It was cool and overcast today. By late afternoon, the clouds had been pushed back towards the ocean, hovering over the coastal range like a frozen tidal wave.

I worked both jobs today, doing a morning shift at the museum (during which I finally met the woman who got the supervisor position instead of me - I wonder if she knows this?) and teaching an after school program up in Fremont, during which I once again showed small children how to make cool paper airplanes. This class went better than Monday's. The kids were closer together in age and somewhat less hyper, despite the fact that there was a kid with ADHD in the class. Afterwards, I went and learned how to build model rockets (for a class I'm teaching next week) and hit the freeway for the rush-hour crawl back home.

Tomorrow I'm not working anywhere. I feel so underemployed. Nothing new happened on the job search front today. Tomorrow is another day.

I've been reading Watership Down to the boys for the past couple of weeks, and they're really enjoying it (did I mention this already? I forget...). It's been years since I last read it, although I read it multiple times as a child. I still love it, especially the descriptions of the countryside and wildlife. If you've only seen the movie (which is excellent in its own way, of course), do yourself a favor and read the book. It's even better. All of the other books by Richard Adams are good too. They've even made a couple of them into films - The Plague Dogs and Girl in the Swing - the first about a couple of dogs who escape from a research lab and the second one a nice, subtle ghost story.

Jen and Lexy came home from Lexy's "arm doctor" appointment today with new socks, shoes, and belt for me so I'd look extra nice for my job interview. I have to admit I actually did look pretty good, although Lexy observed that I looked "pretty plump" with my shirt tucked in. Kids are good at popping those ego balloons.

As for the interview, it went well. I believe I mentioned before that it was a panel interview, conducted by three people. When I was ushered into the room the first thing I noticed was that I knew who one of my interviewers was. She's the mother of one of the campers I taught over the summer. Small world indeed. The interview was short, and I think I answered well, but it's always kind of hard to tell. I found out that one of the other interviewers plays the nose flute, making him the first person that I've met outside of my circle who plays it. I think the fact that I play it will work in my favor. Who would have thought? Sometimes esoteric interests pay off. Now I have to wait a week and a half to find out whether I go on to the third (and final) step - an interview with the director of the school. I think I have a really good chance (I've said this before, however), and in addition to this there's a part-time position available as well (sort of like a silver medal at the Olympics). More positions will be available soon too.

In the meantime, I've e-mailed another place today, and am still waiting for a response. I heard back from one other place as well, and am currently trying to decide whether the relatively low pay and half-hour commute would be worth it. There are set interview times twice a week every week during October, which of course are inconvenient for me because making these times would entail missing work at one of my current jobs. It's such a struggle to juggle. Well, not really, but it rhymes.

It was cooler today, with clouds breaking up the monotony of the sky. I didn't do much besides the interview. Tomorrow I work both of my current jobs, for a total of five hours of pay. Rolling in money, but still feeling the hard pavement underneath - that's us.

My second day on the job was much better than the first. Not only did I feel that I hit my stride, but the school I was teaching at was much closer - literally around the corner. The age range of the kids was smaller, and there was only one child who acted out - refusing to wear his shoes and keeping up a near constant chatter. We managed to work around him.

I sent yet another resume into the aether today for a job in the social service field. Not exactly my background, but what the hell. Tomorrow I have an interview, which is the second round for the Environmental Education Specialist position. It should go well, but I still worry. My knowledge of the subject is pretty extensive (I think), but there's always the possibility that they'll ask questions that I can't answer. There's just no telling... I might as well stop worrying about it. What will be will be.

Why is it so damn hard to make a living?

Here's an old oil painting from my misspent youth. Taking good digital photos of oil paintings is harder than I thought it would be. There's always some sort of glare from somewhere.

I went to a couple of gatherings over the weekend, the first alone and the second with the whole family. On Saturday, I went to Al's birthday party at his (relatively) new place on Mission St. in San Francisco. It reminded me of parties I used to go to half a lifetime ago, with people gathering on dimly lit wooden balconies and in narrow hallways. The apartment, several floors up from the street, atop a lengthy blue staircase, was decorated in grand seventies style with black light posters and lots of plants. Pretty cool, actually. There was also excellent fondue and chocolate dip.

