holy shit

I passed my last licensure exam this morning. Which means that once my check goes through, I will be an L C S W (spaces to prevent googling).

I started this process in 2003 when I began grad school, and I am really proud. The process is a pain in the ass and the tests are hard. But I am done. I think I am still in shock–when I saw the PASS on the screen I just covered my mouth and got teary. And then I got numb. Tomorrow at work might feel different, when I get to tell the people that I work with. Or maybe when I actually get my license number, and business cards, and start doing a miniature private practice.

I am knitting (running a tiny bit but not much) and packing for my cruise but I have no pictures. I promise to have a ton of pictures in about 2 weeks, when I return from Alaska.

yay!

 

47 hrs 59 minutes

Until my exam begins. I get my results immediately after completing the test.

I am one part confident, one part convinced of failure, and tons of parts anxious.

No knitting has been happening, and surprising little studying. I have been studying for a year, and I just can’t seem to do any more. I will probably review this afternoon, hopefully in the sunshine in my backyard. Tomorrow is a massage. And then the exam.

 

closer

So, my licensure hours have been approved, and a test date is set. And it is pretty soon. So the hardcore studying begins, and the hardcore knitting and running (though that hasn’t been too hardcore lately) get put on hold.

I did get some knitting done the past few weeks though.

The back of a Central Park Hoodie, in Cotton-ease (50 cotton/50 acrylic, so actually wearable in Southern California.) I also have one of the fronts completed (it is a cardigan), and have started the second front. But, I plan on not knitting, until the test is over. (Of course, this is test 1 of 2. So passing this one is just another part of the process, not the end. But a big part nonetheless.) So this sweater will need to sit for a bit. Well, I do have knit night, and I will get a bit of knitting done there, but not much (we talk as much as we knit.)

Also, I don’t think I showed these:

Charade socks in Fleece Artist Sea Wool (thanks Lisa!).

The toes are a bit weird–a different decrease than I normally do, plus one glaring error. But they are soft, and nice.

And I don’t do this much (ever?), but if you could send out positive thoughts that I will pass this test, it would be very appreciated. The stress is a bit much — and is just building.

 

steps

Today I am mailing off my application to test for my LCSW. This is an application 2.5 years in the making, and I am really, really proud. (All I actually had to do to get to this point was work, organize my supervision, and take some classes. The testing is still to come. But I am still proud that I stuck with it, making sure I got what I needed.)

I am knitting, on some socks (which are much farther along than you see here but it is grey and rainy) and still running (so far i have run 25 miles this month, and plan to run today, which is pretty far for me. Of course some people do this in a week, but I am still happy with it.)

Lots of parentheses here, sorry about that. Life keeps going in steps, one at a time. And I am happy to have finished this one.

And a scarf I finished, for good measure. It is 100 percent alpaca and incredibly soft and squishy. I am not smiling because I look silly when I do so in pictures. I should work on that.

 

and so it begins

My new job, that is.

I started on Friday (it was supposed to be on a Thursday but my clearances didn’t come through until Thursday. I was offered starting on Friday, or waiting til January 3rd. I admit that I was tempted to take the month of December off, but that isn’t very realistic). I haven’t started any actual work; orientation goes through Tuesday, and then work will actually start on Wednesday. I am going to call my supervisor sometime tomorrow and find out what unit I will be working on and other basic information about my job.

I received some very pretty yarn in the mail this weekend, and I am unsure what it will be.

It is 1000 yds of silk lace. I am seriously considering Juno Regina and the Victoria Shawl (without the border– just the center pattern with a garter stitch edging). Any thoughts (or other suggestions)?

(otherwise on the knitting front I am halfway done with the first sleeve on the cardigan, and finished with the first monkey sock.)

 

unsure

Unsure about a lot of things.

Still don’t know what I am going to do with the cardigan. Fortunately, I don’t need to decide today.

The facility that I work(ed) at closed on Friday. The head management came out, and  laid us all off. So hopefully my physical/fingerprints will go through quickly for the new job, because I am currently unemployed (and having nightmares every night about losing my job, or the facility closing). Even though I have a planned exit, it has been much more stressful than I anticipated. I do get some severance pay which should cover us until I start work (either this thursday or the 20th).

Had a good day yesterday touring local yarn shops–will post photos and reviews tomorrow.

 

small steps

I have been knitting a bunch, but no photos have been taken. I am still working on a plain top down raglan cardigan, which I think is turning out nicely. Next up is another pair of socks and then possibly the Central Park Hoodie in a deep grey.

Work has been … well, it’s been work. I honestly could not come up with a word. My boss has been out of town for the last 2 weeks, which is nice but my responsibilities increase 10 fold, and then I have to answer for my decisions (which normally wouldnt be bad, but I have no idea if she will agree with the decisions that I have made, and she won’t hesitate to undermine me if she doesn’t).

I have a tentative new job offer–I need to pass the physical and drug test/fingerprinting, and then the job will be mine. It is with county so the hiring process kind of takes forever, but if all goes as I am planning, I will start there Jan 3 (and end here Dec 21, taking the week of Christmas off for the first time since I finished grad school.) The people seem very nice, and I am hopeful I will like the work (medical social work in a hospital setting, which I have done before, with babies/children). It is actually the exact job I thought I would want while I was in grad school (or pretty close to it). Goodness, I am all about parentheses today.

I finished the Couch to 5k program last night, running my last 30 minute run (2.7 miles). I am really proud of myself, and plan to run the next 3 runs for 32 minutes, the 3 after that for 35 and then begin this 10k training program. I am not quite up to 3 miles yet, so that is why I am not starting immediately. I will have to start running for distance, not time.

Thanks for still reading this–I am hoping for some decent knit pictures soon.

 

progress?

Monkey socks finished (size 1 needles, Socks that Rock mediumweight yarn in Blue Moonstone).

Job interview next Tuesday–unsure what exactly the position calls for, but I feel like I need to be proactive. My other job is still ongoing, but continues to be unstable as it is unclear what the company that owns us plans to do (ie sell us, shut us down, keep us open. It is completely undecided and therefore I am finding it very stressful).

Running is still coming along nicely–I ran 20 minutes for the first time yesterday (and finished the 5th week of the program ) without stopping–outside–and traveled 1.85 miles for a 10:50 minute mile. Pretty damn proud of that.

Out to dinner with T. Baby shower for a friend at work, and then licensure supervision this weekend. Sorry blogging has been so sporadic and crappy–worklife has been taking its toll.

 

no changes

The cuff of Monkey socks. I actually have the gusset finished and will knit more of the foot at knit night this evening.

Work is still incredibly unstable, which has increased my stress, which has made me feel like crap. I am still doing the couch to 5k program (completed week 4 day 2 today) which is helping with my mood. But generally, I am pretty stressed out and frustrated. So not a great blogger. Sorry about that–hopefully I will have some kind of good news soon.

 

unexpected

Otis is as surprised as I am to receive these azaleas in the mail today. My boss, and her supervisor, sent them to me, as a thank you for the work that I do. Definitely unexpected.

Tomorrow I am away on the cruise — I will be back with pictures and stories in about a week!