Ten Days of Freedom

I am going on vacation next week. If I count starting with tomorrow, that's ten whole days that I don't have to do the 1 1/2 hour plus drive to and from work. Ten days that I don't have to answer smart people when then ask me stupid questions. Ten days that I don't have to talk to, see or listen to...someone. Ten days in which I can do whatever the heck I please in my own car (as long as it's legal).

Woohoo!

We aren't going away anywhere due to lack of funds. Instead here is what I'm doing with my week and a bit:

1. Kicking butt on that interview and getting myself a new job.

2. Going to visit my mom at the farm and joining her at her Weavers and Spinners Guild meeting. They need more knitters to join, so I'm taking my knitting as an example. The most exciting part is that my mom is going to buy me enough hand-spun alpaca to knit myself a scarf. I'm thinking something lacey. Whee!

3. Going to see Stephanie Pearl-McPhee (www.yarnharlot.ca) speak at the York Region Knitters Guild in Aurora Tuesday night. It's ok that it's a 2-hour drive each way, because I'm choosing to drive it. Plus, famous knitter person.

4. Learning how to knit socks.

5. Breaking away from the knitting theme, and sewing my self a chemise so that I have a girly-looking shirt to wear at the next singing job. I may even sew a skirt too, if I can find fabric that looks hand-woven enough. I'm too much of a scaredy cat (and not enough of an accomplished sewer) to try it with real handwoven.

6. Possibly (finally) painting my kitchen.

7. Paying bills and arguing with the government. Ick.

8. Sleeping in.

9. Spending time with Fred and with all the kitties.

10. Whatever the heck I feel like. I'll be on vacation, after all.

Updates!

Update #1: Cats.

The three big kitties are still none too pleased with the little one, but they aren't running away from her any more. Well, except Nova. *sigh* We'll get there.

Yes, Laurie, four cats. They are all indoor cats. We live in a 3-bedroom townhouse though, so they don't all have to be in the same place at the same time.

Kim: I totally agree that there is a biological clock for kittens. One of the reasons we got Zoe is that while my clock is ticking away for babies, Fred's is only at kittens. We're working on aligning the alarms. *wink*

Update #2: Interview

I have a 2nd interview on Monday morning, when I will be tested on my Word and PowerPoint skills and meet the CEO and the Director of Client Services. I think this is a Good Thing (apologies to Martha). Keep crossing those fingers! This job would mean, in addition to working for an organization I can get behind, a half hour drive to work, instead of an hour and a half.

Woohoo!

Introducing....

Zoe!!

After much discussion over the past few months, we decided to add another furball to our family. Here's a better photo:


She's named after Zoe from Firefly. Not just because we like the name, but because this tiny girl knows no fear!

This is what the rest of the furballs have to say.

Sabre: There is no stinkin' way I'm letting that thing down my stairsl











Nova: No, I will not come out. Get it away!!! GET IT AWAY!!!











Callie: Touch my toys at your own peril you tiny, crazy thing.











So it's maybe a little rocky at the house of the many cats right now, but we've had wee Zoe for all of 24 hours, so I'm not too worried.


The purrs will rise again!


Zoe: "Stay still?" What do you mean "Stay still"? Hellooooo! I am a kitten. There is no "still". Pffft.

Hm...You Get What You Wish For?

Remember when I said that I'd be turning the job search in a new direction?

Tomorrow morning I have an interview with a non-profit organization that " cultivates the potential of children and young adults who have developmental, physical and communication disabilities". Definitely something I believe in. Plus, it's in the area and pay range I'm looking for!


Keep your fingers crossed for me!

Yesterday I got to dress up like a boy!

After work yesterday I met Steve and Dana at Cairngorm Scottish Imports. Scott couldn't make it, sadly, and I missed him because it's been way too long since I've seen him. But he's busy being a pirate and a ghostbuster and meeting new girls, so I suppose he's forgiven. Unless Dana wasn't just being a smarty pants when he said that S and D had killed an eaten him. That would be unforgivable, since Scott knows how to use a sword. Well, a prop sword at any rate. *grin*

But I digress.

We were at the scottish shop (complete with Scottish accented manager) to book our wedding outfits. You may remember (or not, I don't know) that Steve (Annika, he's the one that does the B-movie card games) asked me to be in his wedding party, on the boys side. I believe that I jumped up and down and squealed a little bit. It seems this is not the proper way to accept an invitation from a boy to be in his wedding. Ooops.

As it turns out, being a boy is harder than I thought. Men's kilts aren't made for people with hips; the only way the vest with the Prince Charlie would fit over my boobs was if the jacket was miles too big; the store doesn't stock rental shoes in my size. D'oh! So I'm wearing the kilt with a white shirt and black bow tie (anyone know where I can get a women's tuxedo shirt that won't cost me an arm and a leg?), a belt with a big, shiny silver buckle, the PC jacket, boys' kilt hose and shoes that I have to go find somewhere and they'll give me buckles to go on my shoes. Steve is fine with me not looking exactly like the rest of his boys, so the outfit is fine by me. We will all have a matching tartan, jacket, Sgian Dubh and sporran. Oh, and the sgian dubhs are advertised as being "safety" sgian dubhs, which is probably a really, really good idea, given this crowd. Not because we're a violent bunch, but because we're all a bunch of extroverts who like to play with sharp pointy things. And some of us are accident prone.

My one concern is that with all the buckles I'm going to wind up looking less like a highlander and more like a leprechaun.

Goings on

There has been a flurry of career activity lately in the little cubefarm where I spend my days. Two colleagues are getting chances to do some work overseas; one has changed departments and gotten a promotion, another is moving into a new role that means she will one step futher along on her chosen career path.

And I? I am thrilled beyond belief for all of them. Also, not in the least bit jealous that I am a secretary (albeit with a longer title) and destined to likely remain so for the forseeable future, while they are pursuing and globetrotting and the like.

I wondered why this is, and I poked around on some stranger's blogs and I've come to a conclusion: this job just doesn't matter to me. I like my job, on the whole. There are, of course, stupid days and stupid people and stupid bosses, but on a day to day basis, it doesn't suck. It's just that the purpose of this company is to make money. Not to help people, not to educate people, not to make the world a better place, just to make as much money as possible for the people in charge.

So the ongoing job search may now take a different path. Rather than "well, I can do that" my mantra will be "well, I'd like to do that".