On Sunday, we loaded the kids in the van and went to Santa Cruz for the after party of the baptism of Andrew, who is small and smiley and not sure what all the fuss is about. There were lots of kids running riot everywhere, and more excellent food. Our own kids had lots of fun in the jumphouse, even Lexy, who went in against our advice. We arrived home tired. This morning I awoke sore from all of the extra running around. It must have been the badminton. Oh, and the fact that Willow really laughs when I hop like a frog.

I finally started my second part-time job today, after a morning of training (with more to come tomorrow morning). This involved going to a school in Palo Alto, discovering that my class had nearly twice as many kids as expected, gathering them from various rooms around campus, and teaching them how to make and throw paper airplanes. In the process of doing this I discovered that my official lab coat is good for knocking airplanes down from the ceiling and from where they had become wedged in inaccessible air vents. Due to the unexpectedly lengthy process of adding all of the new sign-ups to the roster and then gathering them up, and the even more unexpected fact that many of the kids couldn't fold basic paper airplanes, I ran out of time and had to rush through the more interesting stuff. For a first day on the job, it could have gone better. Of course, it could have gone worse too. I guess I'm not used to having to wrap things up after only an hour.

Still no new news on the job search. Right now I have a headache which I'm trying to relieve with candlelight and Current 93. Very peaceful in a haunting sort of way, as usual. We need more peaceful moments around here.

I went on a hike with Nate today. We took some pictures:




He spotted the Gopher Snake hanging out of a hole underneath a tree root.




It took exception to being caught.




So after taking too many photos, we let it go.




Then we saw a deer taking advantage of the shade provided by a large boulder near the Guadalupe reservoir.




Then, saving the cutest for last, we came upon a male Tarantula in the process of seeking a mate.




"Nope. This isn't a mate. I must have taken a wrong turn somewhere."




"Hmmm... this might be a mate, but it's only got five legs."

I had a training meeting at the museum tonight, which I thought was funny because I don't plan on being employed there much longer. They pay us for the meetings though. I guess there's always a chance that I'll end up being there longer than I plan to be, but I hope not. I'm ready to move on, and have already turned my energy elsewhere. Now all I have to do is get hired someplace.

I'm remembering that at the beginning of the year I made a vow to get a full time job with benefits before the end of the year. I'm working on it, dammit. No new news on the job search front today. The phone call that I've been expecting this week hasn't happened. No interesting jobs have been posted on any of the sites I've been checking daily. In fact, no uninteresting jobs that meet my other requirements have surfaced either. Woe is me.

I tried to photograph my old oil paintings with the digital camera today, but there was a glare from the flash. Tomorrow (if I have time) I'll go lay them out in the sunlight and try without the flash.

Lexy got through his re-casting ordeal today with a minimum of problems. He was pretty woozy from the anesthesia when Jen brought him home, and it was hard keeping the girls from jumping all over him while he recuperated on the couch.

The days are still too hot and hazy, but the evenings feel nice. If I miss one thing about my night job, it's being outside in the cool night air. At home, the house retains the heat of the day well into the night.

Autumn announced itself this morning with heat and haze. Yesterday's clear skies have once again withdrawn behind a curtain of smog. I was thinking it might be nice to greet the official change of season with some sort of little ritual, but got distracted by the frenzied pace of life at home and missed the exact moment (nine thirty something in the morning) by twenty minutes or so. Later, at work, I decided to draw a picture to celebrate the season. For what it's worth, here it is:




I also went to a small job recruitment event at my old university today, marvelling at the fact that there's actually a substantial downtown area around it where there used to be very little. Kids these days have it good. At the event, I picked up some information from the tables of a couple of nonprofit social service companies. The jobs sound interesting, and they're definitely the type of job that a person can feel good about doing. The pay (as is usually the case, I'm finding) is a bit low, but there's benefits and they're full time.
Nearby, at the school library, there were a couple of tables and a large plastic bin full of free books. Of course there were tons of students rifling through them, so I only managed to grab a couple - a book on Elkhorn Slough and a well-used Nausicaa graphic novel. I just missed out on a pile of National Geographics. I should just subscribe to it, but can't because I have no money.

I saw a different rat in the garden today. I felt a little like the Pied Piper because he jumped out of one of the raised plant beds while I was playing music. He didn't follow me though. I guess I'll have to keep practicing.

This evening, Jen's mom took her out for a birthday dinner, and I watched the other kids. Willow got to play with the little neighbor girl while the sky darkened and the moon rose. Then there was the usual chaos that precedes bedtime. Lexy is really nervous about going back to the doctor tomorrow to get yet another cast put on. His arm isn't mending well enough, it seems, so they have to redo it again. Poor guy.

