everything's the same. everything's changed.

This Monday, I received some fantastic news. After a full three months of searching for a job here in Rochester, I finally found one. And was offered the position!

Starting February 8th, I will be the health project coordinator for a study on smoking cessation in the Dominican Republic. HOorAy!

I can't describe the surreal feeling I have at this point, knowing that I *finally* have a grown-up job. I have an 8-5, Monday through Friday, salaried with benefits, job. It's ridiculous. I have to get work clothes. I have to wake up early. I have to commute. This is a whole new ball of yarn. (I don't know if that's a real idiom, but I'd rather talk knitting than sports...) Aside from being a great opportunity to travel and to speak Spanish, this is an excellent chance for me to get into a serious academic study and get some first-hand experience working with international development. Oh man, business trips to the Caribbean. Can't beat that...

So anyway, I get two weeks to finish off my funemployment, and what a gift that is! I've been knitting like crazy for the last 24 hours. And as a result, I now have three hats and a partial scarf. I'm looking forward to selling some items at the Craft/Zine fair at the Flying Squirrel Community Space in a little over a week. I think with some effort (and occasional breaks for my poor hands) I can have a good supply of finished items to sell. Now that I don't have to worry about an extensive job search (read: stint in financial uncertainty) I can invest in some more yarn to really bust out some nice work. It will be nice to know that I can make money back instead of giving everything away. I love making gifts, don't get me wrong, but it's nice to have some return so that I can invest in even more projects.

I'm also looking forward to doing some design projects in the house. Most of all I can't wait to paint. I'm thinking a dark mustard in the dining room, and soft gold in the living room, and white with pale green, taupe and chocolate in the bathroom. I want to go antiquing and hopefully rescue some great pieces for our living space. It's so fun to have such a BEAUTIFUL house to grow into and develop. I almost wish I could just spend all my time decorating, baking bread, and gardening. And knitting. Oh well, the work will make all those things possible, as time allows.

Off to my sister's house to hang out for a few hours. Hopefully I'll stop by the yarn shop, too.