Motherhood sounds awesome.

I interviewed at the maternity and nursing apparel company yesterday. EVERY WOMAN in the office that I talked to or saw was either definitely pregnant, or looked pregnant. Opportunities were opening up due to people taking maternity leave. The woman who interviewed me was about six months along, and she was smiling dreamily and rubbing her belly as we talked (it was her first, natch). They must have some small statue of a gravid goddess in the back room...every woman who walks past it becomes fecund...

In other news, the tech support people got back to me and want to take me out on a second informal interview / lunch. Hurrah!

In my copious free time, in addition to reading about the Reformation, I have taken up lifting weights.

I am going for the "Xena, Warrior Princess" look.

This job search thingummie is more fun than fun! Here are the interviews I have been on, thus far:

- Berkeley based alternative health mind body integration type place. They wanted an ombudsman of the customer service, marketing, and bookkeeping bent. One of my interviewers told me that I had the right "emotional skills" for the job. Nevertheless, they did not hire me.

- Emeryville based architecture firm. Wanted someone to do clerical and bookkeeping. Interview was with a very entertaining, somewhat crazy older guy who asked interview questions along the lines of "Finish the following sentence...'I Am'." Received a very nice letter telling me that they did not end up hiring me for that position.

- Berkeley based software company. Wanted someone to do high level tech support. Had fun group interview ever with the entire tech support staff. Geekiest people ever. I want to work there, having a natural fondness for geeks, and the ability to discuss anime shows with the best of them. However, inasmuch as my experience with tech support is non-existent, I doubt they will end up hiring me.

Interviews I have coming up this week:

- Berkeley based urban agriculture advocacy group. They need someone to help out with office work, scheduling, and so forth. Woo yay composting!

- San Francisco based nursing and maternity apparel company. They need someone to do online and customer service type stuff. Translation: all day phone work with pregnant ladies.

- San Francisco based non profit educational outfit. They need someone to help low-income students through the process of applying to colleges and getting financial aid. I didn't manage to get myself financial aid for the first two years of college...nevertheless, those who cannot do, teach. So they say.

Basically, job hunting is an opportunity to meet all kinds of interesting people who you wouldn't otherwise...and then, never talk to those interesting people again. Everybody wins!

Wavelet and John Baby Manage Money:

JB: Tsing Tao or Sapporo?

W: Sapporo. Hmm, wait. That's $8.99 for a six pack. We could just get MGD.

JB: No, let's get the Sapporo. If you think about it, that's six beers for the price of two pints at a bar.

W: True, but...

JB: That's how I do economics!

Jobs on Craigslist which I probably will not be applying for:

Job: Models Needed for Automotive Event - Huge Automotive showcase with many vendors comming to the San Jose in mid August. We need 20 Import models to meet and great customers and clients. Be cute fun and sassy! No experience neccesary. Please forward head shot and your best photo's with basic bio and experience.

Reason: The numerous punctuation errors indicate a lack of professionalism.

Job: "Adult-Video Enthusiast - Adult startup seeking temp- to full-time interns who are interested in helping us reach our lofty business goals before launching. We desperately need people for data entry and quality control of our
vast video library as we convert it to a digital format....Since we are still in startup mode, funded by a silent angel, you have the chance to remain here and move up within the company quickly. New administrative positions become available everyday as our business expands.

Reason: Prefer children's videos.

Job: STRANGE Program Coordinator - Mature, energetic and positive person is needed part-time to coordinate the STRANGE Program. The STRANGE Program of Youth Services, is a youth-driven, countywide program for transgender, bisexual, lesbian, gay, intersex, queer, and questioning (TBLGIQQ) youth ages 12-18 and their allies. The Coordinator of the STRANGE Program is the adult liaison to Gay Straight Alliances (GSA’s) in local High Schools and Middle Schools throughout Santa Cruz County. This position provides intra-community communication and social support for GLBT youth and their allies. The coordinator maintains an interactive collaboration with other GLBT community groups and organizations to foster STRANGE program growth and development. This is a part-time 8 hours per week position.