Next week is going to be busy. This week I'm just waiting to see what happens. I got another e-mail from somebody who wants a reptile birthday party for her son, but that won't be until the end of November. Still, it's nice to know that there will be a little money trickling in. Too bad it's not a flood.

Happy birthday Jen!

Oh, and Cat Stevens should be allowed to go where he wants to. George Bush and his cronies, however, should be stuffed nakedly into holding cells for people to chortle at.




I'm not sure why I keep coming back to this particular theme - ships trapped in muck, or the Sargasso Sea. Maybe it's a metaphor for the ship of state. Whatever the reason, it's fun to draw.

We got an exquisite taste of autumn on Sunday. The temperature dropped, a breeze was kindled, and the clouds teased us with a sprinkle or two. Lovely. Today, however, it was warmer and clearish. Not so lovely.

I went to the first meeting for my new part time job today, all the while feeling guilty in the knowledge that if I find a full time one, I'm going to have to quit. One of last year's co-workers from the BioSITE program also works there, so there's at least one familiar face. And the unfamiliar faces all seem to belong to nice people, so it will be fun while it lasts. The actual job involves teaching after-school science programs at various locations around the South Bay. The only problem is that it's in one hour segments in the middle of the afternoon, making the scheduling of other projects or jobs frustrating, to say the least. The pay per hour is really good, but the number of hours is severely lacking. Lacking or not though, I'll do as much as I can for now. I get trained over the weekend and early next week. I also start teaching early next week. I also get interviewed by a panel of three people for a full time position next week. Hopefully I'll also hear back from the other potential employer by then.

I'll be glad when the dust settles.

Happy almost birthday to Jen!

I went and checked out the Applied Behavior Analysis job today - the one that entails working with autistic children. It's in one of those portable buildings behind an elementary school around the corner from my old high school. I observed a couple of different tutors in action. The first one was working with a boy who had articulation problems. The second one was working with a little girl who threw things. Beads, blocks, shoes, & socks flew everywhere. The work seemed a bit repetitive, but I got the feeling that there are few dull moments. The problem, I discovered, is that it doesn't pay much. After union dues, it works out to about eleven dollars an hour. It's also only part time. I'm still deciding whether or not I should apply. I may wait until the beginning of next week before deciding.

Later, I got an e-mail stating that I'd passed the test I took earlier in the week. I have an interview scheduled for the end of the month. This is for an Environmental Education Specialist position, which is exactly the kind of job I want.

Hopefully sometime soon I can get back to writing about something other than this interminable job search.

Another job possibility has appeared over the horizon, thanks to a tip off from Uncle Jay and Stacy. It involves working with autistic children, which is something I've never done before. I'm going to go check it out tomorrow, to see what it's like. At the moment, only a part time position is available, but it comes with benefits. Meanwhile, I've gotten a work schedule from the other part-time employer, and it's a little light on the hours. There's a good possiblility that it will be added to soon though. Probably just in time for there to be a conflict with something else. At any rate, it's sure been an interesting month with all of this uncertainty.

I really hope that I get one of the full time jobs. It's difficult to juggle part time ones. Of course, I'll do whatever I have to do.

I just noticed that the King Snake has started to shed. He always makes himself extra scarce around shedding time, preferring to remain out of sight under his water bowl. Due to his reclusiveness, I didn't even notice his eyes get milky. He didn't eat his last mouse though, which is always a good indication that shedding is imminent. Not one to waste food, I gave the mouse to the Monitor, who is always willing to eat.

I felt like I was back in school again as I sat at a table, taking a test, surrounded by other people doing the same thing, all in order to actually get to the interview phase for this particular job. I think I was the only local person. Others I talked to had come from Southern California, Monterey, and Marin. The test itself consisted of matching, fill in the blanks, and short answer questions, all dealing with environmental science issues. I think I did pretty well. I was one of the first finished, even taking into consideration that I rechecked my answers a few times.

Now I get to sit around and wait for people to call me back. A total of eighteen people applied for this one position. Not the best odds. Could be worse, I suppose.

It was hotter today, and is still a bit uncomfortable. The air is still, and a single cricket is chirping outside my window. I'm not sure why the crickets in the scorpion and tarantula cages don't join in. I can see them in there, silently moving around.

Autumn had better get here soon.

