Ok, so people following along with the life part of this delicious blog breakfast… ok that sounded funnier in my head…

Anyway, people who read the ah… human interest part of this blog (i.e. my life) will remember that I graduated from my Ph.D. program on the last day of December 2009 with my Ph.D. in Biomedical Sciences with a focus in Biochemistry.

As I did not immediately have a job, I moved in with my parents, temporarily, while job hunting. Romantic, I know. “Look ma, I’m a grownup! I got me a Ph.D.! I’m movin’ in!” ::laughs:: But there were limited options, and luckily my parents’ house has decent extra storage space and we all get along very well.

Anyway, fast forward 5 months of searching, with a LOT of wonderful wonderful people in a lot of fields (including the ever amazing Ravelry) helping me rewrite my resume in seven formats… ok, three, but each one was rewritten at least twice, and the final “Federal” form probably more than that. After this five months, I finally get a nibble. An invite to a hiring event, for a job that actually has to do with my field. I panicked, contacted a ton of friends about interviewing and clothes and generally freaking out. Luckily, as always, I have some great friends who helped a lot with advice. Again, the Ravelers helped me a lot with things like tie choices, also my good friend Art who I’ve sadly since lost touch with.

So, I took the train down to DC, stayed with my awesome friend, Liz. I went out for the interview, which involved much personal drama. I managed to leave my belt in MA when I repacked, so I had to buy an emergency belt (holy CRAP they’re expensive when not on sale) and found out within the first block my shoes didn’t actually fit anymore. Much fun. But, long story short, they loved me and offered me a position.

The one caveat being that, like many jobs these days, it requires things like background checks and such. Did you know FedEx line workers (the guys who pull packages off the conveyors) need a drug test? That’s not my new job, but I didn’t even know they required one. Everyone has to pee in a cup these days.

So, while all that’s going on, I’ll continue to be here doing what I’m doing. Time for that process is indeterminate, but could be six months. But eventually, assuming everything goes well I’ll be moving and starting a new job! I’m very very excited about it. I’ll be down in VA, a few hours outside of DC, thinking about science, processing science, analyzing science, but not fighting with the lab work like I’ve done for 12 years. Pretty much exactly what I was hoping for. And if I like the work and the location… there’s actually semi-affordable farmland around the area. Maybe I could have a dog… or… ::gasp:: a sheep or two.

We’ll see, that’s all far out. Right now I’m in a holding pattern, but there’s a light at the end of the tunnel. I’ve found a job in a market not suited to job finding, even with my specialized degree. So I’m very very happy, even if getting from here to there won’t be quite as fast or easy as one could wish… but then, really, when is it?

So, that’s the story of the job hunt. I have one, at some point.

That’s all for now, back to the dye pots! Polwarth, BFL/Silk, and… something else!

~The Gnome

Hello again. Dyeing continues apace, and I’ve actually finally gotten to something I’ve wanted to do for the site for a while now.

I’ve added a reference page for breeds and fibers that Gnomespun has carried. It includes classifications of the breed, general descriptions of loft, fineness, softness, good purpose, etc.

As I note in the page, it’s not unbiased. It’s totally affected by what things I find each fiber to be well suited for, which sometimes does not match with what other people think.

So, here you go. Let me know if you see any problems or have any questions.

The Fibers

More updates coming!

~The Gnome

Gnomespun now has gift certificates.

Whee!

Sorry it took so long to get them. But, on the main site, you can now click on the button in the navigation bar to purchase gift certificates.

~The Gnome

That’s about the extent of my vocabulary right now.

So yesterday was a rough day in lab, and I was still sore from my weekend workout, so I figured I would burn one of my non-gym days and go home and rest and maybe clean a little.

Yeah. That so didn’t happen.

I get home and the landlord’s downstairs (the neighbors moved out), and it turns out he wants to put in new pipes to my apartment… this week. Now, this *needs* to get done, because the water pressure to my apartment is… suck. So, no resting, instead I spent 4 hours straight cleaning. The cleaning makes it to my living room and then stops. Hopefully the landlord and plumber will not have come today and I can get the living room done tonight. Which will be fun, because… well it’s going to take some moving of furniture, and I haven’t bought the shelf and bins I need to organize the fiber. Grah. Stupid money.

I got a bit more dyeing done.

The soft green of faded, just cut hay, wilting and drying in the sun…

New Hay – 6oz – Combed Corriedale Top

The dark, dappled green of a secret shaded evergreen grove, a cool and secluded place to hide from the world, and create your own…

Secret Glade – 1oz x 4 Combed Tusssah Silk Top

and, for the literary, something by Oscar Wilde. A drop of heartsblood…

The Nightengale and the Rose – 1oz – Combed Cashmere/Tussah Silk Top

Also, because I was bored and a few people have shown interest…

Gnomegear

Gnomespun shirts, mugs, and what spawned getting off my butt to do it, something that occurred to me yesterday…

If life were a shawl, mine would be a Clapotis

That’s it for today.

