|
2003-12-05, 11:00 a.m.
Just got back from a relaxing weekend in Tahoe. I finished 1.5 scarves and I think I am completely done with Christmas knitting! I am currently working on a pink and brown scarf. That color combination fascinates me for some reason. It reminds me of neopolitan ice cream and late 70s decor. I'm getting a little squishy. Lots of bacon and rain combined with the sun setting early results in me not running very much. Tomorrow: - I was supposed to get acupuncture for my arms, shoulders, and back, but I am chickening out. Needles freak me out.
- I get the keys to my new apartment
- also marks the beginning of an aggressive campaign to get me a job!
This week: - Ozomatli
- Return of the King
- packing, moving, setting up the DSL
- selling my snowboard...I'm closing that chapter of my life.
I wrapped many of my (handknit!) Christmas gifts: tissue paper from Target, some fancy cardstock from the Art Store (6th & University in Berkeley), and leftover yarn to tie it all up. I folded the paper in half to make gift tag/care instructions and used a heart-shaped craft punch to make holes to thread the yarn through. Purty! My friends and family will be nicely surprised--I usually wrap my gifts in brown paper bags. I had my tour at the CCA yesterday. The classes definitely excited me, although the admissions rep really put me off with his extremely salesy pitch. I felt like I was buying a used car--I guess there's more pressure when a school is a publicly traded company. It definitely makes me a little leery, though. My next step is to do some informational interviews with some CCA grads I know--I want to know what my options are outside of working in a macho restaurant kitchen for $10/hour on Christmas and New Year's. If that is my future as a culinary school grad, I don't see the purpose of investing $45k...In the meantime, I need to motivate and start the job search again. Next week... After my appointment, I headed over to Greenwich Yarns (Greenwich & Buchanan in the Marina) to check out the yarns. The staff was friendly, but I don't like yarn stores that organize their yarns by color (instead of type), and I prefer to see swatches and prices prominently displayed. That being said, my favorite yarn stores in the city are ImagiKnit (18th & Sanchez) and Urban Knitting Studio...they both carry a large variety of yarns (Imagiknit's stash is packed floor to ceiling!), the staff are friendly, there are sample swatches everywhere to inspire and inform, and the prices are prominently displayed so you can easily figure out how much you're spending. Today, I'm baking lots and lots of cookies: gingersnaps, thumbprints, oatmeal chocolate chip, lemon drops, and sugar cookies. Hooray!
Clear skies today. My neck still aches a bit. On Saturday, I took apart my laptop with the coaching of a Dell CSR. Quite proud of myself. Finished a few more projects:
Plus another scarf and hat that I don't think I mentioned before. Christmas knitting almost done. Now...just gotta wrap them up.
My back spasms are mostly gone, my migraine is just a memory, and my arms feel much better...I can even knit again, whereas it wasn't even an option two days ago. Life is much better than it was two days ago. I have A LOT of people to thank for that. This morning, I woke up early, put on my headphones, grabbed some coffee, and took the 5 downtown for open house at the CCA. I have an appointment next week for a full-tour and a talk with the counselor. Maybe I will go to cooking school after all. Can't always take the safe route, right? Either way, it is nice to know that my parents have changed their model of success and their expectations of me. When I called to tell them I'd quit my second job in a year, I was expecting another lecture. Instead, they told me I should just do what makes me happy. That was nice to hear. They were even supportive when I mentioned cooking school. Everyone has been incredibly supportive, and I appreciate that. It isn't often that I cry, but when I do, it is important to know that I have a billion shoulders to cry on.
I quit my new job yesterday. The job was making me cry every day and I am not a crier. No job is worth that much. I can find a better one elsewhere. I don't care if it pays half as much. In other news, I signed a lease on a new apartment. I get my own bathroom! And I move in ten days. 2003 has been all about being impulsively irresponsible. I talked to a lot of people in the last two days. It is good to know you have the support of everyone around you, even if you may not be making the wisest decision of you life. Sometimes, it just comes down to what makes you happy. I'll figure the rest out in time. P.S. I've never done something as impulsive as quit a job after 5 days of working, but if a job makes me cry that much, it is worth leaving. So aside from that and signing a year lease, I'm pretty responsible. I need a job. |
| 
