In His Steps

So, after getting the news of my job being phased out, I get hit with a massive cold. I did miss work, but it was either that or infect the office and feel worse all the time. I managed to only attend one class out of four, but all my work was completed on time. I feel much better today, though. The owners of my job have begun to waffle back and forth on phasing out my position. Now, I would love not to go anywhere. But I don't like limbo. I've already applied to multiple places. I haven't heard back, but that's ok. I've been sick. I'm not exactly looking and feeling my best for potential interviews. I also wish I had more time to craft, specifically sew. I want to make myself some clothes and other things but there's little point in me trying when I don't have the time to complete anything. I have a lot of fabric and I want to get rid of it and have more wearable clothing in a style I like.

At least for me. Every year, something bad pertaining to my work happens at the beginning. I lose my job, or try to start a new one and it doesn't work out, or my current job drives me crazy in some weird way I need to work through...All the times in my life I've been unemployed have occurred in January and February, without fail. This is not to say I'm unemployed every February or January, but the trend continues in some way. But this...This was unexpected. My job is being phased out. As in, it will no longer exist. I'm not being fired, but I am being put back to my old job in the restaurant, and maybe working some shifts in another department as well. So, while I am not jobless, I will be getting a pay and hour cut. I have seriously mixed feelings... While I am grateful I am not unemployed, I am kinda angry. I love my job. In a week it will be gone. Poof. So I came home and immediately updated my resume and have already sent it out to a few places hiring for simila...

I know, I didn't post what really happened yet, so here it all is. I described the first half of my Christmas trip in my Christmas Eve post . The next day, my sister went to work, and my mother and brother and I went Christmas shopping. I had finished my gifts for everyone, so I thought I would just be along for the ride. Boy, was I mistaken. We started at Kohl's (amazing deals and pretty outfits) and suddenly I was trying on blouses and dresses and skirts and wow...My mother and I giggled about the gifts we were getting for my sister and our friends, and in general had a lovely time. So yes, I did know what I was getting from her, but this way we knew it fit and I liked it. Our Christmas tree this year had an angel theme. It was beautiful, but resisted attempts at pictures, so I waited for the faeries to play with the lights and then snapped this. My brother and sister behind him. So handsome and pretty. I'm so lucky to have them in my life. Christmas morning we all ...

Now that the holidays are over, I can finally show what I made for everyone! Well, all except three people. I still have to mail them their gifts. Without further ado, here we go! I had been holding onto these beads for my mother for nearly three years, trying to find complimentary ones so I could make her this. It's in her colors and goes with some of her pretty new clothes. I hope she feels as pretty as I know she is when she wears them. I made the matching cowl and hat for my sister, the lovely girl you see modeling them both in the last shot. I had too much fun giggling as I made the hat, and then improvised a matching design for the cowl. The button was the most adorable thing and I loved how multi-colored it was, without being too matchy matchy. This was actually the last one I completed, for Camilla. I made her a cowl out of a skein of that gorgeous but kinda slubby homespun yarn I got at an SCA event, and then the leftovers of the yarn from my first beret. She loves ...

So, I was looking over my list of goals for the year that I made in January 2011, in preparation for choosing new ones. It looks more like this now: 1. Move to the frozen north. -Check. 2. Get a job. -Check. 3. Get into school and work on degree. -Check 4. File taxes. -Check. 5. Pay bills on time. -Check. 6. Pay off debts. -Currently focusing on car loan, then one of my school loans not in deferment so I can get my transcripts and knock some money and months off getting my degree. After that, I will look at my last big bill and see what I can do about it. One at a time is all I've discovered I'm able to do. 7. Move to better housing. -Check. So, for the most part...I've done really well! After much reflection, here are my new goals this year: 1. Continue to work on paying off debts. The strict Pay off Debts goal last year was a teensy unrealistic for a one year goal. *Get car loan moved to credit union by the end of January. *Create budget that allows...