This probably happens a lot in small towns: You've applied for a job, and you know that you have a pretty good chance of getting it, but then one day a friend overhears a woman in a $tarbucks coffee shop excitedly talking to a friend about how she just got offered that very same position.
Imagine my surprise when it happened to me here in a city of almost a million people (and that's not counting the suburban sprawl of towns and cities nearby).

So what was this job that I almost had? It was a supervisor position at the museum. Apparently it was down to me and this mysterious woman. It seems that she got the job because her background is more purely managerial than mine. It seems that previous supervisors had voiced their frustration about not getting to interact with children as much as they would have liked. Since they know me, they felt that I would encounter this same frustration. At the moment though, I'm not worried about frustration. I'm worried about paying the damn bills.

I'm irritated. I've worked there for over six years, and I also have over six years managerial experience (at a bookstore). I'll probably continue to be irritated until I find a position somewhere else. That said, I think that the other possibilities I have in front of me at the moment sound more interesting than a supervisor job. I'll probably eventually be glad that I didn't get this one. Eventually.

And think about the odds of finding out about it like I did. They have got to be steeper odds than winning the lottery. Very coincidental indeed. Or was there some reason why it happened this way - some lesson to be learned? Time will tell, like it almost always does.

Another job interview is behind me. I'll hear back from them next week to see if I get to move on to stage two, which in this case means spending a day in Half Moon Bay. I also let my new part time job know about the possibility of me getting a full time job. I'm supposed to get back to them when I find out.
It looks like I have some real competition for the job I interviewed for today. People have applied from all over the state. How well a person does at this job is determined in part by personality, and how one relates to others at the facility. I'm not talking about coworkers, although interpersonal relationships are also important, I'm sure. It seems that sometimes the coyotes or the bobcats, or other animals on site, just decide they don't like certain people. I hope I dont' fall into that category. I'm not worried though. I have a way with animals.

Jen and I took turns running errands today. Strangely enough, we both came home with dirt. If judging us by our apparently frivolous spending habits, a person would have to conclude that we have more money than we know what to do with. Sadly this is not the case. I bought dirt ("Jungle Mix") so I could clean the Rat Snake cage. Jen bought dirt so we could once again try to whip the yard into shape and plant a few flowers. It's a good thing dirt is cheap. Dirt cheap, actually.

The weather has decided to give us a break, so it was cooler and slightly breezy today. Thankfully it wasn't quite as breezy as it was in, say, Jamaica, or Cuba today. That's too breezy.

We watched The Station Agent last night (wonder of wonders, actually getting to watch something that isn't meant for kids) and both really liked it. Go see it if you want something both humorous and thoughtful. It's a good, solid film about unlikely friendships. What is it that draws people together, anyway? A simple question with millions of answers.

We made a measly 13 dollars at the yard sale today. Afterwards, since the older kids were at their dad's, we all took naps. Outside, it was hot again, with a bit of wind to temper the temperature. Inside, there was lots of stuff on the floor, so with my energy regained after my nap, I cleaned up a bit. It made me feel better.

Here's a photo from the archives, taken at work on Halloween sometime during the 90's. Impromptu costumes are always the best - It took a whole roll of toilet paper to achieve this effect.

Individually, people are usually okay. It's when they get together in big groups that the problems start. Look at religion. Look at popular culture. Look at the government. Look at all governments. Look at the decay inside that bursts outward like the contents of prodded pustules, taking down innocent lives and altering landscapes. Look at the hatred and fear on all sides as groups of people lash out at each other, begetting more hatred and fear.

Stop identifying with groups. Start thinking. Start feeling. Start living.

I just read that tonight there was a mushroom cloud reported in North Korea. People continue to die in Iraq and Afghanistan, and many other places all over the world. It's not going to stop anytime soon. What happened three years ago in the U.S. was really a pretty minor event in our long history of bloodshed. Those people shouldn't have died. All of the people who have died since, as a more or less direct result of that event, shouldn't have died either. All of the people who in the future will die because of that event (and let's not forget all of the other events that led up to it) should not die either. Every one of these people who have died or shall die leave behind grieving friends, lovers, and relatives. And the cycle continues... This is not about politics. It's about who we are. Who are we?

I'm reminded of the kids. It's always a pleasure to have one on one time with them. Whenever we try to take them anywhere in a group it usually results in a scene of some sort. Whining and tantrums. It's kind of a microcosm of how the world works. People just can't seem to get along.

