Cross one off the list

One of the troubles I've been having with finding a job is narrowing down my list - with a whole world of opportunities open to me, it's hard to choose one thing. It's like that book I could do anything if I only knew what it was. That's part of the reason I've signed up with these staffing agencies. It'll give me the opportunity to try out some positions to see how they 'fit' with me. This weekend, I got to 'try out' a new job, and I've found I can definitely cross this one off the list.

I got hired by the temp agency to do a 'cater-waiter' job. You know - you go to a corporate dinner in one of those fancy hotels, or a wedding or fancy party and they have a sit-down dinner served to you at your table. Well, I was one of those people serving you. It opened my eyes to the strength and dexterity this job takes ... both of which I seem to lack. I had two 10-tops, and between the appetizer, salad, entree and dessert, I will say - I didn't drop one dish. .... now silverware, that's another story.

Mike warned me that I probably wouldn't be able to carry a tray with 10 dinners on it, and he was right. I did manage 9 of the salad plates, but only because they weren't double-plated. The hotel matched us up with the regulars, and the woman I was working with set up a system that worked out pretty well. I was in awe watching her. She was small, but strong and so quick! I'd have half of one table cleared, and she'd be half way through her second.
I did alright - no major disasters (except that my lack of speed caused me to get the shaft when they ran out of beef dinners - my table was definitely not happy about that.) We got it all settled, and I made it out of there without too much embarrassment. I just felt weak, and super slow. I was really impressed with the other servers and have a new found respect for the job. But I can also now cross it off my list of employment opportunities to pursue.

On the fiber side, I've finished the 1st fetching and am almost finished with the 2nd. The first one is a bit short around the knuckles, and I'm thinking of lengthening it a few rows. I'm not sure if it's the picot edging that's the problem or what, but I figured I'd deal with that after I finished the second.

Problem is, when I finished the first, I could tell I didn't have enough yarn for a second. I had guessed this might be the case when I started, and I had a backup plan. I had the remainder of a beautiful green hank of Malabrigo that I'd had been thinking of using as an accent, and decided I would just knit one blue out of the Lambs Pride, and one green one from the Malabrigo. Then I could just use what was left over for the picot edging and if I had enough, at the base and around the thumb.

So, as I said, I'm almost done with the 2nd, and although I thought they were a pretty similar weight, but the Malabrigo is bigger than the lambs pride! Not like, 'I knit these with a bigger size needle', but a little thicker and just ... I don't know - longer. I actually like how the Malabrigo fits better, it comes up further on my hand. But I don't have enough of it to make a second either. This is what I get from trying to be thrifty. I may have to visit Knit K before I go. They knit up pretty quickly, and I can probably get a pair done on the 10 hr. ride to KY or the flight to CA but I was hoping to have them done before I left. Not to mention that my left wrist is starting to hurt a bit. I don't know if it's from the cables, or the DPNs or all the work I've been doing on small needles. But perhaps it has nothing to do with knitting at all. Perhaps it's from trying to lift too many dishes on one tray. Perhaps. No matter, I've at least learned on thing I don't want to do - and isn't that one step closer to what I do want to do?

Summer and Stiches Midwest

I can't believe the summer is almost over. It makes me sad to think of all the things I want to be sharing with M, and can't because he's not here. But I know he feels the same way off in Charleston. I do think he's trying to make me jealous, he told me he went to the beach this morning! So, I've been keeping myself pretty busy to try and not think about it, and I have a friend who has moved in with me which helps too.

As far as keeping busy though, I went to my first big fiber festival.. STITCHES MIDWEST!!

It was really pretty neat! I went with two friends from SASI's Knit-Nite, Donna and Donna (the owner), We got there extra early, because they had an 8:00am class and wanted to make sure they had time to check in and find their classroom and everything. Because of the move, I hadn't signed up for any classes, and assumed by the time I got there, that all classes would be pretty full. But I asked when we arrived and - Voila! there was a half-day "Hole-listic lace" knitting class taught by Maureen Mason-Jamison, so after a quick chat with M over the phone, I grabbed the last spot!

The class wasn't until 1:30, and the market didn't open until 10am, but I was lucky enough to be helping out Gary Scholar, author of Angora the bunny knitting book - I'm knot just fluff, I'm always enough! and got in a little early to the market. I love his book, because it focuses on two things I love and believe in - knitting (yea) and giving kids confidence (yea again). It's super cute, you can check it out here.

Most of the vendors were just setting up, but as I walked around in the morning I saw beautiful beautiful things, great yarn, wonderful patterns, it was really neat to see all the creativity. I was proud of myself because I keep my wallet in my purse. I had spent enough money on the class, so I didn't buy any yarn from the show, but I picked up some cards to keep for the birthday/holiday season!

Some neat things I did get, were a sample of the TOFUtsies yarn from the South West Trading Co. - it was pretty! And I got a sample of the new "lace weight" yarn from Malabrigo - it's soooo soft. I carried it around with me all day just petting it. Stefania's husband from Handspun by Stefania showed me how to use a drop spindle! She did say he was the best teacher ever, and I think I agree - He was really knowledgeable and super friendly. I'm putting a drop spindle and some of their pretty roving on my birthday list. They're in St. Charles IL, so I think M will have a soft spot for them too. I also got to see the gorgeous colors of Brooks Farm yarns - they were so beautiful, I can't describe them. Camera's weren't allowed in the marketplace, otherwise I'd definitely have pictures.

Finally, it was classtime. I really enojoyed it, it was very informative and the instructor really seemed to know her stuff. I loved how clear her visuals were. She had glued or pinned light colored swatches onto thick black cardboard for every step and technique along the way. We made a simple lace bookmark, and as we went along, she catered to those who had never knit lace, as well as those who were taking on projects as complicated as a tablecloth! I also liked that she came around individually and showed us a few at a time. I only wish she had put some more of her wisdom down on paper. I tried to take notes, but it was hard to take notes, and knit and try the different techniques she was talking about. My only big complaint was the temperature of the room, which was FREEZING, and between that, the fact that I had eaten very little, and the bright fluorescent lights, I did get a headache toward the end of class - definitely not the instructors fault! She was really good.

The other amusing thing was that there was a comic book conference going on one floor directly below the market place. Parking seemed to force everyone by or through the area for Stiches, and it was really entertaining to see the faces of the fiber-folk and vs the comic-book-folk as they passed by each other. It was as if they were both trying to figure out - why on earth are you here for the other convention... it made me laugh numerous times throughout the day.
It was, overall a good day.