One Year Ago
Erin starts a new job. A...stupid job. Erin is given a brief tour of the warehouse, ahem, "office" and is shown to her "desk"-a table that she shares with another person. At this "desk" is an office chair. It looks like your stereotypical office chair; weird waffle-ly fabric over spongy foam, levers sticking out from the side, a little wheel at the end of each leg. Erin sits down and begins to watch the world's most boring training videos. Erin leans back in her chair and realizes something is wrong. Erin gets up and investigates. Turns out the back of the chair has, at some point, become detached from the rest of the chair and has been, it appeared, jammed back into place. This has caused the back of the chair to permanently list to one side and wobble dangerously when leaned against. Erin is not sure what to do; she has been at the new job all of 10 minutes. Surely it would seem presumptuous to request a new chair. Erin sucks it up and tries not to lean back.
Score: Chair-1, Erin-0
Three Months Later
Erin is working and not leaning back in her chair. Erin hates her chair. Erin wonders what in the world she was thinking when she agreed to this torture. However, Erin is feeling a bit more courageous; having worked at this job for several months she has realized that most people are pretty clueless about the daily goings-on in the warehouse "office". She decides to do chair reconnaissance and find a new chair. She searches. It isn't a difficult search; Erin can see every desk if she stands up. She notices and orphan chair a mere 3 or 4 desks away and hatches a plan to steal/borrow the "new" chair. It takes only a minute. Old chair is out, new chair is in. Erin sits down. The back seems steady. SCORE. Erin begins to work...Erin slowly begins to realize something is not quite right...Erin seems to be slowly sinking. Erin wonders if the floor is beginning to sag (not an altogether impossible idea; Erin has put on some weight and this is one old, decrepit building), but NO. Erin's chair is slowly lowering itself. It seems this chair was an orphan for a reason.
Score: Chair-2, Erin-0
3 months After That
Erin, some months ago, had stealthily swapped out sinking chair for wobbly-back chair. She had decided on the lesser of two evils; while it was fun for a short time to have her very own carnival ride, she was getting a little motion sick. So, Erin is back to wobbly-back chair. BUT WAIT! Ridiculously Thorough HR Lady has been tasked with a chair inventory! She wants to know if Erin would like a brand-spanking new chair! This is a miracle! Erin quickly agrees. Erin is giddy. Erin takes what she can get; she's been copying and pasting from one spreadsheet to another for nigh these last 6 months; it doesn't take much to make her happy. A new chair is practically a Christmas bonus (maybe that's why Erin didn't get a Christmas bonus?). Several weeks pass and VOILA, Erin has a new chair. Erin is also moving to an ACTUAL desk. This will be Erin's third move. It seems that the PTB consulted their "Handbook of Professionalism" and realized that the abandoned warehouse look wasn't really the image they were going for; carpet was put down (the fumes are another story altogether)and Erin had to move (twice); cubicles were installed and Erin had to move (twice). But finally, Erin has a new chair AND a file cabinet. Erin is, well, not happy exactly, but less irritated.
The Present
Erin has moved yet again. Erin's employer has gone on a hiring binge. New people need desks; the cubicles were not big enough. New cubicles had to be installed. Erin moves to a new cube. Thrilling, yes? BUT WAIT. The new cubicle's desk is at least 2 inches higher than the old cubicle. Erin does not fret for she has a NEW (well, 6 month old, so new-ish) chair that is ADJUSTABLE. She tries to raise the chair. The chair is up as high as it goes. Erin cannot really reach her keyboard without her hands being at an awkward, near 90 degree angle. This is problematic. Sigh. BUT WAIT. Erin, being practically fearless now, approaches Ridiculously Thorough HR Lady and explains her "chair situation". Erin is told that new chairs are being ordered. It will be about 1 month. Erin resigns herself to carpel tunnel syndrome. All giddy Christmas-y feelings: gone.
Final Score: Chair-3, Erin-0
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Monday, June 15, 2009
Job Hunting = Sadness
Isaac and I are looking for jobs. He's finished with his graduate work and we are ready to move on. Problem is, so are about 1.5 million other recent graduates. This makes the job hunt rather discouraging.
I am so tired of spending hours and hours and hours on applications and cover letters and resumes and all manner of self-promotion only to:
1. Be told 'Thanks but no thanks' (Isaac actually got an email with that as the subject line! Who does that?!) or,
2. Hear nothing as if our applications have been sent into a resume black hole
It is monumentally frustrating. And, murder on the self-esteem.
Job Hunting really does equal sadness.
