As the World Turns

I am currently working towards a certification from The Knitting Guild of America as a “Master Knitter” This project requires that I submit a number of samples of my work, along with researched responses to questions.   It was a grueling task, but ultimately, a very fun one.    After a bit of back and forth with my judge, I passed the first of three levels.   This first level took me about a year, so I imagine the next one (which involves garment pattern writing and more advanced techniques) will take me a bit longer.   My friends ask me, “Why would you put that much work into something you don’t get professional credit for?”   My reply is always, “Because then I can say I am among the elite.”

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If I could choose to go anywhere, I would choose to go to Portugal with my boyfriend.   I want to visit Europe, and he has family there.   I am not sure who the second person to take would be.  I would like for us to get married there, so I would need a witness of some sort.   The only problem is, if we are going as a couple, it would be unfair for the third person to not be allowed to bring someone.   I would feel guilty the whole time.   That being said, I would offer the second ticket to my best friend, but encourage her to get another ticket for her husband.   I would apologize profusely for not being able to pay for his too

This past year, our Christmas dinner table was short by two people.   My brother had managed to break my Mom’s heart again with his shenanigans.   This was a difficult part of the holiday.   She threatened to cancel Christmas altogether, despite the fact we were already planning to drive down to her.   Tears around Christmas are never a good thing.  We did tell my overly judgmental 89 year old aunt to stay home.  Our family Christmas dinner was without tension, and a lot of laughs (something we haven’t had in a while).    I also had a lovely dinner with my boyfriend and his mother, and then dessert with his father.   They speak two languages at the table, English and Portuguese, so the code switching would drive me crazy.   With just his mother, we kept it to just Portuguese; later I was able to speak English with his father.

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This year, granted it is at the end of the year in December, I am looking forward to finishing my graduate school program and obtaining my MA in Counseling Psychology.   I am not looking to switch careers, so most likely, I will just teach at the undergraduate level.    I also receive a pay raise for obtaining a Master’s degree.   This has been a three year process, and truthfully, I am tired of school right now.   I love learning, and can see myself going back again someday, but for now, I just want to go back to being solely a teacher, not a student.

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