Reason: Too many acronyms.

Job: Aide for Small Special Education School - Applicants must have at least 2 years of college (degree prefered) and previous experience working with children who have behavioral problems. Responsibilities = leading a nutrition/cooking class 2 days per week and assisting credentialed staff as an aide 3 days per week.

Reason: Cook better when not cooking with children with behavioral problems.

Job: School Bus Driver - Black Tie Transportation in Pleasanton is looking for a bus driver -but- we don’t want just any bus driver. We want that special person who likes to deal with young people, teachers, and seniors, making their trips to museums and other attractions more enjoyable.

Reason: Do not believe self to be a special person.

Job: SUMMER JOBS WITH THE SIERRA CLUB! - Work with the Sierra Club this summer! Stop Oil Drilling Off Our Coasts!

Reason: Resent insinuation that I have been oil drilling.

Did NOT get the Kaplan job. Dammit all. This is a short summary of my job searchiness:

- interviewed for a part time middle school science teaching position at a local, extremely expensive private school (I know, I said I wasn't going to teach, but it was a part time position, so...). The interviewer told me that they wanted me not to use textbooks (translation: we haven't found a good curriculum, so we want you to design one! for free!). Also, the school has no classroom discipline policy (translation: the parents are paying good money! let the kids act like monkeys if they want!). My mild expressions of dismay at both of these job features may have worked against me during the interview.

- interviewed with Kaplan. Apparently, being able to tutor the GRE Verbal section is too esoteric a skill. Or possibly my presentation on "how to write a thank you note" was not all that and a bag of chips. Who knows. Eh, they are a racket anyhow. I didn't want a cut of the cold hard cash they make off of young people's hopes and dreams anyway...wait, actually, I did...

- interviewed with two temp agencies. This was fun, because you get to take computer tests, and I have a perverse fondness for test taking. "Well, I may be unemployed, but this test demonstrates that I am a Master Excel User! Take THAT, universe!" Have not as of yet been assigned by either agency.

- talked to various East Bay tutoring companies. Most of them sound positive, but they aren't hiring until August.

- sent off numerous resumes and cover letters for administrative and tech support type positions on Craigslist (all other job posting sites are so hard to navigate and heavily riddled with spam as to be unusable). No response, but writing cover letters is extremely entertaining.

Well, this is all sort of disheartening. My sole consolation is that, thanks to my twelve month payment schedule, I am currently being paid full salary to do NOTHING WHATEVER.

Have you ever noticed that, whenever there are creepy children (on X-Files or the like), they are always creepy blond children?

The only sensible solution is to quarantine them at birth.

Why do the rad trads got to be hating? It seems like many of their more bitterly held tenets (e.g. women should not wear pants to Mass, Latin is TEH AWESOME!) are largely aesthetic preferences. As such, any disagreement between the rad trads and, um, members of the NOVUS ORDO CONSPIRACY should be settled as follows:

"Pants at Mass for all!"

"BOOO!"

"Pants at Mass for none!"

"BOOOO!"

"OK...Pants at Mass for some, floor length floral skirts and mantillas for others!"

"YAAAAAY!"

But it just can't be that easy.

Aaaaaaanyway. John Baby posted yesterday on these, and other less savory views of the angry young radical tradical. Within minutes, three rad trads had posted long comments in rebuttal(?). Lesson learned: rad trads check their referral logs early and often, aaand have a lot of free time on their hands!

Erin is nice will back me up on this.

Wedding dress: acquired.

It was very easy. I walked into a store which carried vintage reproduction type bridal styles, tried on two dresses, and brought this one home. Take THAT, bridal industry!

Of course, this was after much web searching and forum browsing and hand wringing. Also, I made one trip to a truly loathsome bridal warehouse, which was peddling ugly polyester dresses at absurd prices. Polyester does not equal pretty princess, people!