I am so tired of spending hours and hours and hours on applications and cover letters and resumes and all manner of self-promotion only to:
1. Be told 'Thanks but no thanks' (Isaac actually got an email with that as the subject line! Who does that?!) or,
2. Hear nothing as if our applications have been sent into a resume black hole
It is monumentally frustrating. And, murder on the self-esteem.
Job Hunting really does equal sadness.
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
My new title
I will now require everyone to call me professor. Only some people will understand this. Those of you who don’t send me some money or a job and I will tell you why. Also, I am testing out Windows Live Writer with IE8. Microsoft is clearly learning how to do things from Google.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Arizona is Trying to Kill Me
When I was a kid I had horrible allergies. I was allergic to everything; dust, plants, the little plastic card the Dr. used for the scratch tests, anything with fur, anything with feathers, anything that once thought about maybe coming in contact with pollen...you probably get the idea. My allergies got so horrible that I slept on plastic, hypoallergenic sheets. My room became a "no-pet" zone. I learned to love HEPA filters and dusting. I got out of having to mow the lawn because, if I did, I couldn't breathe for days. It was miserable. However, my misery was not, I thought, permanent. I was overjoyed when, starting in my early 20's the allergies significantly improved. I didn't have to buy large quantities of anti-histamines, nasal sprays and asthma inhalers. I could breathe, most days, without the help of heavy duty pharmaceuticals. It was lovely.
And. Then.
And then, I moved to ARIZONA. My allergies have returned, and I think they are trying to make up for lost time. There is dust EVERYWHERE around here. There are tiny, dried out leafy things blowing around CONSTANTLY. If it grows in Arizona, I am pretty sure I am allergic to it. Stupid Arizona.
I have not breathed using my nose in nearly a week. I should have bought stock in Kleenex and whatever giant drug company makes Zyrtec weeks ago, because I am sure those companies are now rolling in money. My money. Who needs to buy groceries when you can buy anti-histamines?!
Seriously, between the boiling heat, the creepy birds, the awful drivers and allergies from Hades, I am pretty sure Arizona is trying to kill me.
And. Then.
And then, I moved to ARIZONA. My allergies have returned, and I think they are trying to make up for lost time. There is dust EVERYWHERE around here. There are tiny, dried out leafy things blowing around CONSTANTLY. If it grows in Arizona, I am pretty sure I am allergic to it. Stupid Arizona.
I have not breathed using my nose in nearly a week. I should have bought stock in Kleenex and whatever giant drug company makes Zyrtec weeks ago, because I am sure those companies are now rolling in money. My money. Who needs to buy groceries when you can buy anti-histamines?!
Seriously, between the boiling heat, the creepy birds, the awful drivers and allergies from Hades, I am pretty sure Arizona is trying to kill me.
Monday, May 11, 2009
The Janome 6600 Sewing Machine Saga
So, Emily and a couple of other people off-line have asked how I chose the sewing machine I posted about a couple of posts ago. I started this post as a response to Emily's comment, but it was super long, so I decided to make my sewing machine buying saga it's very own post. Feel free to ignore the rest of this if you have no interest in the various intricacies of sewing machines and sewing machine purchases. Without further ado, here's a not-so-quick summary of how I ended up with my Janome 6600.
When I started looking for a new sewing machine, I had no idea what was available. I had used 3 machines in my life: my mother's excellent Kenmore, the Brother machine my mother bought me for Christmas when I was in college and an industrial Singer my mother gave me when I passed the Brother machine onto my little sister (are we sensing a theme here? My mom rocks.). I started looking for a new machine, fully expecting to buy a mechanical Kenmore, Brother or Singer. I had only ever used mechanical machines so I didn't have a clue what computerized machines could do. I tried a computerized machine for the first time at JoAnne's, while looking at the Singer machines and decided I'd buy a computerized machine.
Deciding to buy a computerized machine opened up all sorts of previously unknown features and options, so I started researching every brand of sewing machine I could think of. After looking at and reading about a bunch of machines online and comparing the many features and prices, I decided I wanted to spend enough money to get a machine I would use for many, many years; this meant I bought a machine that has more features than I use right now, but I am hoping to grow into my machine, rather than out of it.
I also set a price limit right away; it quickly became apparent that you could spend thousands of dollars on a computerized sewing machine. I, obviously, do not have thousands of dollars so I set a pretty conservative price limit.
After my initial research, I limited my search to the main quilting brands (because that is what I wanted to do with my machine) so I looked at Pfaff, Bernina, BabyLoc, Viking (Husqvarna), Brother and Elna. I ruled out Singer and a couple of other brands because they were really garment sewing machines that had been "converted" to quilting machines (mostly this meant someone in marketing had added "quilt" to the name of the machine). I also wanted a machine that much more experienced quilters than myself had used for a while and liked. I made a rather extensive list of machines to actually go and try by doing a google search of the brand names and "review"; there are tons of people out there who post really detailed reviews of their machines (I really liked the website patternreview.com for this purpose).
