Peek-a-boo from under the thinking cap

Hello!

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Yes, yes I'm still here. Unfortunately, I've hit a major slump after the summer holidays and seem to have a hard time getting motivated. I guess that's a normal autumnal occurrence. I've had a lot of "life-stuff" on my mind lately, and is mostly related to work. If you came here today, hoping to read anything sewing related, I am sorry to disappoint. Feel free to skip the rest, but I just need to vent.

I work at a cable factory, owned by a major international company. It is an industry highly dependant on the offshore- and oil industry. As you may, or may not know, there is kind of a crisis going on, and it is directly affecting my work place. A few weeks ago, we were told that because of the failing market and the oil price plummeting, 45 people are loosing their jobs over the next few months.

We don't yet know who those people are, but I don't feel entirely safe. Both me, and my partner work at the same place, so worst case scenario; we both loose our jobs. I don't quite see that happening, but in that business you never can tell. Norway is an expensive country to manufacture goods in, so our Italian owners could very well decide to just move the whole shebang to another, low-cost country.

So naturally, I am not quite at ease before we know for sure.

I am trying not to let it affect my personal life and spare time, but it is hard. On another note, I am thinking about doing something different for a living. Wouldn't it be great working with something that is a little bit closer to my interests? Maybe this could be an opportunity? If I am beeing totally honest, I don't even like my job. I feel like I am wasting myself, and my health. I only do it for the paycheck.
But I need to be realistic here, jobs are not a-plenty these days, and seeing I have not completed any formal education, I am not exactly going to be head-hunted for a position anywhere...

I do know lots of stuff, and consider myself fairly talented. There are very few things that I can't handle. I have some years behind me successfully keeping a job, so I wouldn't be the most hopeless person to hire. But you still need to convince someone. Self doubt is very much a companion these days.

In my search for new employment, I actually came across two positions involving sewing. Sadly, the pay was really bad, and I ended up not applying.

Have you ever been in a similar position? Did you ever decide to take a blind leap? How did it go? Did it end up life changing? I am trying to instill in myself, the belief that no matter the outcome, it will be for the best, and is only another opportunity.

In the midst of all this gloom, there has been some fun things happening too. I won TWO give-aways! What are the odds?? (might be the Universe trying to make me feel better :)
First I won a lovely knitting pattern  made by the very talented Kristin Jones over at Sew Classic (if you like the pattern, it is for sale at Ravelry). If you don't knit, you can have Kristin knit it for you!
And just the week after, I won the Spearmint coat pattern from Lolita patterns, at Rhonda's Creative Life.  I am very excited about the coat, I have even been fabric shopping, so I hope to have some progress to show once I get over this hump :)