Ks GIFT

Ok... I'm giving you a break from the happy Christmas stuff.

A job is not just a job.

There are good jobs, okay jobs, great jobs

and the crappy jobs.

In today's job market, I have applied for all of those.

Still no job.

Sigh.

So several weeks back,

I get notification of a government job opening.

This falls into the category of great job.

 

 

What is that?

For me its a job with good wages,

insurance that is excellent,

retirement money into my vested retirement

so it can grow,

all holidays off with pay,

sick days paid,

working indoors,

working to help people.

It has everything that my job at the school had

except for summer vacation...

and I can live without that.

So up it comes...

and I apply.

Like a lot of government stuff,

response is slow.

3 or 4 weeks went by with no word.

Then I get a notice email...

telling me that I meet their criteria 

and that I am being considered for the position.

If I am selected for an interview...

they will let me know.

If I am not selected,

I will not receive further contact.

Ok.

Another couple of weeks go by...

I get an email notification that I have been selected for an interview.

Woot!

I follow all the directions and schedule an appointment time.

This requires a series of emails

and the following of links

and still more confirmation emails.

I do all the things I do to prepare for the interview.

I got my hair cut.

I got my nails done.

I even got a bran new outfit...

because this is a great job.

I already have all my info...

the application that I was instructed to bring with me,

printed off the web site,

3 letters of professional reference...

with updated contact information,

as these people will be called.

 

That's where things screeched

to a halt.

Yes, I do have 3 of them.

Yes, the contact information is correct.

Sadly,

on Dec. 3, 2011

my dear friend and mentor...

the lady who was the long time school librarian

who taught me how to run the library...

passed away in a very freaky

home accident.

She was only 61 years old.

Too bizarre.

I have been quietly morning her passing since...

which is part of the reason for my

Christmas stories.

I simply was not in the frame of mind

to post otherwise.

So today is that interview.

I did not have enough time to request another

professional letter of reference.

They did say that personal references 

could be substituted.

I emailed C4C last evening in a panic...

would she write one for me.

Being friends with one person over 30 years

has got to mean something!

She did of course.

But I am troubled.

No one is a better judge of what sort of worker I am

than my supervisor of 11 years...

who's work space I shared.

And I am unwilling to just toss her letter of reference away,

as if she is no longer of importance.

I decided to take K's letter anyway,

in addition to C4C's and my other two good letters.

I will explain that she has just passed away,

but I felt what she had to say is important,

because she was the supervisor

who spent the most time with me.

 

 

I am hoping that they will accept it.

It does not matter to me if they discount it in secret...

out of my hearing.

I will still have 3 letters to offer.

I guess it is important to me

because K was my friend...

and all I have left of her now...

is her opinion of me...

besides some great memories.

And that matters very much to me.

Its a gift.

So off I will go today...

and btw...

I woke up sick.

Another gift from little N...

who spent the night with us a bit back with a serious cold...

and do my best to be professional,

and make a good impression.

But I really do feel like crap.

I really want this job.

It is a perfect job for me.

However,

as Roland, the gunslinger says

"There will be water if Kah wills it."