Knitting Forward, Oscar Power and Friends

I have a friend in my life who I have known for more than 30 years. Although I have traveled quite a bit, especially in the 1990s, she always reconnected with me, and today, even though we are currently not living close enough to visit weekly or anything, she is probably my very best friend. She lives a bit more than an hour away, and I have hope that sometime this month I can get over to see her. We share an interest in crafting, reading and also both have odd senses of humor :-}
Last year I had fun making us somewhat matching hats. Our heads are different sizes, but I think we have similar tastes. Last year's hat was a bit of lacy crocheted fun that took very little time. This year I am making our matching hats a bit more substantial. I found a free pattern I love, called Cloche Divine. (link is to the Ravelry pattern page, photo above is borrowed from the pattern.) I will be making Lynx and my hats from purpley blue yarn. I am just past the brim on Lynx's hat. I love the cunning way the designer, Meghan Jones uses short rows and increase points to make an integral gathering of fabric enclosed by a band of seed stitch. I also like the split-back brim and the slouchy look of it.
Oscar took the final CCNA exam on Thursday and passed with flying colors. He has done the near impossible. The five (or is it six?) certifications that he has completed in the past seven months usually take students  months EACH to pass. He has fellow students asking him for his secrets. He simply explains that he begins studying (and we're talking 8 t0 14 hours a day) before the class begins, using the practice tests to identify his weak points. Then when he is able to interact with the instructor in class he can focus his questions and attention on the parts he needs help with. Then add another week or two studying and working the labs and online tools and he become ready for the certification exam. He has worked very, very hard since April.
Rather than resting, he is taking the next few days to seriously dig into discarding and sorting items that have been living in his study. He discarded many computers and parts that are around 15 years old. Six big garbage bags worth, so far. I am so proud of him for being able to make these decisions. He started yesterday and made it through maybe 15 percent of the floor space. Today he will continue. I will be in charge of getting the cds sorted out with complete cases so he can quickly determine which to keep and which to donate.We expect he will become pretty busy in a week or so with interviews. (at least that is our hope). He will not be waiting around for people to call, he has already sent out some of his revised resumes to people who are in positions to give him work with plans to contact more than thirty people in total as well as putting his stats up on various job boards. In the time before interviews are scheduled, he will be starting a class in Cisco Security on January 6th. Yes, he is not done learning :-}.Of course if he has an interview that week he will go to the interview then catch up with the class with the online recordings.
I have been contemplating my goals for the coming year. I will continue to write reviews (I have completed five reviews since Thanksgiving, and have three more close to finished I will submit soon). I also plan to wrk hard to complete the Master Knitters program for TKGA. I have already made a start on it previously btu I want to begin from lesson one again. Now that the ginko is helping my focus I have many more days each week I can spend on learning my craft as well as writing new patterns. I completed only ONE design in 2011. I want 2012 to be different.
As soon as Oscar gets his job, life will change yet again. He will be working full time, probably in a different city. I will be home taking care of myself and making lists of tasks for moving.
After we find our new apartment, we will begin moving the basic necessities. I have hope we will be through the decluttering/discarding stages before our new home is found. My goal is to have as little as possible to move. A lot depends on what we can get done this coming month, before Oscar finds his job.