Where have I been?

Studying. In the industry I work in we are required to obtain licenses and some of us have gone on to acquire designations. With those, we are required to get 45 continuing education credits every 3 years.

Well for the past 10 weeks I've been studying for a measly 16 credits. This included a $800 course fee, 20 hours of webinars, 70+ hours of self studying a 898 page book. It ended today with a 100 question proctored exam that I passed!

Life can now resume.

Having dealt with so much of that studying I only had a limited amount of time for knitting.

So, quick knits with minimal thinking were required. Thank goodness I have my The Great American Afghan Book....

I have since finished it today after my exam. However it is pouring rain outside and my completed photo looks awful. So, I will post that when it stop raining (which unfortunately appears to be at least 7 days away per the weather forecasts)

Details:

Pattern: Great American Afghan Square #14
Yarn: Knit Picks Simply Cotton Worsted
Colorway: Haze Heather
Needles: Knit Picks Circulars US 8

I also just CO on my third square. It is from the Sampler Afghan and the pattern is Elm Seed.

Now rain rain go away....

Pro Status

Well the DH made 'pro' status on the W!! (yes, I know what it is really called, just trying to reduce amount of hits that people searching for the machine are making to my blog) He is really good at the bowling and I'm kicking bum on the boxing!

We'd been stalking, I mean checking, various websites over the past week and finally scored one.
The actual W!! F!T should be here next week! Yahoo!

Also on the news front is 4 more working days until we are back on vacation (oh yes I'm counting hours!)! It is just a couple days off, and we are just taking a two day trips in various directions, all I know is the PTO slipped is signed and I'm not showing up for work. Guess where we are heading? (picture at end of blog post)

I've also been knitting up a storm on my socks. I even put the book away at lunch this week and have been knitting. I've managed to get to the toes on both and just need to start the toe decreases next. I'm determined to have these done this weekend! The next photo I take of them I want them to be completed, so you'll just have to wait.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.


The ocean of course!! :-)

Happy Valentines Day!

Did you wear your red today? Did you receive chocolates, flowers, or a card? I received a photo collage. Something I've wanted for a really long time. It is beautiful!

I've been so busy at work, I haven't had time to blog... nevermind knit. I had to fire an employee for basic incompetence, so, that leaves me doing my old job, my new management job and now this employees job. On top of that I'm still studying for an exam for my next designation which was to be next week, however, with the work load I've had, there was just no way it was going to happen. I did end up postponing my test date last night and I have to say a weight has been lifted. So, maybe now this stress headache will go away and take this cough I've had for 4 weeks with it.

I've been using the internet as a stress relieving tool. There is nothing like heading over to Ravelry and ooo-ing and aww-ing over other individuals finished knitting projects.

I did however, buy myself a happy plant... hoping it would brighten up my day. It is a cyclamen.

Well that went well, I think

It appears, I stress the word APPEARS that the notification about my promotion went over okay. Also, for those who are keeping track...I wore dress pants and a sweater. Even though it was Halloween I still skipped the Halloween socks.

36 hours to a day just for me! WOO HOO!! I've been working on my socks every night this week. So I can't wait to show you how far they have come...but I think I'm going to keep you in suspense until this weekend.

I also have a dilemma. Do I sign up for the 2008 Socks that Rock Sock Club? I would like to try it out for at least a year but it is costly then again I just got a raise, but do I want to spend it on this? Then again, it is for 6 skeins of hand dyed yarn, bunch of fun stuff, coupons and patterns. I can't use the excuse of spending that kind of money before Christmas, as they take it out in January. I guess I'll think about it and make my mind up tomorrow.

I'm spending way too much time on Ravelry. Pretty soon I'm going to need a 12 step program for it.

How about another warm weather photo to leave you with? This one is from a month ago. Imagine that, October 1 and I still had Morning Glories in full bloom!

Day one

Of new official job, job title and new job pay...with the same company. Interesting. I was given a "promotion" and a new job title at work. It doesn't feel like I was asked, it was more of a realignment of the company and we need you to step in here. I wonder where I'd be if I said no...

Like quite a few people have mentioned to me, I'm already doing the work I might as well have the pay and title to go along with it. I guess.

I was required to be in an upper management meeting this afternoon to pick those individuals who remain on the team and those that we need to find places for in the company. As this is the one task I need to complete ASAP. Nothing like the feeling of totally changing the course of someones life. I realize that it is a part of business, but do I have to sign off on it!?

Then, there is the issue of who is doing my work while I am at all these meetings. Keep your fingers crossed we find someone to help my department ASAP! I arrived at work about an hour late, had a doctors appt. (got a really nice sore arm from blood draws and a shot), then had a meeting, back to desk for conference call which brought me to lunch time (of which I was feeling so lightheaded - really needed food!), came back to my desk then another meeting then it was time to go home.

Time at work: 7 hours
Time at work in meetings: 3 1/2 hours
Time at work on lunch: 1 hour
Time remaining to do my 8 hour job: 2 1/2 hours
Headache achieved by all the above: Priceless.

As for knitting...what is that?!

Calling in

OK I called in 'sick' today. Well it is more of a mental health day. When I called my boss this morning, at a time I knew she wouldn't be there, I did mention that I was not feeling well as I had been up half the night.

Which is technically true...I was awake every time I rolled over. I just couldn't bring myself into going in today. Plain and simple.

A few posts back I mentioned that a pivotal individual has left the organization, and as I expected, the environment is going downhill. Upper management doesn't seem to get it and guess who is now doing that job without the title, pay or recognition? MOI.

To top it all off, I could have a job where she left to go to, if I just say the word. Which is leading me to a major headache....hence the sleepless night.

I've been thinking about it, in fact a few years back I was thinking about going to that company when I received a call from the big big boss where I work now asking me back. So, instead of trying something new, I went back to familiar. In the past few years that I've been back, I've had many things promised, yet nothing transpires. Leaving me to feel that I've reached my ceiling level here.

So the question is, to stay where I am or move on?