The Crystal Ball Reveals...

It's an unpleasant truth of military life that one typically is not allowed to know any details of one's future except the very, very immediate. Say, the upcoming week. But each tour, there comes a marvelous, beautiful moment of clarity where one's next destination is revealed. This moment arrives as a wave of relief after a long period of uncertainty - first dreaming about all the hypotheticals, then the discovery of the what's actually available, then the process of picking and prioritizing a list of wants and sending it off to the higher powers, then an agonizing month or two of hopes, fears, conjectures... And finally, there is an answer.

We will be going to Monterey, CA, where B will be attending Naval Postgraduate School, beginning this fall. That will be his job - getting his Masters degree. While going to school, he does not have a 'job,' but he continues to receive his full salary, and does not have to pay for his education. He doesn't even have to wear a uniform except one day a week. (However, there are still lots of rules, for instance: one's backpack may only be black or navy blue, and if one has a laptop bag instead, then one may only wear it over one's left shoulder, I presume so that one may still salute when necessary.)

Before you get TOO jealous, check out his schedule. It's a bit grueling. I certainly wouldn't want to have any other job while trying to tackle those classes. In comparison, for my Masters degree, if I continue to take two classes per semester, I will finish in two years, total - that's the same amount of time allotted for his program, with its 4-5 classes per semester. And I don't have to write a thesis!

This wasn't his/our first choice (Molesworth, England) or even second choice (Naples, Italy). But it was third! Which is a distinct improvement over last time, where the job and location combination were not even on his submitted list... And this will probably be the best move for his future career. Plus, we'll be about an hour and a half from my parents. You can bet they are psyched. *Of course, all of this is still only a probably; he won't have orders in hand until around April, and until then, things could easily change.

Additionally, since I was just on the subject of the prospect of working while getting my Masters: Things are finally happening for me with the Jacksonville Public Library paying me for my time there. I can't say what with any certainty - it's complicated. Here's the basics though. They said they had a part time shelving position coming open and would I be interested; I said, well, that isn't my ideal situation but it would be better than working for free, so sure. Immediately after I submitted the paperwork to get myself hired, the branch manager pulled me in her office to ask if I was aware that there were 6 full time clerical positions open in the library system, but in other branches. So then, with my part time paperwork on its way to City Hall, I was at Human Resources taking a typing and clerical skills test to see whether I was qualified for the full time job(s), which, of course, was no sweat. And then yesterday I went to the Main Library where I was interviewed for full time job AND processed into the system for the part time job (provided I pass my drug screen, again, no trouble there), with the idea that if I am picked for the full time position it will somehow be easier to transfer me within the system...

Believe it or not, that's the short version of the story.

Either way though, I will be employed again, until transfer time comes. And in an environment where I actually WANT TO BE. It's a lovely thing.

Pomatomus for Mom

(Or, "Po-Mom-tomus")

Remember this teaser? Well, that lovely yarn became #2 of 2 total knitted Christmas gifts. Yes, it is February and I'm just getting my Christmas knitting up for display. Oopsie. Where does the time go?

Well, anyway, here they are - Pomatomus Socks for Mom!

Pattern: Pomatomus by Cookie A. from Knitty's Winter '05 issue. (Cookie A. apparently keeps a collection of Pomatomuses - I'll have to submit mine!) I really enjoyed working this pattern - my favorite socks I've made thus far. It was pretty exciting watching it develop so mysteriously on the first sock, and by the second the pattern was completely logical. Stimulating, but not as challenging as they look!

Yarn: Shibuiknits Sock in "Midnight" - 2 skeins. I like the yarn a lot, it feels great and comes in gorgeous colors. My one issue is that the striping pattern that developed wasn't quite what I expected - you can see what I mean especially well in the following picture - but it's certainly livable. I will purchase more of this yarn in the future.