Howling at the moon

Another work post. If you're bored of these, why not try visiting Treespotter instead -- his posts are much more interesting to read, I think.

Anyway, it's been a week since the interview. I called the recruiter on Friday and the verdict was "no word yet", but that he thought they had only interviewed the last person the day before. He said he'd try chasing them, but if I didn't hear back on Friday then he would let me know Monday. Monday rolls around, it's past noon so I call him. Get his voicemail, being all upbeat and peppy I leave a message saying hey, I'm checking what the word is from our friends at the RCoA, and I look forward to hearing from him, hopefully with good news. I then headed out in the car.

I noticed when I arrived at the shops that I had voicemail -- he must have called back when I was driving and I'd had the music up too loud. The message just said again, no word, but that they had liked me so he'd continue chasing. I wandered round the shops a while, found nothing, drove home -- still no further updates -- and went to the gym. An epic session, plus sauna and steam later, I return to my locker and find I had messages. This time the message says he is calling me with "feedback". Not "You got the job" but "I have feedback". I'm not being a pessimist, if it was good news he would have mentioned it. I called back, he was in a meeting, I left a message.

Last Friday the book shop called me, and offered me a permanent job. Far from the full time job I wanted, they offered me 19.5 hours a week, over Friday, Saturday and Sunday. 20 hours a week is ridiculous, I'd definitely need a second job for that -- and then I probably wouldn't get any time off at all, since I'd already be working the weekends. I told them thanks, but no ta -- I need more. They sounded disappointed, but what the fuck? 30 hours Monday to Friday would have been fine, I could have got something extra in the evenings -- but less than 20 was no good at all.

Because I still clearly have too much endorphins from the gym, I sent my favourite recruiter an update email to say "Hi! Hope you're well!! I want a new job!!", sent a local recruiter a message to ask if she was free tomorrow for a meeting -- since she's said she could probably find me temp work while she looks for something permanent -- and a very similar upbeat update email to my old PR contact, just without asking him for work.

From here? Who knows.

In other news, I got home this evening and there was nobody home. My Dad's car was on the drive (and he never walks anywhere) but he was nowhere to be seen. I figured he'd come home when he got hungry, and set about feeding the cat. My Dad then emerged from the garden, and asked me if I wanted to look at the moon with his telescope. No, I told him, I just got in from the gym and I'm tired.

Then I thought twice. Actually, yes, I did want to look at the moon. It's less than half-full tonight, but through the telescope you could clearly see all the various craters and seas on the surface of the moon.

Have I ever mentioned that originally, years ago, I made enquiries with the air force about joining as a pilot because I figured that would be the only way I could ever get to be an astronaut? Seems my dreams have got a bit smaller, now I'm applying to do admin.