One Big Thing

I've been reading One Big Thing by Phil Cooke.  It seems to be more of a finding your career type book than I was wanting, but it is interesting none the less.

I resigned from my career last year to stay at home and care for my disabled daughter.  I used to have the job I loved, but in May 2010, the organization underwent a massive reorganization and I was put into a job that was too much for me.  I didn't have the necessary skills and was terrified every day that I went to work.  When my mother passed away in April 2011, I decided that I just couldn't take it anymore, and resigned earlier than I had originally planned.  I probably would have stayed at least five more years had I been able to continue doing what I had been prior to the changes.

In reading Mr. Cooke's book, I realized that I had had my "one big thing".  I loved my previous position.  One of the questions he suggests you ask to determine your one big thing (OBT) is if you would do it for free.  And yes, I would have done my job for free.  It was my "perfect job".

After the reorganization happened, I felt like I was drowning.  It was awful.  I dreaded going to work every single day.  I was put in a position that if an error was made, the financial consequences to the organization were huge!  No pressure there.  When I left, I was very angry and bitter, and unfortunately still carry those feelings.  It is time to let them go.

When I left, I wasn't given an exit interview.  I don't know why.  I have a feeling that the people above me in the organizational chart were as lost as I was.  As I was reading the other night, I had a epiphany.  I would email my exit interview to the VP of Human Resources.  So, I did.  Today.  My prayer is that this will grant me the closure that I need to release the negative feelings that I have been holding on to.

I told my husband yesterday that I was going to do this.  He said that she would probably just laugh at it.  I told him that I didn't care if she used it for toilet paper.  This isn't for her as much as it is for me.  I cannot control what happens at the other end, and neither do I want to.  I need to release those emotions and the best way, for me, is to let the powers that be know how I felt about the position they had put me in.

So, now it is done and the rest is in God's hands.

Right place, right time?

I spent a couple of hours at Millenium Park in downtown Peterborough on Saturday, with the intention of knitting since it was World Wide Knit in Public Day.  I did knit a bit, and even gave a lesson on Magic Loop, a technique that I have just recently learned.  There were some 30 or so knitters, some local vendors, and some media types from SNAP Peterborough and the Peterborough Examiner

However, I didn't get as much knitting done as I had planned.  Instead, I probably spent a good hour speaking to a very lonely elderly man.  He was looking for the boat show, which was probably at the marina.  He started talking and I started listening, and that was all that he needed.  His name was Bill and he only had a grade 6 education, but he was a very very intelligent man.  He told me about the work he did over the years and his family (a very sad story).  I don't think I said more than 20 words in that hour - he just needed to talk, and talk he did!

So while I didn't knit much, I, hopefully, did something worthwhile.

If you are the praying type, please pray for Bill.

WWKIP Day

During the week of June 9 to 17, 2012, is World Wide Knit in Public Day (WWKIP Day).  This year in Peterborough, that would be tomorrow, June 16.  I'm getting my project(s) together and am looking forward 4 hours of knitting in a public place!

I have a shrug that I need to finish (needs the crochet edging completed and ends sewn in) and some mittens for charity that I will be working on.

In all my years of knitting, I've seen it as a solitary endeavour, but I am discovering that younger knitters see this as a really good excuse to socialize.  What a marvelous advancement!  And thankfully, these younger knitters let us "old girls" join in!  Knitters are a wonderfully inclusive group of people.  I've already learned so much from the young, but experienced, knitters.

I follow several knitting blogs, but one of my favourites is Knitting to Stay Sane.  I had the pleasure of meeting Glenna back in May when she taught the Body Building for Knitters workshop at Needles in the Hay.  She designs knitwear that is right up my alley!  Laces, twisted stitches and cables.....those things that I love to do!

My daughter was at the movies the other evening, and there was a man there who was knitting!  It's definitely not a sight you would see everyday.

I used to always have my knitting with me.  Anywhere we went, there was my project bag.  I've knit long enough that I can knit and do just about anything else at the same time (depending on the complexity of the project, of course).  Then one day, my dearly beloved told me that I was being rude when I brought my knitting when visiting his parents, so I stopped.  And I basically stopped knitting.  When I told my daughter this, after she told me the movie knitter story, she told me that I needed to take it up again.  I did, and have rediscovered the passion that I once felt for it.  For a left-brainer like me, this is definitely my right-brain activity.  Though knitting is very mathematical so maybe it's not really such a right-brain thing.  Anyway, I am now going to start taking my knitting with me wherever I go.  It's probably less rude that having the TV blaring so loud that no one can have a conversation.  And if the conversation gets too "heated", then I can focus on something more positive coming off my needles.

