I finally made it to the “test” portion of the application process for a job. Normally I just get a terse rejection letter before this point with other jobs to which I’ve applied. Jobs for which I am perfectly suited, jobs with the exact same title and description of what I do now.

Who knows why I slipped through this time, but slip I did. This morning I reported, as requested, to the “General Purpose Room” of Depressing Bureaucratic Building. I, along with 30 of the other best and brightest*, was asked to take a Scantron form, a piece of scratch paper, a calculator, and two #2 pencils.

When we were told to, we flipped our test packets over and began. I shouldn’t divulge anything about the test, but it was nothing surprising. What was surprising and weird was the fact I was, in effect, taking an SAT after several decades of not having to “fill the bubble in fully.”

So familiar! Someone always has an annoyingly sniffy nose. The ripple of discomfort when the first person finishes so very early (But I’m not even half done!) The gnawing nerves.

[*I’m sure there are more than 30 applying for this job. This is a tough tough TOUGH market. These times, I tell ya, etc. Here’s hoping I make it to the next retro step!]

– – – – –

My new home is looking terrific (I know, I need to post photos), and I’m in pretty hardcore love. Of course, there are frustrations I have encountered while trying to make the place look like I want it to:

• I made the mistake of not hiring a professional to do all the painting — I tackled two cabinets myself and it did not go well. The painter is coming back tomorrow to finish off the kitchen, and I’ll bet he’ll do it with a lot less swearing and questioning of the point of life.
• As part of the closing agreement with the seller, I was to receive a gift card for Lowe’s in a significant amount. They gave me a Home Depot card instead, and I should’ve bounced it right back and insisted on Lowe’s. In this region, at least, there is no comparison — friendly, non-judgmental, knowledgable (L) vs. condescending, uninformed, deadbeat (HD). However, money being money, I painfully spent that card, and now I’m free of the Despot.
• $100 bills just fly away. Fly away. All the time. And no project is simple, predictable, A-to-B easy. Ever.
• I need a table for my work space upstairs and I’m weirdly unable to move forward on this. The whole loft area is stumping me right now.
• Picture hanging has been challenging and I’m mad at myself for owning so much artwork and somehow it’s not enough or right!

But that’s about it! Otherwise, I swan about this beautiful space, and really can’t believe my luck and good fortune.

– – – – –

Two new habits trying to be established: daily meditation, and regular reading of actual books of fiction. The meditation is going great, but the other is … oy. I feel shame at how flabby my reading brain is. I did manage 3/4ths of a Civil War era fiction before I had to return it to the library. It’s an okay book, but I have no desire to see how it turned out. I guess I could try again with a different book!

I need a level and more pictures in the correct size and shape.

View off my balcony. Yup.

 

The grocery store one block from my old neighborhood, last week. So much closure going on these days.