Sheesh. Where did I go? Again?
I don’t know - something about living at home (i.e. Mom and Dad’s house) makes me a bum. I mean, sure, I’m working and trying not to eat too much of their food, but still, I seem so very unproductive.
I had two interviews, though! They were both for the library, one in adult services and the other in children’s. They both seem like really cool positions, and I really hope I get a call for one of them - I don’t really have a strong preference either way. The interview with the adults services people seemed to go better. Not that the other one went badly, it’s just that I was a lot more on for the adult position. So, yeah. Those of you that sent the good mojo - thanks! Feel free to keep on sending it my way, since I won’t know (they won’t decide?) until sometime this week.
In other news, I may have found some knitting mojo again. Maybe.
Last night, Seth and I were eating out in KC, and 4 or 5 tables near our booth were being pushed together. Seth asked if it was a prom party coming in (it’s that season, after all…), and the waitress said “No, I think it’s a bunch of knitters…?” Immediately I recalled Stefanie Japel announcing she’d be the Featured Artist at the Sunflower Guild’s convention, and realized that this must be what’s going on. So, after meekly eavsdropping for a bit, I asked one of the ladies about her sweater, and they were all “Whhaaaa? Are you a knitter?!” and told all about how I should come the next day to the convention. I couldn’t afford it, I insisted. So then the knitter who I’d originally asked about her sweater said, “Well, come on into the Vendor’s Market, at least! You don’t have to pay to get into that much!” Heh. She’s good. She’s reeeaaallll good. Because you know I did. And you know I bought some yarn. And a book. And some stitch markers and a little project bag. And that lady who was so sweet to tell me all about it? Yeah…some of that was purchased from her. Like I said. She’s good.
The haul was good, though - I got some sock yarn and Cat Borhdi’s New Pathway’s for Sock Knitters. And some other yarn that is destined for giftitude for mom, who does read the blog, so that’s all that’ll be said about that for a while. And, of course, the project bag and stitch markers. So, now, I think I may go dig in and see what I can start!
Hey, I’m bite-free!
I know you were just sitting on the edge of your chair, hitting refresh every 10 seconds, waiting to hear if I was okay. Rest easy, okay? I’m fine.
The job is good. It’s a new experience, and so somethings are still weird, but overall, it’s good. I’ve got another interview for a second job scheduled for Monday - it’s one I’d really like, so send the good mojo my way Monday afternoon between 4 and 5 central time. More details on that when I know more myself, as I’d hate to jinx it!
Oh, okay, so I’m running again. (Wooooo!!!!!) My times are fairly slow, and it frustrates me mostly because they’re a bit slower than they were last summer before I left for Taiwan. Of course, back then I did the Couch to 5k before I started in with Hal Higdon’s Spring Training, and this time I just jumped in with the spring training, but still. I want my old times back now, please. But, of course, my legs have other thoughts - not getting injured, perhaps - and insist on going a bit slower. I know it’ll get better, and as it warms up, I’ll be able to start running in the mornings before work (and before eating!), which I vastly prefer to running in the afternoon or evening. In the past, afternoon runs always seemed slower, as if the day’s work (or was it the day’s food?) was slowing me down. It’s okay though. I’ll keep going, and I’ll improve, and I’ll be healthier and happier for it, right? Plus, I’ve got myself a few long-distance training partners to keep me on my toes, pushing me to greater and greater distances. Tomorrow may only be 3 miles, but this fall? Marathon, baby.
Oh, yeah. It’s on.
I woke up this morning with a pounding headache, my sinuses all crammed with congestion. Teaching one class was exhausting, and so I came home afterwards and took a nap before Seth and I headed south for Caleb’s birthday party. We had dinner with everyone, said a few goodbyes (real goodbyes, not just “See you later”), and then got on the train to come back home. We’ve got plans tomorrow to help another friend finish packing up her apartment - she’s leaving a few days before we are. It’s been a pretty uneventful day, but each day’s passing means we’re that much closer to coming home. I’m really excited - this is so clearly the right decision for us. Someone at dinner - I forget who it was - even noticed and commented on how happy I looked.
It’s strange. By all rights, I should be completely freaking out, since we’re not packed, I don’t have a job lined up, we still don’t have tickets in hand, and we leave in just over a week. Make no mistake - there is some freaking out. But the worry is outweighed by the relief and anticipation of going home. Seth and I hadn’t realized, and never would have guessed, just how much we’d miss boring old Kansas. I guess I should have paid more attention all those time I watched The Wizard of Oz - Dorothy’s joy to be home after her Technicolor adventure is a pretty good approximation of how I feel.
Things I Can Do In The US That I Can’t Do In Taiwan:
- Buy some new bras. I’ve been making do with ill-fitting ones for a while, and I’m excited to be able to fo into a store and know they’ll carry my size, and not just the teeny-tiny, padded, frou-frou confections they carry in the multitudes of lingerie stores here.