I immediately eliminated Bernina because the cheapest quilting machine was way out of my price range. I didn't like the feel of the BabyLoc, Brother or Elna; they didn't feel very sturdy or well made (hundreds,maybe thousands, of people will be outraged that I say that, but that's what I thought. Feel free to disagree. :-) )Vikings have recently gotten terrible reviews online, so those were also out.
So, that left,basically, the Pfaff and Janome. Quilters rave about both brands and both have long term reputations for excellent quality. Both brands have a line of machines designed specifically for quilters and the machines in these lines have a huge harp (the space between the motor block where the controls usually are and the needle). I like this because it leaves a lot of space to manipulate quilts while piecing and free motion quilting (sewing free form patterns,rather than straight lines). Both also have a feature that will feed the fabric from the top and bottom rather than only from the bottom, which is pretty important when you sew thick fabrics (like terry cloth, denim or flannel) or quilts. I tried the Pfaff Quilt Expression 4.0 and thought it was the machine for me.
I bought the Pfaff and IMMEDIATELY hated it (seriously, ask Isaac, I was nearly in tears). The thread mechanism was super fussy and quilting, even with thin batting, created HUGE knots. Also, the control features for choosing the stitch pattern, changing the size etc... were not very intuitive. It was, from the first minute I tried it, an absolute disaster. So, I returned it, did some more research and decided to try the Janome 6600P. I went back to the Janome dealer 3 times (after the Pfaff disaster I wanted to be really, really sure I liked the machine) and finally bought the machine.
It is fantastic. It is the only machine I tried that has an all metal casing (which makes it rather heavy, but also incredibly sturdy). It has nearly 200 stitch patterns and using the different patterns is super easy. The patterns can be adjusted for size and the machine can be programmed to perform various sequences of stitches. It also has a separate bobbin winding motor, which I haven't needed, but is rather handy and incredibly fast. The machine is also built to accept large thread cones, which is nice for quilting since quilting requires a great deal of thread. My most favorite thing is the start/stop button (most computerized machines have one). I don't have to use a foot pedal; I can control the machine with a button and the speed slider on the front of the machine. I can sew super slow for curves and as fast as I want for straight lines; the slider holds a perfectly steady spead. It. Rocks.
As you probably guessed, I love the Janome. I've sewn a bunch of projects and haven't had any trouble at all. It is also significantly less expensive than the Pfaff (but still kind of pricey; especially compared to a machanical machine). The one thing I don't have with the Janome is a free arm, but my Singer machine has one, so I use the Singer for sleeves and hemming and such and use the Janome for everything else.
Also, the most important thing I discovered while shopping for my machine is to go to a sewing machine dealer and actually sew on the machines. Even if you are looking at a lower-end mechanical machine, go to a dealer and try a bunch of different kinds. I was able to rule out many different models just by using them for a couple minutes. Don't just rely on the dealer demo; bring some fabric (anything you would sew often on your new machine) and try it out on the machines. Also, at a good dealer you should get at least one free class on how to use your machine. Most importantly, at a good dealer you should be able to negotiate on the price. Whatever the dealer initially quotes you is usually high (just like buying a car!), so google reviews of the machine you are thinking about and read what others have paid and the accessories they got with the machine. For example; my machine was significantly less than the list price and I got the brand name sewing table that fits my machine and free classes included in the price, along with 20% off all my future purchases in the store for ever and ever. :-) Lots of people also ask for, and get, extra presser feet, extra classes, bobbins etc...
So, for the 3 of you who have asked, that's how I bought my sewing machine. :-) And, for the rest of you; you have now recieved a totally free and unsolicited "How to Buy a Sewing Machine" tutorial. You're welcome.
When I started looking for a new sewing machine, I had no idea what was available. I had used 3 machines in my life: my mother's excellent Kenmore, the Brother machine my mother bought me for Christmas when I was in college and an industrial Singer my mother gave me when I passed the Brother machine onto my little sister (are we sensing a theme here? My mom rocks.). I started looking for a new machine, fully expecting to buy a mechanical Kenmore, Brother or Singer. I had only ever used mechanical machines so I didn't have a clue what computerized machines could do. I tried a computerized machine for the first time at JoAnne's, while looking at the Singer machines and decided I'd buy a computerized machine.
Deciding to buy a computerized machine opened up all sorts of previously unknown features and options, so I started researching every brand of sewing machine I could think of. After looking at and reading about a bunch of machines online and comparing the many features and prices, I decided I wanted to spend enough money to get a machine I would use for many, many years; this meant I bought a machine that has more features than I use right now, but I am hoping to grow into my machine, rather than out of it.
