Good Times
I got the job!
Whee. The short version is that it's an excellent opportunity for me, and I'll be moving over to the more academic side of things at the university. I still have a little over month before the position starts, so I've got lots of loose ends to tie up around here. I'm planning on taking a little bit of time off near the end of July so I can take a breath before starting my new position. Woot.
Thanks for all the good interview wishes -- it worked!
This weekend was a knitting extravaganza. I finished my Flower Basket Shawl and blocked it. (By the way, no one told me that I would completely fall in love with this shawl once I pinned it out. When I finally got it off the needles, I was happy. It looked, ya know, pretty cool. And then I blocked it out and pinned out the little ends and OH MY PRECIOUSSSSSsss.) I love it! I can't wait until it dries so I can dance around with it -- err, I mean, wear it.
unblocked shawl.
click here for the whole unblocked shebang.
I need to learn to wear my shawls with casual abandon. Currently, I'm a little scared to wear my other (Morehouse Merino) shawl because I'm afraid I might rip it. I actually find this to be an issue with a lot of my knits. (I should probably mention now that I'm really, really hard on my clothes. I sweat a lot. I spill things ALL THE TIME.) But, what's the point of knitting them if you're not going to wear them, right? (Of course, I could argue that I'm knitting things just for the process and that I don't really mind if the finished object never gets worn, but that is not how I work.) Food for thought.
In other news, out of sheer boredom this weekend, Jacob and I got a used Nintendo Gamecube, and found a new fun time: Super Monkey Ball. Super Monkey Ball is like Marble Madness, but you're a monkey! in a ball! and there's like, 9,500,456 levels to beat. And according to the box, it's "equal parts party and game!" SO. FUN. Jacob is probably posting on some gaming forum about ways to increase your points right now. hee hee.
So, in other scary news, Jacob casually mentioned that he saw a king snake in our yard on Friday.
A king snake looks like this.
I was like, oh my god I will freak out if I see a snake. And he said, oh, they're nice, they eat poisonous snakes, no worries, etc. Hmm. Then, Friday around midnight, I went to take Bella out, and I told Jacob that I was SCARED BECAUSE I MIGHT SEE THE SNAKE. Jacob told me that they don't come out at night (a deliberate lie, I might add, to assuage my fears) so I went out with Bella. And we're just moseying along, doing our thing, when Bella got really excited and wagged her tail and danced around to tell me that she'd made a NEW FRIEND! and then I noticed that she was playing with a three foot SNAKE AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH. And ya'll, I have never screamed so loud in my entire life. And I kept screaming. And Jacob came running outside, and directed me into the house. AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH. I didn't realize that I am so scared of snakes, but I AM SO SCARED OF SNAKES. I'm actually getting the willies typing this. You can make fun of me all you want, and call me a girly girl, but now I'm terrified to walk Bella because I'm afraid Mr. Snake might slither up on me. And eat me.
All right then. I'm going to go charge my camera batteries so I can take a picture of the blocked shawl tonight. Now that I'm temporarily back from shawlsville, I think I'm going to knit on a few unfinished projects that I have around (River Tape top, ribbon tank, Secret Project That Shall Not Be Named, etc). Back to work....
Comments (53)
Yaaa on the job!! Your shawl is beautiful. Can't wait to see a picture of it blocked.
Posted by Brianna | July 1, 2005 10:50 AM
Way to go Carrie! They made the right decision. I am right there with you on the snake incident. Tommy and Jacob always make fun of me when it comes to snakes. I am terrified of them. Did Jacob take the snake picture?
Posted by Annette | June 30, 2005 10:02 AM
How scary about the snake! Oh my god! I would freak out too. The shawl is so amazing... go girl. And congrats on the job!!
Posted by Camille | June 30, 2005 8:50 AM
supergoodtimes = no snakes, drunken karaoke, and flowerbasket shawls. Go Schmoo!
Posted by Jenny | June 30, 2005 1:25 AM
AM told me about the new job this past weekend congrats!!! - lets talk more (since that stuff is what i do and i know you are going to be amazing!).
missed you there, hope your ears were ringing cause your name came up a lot!
xo
Posted by loody | June 29, 2005 5:39 PM
Yay for the job but ew to the snake. I would totally freak out if I saw one of those. Bleugh!
Posted by kerrie | June 29, 2005 4:44 PM
Funny thing about that snake - I live next to a hayfield and yesterday when they baled the first hay of the season, in the process they FLUNG a 3 foot king snake onto my driveway. My DIL was at the house and called her daddy IN TEARS. The guys working had gone to lunch and when they came back (as instructed by her dad) she went and asked them to remove it. She said she wasn't sure if it was alive or dead - well believe me, if it was laying on my asphalt driveway for 45 minutes in 98 degree heat and it hadn't moved - it was dead. My husband says if you hang a dead king snake in a tree it will bring rain. Sorry - we really need the rain but we ain't hangin' no dead snake in any of my trees!!