K2tog

I had the privilege of attending the Kniterary Night last evening at the Peterborough Public Library.  Oh my goodness!  WHY did I wait so long to start going??!!  It was so much fun!  Knitters came from every age bracket, every experience level, and the projects were so vast and varied!  And we had a presentation on brioche knitting by Sascha (oh, I hope I spelled her name correctly!).  It seems very complicated, but I think it's a stitch that once you've got it, it's very simple.  She brought a scarf in the Hosta pattern that she had made for her Mom.  Very beautiful.

AND it was so nice to get out of the house!  Definitely going to try to attend more.  They are only once a month so I think I can do that.  And my daughter can come with me.  I'll just make sure that she has something to do.  If she gets tired, there is a settee that she can lay down on.  It makes for a late night, but again, it's only once a month.  And that is just about the perfect timing so that I can maintain my sanity level!

Big Pharma rules the world!

As you know from my previous post, my daughter has seizure disorder and is, of course, on meds for this.  The other day, my husband picked up her refill from the pharmacy.  Two problems....
     #1 - they only gave us one month's supply (the Rx is for two months)
     #2 - they substituted the dosage
I am one of these Moms that keeps a really really close eye on my daughter's meds.  What she is on works!  I have a  "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" mentality when it comes to her medications.

When I called the Pharmacist, he told me that the DRUG COMPANY asked him to substitute the dosage and only refill for one month, due to a shortage of this medication.  Since when do the DRUG COMPANIES have the right to override the physician's prescription!!  And why is there a shortage??!!  Of course, when I "suggested" that he would also charge the dispensing fee for the next refill, he quickly denied it and said that he would waive it.  But would he have had I not brought it up?

After the bit in the news a while ago about the shortages, it makes me wonder why Big Pharma is allowed to have such monopolies.  No other industry is allowed this.  So now I just hope and pray that they don't run out of this med, because for my daughter, and others with seizure disorder, this will have dire consequences!  People could die as a result.  And then what?  Do we sue Big Pharma for our loss?  No amount of money can replace a loved one, and since Big Pharma has all the money, would we ever even see any settlement?

This frightens and angers me.  Maybe it's time for a letter to the Ministers of Health for both Ontario and Canada, asking how we got into this mess and what they are going to do about it.  A letter to the editors of some of the major newspapers might not hurt either.

Time to start typing!

It was one of "those" days....

Yesterday was quite the day.  My daughter, who has seizure disorder and global developmental delay, had a terrible day.  At least four seizures, fever, sweats.  Definitely not one of her better days.  And of course it didn't help that I was feeling under the weather myself.  I have Type 2 diabetes and my blood glucose levels have been a bit elevated, which makes me tired and feeling "blah".  She's feeling a bit better today, thanks to a good sleep in Mom's bed last night, and some ibuprofen this morning.  We slept in until 10:00 so now I've got to play "catch up" with all of my chores.  I may just call it a day, and worry about getting everything done tomorrow.  I'll do the "have to do" things.

Life can be challenging at times.  We just need to be flexible.  There are no hard and fast schedules in my household!

It's sunny today.  Yesterday, we had 39 mm of rain which we desperately needed.  The farmers could probably use a bit more, though there is none in the forecast until Friday, and it looks like that will last most of the weekend!

Throw me a lifeline!

I finally started knitting again.  I had been so busy with the new house, that I just didn't have time.  But, now that the house is mostly done, I figured I can indulge myself a little.  I had taken a workshop on making a duct tape dress form for knitters (taught by Glenna C) at Needles in the Hay, with Jan and Brenda, and these ladies help to re-ignite my passion for knitting.

I currently have two projects on the go - because it seems I can't have just one!  I'm working on a queen size blanket for my bed, and a 100% silk shawl.  This is my first foray into knitting with silk, and it can be challenging.  However, I learned about a lifeline from Glenna's blog.  Who knew!  I'm only 25 rows into my shawl, but already have had to use the lifeline.  For anyone who is interested, here's a pretty good video on using a lifeline.

 The blanket is being made from Bernat Soft Boucle.  The colour is Lightest Straw.  I picked this because our house is made of straw - seriously.

The shawl is being knit from Hand Maiden Fine Yarn Lace Silk.  It is hand dyed, and the slight variations in the colour are just so beautiful.  The pattern is Haruni by Emily Ross (on Ravelry).  The main body of the shawl is a lacy leaf pattern, which I think suits the yarn perfectly.

More information on these projects can be found on my Knitting Page.

I'll start working on my roman blinds later on today as well.

It's a gray day today, after an absolutely fabulous weekend.  Hopefully it will rain at some point today.