~The Gnome

Before updates and things, a note about the shop. I’ve got three things to go up today, but I realize it’s exceptionally empty. I’ve fallen a bit behind what with the fun of the committee meeting last week (described below). I hope to get stock back up this week/weekend.

So… this weekend was my birthday!

Well, actually Thursday was my birthday, I’m perfect!

…no, really, I’m perfect! I was a cube, now I’m perfect. (For those not following, I’m 28, which is a perfect number, I was 27, which is a cube – 3×3x3)

I didn’t get to celebrate on my birthday, because I had a thesis committee meeting on Friday morning. Speaking of which, I have permission to write my dissertation but the paper is not signed. I suppose that this takes a second of explanation. Before we can start to write our thesis (after most/all of our research is done) we have to get permission. At the point the paper is signed to give us permission, the four month doomsday countdown starts. When that point hits, you’d better be defending ’cause your stipend’s getting cut. So I have a few experiments to finish up, and I’ll be writing.

The long and short of this is… YAAAAAAAAAAAY! The light at the end of the tunnel is the sun, not an oncoming train. Sometime in September, maybe October, I should be graduating.

That was a good birthday present from my committee.

Saturday and Sunday I went to the Massachusetts Sheep and Wool Festival, in Cummington. This was my celebration.

Yay sheep!

You see, I have, as I mentioned before I have the best friends and family ever.

Cummington was when Strider was originally supposed to be revealed (he was revealed earlier for many reasons). So it seemed only natural to bring him along with me and let him show off.

And so, I did.

And a photo from another camera…

Strider behaved himself on Saturday, and mostly on Sunday. I think he was enjoying showing off his prowess.

And because that wasn’t apparently enough, I also got some more gifts, and had a chance to show off my recent spinning and weaving.

I love MA S&W. It’s a great time in general, small and comfortable, friendly. And this one was extra good.

I mean really, what could possibly be better? Sun (enough to sunburn me in some, “Look I was spinning!” ways), friends, stuff in the booth, and even family!

Here’s the booth, you can see Mom on the left, Jesh in the back, the Tsocktsarina to the right, and CathyCate and KnittingFiddler in the booth.

And a lineup (minus Lynn, Marcy, Tsocks, parents, and a few others, still a more complete photo than I can usually manage).

Me, KnittingFiddler (Kathe), Jennifer, Melcentrica, CathyCate, and Jesh

That evening, a bunch of us got together for dinner before heading home. Due to several complicating factors we had to divide into two groups (sadness!). But things were still good.

Here’s the group I ended up with. Good times were had. Photo courtesy of (read: ganked) KnittingFiddler

Jennifer, Tsocks, CathyCate, Me, Patrick, and Jesh

Now, MA Sheep and Wool is also extra special to me for another reason. You see, this is where, one year ago, I met these crazy people…

Lisa, the Tsock Tsarina

and Jennifer, of Holiday Yarn

Yeah. One year. One year since they said, “that’s a GREAT idea!” when I laughingly told these people I didn’t know yet about a friend’s suggestion of a business. One year since they said, “You’re coming to Rhinebeck.” and I laughed and said I doubted it (guess we know who won that bet). One year since Jennifer offered to have Gnomespun yarns (as of then unnamed) in her booth.

One year, in many ways, since the inception of Gnomespun Yarns and Fiber Arts, even though it didn’t launch until Rhinebeck in October. And one year since I fell headfirst into some of the most wonderful friends anyone could ever ask for, ever.

Thanks guys, you rock. It was a great Enablement Anniversary

I went both days, arriving later the second day, but staying to help break down and get people where they needed to be.

Monday was the Memorial Day plant sale for my hometown Garden Club, a group I’ve now been a part of for, I believe 17 years (yeah, since I was 11). Always a fun time to reconnect with some great people and my ::ahem:: roots.

We also had cake for my birthday, and my Dad’s (his b-day is this Friday), and give him his extra special birthday present… a Rigid brand 12″ compound miter saw with laser sight. ::grins:: He seemed to be happy with it.

I got a lot of things, some gifts, and a few not. And I want to show a few other things, but this post is already long as heck, and I need to get back to working on the paper for publication.

Oh, I also finished a yarn that’s been hanging over my head that’s now setting in the bathroom (that I can’t show until the final project is done), got two steps through a massive 3-step dyeing for a trade that’s been hanging over my head, and got some cashmere/tussah silk dyed and drying.

So, there will be more later.

~The Gnome