the Interview

Carole blogged about this today and then I asked her to “interview me”. What fun!!! So, if you want to be interviewed, email me at kskaare (at) gmail (dot) com.

1. Tell us about the best thing you have ever knit.

I think the best thing I ever knit was my petal socks that I knit while my dad was having surgery. PC was at work, I was sitting with my mom and brothers and I knit those socks. I talked and knit. I worried and knit. I prayed and knit. By the time my dad was out of the ICU, I had a complete pair of socks. Just months before, I had quit smoking (not something I have spoken about here too much) and not smoking during this ‘event’ in my life was damn near impossible.

Right now, I am knitting the Lowry sweater for PC and I have to say, this might be my new favorite. I love the texture, the color and the yarn. The sweater will look great on my already handsome man.
2. What's it like being a scientist?

Being a scientist is strange actually. You have a vague idea about what your day will be like, but that’s merely a suggestion. You are paid to think and problem solve and you know how to do things like separate proteins and isolate DNA or inject a mouse. You can look at something and make predictions, determinations and theories. My job is something I love. I love that somedays I am running from one machine to another trying to find an answer to some question. Other days, I think “I should have taught high school and taken summers off.” There is nothing more interesting to me than a new instrument in the lab. My job is fun and exciting and rewarding (finally, financially rewarding too!), but most of all--- it’s creative. I am creative all day long. I write the procedures, I create them… It’s all “new territory” around here. J

Scientists have a lot of pressure. We have a lot of managers too. Sometimes you need to speak two languages: “lab” and “english” and be able to translate between the two. It can be hard to listen to non-scientific persons tell you how to do your job.Currently, my job requires me to interact with research, marketing and sales. It’s interesting b/c I am in product development and I have to figure out how the product would make someone like me work more efficiently. I get paid to make my life easier. The salary differences between scientists can be infuriating. Women still make 78% of what men make in this field. And academic scientists (called technicians) work for less than Starbucks baristas. All for “experience.” You are not taken very seriously if you haven’t “paid dues.”

I have spent 3 weeks on something to determine that it’s not going to work. That can be extremely frustrating. Also, it can be tough to not take criticism personally. I have a very tough skin at work, but a very thin one at home. Someone says my data is crap? Who cares? The data might.be.crap. But, you don’t like my cooking? In the bedroom, sobbing for hours.
3. What's your favorite restaurant?

I have to say I am torn: Legal Seafoods is just the best. But, Solstice Café in Mission Hill is fabulous also. PC and I have celebrated many occasions there and we just love it. I am such a foodie!!! PC took me to Morton’s Steakhouse in Boston two years ago and I had the best food ever… but it’s not someplace I can go often and I think it’s important to have someplace that is “yours” as your favorite. Always looking for new places, so if you are in the Boston area: send me recommendations!!!

4. Do you do much sewing and quilting these days?

Not as much as I would like. I have some baby clothes I want to make and some quilt ideas popping around in my head. Spring usually brings a renewed interest in sewing. I am going to sew some capris and such for my vacation this spring. And perhaps a dress. Last night, I sat down and sketched a new quilt for PC’s mom and for my mom. I have a quilt kit that PC gave me that I am afraid of. It’s an amazing quilt and I am terrified to screw it up. I have never taken a lesson and have never read a quilting book… I just “know” how to do it.
5. When, oh when, are you going to start spinning?

I think PC just felt his wallet leaving his pants! I don’t know. For those who didn’t witness it: Cheryl and Mel BOTH tried to show me how to spin at SPA. And I failed miserably. It’s interesting but not intuitive to me. I keep thinking of trying a spindle. I am notoriously uncoordinated when it comes to making my feet and hands do things together (this is why I don’t drive stick), so spinning felt awkward. Maybe I just need practice? So, maybe next year, I will have spindle spun some more and we’ll see where it goes from there.