Posted by Robin | June 29, 2005 4:40 PM
Carrie:
Good pic of the snake! :( On a non-knitting note, in high school biology we learned how to tell non-poisonous snakes apart from pois with the following rhyme:
"Red and black, poison lack;
red and yellow, kill a fellow!"
The teacher never mentioned black and yellow! GO FIGURE!
Posted by Knittin' Sue | June 29, 2005 7:45 AM
I can't wait to see the shawl blocked...all of the others I've seen are gorgeous, and I like the color of yours.
I don't blame you about the snake at all. I'd probably answer your boyfriend back with, if the snake eats poisonous snakes, doesn't that mean there's FOOD FOR HIM NEARBY!
Posted by Jennifa | June 28, 2005 9:35 PM
Big congrats on getting the job. :)
Good luck with the snake. ;)
Posted by Melinda | June 28, 2005 8:07 PM
Awwe! I love snakes. Spiders too. I'm weird like that...
Beautiful shawl!! I think my eyes would cross if I attempted that! Oh, and I love the color - so pretty!
Posted by jessica~ | June 28, 2005 4:18 PM
aww, carrie, yer so cute! king snakes are GOOD, just like how daddy long legs eat bugs and how those miniature helicopters of bugs eat misquitos. no fear, m'dear.
Posted by nicole | June 28, 2005 1:57 PM
You can buy Snake Repellent at Lowe's for around $12.00 for enough to keep them away from your house for a month or two, depending on how big your house is...
Posted by Robert | June 28, 2005 1:29 PM
eck. don't feel bad. now I've got the creepy crawlies...ew.
Snakes are to be avoided at all costs. Bleh. Boo! Hiss! ~Yuck. Snakes.~
Flower basket is so beautiful...you did a great job. I'm so wanting to knit one of those. Can't wait to see her blocked!
Posted by heather | June 28, 2005 1:23 PM
Contrats on the new job.
The FBS is beautimous.
Had a run in with a very poisonous snake last summer...I.HATE.SNAKES! Evidently if this snake had got me, I would have spent several weeks in the hospital 400 miles from home!!
Can't wait to see the blocked shawl.
Posted by Betsey | June 28, 2005 1:16 PM
The shawl is absolutely beautiful. And I think I would've peed my pants if I saw that snake. (This coming from someone who called her husband home from work when he was on his break to kill a big huge hairy black spider!)
Posted by Anna | June 28, 2005 12:27 PM
Congrats on the new job! You so deserve it. I'll have to pick up Monkey Ball. I've seen a review of it, and man it looks cute, but I'm not sure I can do it. I'm not all that good with the video games... The shawl looks so purty, tell it to hurry up so we can see it!
Posted by Vicki | June 28, 2005 11:52 AM
Congrats on the new job! WOO HOOOOOOOOO!
How can I not love a game called Super Monkey Ball?
Also, snakes. Why did it have to be snakes.
Posted by Em | June 28, 2005 10:56 AM
I totally feel your fear of snakes. We live on the Severn and have not only black snakes but water snakes too (including mocs but I don't see any of them). I just keep telling myself better the snakes then mice and rats.
Love your shawl, I loved the pattern as well and have knit 3 all in different yarns. Just some beautiful lace cormo yarn and am planning on knitting another!
Conga Rats on the new job!!
Keep them kneedles clickin
Posted by geniap | June 28, 2005 9:23 AM
WOO HOO!!! Congrats, my dear. An achievement well deserved :-)
xo,
Becky
Posted by Becky | June 28, 2005 7:55 AM
Congrats on the job! It's great that you're getting a new opportunity. Good luck getting all the loose ends tied up in your current job. Can't wait to see more of your shawl!
Posted by sarah b. | June 27, 2005 11:37 PM
Anne Marie just told me you got the job. CONGRATS!! I'm so happy for you.
The shawl looks wonderful.
Posted by Kate | June 27, 2005 10:53 PM
Yeah! New job!!! New shawl!!! Nintendo is my friend...
Posted by Silvia | June 27, 2005 10:43 PM
So proud of my Carrieoke time.
Your shawl is absolutely beautiful wonderfulness.
Posted by Post-urban Naturalist | June 27, 2005 9:28 PM
your carrie cartoon has returned!
so so glad to hear about the new job. and it's a great idea to take a little time before jumping into it. but we'll expect some finished objects during that time.
also love the shawl, and also hates snakes!
