Reconsidering my vocation

If I didn't have my own livestock to deal with, I would TOTALLY consider doing this:

Apprentice Wanted
August 18th, 2010

Juniper Moon Farm is fixing to go through a growth spurt and it seems like the right time to take on a new apprentice. We’re looking for a someone willing to commit to at least a six-month stay, although a year would be better.
What you’ll get: In addition to room and board, plus a small stipend, you will gain experience and proficiency in all aspects of the yarn business. You’ll learn to give vaccinations, pull out a stuck lamb, fix a broken fence and trim hooves. You’ll watch lambs and kids come into the world and take their first shaky steps, something that still leaves me speechless after seeing it a hundred times. You’ll get to know the personalities on the farm and will be able to tell when something is wrong, just by looking.
If you want to learn to shear, we’ll send you to shearing school. And after the sheep are shorn, you’ll learn to wash fleeces and dye the yarn.
You’ll leave JMF with confidence in your abilities to run a farm- your own or someone else’s- and with the knowledge of exactly what you are capable of.
What you’ll give: Some days are ridiculously easy. Some days are so hard that every muscle in your body will ache. Most days are somewhere in between. You’ll average about 8 hours a day, including some weekends. Many nights you’ll go to bed exhausted, but it will be that good kind of exhausted, when you know you’ve done a hard day’s work and kicked some ass.
What you’ll need: Experience isn’t necessary. Just a strong work ethic, a desire to learn and a healthy curiosity. You’ll also need a good pair of boots, rain gear and warm clothes for winter, sunscreen and a hat for summer. A good pair of work gloves is highly recommended. A car in not a necessity but would make your life a lot easier when you want to get off the farm.
If you’d like to apply, please send a resume and cover letter to susie AT fiberfarm DOT com with Apprentice in the subject line. All applications will be carefully considered and telephone interviews scheduled with likely candidates. Please pass this post along to anyone you think might be interested.

The Spy Club

The other day, a couple of our Maintenance guys delivered a storage cubby for the children’s area. A mom and her two boys (about ages 8 & 6, I’d say) were there when all of this was getting set up, and those two curly-headed brothers thought that the big cardboard box the cubby came in was just about the best thing they’d ever seen. The mom asked if they could have the box, and the Maintenance guys said sure, why not. It would save them the trouble of having to break it down and haul it away. Those boys’ eyes lit up and they immediately started making plans for all they adventures they were going to have in this box as part of their Spy Club.

It was raining to beat the band, and the Spy Brothers were a little concerned about hauling their box outside through the rain to the car. I told the mother to drive around to the delivery entrance, and I would meet her there, where we could load the box right inot the back of her van. The boys followed me through the building; when we reached the boiler room (where the delivery entrance is), the younger one took one look at the HVAC equipment and said, “OH COOL!!!”

We loaded the box into the back of the van (with some excellent backing-up direction from the older brother), and off they went. These boys just absolutely tickled me—they were so thrilled with this oversized box, and I just loved the thought of all the hours of play and wonderful imaginative adventures they would have. That was one lucky box.

Who knew?

My profound lack of interest in most spectator sports is pretty well known among my friends & family. However (HOWEVER!), I find myself mildly interested in this year's FIFA World Cup. I have no idea about teams, or players, or rankings, or anything like that, but if I stumble across a match on TV, I might actually watch it.

Besides, the video is fun:

Frolicking lambs

I'll have to add creating a place like this to my list of career options--an alternative to milking goats, hooray! Alpacas and goats and sheep, oh my!

Important text message

I am texting you on my cool new cellphone to wish you a very happy holiday season!

Bohemian Muppetry

This MUST be shared with as many people as possible!

Put down the duckie!

Sesame Street is 40 years old! Why does it seem lately that everything and everyone is YOUNGER than I am?

Anyway, one of my favorite songs from Sesame Street is "Put Down the Duckie", and for your enjoyment, here is a video of that song. I love the total randomness of the celebrity cameos--Peewee Herman! Celia Cruz! Jeremy Irons!

New camera!

Eggscuse me?

I so TOTALLY want one of these:




Chicken girl, that's me.

The Book of Love

One of the other blogs I read regularly posted this clip from the finale of the show Scrubs. I DARE you to watch it without tearing up. If you can, you're made of stronger stuff than I am, my friend.



Listen carefully to the song that plays during this segment--it's absolutely lovely, It's called "The Book of Love" and Peter Gabriel sings this version. If you're interested in tracking it down, I found it on the soundtrack CD for the movie Shall We Dance?

Sweet nothings

When I woke up this morning, the first thought that popped into my head was possibly the three sweetest words in the English language--

"I'm on vacation!"

Now, I can die a happy person

Very possibly the coolest email I've ever gotten--

Funny, or awesome? You decide!



Yoko Ono is now following you on Twitter! Inbox X

Reply


Twitter to me
show details 2:02 AM (4 hours ago)
I

Hi, Collie.

Yoko Ono (yokoono) is now following your updates on Twitter.

