Define:

I have a new definition of the favor of God.

The favor of God is when you go to your new job for just a couple of hours, to meet everybody and fill out paperwork... and you get a raise.

------------------------

A couple of things I forgot I liked about having a job:

1) I like the way it feels when you get home and take off your formal shoes and walk on the carpet. (yes, I have shoes of my own now, that fit)

2) I like putting on my grungie clothes and knowing that now, if someone sees them and makes an assumption... they'd be wrong.

------------------------

I walked in today wearing a dress-shirt, tie, slacks, and black shoes. While introducing me to everyone my new boss says, "Oh, and I forgot to tell him that Friday is Casual Day."

I tried to look baffled as I said to the group, "This is casual... I'll be wearing my tux on Tuesday."

They chuckled. I worked hard to convince myself that they were thinking to themselves,
Ohh, and he's funny too...

But if they were just chuckling politely... they sure are nice.

Do You Have a Job?

'Cause I do!

I left the interview a little before 11:30 and went to return JB's shoes. By the time I got back home there was an email from Sharon waiting for me saying the Times-Call had called (true to their name, I guess), and that they wanted me to call them back.

The reason Sharon had to give me that message is because I don't have a phone and she was graciously allowing me to use hers to get a job (she'd leave it for me in the mornings and get it back in the afternoons). I'd given it back to her on the way to my interview this morning.

Apparently, minutes after I walked out of the building they'd decided to call me.

All that to say, I didn't have a phone to return their call, so I went back to JB's (I'm watching his monster-dog this weekend, so I've got a couple favors) and made a call... the call.

"Hello, this is ----- of the Daily Time-Call."

"Hi -----, this is Shad. I was just returning your call."

"Oh, hi Shad! How are you doing?"

"I'm doing great thanks, how're you?"

"Well, the reason I'm calling is because we wanted to, if you're still interested, officially offer you the position... if that's something you're still thinking you want...?"

"Hmmm... ummm... well..." I paused for laughter, there was none. Apparently she hadn't noticed my desperation in the interview. I thought it might've tipped 'em off when they offered me a certain amount of money and I said I'd take way less than that (not really). That and/or she didn't realize that it'd been less than an hour since I'd been in her office trying to get the job.

"Uh, yes ma'am I'd still like it... er, I accept... your offer...?"

"Oh, wonderful!" she genuinely sounded relieved... did she think maybe I'd had a bad experience in the lobby returning my guest badge?

She continued, "If you'd like, you can come in tomorrow for a couple of hours and meet everybody and do the paperwork, and then start working on Tuesday."

"Sounds great. Thank you very much." Tuesday? Oh yeah, it's a holiday weekend. Oooh, it's a holiday weekend, and I have a job. What a wonderful thing.

"See you tomorrow."

"Looking forward to it. Bye."

-------

I know I didn't win an Oscar, but I should probably get practicing. So...

Thank you Courtney, for the job lead, wouldn't've happened without that.

Thank you Dad and IH for your encouragement and excitement.

Thank you Jan F. for your letter of recommendation, I think you won 'em over with that whole "He's the perfect man, etc..." stuff.

Thanks again JB for the super shoes and the bat phone.

Thanks Coy, for always commenting on my blog (okay, that's a little out of place, but really, thanks).

Thank you, thank you Sharon, for letting me put your cell number over all those (cell number?... I mean, cell phone number) applications and resumes.

God bless you all.

--------------
6-30-05 10:15pm

Another very big thanks to RG.
I had her as a reference on my resume. She emailed and told me they called her today (I'm guessing very soon after the interview) and after reading her email I'm sure her recommendation had a lot to do with my getting the job. Really, I can't thank you enough.

Round Two!

I just got the call (well, actually I got the call about ten minutes ago... while I was in the shower, I heard it ring and had to spot dry my hands and one half of my head so I could use the phone).
The next interview is at 11 today. In... about an hour and a half (correction, I'm not on TX time anymore... it's in 2 and a half hours (... of course, by the time I caught it it's now 8:50... so more like 2 hrs 10 min)).
Fortunately, I was selfish and didn't return JB's shoes yesterday. That'll knock some time off the commute.
To all of my friends who pray, feel free to do so for me... right about... now.

This is a profile pic... but not mine. That's right! Sharon is starting a blog! You should check it out. Now.

I had a job interview today!

Look, I wore a tie. Grandmother would be so proud.

It went well (you could probably tell from the pic) (what you probably can't tell from the pic, is that I forgot my black dress shoes when I moved up here, and I had to run over to a friend's house twenty minutes before the interview and borrow a pair of his... if you look closely enough you can probably see the two-size-too-small pain in my eyes... No seriously, you saved my life JB, thanks.)

They said they had a few more interviews to do today, but they would probably be calling me back later today or tomorrow for a panel interview with the advertising department leads. (The job is Advertising Assistant at the local paper here.) We'll see how it goes.

Another picture I took on my trip. This was in north Wyoming. 

Hidden Beauty

Has anyone else ever found that when someone suddenly seems more attractive at 2nd or 3rd or even a 10th look than they did at 1st glance, it seems to add a whole new level of interest?

Maybe that's not a good way of putting it.

I just mean, if I meet a girl that's average looking or mildly attractive or even beautiful the first time I see her, but then after talking or some interaction, or maybe even the light catches her just right or something... and there's this moment of, "Oh.... she really is pretty." ...it seems to add something to her attraction.

And more so than just if I'd seen her like that from the start.

Okay, here's an incredibly shallow and ridiculous way of putting it (and NO I don't score people when I meet them... I just feel like this might clarify my point): But if I meet her and on a scale she were like a... 5, but then the "moment of enlightenment" comes and she's like an... 8. Well, now it's more like she's a 9 or a 10... better than if I'd seen her as an 8 to begin with.

It doesn't seem like that makes sense, which is why I've opened this entry as a question.

Could it be simply as selfish as wanting to have seen something in her that maybe few others have seen? Sort of a possessive need to indulge in a beauty that maybe no one else has noticed?

Or is it just a natural reaction to something getting better, instead of staying the same or getting worse? Am I subconsciously thinking that if she's this much more intriguing in these few moments, maybe she'll continue to grow more interesting as time goes on?

Oh, and no, this isn't really referring to anything specific that's happened recently, it's just something I've wondered about before, and was curious if anyone else has had similar experiences.