Posted by carrie m | June 27, 2005 9:17 PM
Hooray for the new job! Congratulations, and I'm so glad you'll get to enjoy some time off in between.
Posted by J Strizzy | June 27, 2005 8:58 PM
Hey Carrie, congrats on the new job and beeee-yuu-ti-ful shawl! I totally understand your fear of snakes. They are gross. I saw one slithering in the tangle of 6 foot weeds outside my bedroom window and freaked out too. No more open windows--it's AC time after that incident! Hang in there!!
Posted by molly | June 27, 2005 8:11 PM
Congrats on the new job...any chance you're working with Dr. E. in the English Dept?
Posted by Anita | June 27, 2005 6:18 PM
Congratulations! Sounds like a great opportunity.
And there is nothing wrong with being afraid of snakes! I used to have horrible dreams when I was really little that a snake was trying to eat me. Wasn't there a huge snake-eating-people part of one of the Harry Potters? Yeah, couldn't handle that...
Posted by Maya | June 27, 2005 6:13 PM
Congratulations on the job, that's wonderful!! And your shawl looks just wonderful, too. See? The magic of blocking lace. It absolutely does wonders--that's why I keep knitting the stuff (grin).
Posted by Deb | June 27, 2005 5:48 PM
Grats on the job and shawl! It's soooo pretty. The shawl, not the job. ;)
Super Monkey Ball is good times. Super Mario Kart Double Dash is gooder times. Something about those cute little characters racing around in their adorable little cars makes my husband and I swear like drunken pirates at each other. So. Much. Fun.
Posted by HibiscuitsGirl | June 27, 2005 5:29 PM
Yay Carrie! Congratulations on the job. That's awesome! And of course congratulations on the flowerbasket shawl as well. I can't wait to see it blocked! As soon as I find yarn I'll be casting on for my very own FBS. Any recommendations?
YAY!!!!!!!!!
Posted by stephanie | June 27, 2005 4:42 PM
I SO understand about your fear of snakes. But sometimes you have to choose the snake. Orienting info: I live in rural SW Colorado . . . .A few years ago a rattlesnake decided to hang out in my back yard, so I started walking my little guy (a 15lb. Lhasa Apso named Mis Ojos) in the front area of the condo. The second night, I had a hard time getting MO to stay still while I put on his leash. After finally getting him to calm down and sit before opening the door, I stepped out and turned. I saw a largish shaped object move across the parking lot and then it turned and looked at me. It was a BEAR! As big as my car (a VW Jetta). So I go back in the house and think: Bear, Snake? Snake, Bear? I had MO take his chances with the snake. A couple of days later, the snake moved on and so did the bear.
I totally feel your fear of the king snake. Hope it moves on soon.
Posted by Nancy | June 27, 2005 4:38 PM
Congratulations on the swell new job!
Oh, can I relate! We have (some sort of) a snake dwelling in between the brick and sheetrock of our house. We haven't been able to catch him (?) yet, but every once in a while he leaves behind his skin...talk about the heebie-jeebies. I have two itty-bitty dogs and I'm always scared they're about to be a midnight snack. The last time I saw it I had Preston (4.5 lb Yorkie) with me, and I freaked out! I tried everything to get him inside, but noooo, he was just fascinated by it. That dog has no fear; not necessarily a good thing when you're his size.
Oooh ooh ooh, and you must get Super Mario Kart. Fun times.
Posted by Kelly | June 27, 2005 4:15 PM
ROFL!! Did your neighbors come running and call the police?? Bet that taught Jacob not to lie to you.
I remember being about 7 and my mom finding a nest of tiny little baby snakes in the garage. We (my brother, sister and I) were shrieking, she was yelling at us to stop screaming (we didn't) so she picked up the only available weapon - a garden shovel - and beat the ever lovin' tar out of them. My mom is a superhero. I can tell her to come to your house if you need her - I'm sure she still has her trusty shovel.
Posted by Kathy | June 27, 2005 3:47 PM
Congrats on the job! Spill the beans and tell us something about what you'll be doing!
Long years ago, I used to listen to Ludlow Porch on WSB radio. He hated snakes too. His line was "ALL snakes are deadly poison!" Heh. Not true, of course, but I think it expresses a non-snake-lover's true feelings.
Posted by Janice in GA | June 27, 2005 3:39 PM
hooray for the new job! what kinds of things will you be doing?
the shawl is gorgeous! i know exactly what you mean about being afraid to wear your knits and i'm right there with you about spilling things on myself, sometimes it is hard to find a shirt that doesn't have a stain somewhere, but i find that you have to live recklessly and hell, you knit, you could probably fix it if it gets screwed up... and if not, it is a good excuse to buy more yarn and make something new!!
