The Not-So-Secret Diary of a Bad Luck Girl

Yesterday, four of ‘em. Needless to say by the end of the day I was exhausted.

The first was with HR, which was basically useless. I guess his job is to screen out those who are completely unqualified. The second one was with someone on the team, but not the right someone. We got that straightened out up front and he’ll be working with HR (those nincompoops) about having me meet with the right individual. He was still helpful though in giving me lots of info about the department, even though I’m already pretty familiar with it. Confirms what I thought I knew.

Third interview with a very smart woman on the team. She asked some tough questions, but I think I did well. Last was with the team leader. Again, a good feeling. It helps that these are all people I’ve worked with, or at least have had meetings with, before.

The more I heard about the position, the more it seemed like a good fit. It’s actually much less copyediting than implied in the description. What’s more key is managing staff and processes.

Of course everyone said I should at least have a rudimentary knowledge of medical copyediting, but that this was a skill one can acquire. What is more difficult to learn, as the team leader said, are people and communication skills, which, luckily enough, I had spent several minutes highlighting about myself.

What I like about operations people is that they’re so down to earth. It’s just, What needs to be done and how can we accomplish it in the most efficient way? None of this high falutin’ strategy crap that I don’t care about. Plus, like I’ve said, in marketing and sales, appearances and perception are so important. People are always paranoid about saying the right thing and not letting down their guards. Operations people while of course polished are just a lot more open, at least in my experience.

The HR guy said that the whole process would take a very long time, but then the team leader said they wanted to decide by next Friday. Who knows?

The more I think about it, the more I want this. It would be such a relief to have something straightforward and not be constantly trying to decipher the crazy shit some individuals ask for. Plus the promotion and raise are nothing to sneeze at either.

~ ~ ~

On another note, remind me to never have my first dates in dark bars. This has resulted in two unpleasantly surprising second dates (yikes: ugly, yikes: old). The latter was the case last night.

How old? He’s around the same age as Jon Stewart and David Duchovny, younger than Viggo Mortensen (who’s almost 50! who knew?), but he looks way older than any of them. How old? He had trouble reading the menu, and seemed to have difficulty hearing me, though it’s true the restaurant was rather noisy. I thought, Who am I with? A date or my dad?

I feel kinda bad cuz he was nice, but that doesn’t mean I have to date him. I was worried about having to tell him I wouldn’t be able to get past the age difference, but I think I put out enough signals, not rudely I hope, that he got the idea.

A cool thing was that we saw John Malkovich in the restaurant. I saw the side of him – his bald head and distinctive profile and long ugly shirt – as he dashed into the other side of the place, and then on our way out, we saw him in the back corner.

On Sunday I’ll be hanging out with someone else. 33, cute, some kinda IT guy. He suggested a museum, which scores big points in my book.

And for a job I don’t even remember applying for.

I’ve applied for about a dozen jobs here at my company. The internal system makes it very easy. This is just the second time I’ve actually gotten an interview.

The position is managing editor in operations. When our marketing teams produce materials, the materials need to go through a review process, which includes copyediting. Till now there hasn’t been anyone to specifically oversee the copyeditors or the process. The copyeditors just do their own thing which results in a lot of inconsistencies. The person in charge now owns a lot of other projects, and is basically spread too thin.

I got all of this from a pal in operations whom I’ve known since I started here, and whom I’ve worked closely with for the past few years. She, for one, was very excited to hear that I was interviewing for that position, and said she’d put in a good word for me.

In theory the job sounds like a great fit. It involves editing, writing, marketing, and operations. They also want someone “polished” and accustomed to being outward facing, not that copyeditors aren’t – well, the copyeditors I’ve known tend to be a little weird and very much in their own worlds, ie, well-suited for their jobs. In marketing and sales, you get used to putting on that business face and being on, whether it’s during one-on-one conversations, in meetings, or presenting.

Plus this might be good experience for me if I decide to get back into book or magazine editing, which I’ve been toying with. I look at the jobs on mediabistro.com all the time, but I just don’t have enough experience. Or I’d have to start at the bottom, which I don’t want.

Still gonna do the library science thing of course. I think all of those fields compelement each other.

The interviews are in the process of being scheduled. Hope they happen this week since I’m out for most of next week for work.

As per my Saturday post, I had a mellow day. Was going to leave the house at 11, but then I got totally swept up in a So You Think You Can Dance marathon on MTV. Left at 1.

