Clara's Window

"Don't quit your day job." Great phrase, but it assumes one actually has a choice in the matter.

For the third time since I launched Knitter's Review, my so-called day job has suddenly come to an end. The story is always the same. "This economy is just terrible," they begin, as if I didn't know. "Your work has been fantastic, but we need to cut costs or we're not going to make it." (Perhaps they hope my altruism will kick in? "Oh no! That's terrible! By all means let me go - how could I bear to see you fail instead?") They conclude, "We're going to try and bring this work in-house," which means they've decided that one person could easily do the work you've been doing, on top of the three other jobs s/he has been forced to do.

The news came at the end of what was otherwise a red-letter day. I'd mailed fresh new Knitter's Review Boutique wholesale catalogs to 435 shops across the country. And I'd received a huge box of test skeins from Berroco, a gorgeous knitting basket gift from a KR friend, and a galley copy of a new book in which I'm actually mentioned. If the universe wanted to speak, it was doing a great job.

And such is the view from Clara's window on this fine winter Tuesday.