tomorrow: Girl Scout meeting, rehearsal, concert and everyone ready to go at 5am Sunday. I'm sure it will work out. Now how to get all that done with out my head exploding!

May peace prevail upon the earth.

Oh, and Joy to the World!

Thanks, Veterans!

For all you have done and still do for us!

And for the day off!

No time for pictures, but I managed to spin 4 oz. of natural BFL singles today for gloves for teachers--I will dye the yarn after plying. I want to make Susie's Reading Mitts this year and have already spun some variegated singles, but I really think that a nice smooth almost solid will be much better. I've never spun and then dyed before, but they both want blue, one light, one dark, so it shouldn't be hard to get a nice color.

.

In other knitting, I'm almost down to the bottom of the armholes on my Basic Chic Hoodie in bright green: Not a color for the faint of heart, but I look forward with great anticipation to throwing this on like a sweat jacket and making myself happy. Thanks, Mom!

Still haven't cast on any socks, though, what's up with that?

DS's sweater is ready for its zipper now, Mr. DeMille. I should have done that today but instead was lazy, lazy, lazy in anticipation of having to go into work tonight holiday or no.

Except for the spinning.

Hoping for time to ply and dye on Saturday!

May peace prevail upon the earth.