There is evil out there, but it is spread evenly throughout humanity. Everybody has the potential inside them. Don't give in to it.

I got to visit yet another hospital today, because Lexy, not content with breaking his arm at school a couple of years ago, broke it again today. This time it was much worse. Bent at a right angle - very painful to look at, let alone experience. He was very brave about it, all things considered. It seems he was accidentally knocked over on the asphalt playground. Tonight he is sleeping with a cast, which he will be wearing for quite some time. I'm sure Jen, who stayed with him at the emergency room while I went home to feed the girls, will fill in all of the little details on her blog.

On the positive side of things, I got another response from a potential employer today. Now, in addition to a phone interview next week, I have an hour long test to take. Jumping through hoops in the mad scramble towards gainful employment. How thrilling!

It's hot inside tonight, but cool outside. I'm sitting near an open window.

Oops. I spoke to soon. I'm now sitting near a closed window. Right after I posted the above, the unmistakable odor of pissed-off skunk came wafting in. I went so far as to poke around the yard with a flashlight (after a comical episode of trying to find a working flashlight and discovering that even one of the brand new never-been-opened ones didn't work) to find the culprit. No skunks were sighted. Just that abominable smell. Jen has put some aromatherapy oils in the kids' rooms, and we have incense burning in here. It's getting warm though. Dammit.

The sticky weather continues to torment us. I noticed today that the air has once again taken on a brownish tinge along the horizon, like a monstrous dirty diaper. Maybe it was this dirtiness that kept people away from the museum today. I found myself nearly alone at my table, where I would have been showing people how to make rain guages had anybody been interested.

This morning, before the heat struck, I took my mother to the hospital for a hernia operation, and sat there with her as one of the hospital bureaucratic types shuffled papers around and asked for the same information several times.
After work, I picked her up and drove her home. Just like that. It was her first operation too. I have yet to have one myself, and am not looking forward to the day. The idea of being "put under" while people I don't know cut me open just doesn't appeal to me.

I'm currently listening to Ilgi "Speleju Dancoju" (I Played and Danced). It's a musical based on a play by Latvian poet Janis Rainis (1865-1929), and the music definitely covers a lot of ground, with scores of singers singing the character parts, backed by Ilgi's blend of Latvian folk and rock. Willow was in here earlier dancing to it. I wonder what kind of music she'll like when she's a teenager. Most likely something that all of the grownups hate, but you never can tell. Maybe she'll be the exception to that particular rule.

Here's another picture of a snake. This one I caught up near Pinecrest Lake in the Sierra Nevada range. It's a Mountain Kingsnake. Red on black. Friend of Jack. Whoever Jack is.

Another potential employer called to schedule a job interview with me today. It's a phone interview, to take place on Monday morning. I hate talking on the phone. I'm glad they called though. It's always nice to have a few options. The salary for this particular job is unknown ("send salary requirements"). The commute looks kind of brutal, and I don't quite have the previous experience that they're looking for. However, it looks like a fun and rewarding job. And they did call me, after all.

The problem is that, shortly after I do this interview, I should know whether or not I have the other job - the one that I've already done two interviews for. Not to mention the part time one that I've already been hired for (although they haven't called to schedule me yet). I have a feeling that this is how job searches often end up - a muddle of possibilities. I guess I should be thankful that at the grand old age of 36 I've never had to deal with it before. All of my previous jobs just kind of snapped into place like a lego set (the little kid kind, not the complicated ones for older kids). This is partially because I kept the night job for 16 years. With those nocturnal paychecks rolling in, the daytime paychecks didn't really matter, giving me the freedom to work for proverbial peanuts, or in some cases nothing. Things are a little different when the bills and the rent are hanging in the balance. It makes me more nervous during interviews.

We're participating in another garage sale on Sunday, just in case. I've still got a handful of Canadian dollars, British pounds, and Euros to exchange as well.

The interview went pretty well, I think. Now more waiting...

The boys and I went for a hike this evening. Of course, the first person we ran into on the trail (right after stopping to look at some deer) asked us if we had seen any Mountain Lions, which is the one animal I try not to mention around the boys because they're a bit scared of them. The man was actually out there with his little binoculars hoping to spot one. He went on to say that a friend of his had seen one in the gully next to the trail we were on. I had visions of the boys simultaneously wetting their pants. To their credit, they didn't, and we continued on, with the man's parting words, "look out for Rattlesnakes!", ringing in our ears. I love finding Rattlesnakes, but I once went on a hike with Lexy during which he whined the whole time about the possibility of running into one. Again, perhaps because both boys were there together, they managed to hold it together. Further up the trail, a couple walking their dog were staring into the brush while the man made loud noises, as if trying to scare something off. I asked them what they were looking at, and the woman sheepishly replied that they thought it might have been a Mountain Lion. As they left, I peered into the bushes and witnessed a family of Quail hightailing it downhill. People are a bit jumpy, aren't they?