So, today was a touristy sort of day, but it was mostly good. Some pictures? Okay.
Well, okay, this one and the next one are from yesterday. This is Kato and Tony, looking all adorable and well-rested and not-overworked.
These uber-geeks are some weirdos we ran into while enjoying the two-for-one happy hour at The Outback just next door the the Ikea we went to. Hey, we picked up a new French press (I broke ours yesterday morning while doing dishes), cheese grater boxes (they’re boxes! with grater plates that fit on the top so you can grate directly into the bowl and then use/store it! they’re fantastic!), and some dish towels.
Aaaannndd, the time between starting this post and now has gotten too long (this happens when you blog around others and get distracted talking), so that’ll have to hold you for now.
Oh, and the game last night? Seth and Kato merged their holdings and totally whomped everyone. I held out for almost two hours, but in the end, I couldn’t hold my own against the behometh that was their monoply. Shed a tear for me, mmkay?
We’re playing Monopoly: The Here & Now Edition, and holy moly - it is by far the funnest game of monopoly I’ve ever played. Alcohol, hostile mergers, and massive amounts of wheeling and dealing have been involved so far.
Me? I own both utilities, all the red properties (undeveloped as yet), and both of the dark blues (with 2 apartments on each currently). We’ll see how it goes.
Wellll…..so, I lied to you yesterday. I have no finished sock to show you (and now I am sad). Instead of knitting today, I worked on cleaning the house. Seth helped - he mopped, unprompted! How freakin’ awesome is that? And then, going to pick up Kato from the airport, I had a minor meltdown, and felt to anxious to knit while we were waiting for them. It’s crazy; usually, when we get of the train in Taoyuan, there are loads of taxis, and they always shout “Airport?” at us. Today? Two cabs. Not especially interested in fares, either - we (ha! Seth did the pantomime while I hid behind him) had to approach a cab and pantomime an airplane. Then, as we got close, the cabbie wanted to know what terminal. Hu-wha? Terminal? Oh. Uh….I don’t know. He seemed to think we wanted Terminal 2, which was the correct one as it turned out. Of course, he was also trying really hard to take us to departures, despite what seemed to me a distinct lack of luggage on our part (well, I had a backpack, but it was neither large nor full, so I guess he was seeing things).
Anyway, we finally got where we needed to be, and now we’re back home, and things are good. So, in the interest of being a good hostess, I’ll wrap this up and go back to actually talking with my friends.
I just got off the phone with Kate, my best friend from high school. She’s teaching in Korea, and she and her boyfriend are coming to visit over Chinese New Year! Woo! Old friends! An excuse to finally go do some touristy things we’ve been wanting to do forever! She wants to go to Taroko Gorge, but I’m worried it’s more than a day trip, and that any hotels or hostels may already be booked. Looks like I’ve got to do some investigation into that sort of stuff in the next few days!
My life is too boring to write about today. I went to work, I worked for over 12 hours, got paid for 6.5 of them, blah blah blah. I came home and our friend Alison was here for tech support, so we been chatted up a storm (shop talk, of course, as it so often tends to be), and I’ve done no knitting (boo). But, time with real people is better than time with yarn, as long as the people are good ones (she is, so no worries), so it’s all good.
I’m just about ready to fall asleep now. I may not actually be able to fall asleep, since I’ve got this hacking cough that won’t leave, and all sorts of sinus drip fun, and sheesh, I think this job (or more specifically, the hours) are killing me. I hope our potential schedule changes work out or I get used to it, because as it is now, something’s got to give, and that something so far, as been my health.
I like my health. I really sort of miss it. I hope it comes home soon. I suppose going to sleep earlier than midnight might help that some. That’ll happen one of these days, I’m sure. I’ll keep on trying to make it happen, at any rate.
We’re headed out to Taoyuan, to spend the day with silver-tongued Caleb. Then we’re planning to hit the bar scene with Mike, another friend of ours. Mike’s girlfriend is in Taiwan visiting, and we want to meet her! I’m a bit leery of the plan to hit the bars, though, since, you know, I’m old. Then again, a tequila sunrise might make me forget that. Cheers!
10:30am - Wake up.
10:32am - Go grab my computer and snuggle back under the covers.
12:00 noon - Decide it’s time to get up and take a shower.
12:30pm - Seth makes some ramen for lunch and we continue internetting.
2:00pm - I fall asleep.
5:00pm - Seth wakes me up, asks if I want to go into Keelung for dinner and a movie. I say sure.
5:02pm - BB calls, suggests the same. We make plans to meet.
6:3opm - We watch National Treasure 2. I laugh at spots surely not intended for humor, loving every cheesy, telegraphed, minute of it.
8:30pm - We head to a coffee shop to hang and chat. I knit on a lace scarf I started sometime in late 2006.
11:00pm - We decide it’s time to call it a night and scooter home.
I think it was a day well spent.