Job Security?

I got a letter in the mail last week that said I had to attend a seminar at one of the Career Centers that the State operates in order to continue to be eligible for unemployment. Translation: if you don't go to one of these seminars they don't send you your check. So I signed up and went to one yesterday. Naturally, there were no openings at the Career Center in Northampton (which is 5 minutes from my house) so I had to go to Greenfield (20 minutes north) or somewhere in the Berkshires (forget it). I chose Greenfield. At the seminar they tell you everything you can do at the career centers. They have a lot of classes, seminars, and workshops. They actually want to help people find a job.

The woman who was leading the seminar told us that she was unemployed 7 years ago. You'd think that if you worked for the Division of Unemployment Assistance that you'd have job security but apparently that isn't true. (I was the only one in the room who found this at all humorous. But I'm easily amused.) She went on to say how bored she was for the 5 months that she wasn't working. She told us that her house was really clean but she was really anxious to get back to work.

Now, it's only been a little more than a month since I was "let go" from my job and yet I am no where near being bored and my house is definitly NOT clean! I started cleaning the music room a few weeks ago and haven't finished yet. My list of things to do and places to go keeps getting longer. I really don't think I have time for a new job right now. A few people have said to me, "Oh, you'll get offered a fabulous job and you'll have to take it and it'll be all over." To that I say, "Not if I don't look for one!"

I finished a project!

I finished a crocheted hat last night! I started it Monday night during my last Crochet 1 class. It's kind of a floppy sou'wester style hat with a '70's style open weave on the sides. The flat round top part of the hat is in double crochet, then there's a special "V" stitch down the sides and the brim is single crochet and then half-double crochet and finally the trim is reverse single crochet! It turns out I probably should have done gauge swatch but too late for that! It fits this bear just fine and my housemate, Jenna (who's 14 months). I used a lovely yarn I got at Webs in Northampton. It's Ella Rae Classic 100% wool. I've picked out my next project (a bag). I'll head to Webs tomorrow for more yarn!