It started getting dark well before we got back, and we saw a large bird that I couldn't identify in the gloom. It had a habit of flying a short distance every time I got close, so I never did figure out what it was. I looked young, though. Afterwards, we saw an owl (flying into the distance), and some bats. Another owl hooted from somewhere out in the dark.

We also saw these:







It was so dark at this point that I couldn't see what I was taking a picture of. We didn't clearly see the toads until we looked at the pictures. The boys had a lot of fun. The toads peed on me.

It's just as hot today. Maybe hotter. I'm drinking iced coffee with half-frozen ice cubes because I just couldn't wait for them to solidify. Tomorrow promises more of the same. During the late morning, I have a second interview for one of the positions I've applied for. I'm confident and nervous at the same time. I hope the confidence is more obvious than the nervousness.

I spent Labor Day laboring at the museum, mainly because a great many people spent Labor Day visiting the museum. At least it was air conditioned.

Here's a snake. Snakes are nice. They also occasionally help pay the bills around here.

It's the kind of weather that makes your clothes weigh heavily upon you and your fluids leak slowly from your pores. We're all just flopping around the house today, because even without air conditioning it's still cooler inside.

Did I mention that I got another part time job? I'm unsure what to tell them next week when they begin scheduling hours, because the jury is still out on the full time one. I'll think of something, I guess. Maybe I'll know more in a few days.

M. and I went and saw Sleepytime Gorilla Museum at Mills College on Saturday, meeting G. who publicly transported himself there, on the steps outside. Carla Bozulich opened the show and sounded nothing like somebody who recently recorded a re-make of Willie Nelson's "Red Headed Stranger" would be expected to sound. Not Country, in other words. Much more jagged and jarring. The inappropriately monickered Death Ambient (Fred Frith, Ikue Mori, and Kato Hideki) were next, and did interesting things with guitar, laptop, and bass. Fred Frith was especially fun to watch as he played his guitar with the help of a table full of gadgets. The very appropriately named Toychestra was next, and performed a set using children's instruments and toys. If my pockets had contained anything other than lint, I would have bought some of their cds. Sleepytime Gorilla Museum, looking a bit out of place on a well lit school stage, were as incredible as always. The only sobering bit was Moe!'s official announcement of his departure from the band. A replacement is currently being trained.

One more interview behind me. Actually, it was kind of a group interview, with three interviewees present. The drive to the interview took about half an hour, which is fine by me because I have a cd player in my car. I think I'll find out pretty quickly whether or not I get this job. In a way it reminded me of my job interview at YSI - very relaxed and friendly. It seems like an exciting place to work. An old coworker of mine (well, from earlier this year, anyway) already works there. More on this soon.

Jen got a call while I was at work from a woman who wants to have a Halloween party with reptiles and spiders and such. Extra money next month. As if any money we take in is extra... Every little bit helps though.

For some reason there were lots of people in the Early Childhood Center at work today. And they were all playing with the gak (a rubbery, slimy mixture of borax, glue, water, and food coloring). While clowning around with a large group of preschoolers I discovered that it is possible to jump rope with the stuff. It usually ends up coming apart, sending slimy green segments across the room, but the kids sure enjoyed it. A mom even requested a repeat performance for one of her daughters who had missed the initial tomfoolery. It was one of those days that made me marvel at the fact that I get paid to do this kind of work. Too bad it's not enough to live on.

I've been shortlisted for one job position, and my follow up interview is next week. Wish me luck. I also have an interview for a part time job tomorrow morning. I'm still trying to decide how I'm going to juggle this. I don't have enough time to do both, and we don't have enough money to do neither. I need to jump on every opportunity that presents itself though, so I guess I'll just sort it all out later. I'd hate to pass up the part time job if the full time positions that I've applied for go to other people.

I think it was in the seventies today, which is lower than the numbers that the forecasters have been spitting at us all week. Maybe that means that it won't really be anywhere near one hundred degrees this weekend. One can hope.