Giddy as a Schoolgirl

Let’s see, do I announce this professionally or......

WWWWWOOOOOOOOHHHHHHOOOOOOO!!!!!

Picture me doing the Carlton from Fresh Prince (click for montage) .... you Gen Xers know what I’m talkin’ about!

Ok, so flash back many weeks. I applied for a job. There I said it ... finally ... I said it on the blog!

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I was helping paint at one of our facilities and I get a phone call ... an impromptu interview ... picture me at work in my pajamas (my standard painting attire) with hands covered in lime green paint, crouched in the storage closet explaining why I would be the perfect candidate.

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Then I was called in for a sit down interview ....

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Me, my gigantic portfolio, and my clicky “important shoes” sit down for an interview .... 2 1/2 hours later I leave said interview going, “huh....” I am really not sure what to make of it.

Now completely drained, I decide to treat myself to sushi while pondering the morning (and early afternoon) events before heading to work.

I sat there ... and sat there .... and sat there. I looked out the window. I looked at the floor. I looked at the light fixture that suddenly went very dim. I watched the moms and dads and kids and the chef. Huh.....

The waitress, who has waited on me a couple of times before approaches and says, “you, very pretty lady. Your face is very ... pretty. Your hair ...” and she slides her hand from the top of her head down to her shoulder as though her hair (bobbed above her ear) tumbled to her waist.

“Oh, thank you. That’s sweet,” I said.

I was surprised at the unexpected comment from waitress K, so I missed the next several sentences still trying to process the first three ... I think she asked if I have kids.

“In my country the women are all beautiful and I see all these movies and Americans are all so beautiful. Then I get to America ... and they’re NOT!”

A piece of sticky rice shot out of my nose. How’s that for pretty?

I laughed with waitress K, and we talked a while longer. Then she gave me a hug and took off toward the door to greet a husband and wife.

Too funny.

What a weird and wonderful day.

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Flash forward ...... today.

After much thought and heartache, I decided to call and ask that my name be taken off the list of possible candidates for the job. The salary was going to be a significant cut ... we aren’t talking weekend date night, but mortgage payments.

As I am relaying this to R with their HR department, I am met with deafening silence. All I could think was “how do I salvage this?” I planned to apply with them again in the future when something more financially feasible opened up and I feared I was not leaving a very good impression.

“What do you mean the salary isn’t where you need it to be?” R said.

I started to explain, again.

“Carmen, has no one called you this week?”

“No.”

Apparently, they had done a little number crunching of their own and decided they should go ahead and get the range bumped up so it fit more in line with the bread I’m bringing home, now.

I was floored. I absolutely didn’t see this coming.

I asked R to forget all that stuff I said and let’s start over. She kept saying I almost gave her a heart attack.

Both admittedly sweaty and shaky, we started over and I was offered the job.

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I have had only one grown up job and I’ve been there for 7 1/2 years. I have made many friends and learned so much.

I am very excited about the “new” headed my way, but sad, too. I thought I would retire from my current place of employment, but there are other plans for me and my family.

Now we are on a different path.

I am so very grateful for this life of mine.

When I finally decided to let go ... realizing I’m not the one steering this “thing,” something better came along.

And exhale.........

-Carmen