Anticipation

I have my first job interview tomorrow, and while my stomach isn't filled with various fluttery insects just yet, I've watched too many sitcoms not to be apprehensive of some grand setback (with or without wacky consequences).  What if I forget my shoes and have to interview in my driving sneakers?  What if I get lost on the way there?  What if the job has already been filled and my interview is only for bureaucratic purposes (this is probably my greatest fear)?

The biggest problem I'm having is, after doing research on the company, I would really like to work there.  If I don't get the position, I will actually be disappointed.  There is so much opportunity for growth within the company, they serve a non-profit client base, and they do charitable work of their own.  It meets a great deal of my criteria, and I'd be sad to see it go.  Especially if I end up working at GameStop, explaining to an exasperated mom why her 8-year-old Tommy probably shouldn't play Dead Space 2 (I know this reference is a little dated, but my boyfriend is playing it in the background as I'm writing this.  I can't stop thinking of the Zero Punctuation review.)

So, I've got the outfit.  I've got the shoes.  I've got the credentials.  I've got the attitude.  Now I just need to get the job.

All that You Can't Leave Behind

After giving it some more thought, there are a lot of pluses to squeezing every penny.  The more I think about it, the prouder I am that pretty much everything I own fit into my father's van/my little Kia (with the sad exception of my robin's egg blue colander, which I mourn to this day).  I always hated having clutter, and it's nice knowing that if I had to abandon this northern adventure of mine, it wouldn't be impossible to move again.  Not that I'm eager to do that, mind you.

The only thing this doesn't apply to is books.  They are my biggest weakness, my Achilles' heel (or lower back after lifting boxes of the stupid things).  But I guess everyone is entitled to one guilty pleasure in life.  I certainly understand the appeal of a Kindle/Nook, but I just can't get excited about downloading my books instead of hunting for them in library sales and dusty back rooms in used book shops.  I have a number of amazing finds that I am extremely proud of.  My boyfriend found the entire Cleric Quintet by R.A. Salvatore for $1.  I had been eagerly searching for a copy of The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman for some time, and I found a hardcover copy in perfect condition for $3.  

One of my favorites is a copy of The More than Complete Hitchhiker's Guide, in leather, which my father found at a flea market for a few dollars.  That book more than any other represents my love of physical books, so much so that it found its way into my high school senior portraits (no, not linking to that or posting it; you can't make me).  Just a short while ago, I was waxing poetic about my few most treasured possessions, and this book made it onto the list.  I can't imagine feeling that way about an electronic written piece.  That's like getting emotional over an email.

I digress; other than books, I'm happy to curb my spending and just appreciate what I have.  So if anyone is feeling giftish this holiday season, maybe you wouldn't mind donating some money to charity in your giftee's honor rather than cramming another questionable holiday sweater into the back of their closet.

Too Much Time on my Hands

Every time I hear that song, I have to fist-pump the air during the chorus (yes, even on the elliptical, which was awkward, believe me).  It has become my personal anthem.

Not that I'm completely complaining.  The job search certainly has the benefit of self-introspection.  I think long and hard about the type of jobs I actually want out of the ones I apply to, and it tells me a lot about myself.  I always knew I was an idealist, but the jobs I get the most excited about are non-profit jobs.

I'm not saying money isn't important.  I do have student loans and a little Kia which need my monetary attentions.  However, I don't need a great deal of money, and I would really love to get up in the morning, knowing that the office I will be sitting in may make a difference in someone's life that day.  It's a lot easier to put on your shoes with that thought in your head.

I am applying to every position I'm remotely qualified for (see: sitting in front of a computer screen and typing), but I've really got my fingers crossed for those few jobs I'd be proud to put on my resume.