Posted by kim | June 27, 2005 3:33 PM
congrats on the new job. i am so, so very sorry about your unfortunate interaction with the snake.
Posted by karen | June 27, 2005 3:29 PM
Congratulations on the job!
Bella will save you from the snake! No one would ever make fun of you for being afraid of snakes, because some people are afraid of things like grasshoppers, spiders and anything else the crawls and flies that just so happen to have multiple legs. EW!
Posted by Christie | June 27, 2005 3:26 PM
Woohoo...congratulations on getting the job! They just fell in love with you. I knew it!
I LOVE your FBS even in it's unblocked stage. I can't wait to see it blocked!!
Snakes....eeewwwwww! I hate them!
Posted by Eilene | June 27, 2005 3:25 PM
Ack! Even the photo in the post gave me the heebie jeebies (snake, not shawl, of course, the shawl is lovely). My snake fear/phobia is getting worse as I get older.
Congratulations on the new job.
Posted by Faith | June 27, 2005 3:14 PM
Congrats on the new job, AND on the shawl!
I'm hard on my clothes, too...Any good suggestions for, you know, not sweating in them?!
Posted by Arina | June 27, 2005 3:14 PM
Can't wait to see FBS all blocked out! It looks great! I'm loving knitting mine and the Cotton Fine is such an awesome choice.
We have snakes where I run (or used to run!) I always love seeing them. These are just little green ones that usually look like sticks until I go to run over them.
Congratulations on the job! Whohoo!
Posted by Cara | June 27, 2005 3:02 PM
Congratulations on the new job! Your shawl is gorgeous. What yarn did you use? I just started my FBS this weekend. I got through the first pattern and one repeat.
Posted by Nicole | June 27, 2005 2:52 PM
What a beautiful shawl! Oh, and don't worry about the snake. I, for one am not scared of snakesm but I almost cry whenever I see a spider. I don't know anyone as scared of spiders as I am. And if I can be scared of spiders that aren't any bigger than the tip of a pen, BELIEVE you me, there is nothing wrong with you being scared of a big old snake. Also, that hogwash about 'facine your fears' don't work. I tried that bu watching 'Arachnophobia' and now I'm twice as scared of them ;-) He He
Posted by Carrie | June 27, 2005 2:44 PM
Yay for the new job! Congratulations.
And your shawl looks beautiful. I am nearly finished with my Leaf Lace shawl and its my first - how does one block a shawl? Did you use blocking wires? Or were pins enough? I'd appreciate any advice you can offer...
Posted by Megann | June 27, 2005 2:42 PM
Two major accomplishments in 1 week: getting a new job and blocking your gorgeous shawl! Be proud of yourself, girl!
Posted by Jenna | June 27, 2005 2:12 PM
Lovin' the shawls my dear. I am thinking that I would love to knit one up when I don't have so many other things in the darned queue...
Can't wait to see it block and you dancing...err, I mean modeling with it.
Posted by Skylar | June 27, 2005 2:07 PM
Snakes are horrible horrible things that I can't even bring myself to call creatures. They are terrifying and I am right up there with those folks that are afraid to look at pictures of them. I saw an itsy bitsy baby snake in our cellar once and I was seriously thinking about moving. My husband had to carry me down to the cellar to get me to go down after that. To this day, ten years later, I don't pass that spot that I don't think of that snake.
Congratulations on the job and on the beautiful shawl. Can't wait to see you modeling it.
Posted by Kim | June 27, 2005 1:29 PM
P.S. CONGRATS again on the job! What a fantastic move for you!
Posted by Rossana | June 27, 2005 1:19 PM
Gorgeous FBS! And I would NEVER laugh at you for fearing a snake. I even cringe when I see a glossy photo of one! And when I was little, I despised thumbing through the "S" encyclopedia because they had so many color photos of snakes and spiders! EEEEK! I'd be there screaming right along with you!
When I was in high school, I had a great German Shepherd/lab mix, Baba. He used to hang out with me while I hung up the laundry on the line to dry. Dad said it was to protect me from snakes since we had woods all around us. I realized one day, Baba just wanted to pretend being helpful. Really, he was waiting for the moment I stopped watching him so that he could grab some clean laundry and run all around the yard with it...with me chasing him and yelling up a storm!
Posted by Rossana | June 27, 2005 1:19 PM
Congrats on the new job! You deserve it. Stay away from those snakes...
Posted by Leslie | June 27, 2005 1:13 PM
Trust me I understand, if I had known there was a snake around there would have been no way I would have left the house at night. I am so terrified to the point I will start my period if I see one outside. I think Jacob needs a nightly walk with the dog, don't you? :)
The scarf is lovely... can not wait to see it all blocked.
Posted by Kitty Kitty | June 27, 2005 1:08 PM