My goal was to walk down to the office so that I could print some stuff out. On my way, I stopped at the Gap and got some new jeans. My current favorite ones are starting to get torn up. I have another pair that’s too big, and another that is sometimes too small (they currently fit but after last night’s dinner, which I’ll get to in a minute, they might not for much longer).

Also stopped in Clark’s and got some brown boots. Yay! My old ones are really worn out and uncomfortable. I think I’ve gotten some good use out of them. These new ones should last a long time (at least I hope so given the price tag).

Wanted to run 8 miles, but I was totally pooped after 6. I think I was going a little faster than I usually do, and also it was quite humid.

Sunday I left the house early and went to write my my favorite Starbuck’s. Then In the afternoon I met up with YP to see a free taping of Showtime at the Apollo in Harlem.

It was an interesting first-time experience. I had had the impression that all of it was amateur, but the first half was an apparently well-known singer neither of us had heard of, a comedian, and this child prodigy jazz pianist.

Unlike on American Idol, all of the amateurs could actually sing, and the boo’ing from the audience seemed not so much about talent but taste (ie, the whiter the music, the louder the boos). And then after the boo’d performer was kicked off the state – by a spastic, tapping Savion Glover look-alike – the host would mercilessly make fun of said of performer.

It seemed mean to me, but, let’s face it, no meaner than American Idol or any of those shows.
Afterwards we went to dinner at Spoonbread near Columbia, a sort of hole-in-the-wall Southern place. The only real Southern food I’ve had is the spread SG’s mom made at a party years ago, and at that time I couldn’t get enough. Since then I haven’t had anything to write home about.

The Spoonbread dishes – southern fried chicken, jerk chicken, and Louisiana catfish are just a few examples – were all under $16, and came with 2 sides and corn bread. YP got a veggie spread, which was actually more like a carbalicious spread (mac and cheese, mashed potatoes, and black eyed peas), while I got the “falling off the bone” short ribs. We also got the Spoonbread punch, which is light and fruity.

We sort of had to wait a long time for the food. Neither of us minded, between the view of Central Park and our waiter’s bodacious booty. (You could bounce quarters off that thing.) When our entrees arrived, bodacious booty and all, it was well worth the wait.

Everyone who is a vegetarian must convert back to meat-eating RIGHT NOW in order to try the short ribs at Spoonbread. Melt-in-your-mouth tender and subtly flavored (ie, not too salty). My two sides were the mac and cheese, which was also delish, and the collard greens. What better way to eat your veggies than with pieces of pork?

I was only able to dig through half of the sizable portion. I could have eaten more, just for the taste, but wanted to save room for dessert. Red devil’s food cake for YP, peach cobbler for me.

Again, the food took a long time coming out, prompting jokes like, “What are they doing? Baking the cobbler from scratch in there?” but they may well might have been. Piping hot, melty, fresh, and not too sweet. Just the looks of our dessert made the young girls at the next table turn around and practically bury their noses in our plates. Mmm, sanitary.

Tonight I get to relive the whole experience as I go facedown in my leftovers.

So my date on Thursday was pretty fun. The guy, BH, is rather soft-spoken and has an endearing laugh. He laughed at most of my jokes, which is a plus for me. He’s a musician/software programmer, and is from Australia, and you know I’m a sucker for that kind of accent.

I was having a good time up till the end, when he became, uh, overly enthusiastic, not in a physical way but an asking way, and I politely yet clearly said it was too soon for that. Afterwards, I was rather turned off, though I guess you can’t blame a guy for trying, and I assumed he’d go the way of the history professor (ie, no nookie = no dating).

But then last night he called. Actually first he emailed me because it turned out I had written my phone number incorrectly. (That’s what two glasses of wine will do to me.) When we spoke he said, “I was sad when the number didn’t work,” and I joked that he must have thought I gave him a made up one.

And then basically he apologized for jumping the gun. He said he tends to make up his mind about things pretty quickly, but sensed that I probably wanted to move more slowly. I confirmed that, explaining that I’d gotten into situations that were too much, too fast, (ie, H.) and that just died out, and that if I could help it, I didn’t want to go through that kind of thing again. Not that I want a guaruntee that something will last forever, but at least first get to know the other person and where they’re coming from.

Now I realize with H. that he wasn’t ready for what I was ready for, a long-term relationship. I was the first person he had a connection with after his horrible breakup, and I think he was from the beginning in the mentality that this would probably not last for very long. If we had waited and talked more, that would have revealed itself, and maybe I’d have been smarter about getting involved so quickly.

Lesson learned.

