Unemployed

Two weeks ago I gave notice. Today was my last day working at Amazon. It was also my third year anniversary of when I joined the company. It was time. It’s a hit financially, but a necessary one; I need a break from the long hours and the stress that goes along with any IT job. My health and my psyche was beginning to suffer. And I think my family will benefit from having me at home, to help Kai with school, to make healthy meals and do all the business of taking care of the house and the people who live in it. It’s a luxury to be able to quit, and I’m grateful to have the opportunity to try it and see how things go. In six months, we’ll reassess and see if this is working, or whether I need to find another job. But that’s six months to get my health back in line, to feed my family tasty home-cooked meals, and to spend summer vacation with Kai.

Today I drove into Seattle and dropped off my computer and my card key. It was an odd feeling walking out of the building, of knowing I no longer belong there. Lighter, but a bit scary, too.

I’m not sure what comes next. I have some plans about getting the house in order, and taking better care of my body. I’m trying to be okay with ambiguity, and not fall into my usual trap of filling up every spare moment trying to be productive. I’ve forgotten how to relax. It’s time to relearn how to face a weekend with nothing at all planned.

In the meantime, I’ve been spinning. This is 4 ounces of Blue Faced Leicester (BFL) wool that was dyed by Frabjous Fibers in the color #121 Hespera.

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Like me, I have no idea what it’s going to be, but I feel it has potential.

Pocket Wheel

I had to work through the weekend, but made time to swing down to the Madrona Winter Retreat to pick up my pocket wheel. My birthday present this year.

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Made on Whidbey Island, by a lovely husband and wife team, this little wheel is a marvel of engineering. It’s small and light, and the spinning ratios are analog, not digital. You change ratios by sliding a connector in and out along a rod instead of changing out gears. The bearings are sealed, so there’s no oiling and it spins smoothly with very little noise.

I had to get on a year-long waiting list, but it was worth the time it took. I got to travel to Jon’s woodworking shop and pick out the woods and veneers that spoke to me, so I ended up with a custom wheel that was exactly tailored to my likes. I ended up picking koa wood and an anodized copper veneer that reminds me of an ocean map. It’s my island-themed wheel.

When I picked it up this weekend, it was luuurve at first sight. It’s so rare to be able to get something custom made in this day and age, and so delightful to do business with friendly people like Jon and Carla.

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I could barely wait to spin on it. I went out to the rotunda and hung out for a brief while with friends old and new. I’d made arrangements to visit with my friends Selah and Laura, and we had a grand time chatting until my parking ran out and I had to run away back home to work.

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Since I’ve brought this little treasure home, I’ve been spinning every day. If you’re a spinner, you know how peaceful and meditative this can be.

My love of spinning is reawakening in me, and I welcome it back.