back in the saddle

Obviously, I was depressed and unhappy about not getting that job, especially because the second and third interviewer seemed to be indicating that I was far and away the best candidate.  It took a couple of days for me to start feeling better.  I was so, disappointed.

But my applications are finally starting the bear fruit.  I had a phone call and an e-mail the other day for one job where the person who called me didn't seem quite right; and an e-mail on the same day where the HR guy was such a prick that I canceled the interview.  (When I replied to his first e-mail, to let him know my availability for interviewing, I asked the guy to send the job description.  He e-mailed back with a date, but no job description.  I e-mailed back again a little later, asking again if he could send the job description so I could review it before our meeting.  He wrote back a nasty e-mail, saying that he had ignore my request, hoping that I could backtrack and find it on my own, "since research and problem-solving are required for this job."  I withdrew my application, figuring I'd be starting at a disadvantage, plus this was the person I'd be interviewing with.  Barry and a few friends have backed me up on this.)

But I'm now up for two other jobs: one at a university way uptown (I'd confused it, when I applied, for one with a midtown campus), and one for an art/antiques/collectibles firm. For the university job, I got an e-mail saying that my resume made the first cut, and she wanted to contact my references.  I guess they check references before deciding whether or not to interview.  The gallery is seeing me Tuesday.  They have three jobs open:  one for an administrative assistant, one for a customer service rep (who work would on the store floor and deal with customers), one for a person to do written descriptions of pieces for internet listings, and one to be a junior appraiser and work with the present.  I could easily do any of these jobs, but I really want the appraiser job. (In fact, when I initially e-mailed my resume, I said that I watch every appraisal show on TV.) If the atmosphere there isn't too stuffy, I think I'd like to work there.  I could get some new skills, and I'd love working with art and antiques and collectibles.  I'm going to check out their website, which I haven't done yet.

The brunch at Colicchio & Sons was incredibly wonderful.  The brunch menu has individual pizzas, rabbit sausage on polenta, mussels in broth, and a number of other lovely items. I ate a pork belly BLT (with heirloom tomato), which was so delicious I wanted to cry.  Then I had a peach tarte tatin with cream cheese ice cream; the tarte wasn't too exciting, but the ice cream was great.  (Barry got a raspberry shortcake with thyme sorbet, so I got to taste the sorbet, which was extraordinary.  The atmosphere was lovely and the service was wonderful.

The best part, though, was the company, and we sat and talked for a few hours after eating. They are terrific folks, my aunt and uncle.

After, Barry and I went to the Chelsea Market, which was right across the street.  It's a gourmet mini-mall, and we picked up nibbly things, like salami, cheese and olives, to have for dinner.

Tuesday, I quit my bad eating and went back to low carb and no sugar.  I had run a little wild with food this summer, and gained back around 7 or 8 of the ten pounds I had lost in the spring.

I recently started reading The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, since it's wildly popular.  I'm enjoying it a lot.  The other night, we watched the Swedish film based on the book, and it was wonderful.  They're making an American version, which I'm sure won't be nearly as good.  The Swedes have made films of all three books in the series (the author wrote three and then died), though the second and third are not available here yet.  I do want to read all the books, even though I'm not a big fan of mysteries.  But the characters are very compelling.