24 June 2013

After work collapse

Surely you've experienced those days when you get home after a long day of work and nothing feels better than collapsing on the couch.

This has been happening a lot to me lately.  It could be because working at the institute surrounded by so many brillant people and the high expectations expected of students there is making me work towards a whole new level of efficiency and training me to be more adaptable.  I have to the realization that I am moving away from simply being a molecular biologist to more of a biomedical engineer.  I've found my dream job.

Of course stage 2 of my recharge time is working with yarn.  If I have the energy, I work on the more complex sweater pattern I wrote about last post.

If I'm more exhausted than usual I succumb to my obsession with knitting my whole stash, which lately has been simple crocheting:

This is destined to become the first of a set of placemats (this is special yarn, I want to put it on display)

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This is going to be part of the most comfy kitty bed ever and help me use up even more scraps (I have no idea where they all come from!) 

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...because this kitty isn't spoiled enough as it is.  

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I have no idea why she gets a gray tummy during the summer, it is probably because she is "part fancy cat" as my mother would say.

26 comments:

  1. Happy for you that you love your new job. Really cool how you're noticing your metamorphosis.
    Clever to show off your yarn that way. The placemats will be pretty and fun. Kitty is certainly lucky. Did her fur naturally have that grey or is that w/age?

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  2. Your tablemat yarn is yummy. Your kitty is so cute, Rebecca's cat get a ginger tummy in the summer, they could be related though they are so alike

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  3. ooh I love the pinks of your fancy table mat yarn - they'll look so cool :)
    Your chill out time sounds fabulous - enjoy.

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  4. How exciting to have found a new career path that has sparked a passion: I am happy for you.

    Love your new projects.

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  5. Congrats on finding your dream job! Love the pinks...but not being a pet person I can't imagine spending all that time to have the hard work filled with cat hair...thinking about it makes me sneeze. lol Allergies keep me liking distance between me and fur.
    Old Time Christmas

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  6. Ahhhh, the kitty mat. That is what I need to do with my random bins of scrap yarn. Last fall I crocheted a couple of cat mats out of the 32oz (!!!!) of handspun that turned out to be scritchy and awful...held 3 strands together. Turns out even the cats think it is scritchy scratchy because they keep pushing it off of where ever I put it on the backs of chairs! Stinkers...

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  7. You will find your stride! Keep at it and you'll see that with time and practice, you're new surroundings and work will become part of your rhythm. As to knitting, I love the idea of featuring a special yarn as a focal point in the home. I've been wanting to add more pieces of knitted work to my own house.

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  8. I think the best part of crafting with yarn is that there always seems to be the perfect project for each mood. Looks like you found yours. Love the yarn that your are using on the placemats.
    You do have a fancy spoiled cat-as all cats should be!

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  9. Geeze, I love love love your kitty! She is lucky to have you. And I know how you feel about collapsing, I don't work as hard as you do so I think a nice collapse is totally worth it. Happy Monday :)

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  10. So awesome that you have found your dream career! The collapsing sounds pretty good too ;)

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  11. I wish I came home from school/work exhausted and still loving it that much! You're very lucky to be doing what you love. :) And then knitting, too! That's my favorite part of any day! Your kitty is so pretty. Looks like she might be shedding some of her hair. My bunnies do it every few months, but they don't do it as gracefully or as beautifully as that. :)

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  12. Congratulations on finding your dream job. That is getting harder and harder to do.

    I always have to have at least one complex and one mindless knit going -- depending on how my day went.

    The cat bed is just gorgeous -- does any cat deserve that?

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  13. Cats are never spoiled enough! Love the colour of the place mats!

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  14. Fancy cat indeed!! I for one love her gray tummy and she's every bit deserving of that comfy colorful bed you've got going there for her. Loving the placemat too. Sounds like you have pretty intense but rewarding work days at the institute. It's great to hear you've found your career niche and a pretty impressive one at that.

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  15. What a great reason to be exhausted! So happy for you! The placemat yarn is gorgeous ...what a great idea to use it in a place where you'll get to appreciate it everyday! I like to have a brainless project going at all times just in case I'm too tired for something that requires thought ... which is exactly why you've seen so much garter stitch on my blog over the past few months! You know you're really tired when you're too tired for the "easy" project! :-D

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  16. The yarn you are doing the placemats in is beautiful, I can see why you would want it to be on display!
    I know that feeling of collapse! I took an intense course a few years ago and my BRAIN was tired in a way that I hadn't even experienced in grad school! Isnt knitting such a recharger?

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  17. Maybe your kitty bleaches her tummy in the sun during the summer?

    I'm glad to hear that you've found a life direction. Having a job that feels "just right" is pretty exciting.

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  18. Congratulations on finding your niche!

    Maybe the white tummy fur is a summer coat, and your cat is simply keeping up with the fashions? I love the blue sheen on the rest of her fur.

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  19. Oh yes I get those days! sometimes a mindless project is just what you need, and it's so cool you found your dream job.

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  20. That is beautiful yarn and worthy of being put on display, and a lucky cat! I often have that after work collapse--and my job isn't anywhere near needing the brain cells yours must require! :) Congrats on finding where you belong...
    *smiles*

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  21. Congrats on figuring out what you want to do! I feel you about coming home and simply crashing, it has made me a garter stitch junky. I can't wait to see all of those fun projects done :)

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  22. That's wonderful that you've found your niche and are doing work that you're passionate about! The after-work collapse has been the bane of my existence lately-- I haven't been blogging, and my only knitting has been on the train to and from work every day. I've gotta start having a cup of tea when I get home, or it'll take me forever to finish any craft projects. That kitty bed looks so snuggly, I'm sure she'll love it!

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  23. I hope you are able to relax a bit this summer. I understand completely the stuff about coming home and crashing, although my energy is often sapped by physically being up and moving in front of a classroom or dealing with adolescent behavior. Love the color choices of your placement. You have a lucky kitty, too. I need to make something for my cat, Streaky.

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  24. Checked in several times since my last comment; but thought I'd leave another comment today. Sing out, let us know how you are.
    Sandy's Space

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  25. Just checking in---you are missed!
    *smiles*

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  26. she is gorgeous!!! my vet's cat is all black but when they give him a lion summer cut, he's white underneath~!

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