Chinese Menu Syndrome...

...no, that's not offensive. It's "proofreader slang" for the innate ability to spot a typo about a million miles away. Oh, and a grammatical error, too. 

This is important for a number of reasons. 

First,it drives everyone around you absolutely bonkers if you can't keep the error to yourself. And of course you can't. You're compelled to expound on the errors you see. 

Second, it actually drives you nuts as well. Here's the thing. My friend S gave me a book for Christmas, by a local author. The book has a nice slick cover, it's from a decent publisher, and the author graciously thanks everyone from her cats to her proofreaders. 

Ahem. 

Not so fast with the thanks. You have a lot of work to do with your own writing (of which I'm not overly critical because it's your first novel). And your proofreaders?

"Mute point." Really?? Really??? That's the one that almost made me toss the book across the room. There were others. Too many, even for a debutante writer. I'm nearly tempted to e-mail her and ask if I can be her proofreader. 

So I'm in the running for an apprenticeship at elephantjournal. This is a big deal. This e-zine/website platform is a large presence in the yoga/meditation/lifestyle arena. After the apprenticeship, if you all like each other, you're offered a position as Associate Editor - which basically means they will then PAY you to write for them. 

The Job Front...

Nothing. Well, sort of something, but not what I had expected. Which is how it usually goes. 

Nothing came of the "anchor" position which the president if the university spoke to me about. However, there's a Board of Trustees meeting in February, which is usually a big deal. I mean, the planet stops moving till after the BoT meets. Then earth resumes her normal activities. 

So maybe the anchor has yet to be launched off the boat. 

I'm networked with freelance gigs, thanks to my friend Nat. I'm working the voice-over thing, though I have yet to hear anything positive from the editor I'm working for. I know he's championing me. It's up to the client. 

And I do have a phone interview; for a job I really don't think I want. Because something else interesting has dropped into my lap.

The potential to run a yoga studio. 

Yes. Stop laughing. It's an opportunity that doesn't usually fall into someone's lap. Will it make buckets of money? No. Is it sustainable? Yes. It pays its bills. I've been its part-time manager when the owner is away. I'm teaching there 3 nights a week. We have a good core group of teachers, and a pretty good following. 

The thing is this: I'm now 57 years old. I have education up to my eyeballs. And I've always worked for someone else. I talked this over with my brother, who's owned his own business for almost 30 years. He suggests I go for it, because I have enough other irons in the fire. 

Hubby wants me to actually get the "anchor" position, if it's ever posted, and work the other things, just having one source of consistent income. And I get that. But I can't shake the feeling that I really, really, REALLY want to do this. And I think I can make it work. 

I know I can make it work. 

Knitting...

My Year in Socks

So the Knit from Stash thing is off to a rocky start. I couldn't get the Strong Heel instructions to make sense. I was supposed to go to the LYS to get some help, but I have a ton of things to do, so that's delayed to sometime next week. 

This is what I'm knitting instead, and yeah, I won't get them done in January. But I think what I'm going to do is just knit the pair, not having to face the potential of TWELVE single socks... So if I complete SIX pair of socks, then I'll consider that a success. Twelve would truly have been a miracle. 

And I can't totally stop buying yarn. This is a colorway that simply fascinated me. It's called Unicorn Farts. And the base yarn has gold sparkles in it. 

Unicorn Farts

Because of course Unicorns fart with gold sparkles. Who doesn't know that? I don't know what pattern this will be, but it's entirely squishable and I can't wait to knit it up. Heck, I almost can't wait to get it on the winder to make a cake. 

It's from Purple Goddess Designs. Check her out. Awesome yarn, fantastic customer service and a lovely Etsy site. 

Necessity...

...Is truly the mother of invention. While I've been home, I've done more housework - which you can do when you're not away at a desk... 

I was looking for my handle for the dusting sheets. I couldn't find it, and I needed to dust the fax machine because I had to send out a fax. 

So I pulled out my size 10 needles. And did what you do when you don't have the handle to your duster sheet...

Did it work? For the most part. Of course 2 days later, I found the handle. Which is now in the box with the duster sheets. 

But hey - the fax machine is now clean. 

Random Picture...

Once again, I question my wisdom. I really wanted a La-Z-Boy recliner that could be my knitting chair. 

I have the recliner. But for the most part, I don't recline it. 

Nap time

Why, you ask? Well. It's either Quinn with her head under the back of it. 

Or Tippi hiding under it when I do manage to recline it, thereby rendering me stuck in my chair till she decides to move.

Or Raisa. Who is part cat. Because she can get almost 100% of her considerable husky body under the chair. 

This was yesterday, before I had to put her in her crate because I was leaving the house. I'm still not ready to leave her roaming with the other two dogs. She's at that age where she thinks she's Big Dog. 

And she's not. But as with most huskies, particularly those going through adolescent phases, they're rather oblivious. 

I'm ok as long as she doesn't decide to stand straight up. She could. And I'd be toast.