I also set a price limit right away; it quickly became apparent that you could spend thousands of dollars on a computerized sewing machine. I, obviously, do not have thousands of dollars so I set a pretty conservative price limit.
After my initial research, I limited my search to the main quilting brands (because that is what I wanted to do with my machine) so I looked at Pfaff, Bernina, BabyLoc, Viking (Husqvarna), Brother and Elna. I ruled out Singer and a couple of other brands because they were really garment sewing machines that had been "converted" to quilting machines (mostly this meant someone in marketing had added "quilt" to the name of the machine). I also wanted a machine that much more experienced quilters than myself had used for a while and liked. I made a rather extensive list of machines to actually go and try by doing a google search of the brand names and "review"; there are tons of people out there who post really detailed reviews of their machines (I really liked the website patternreview.com for this purpose).
I immediately eliminated Bernina because the cheapest quilting machine was way out of my price range. I didn't like the feel of the BabyLoc, Brother or Elna; they didn't feel very sturdy or well made (hundreds,maybe thousands, of people will be outraged that I say that, but that's what I thought. Feel free to disagree. :-) )Vikings have recently gotten terrible reviews online, so those were also out.
So, that left,basically, the Pfaff and Janome. Quilters rave about both brands and both have long term reputations for excellent quality. Both brands have a line of machines designed specifically for quilters and the machines in these lines have a huge harp (the space between the motor block where the controls usually are and the needle). I like this because it leaves a lot of space to manipulate quilts while piecing and free motion quilting (sewing free form patterns,rather than straight lines). Both also have a feature that will feed the fabric from the top and bottom rather than only from the bottom, which is pretty important when you sew thick fabrics (like terry cloth, denim or flannel) or quilts. I tried the Pfaff Quilt Expression 4.0 and thought it was the machine for me.
I bought the Pfaff and IMMEDIATELY hated it (seriously, ask Isaac, I was nearly in tears). The thread mechanism was super fussy and quilting, even with thin batting, created HUGE knots. Also, the control features for choosing the stitch pattern, changing the size etc... were not very intuitive. It was, from the first minute I tried it, an absolute disaster. So, I returned it, did some more research and decided to try the Janome 6600P. I went back to the Janome dealer 3 times (after the Pfaff disaster I wanted to be really, really sure I liked the machine) and finally bought the machine.
It is fantastic. It is the only machine I tried that has an all metal casing (which makes it rather heavy, but also incredibly sturdy). It has nearly 200 stitch patterns and using the different patterns is super easy. The patterns can be adjusted for size and the machine can be programmed to perform various sequences of stitches. It also has a separate bobbin winding motor, which I haven't needed, but is rather handy and incredibly fast. The machine is also built to accept large thread cones, which is nice for quilting since quilting requires a great deal of thread. My most favorite thing is the start/stop button (most computerized machines have one). I don't have to use a foot pedal; I can control the machine with a button and the speed slider on the front of the machine. I can sew super slow for curves and as fast as I want for straight lines; the slider holds a perfectly steady spead. It. Rocks.
As you probably guessed, I love the Janome. I've sewn a bunch of projects and haven't had any trouble at all. It is also significantly less expensive than the Pfaff (but still kind of pricey; especially compared to a machanical machine). The one thing I don't have with the Janome is a free arm, but my Singer machine has one, so I use the Singer for sleeves and hemming and such and use the Janome for everything else.
Also, the most important thing I discovered while shopping for my machine is to go to a sewing machine dealer and actually sew on the machines. Even if you are looking at a lower-end mechanical machine, go to a dealer and try a bunch of different kinds. I was able to rule out many different models just by using them for a couple minutes. Don't just rely on the dealer demo; bring some fabric (anything you would sew often on your new machine) and try it out on the machines. Also, at a good dealer you should get at least one free class on how to use your machine. Most importantly, at a good dealer you should be able to negotiate on the price. Whatever the dealer initially quotes you is usually high (just like buying a car!), so google reviews of the machine you are thinking about and read what others have paid and the accessories they got with the machine. For example; my machine was significantly less than the list price and I got the brand name sewing table that fits my machine and free classes included in the price, along with 20% off all my future purchases in the store for ever and ever. :-) Lots of people also ask for, and get, extra presser feet, extra classes, bobbins etc...
So, for the 3 of you who have asked, that's how I bought my sewing machine. :-) And, for the rest of you; you have now recieved a totally free and unsolicited "How to Buy a Sewing Machine" tutorial. You're welcome.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)