The title says it all, folks. All I have to show today is a sock and a book. First, the sock.
Camelot Monkies:
These socks were my one-and-only WIP this past week, after finishing my mom’s gift socks. I appear to be on a sock kick, and since socks are my most numerous WIP category, I’m glad of it. I began this pair a few months ago (ok, actually, half a year ago, yikes!) in December. I knit the first leg and heel (pink!) and then let them sit but am now happily plugging away on the second sock (green!). The pattern is Monkey by Cookie A. and the yarn is from the fun Opposites Attract series of colorways by Barking Dog Yarns. I love me some cleverly coordinating skeins of yarn.
As for my the book, I’ve finished up Outlander (Why didn’t anyone tell me that the 8th book is not the final book?! It just ends! When will there be more?!) and have re-commenced some soul-searching with Motherhood, the Elephant in the Laboratory. I apologize in advance but it appears that my 30th year will be one of Upheaval and Distress unless I sort some things out, and you’ll likely hear about it here because reading, writing, and research are how I deal. This book is filled with essays written by women who earned their PhD’s from 1970 to now and their experiences balancing their careers with their family life. Work-life balance can be a bit of a taboo subject in science, and there isn’t much guidance to How to Be a Scientist beyond how to work in academia as a professor, which has a dismal hiring rate. (Only 8% of PhD students become tenured professors, yikes!) Alternative job options are basically unspoken of and you really need to do a bunch of digging and take some chances to find things out yourself. This book is a great way to ‘meet’ a bunch of women who managed to find career fulfillment along both traditional and atypical paths in science, and raise some kids, to boot. #mynewheroes
That’s all I have for you this week as I have a major deadline and must get back to writing. Hope all is well! Linking up with Yarnalong and Stitch Along Wednesday.
Woolen Diversions 
Love those socks! The book sounds interesting….
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I love the socks! Out of all the things I can crochet or knit, I cannot get a pair of socks to come out good for anything!
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That book sounds like a winner, whether you are a scientist or not. I’d love to hear what you learn from it.
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wow, those socks are so fun!
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The socks are a cracker, Cookie A is a genius with socks. In a couple of months I will start my humanities PhD while both kids are at school…no idea how this is going to work yet but reading the journeys others have trod is a good place to begin I reckon.
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I love the coordinating socks! I’m a sucker for socks that work together but don’t actually match. I may need to read that book someday..
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I agree with the other comments — those socks are awesome! Best of luck with the soul searching — it’s so good that you channel the questions into researching solutions. 30 can be a real turning point, I’m having a similar ‘moment’ here at 35!
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awesome socks, I love the contrasting cuffs! And I totally hear you on doing lots of reading when I feel like I need to work through something in my brain. everyone needs to find what works for them, but it is great to hear stories of other women who have made it work.
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