My goal here is to be honest honest honest and take things slowly, and if he doesn’t like that, then he’s not the one for me. And not just honest about myself, but to be nosy and ask lots of questions. At the right time, of course, and in a mellow way, not like a psychotic journalist. That’s part of the taking things slowly.

In the past I’ve held back and have just wondered to myself, fearing I’d offend. Fuck that shit.

We’ll be having dinner on Thursday.

~ ~ ~

I’m planning on a very mellow day today. The last couple of weekends were so busy, I’m glad for the reprieve. I was going to go to the ‘rents’, but they’re out tonight and I have plans tomorrow afternoon so it seems silly to go home for such a short time. Next weekend probably.

Try to write this morning. Shopping this afternoon? I want boots! A run around 5 or 6.

Work
My boss was such a jerk yesterday. He totally chewed me out in front of a couple of other folks for something small. We’re all on a learning curve here, people! He apologized later but we are not in agreement about the nature of a new role I’ve taken on. At this point, there’s no way for me to win, and I don’t care enough to fight it. One day at a time.

On the up side, I got some praise from some folks my boss deems important on the very thing he flipped his lid on. These expectations do not compute. It’s some consolation to know that I’m not the only victim here.

Library school here I come!. . .or writing school. . or j-school. . .wait. . .
I reached out to my most recent writing teacher about a recommendation. He very graciously agreed, then said, “Of course what you should be doing is pursuing writing,” though he’s ambivalent about MFA programs (and also forgot I already have one).

Then he wrote that he himself wishes he had gone to journalism school, and *that* got my head spinning. Shoud I? Should I? Prolly not. Still I emailed a former classmate who I know is in j-school and want to pick her brain.

My teacher also said that he mentioned my memoir to his new class, not the subject – not that I would have cared – but the structure and imagery. I’m beyond flattered. Amazing how a little bit of external validation can do wonders on the ego.

I signed up for another memoir class, not his, a shorter one. Starts in October.

Boys on the side
So I have a date tonight. Erp. He’s quite a bit older than I am, though he looks pretty young.

And that supercute boy wrote me again! He was like, “Hey, what happened?” and asked if I still wanted to get together. His last message was from a week ago, and I didn’t answer. In that email I had asked if he was born the year of the monkey, and in his reply he didn’t even answer, just asked if I wanted to get together, which irked me.

This time he signed off, Monkey Man. So he *did* read my message! Sure, why not? It’s just a date.

Wow, I hadn’t realized how long it’s been since my last post. I guess work was pretty busy last week.

Friday
No half-day for me, which was okay since I feel like I accomplished a lot.

After work YP and I went to his friend’s art show in Brooklyn, which was far better than the one in NJ last weekend, and then dinner and drinks afterwards.

Apparently the bar we were in was a gay bar, but it didn’t seem very gay. Maybe cuz it was virtually empty since it was so early and it’s new. It was still fun though. Had a couple of gin and tonics, and played some pool. I suck by the way.

Saturday
In the morning helped YP with a photo shoot for his flyer for his next stand up show before heading up town for my haircut. Yay, finally!

Grabbed a late lunch with SB. Ridiculously expensive dim sum. Shrimp dumplings, pork dumplings, turnip cakes, and fried squid – for $50! In Chinatown we would have paid like a third of that. Last time I’m eating dim sum in my area.

Had a run in the late afternoon. Gorgeous day. Wanted to do 8-10 miles, but was kinda hungover and sleep deprived. Did 6.1 at a 8.34 minute mile.

Sunday
Was up early again for another photo shoot with YP since the pictures we took on Saturday didn’t work out. Then out to the Brooklyn Book Festival.

I almost never run into anyone I know, but as PL and I were standing in line waiting to get into an event, guess who came out of the crowd. The history professor. We totally made eye contact so there was no way to avoid each other. Like a civilized person, he did come over and chat a bit though probably for too long. It was really really awkward but pretending to be normal. Whatevs.

After the festival, PL and I grabbed some dinner near me, as well as dessert at Pinkberry.

Tonight I’m supposed to go to the movies with a coworker. When it rains, it pours!

The dating front
This super cute guy wrote to me, but his emails sucked. He didn’t ask me anything about myself, and in his very first email, he asked about getting together. That might be okay for someone else, but I personally need a little back and forth before agreeing to meet up.

Still, I wrote back with some questions for him – just making conversation – and said sure, getting together sounded like fun. He responded a couple of days later, not even answering my questions, just: “So when do you want to get together?”

Um, never.

I’ve been in correspondence with a couple of other guys. One is probably too old for me, though he looks young, and the other seems cool. We’ll see.