I always suspected as much

see more Lolcats and funny pictures

Doggone Blues

Now busking for Milk Bones on a street corner near you:

I'm flattered, I think?

Wow, You're a Labrador Retriever!

Labrador Retriever
The Caretaker

Your family is what makes you tick, and you never "flea" from an opportunity to hang out with the whole gang. A family picnic complete with hot dogs, deviled eggs and a refreshing swim in the lake is hard for you to stray from. Your sparky temperament and dogged intelligence mean you are not only a blast to hang out with, but great to work with as well. Your close pals appreciate your patience and forgiveness, knowing you'd rather let sleeping dogs lie than dwell on the mishaps of the past. Your dashing good looks may one day lead to a modelling career, if only you can tame the unfortunate clumsiness that sometimes causes you to go flailing from the catwalk.

FAMOUS LABRADOR RETRIEVERS: Bill Cosby, Jackie Onassis, Dr. Phil, David Beckham

LIKELY PROFESSIONS: Doctor, Sales Executive, Teacher

You can take the quiz yourself here

Spring fever

It's been a quiet week here in Lake Back-of-the-Woods. I'm so hungry for spring that I can hardly stand it. The snow has almost melted away, but underneath, the lawn just looks brown and messy. We've had a few days of warmth and sunshine, but it's so hard when it chills back down again. One of the local weathermen said today, "Once people get a taste of those warm days, they want them to stay." So true.

Two things I discovered this week that have made me happy. I'm sure people much cooler and hipper than I am have heard about these long ago, but what can I say?

Anyway, the first thing is a music group called Bitter:Sweet. Itunes classifies them as "electronic", but I don't think that's quite accurate. They're kind of jazzy, trippy electronic.

My other discovery is a TV show called Flight of the Conchords. It's about a pair of clueless New Zealanders who live in New York, trying to make their band a success. It's very silly and full of goofy songs sung with complete sincerity. I'm also enjoying the New Zealand humor ("New Zealand...don't expect too much...you'll like it") and accents ("He may be dead." "He maybe did what?"). Here's a sample of their music; don't expect too much and you'll like it!

Why I love Jon Hamm

"Lex Luthor Bailout" with Jon Hamm - watch more funny videos

You too?

Hello, boys. I've missed you.

Well, I'm still on my first listening of the new album, so I'm not prepared to give my opinion yet. It always takes me a few listens to sink in to the music. Whatever you say about U2 (and I could say so much), they really force you to pay attention to their songs.

It occurs to me that I've really spanned the ages with this band. I was 17 years old when I saw my first U2 video (It was "Two Hearts Beat As One" from the War album), and I was hooked. I started out buying 45s and vinyl LPs, moved to cassette tapes, CDs, and now digital downloads. And it's all been outstanding.

Office politics

Elizabeth reminds me that I haven't posted recently. As I told her, though, not that much has been going on that's been worth blogging about.

This past week, I finally watched Series 2 and the Christmas special for The Office (UK version). I had seen the first series years ago, and I'm a big fan of the US version too. These shows can be difficult for some people to watch, mostly because of the squirm-inducing sensation of watching completely clueless people make fools out of themselves. However, if you've ever worked in an office, you realize that while some of the characters are a little over the top, they aren't so far off the truth either.

My first job out of college was working in the trust department of a small bank in suburban Minneapolis. There was a group of us there, all just a few years out of school and not yet ground down by the corporate rat race. We dealt with stocks and bonds and trust assets in a "back office" environment, where we never had direct contact with the actual bank customers (and a good thing too). Although we worked hard, we goofed around a lot too, which just amazes me now that I think about it. I guess that's why I like laughing at The Office so much; it reminds me of all those quirky characters that seem to be a part of every working environment.

Here are some of the things I remember we did:


• Our offices overlooked the bank’s time and temperature sign. Every morning, the boys would start a betting pool as to what the temperature would be at 3 pm that day.
• We had another betting pool on how many days in a row our boss, Dino, would wear the same suit.
• Waiting until we knew Paul was in the restroom and then having him paged. When he came back, we’d ask, “Paul, did you hear your page? Where were you?" just for the sheer pleasure of watching him turn beet red.
• Keeping a list of the stupid things people said…like when Kim was complaining about her dry feet and Jayleen recommended that she use a pubic stone on them (she meant a pumice stone). I think I still have that list somewhere…
• Taking Kim’s ugly clown figurines that she kept on her desk and putting them in awkward positions.
• The bank subscribed to a Muzak service, and there was a speaker in our offices that we couldn’t turn down. Oddly enough, one of the songs included was the theme song to “The In-Fisherman”. Whenever it played, we would sit at our desks and pretend to fish. I can still hear that song in my head...Doo do doo, da doo doo doo doooo

So as a tribute to all those eccentric office dwellers out there, here's a little Series 2 Office action (Ivy, feel free to join in):

The Cute One

Just watched Paul McCartney perform "I Saw her Standing There" on the Grammys. You know, he is still so much fun to watch. And how cool was it that Dave Grohl played drums? Rock on!