AND SISSY'S 24TH BIRTHDAY!!!
So after I went to my job interview for a "writer/researcher" position at the Beller Nutritional Institute, I felt pretty defeated and also like I made the biggest mistake of my life rejecting the Bank of NY Mellon job. Beller Nutritional Institute is an institute that supposedly prevents cancer through research and preventative dieting. Or at least that's what the description said when I applied for it, and I was semi-excited to do something productive part-time, like researching and writing for a legitimate scientific center that saves lives.
But here's what happens to people who have expectations:
Firstly, the lady kept me there for 3 hours because she wanted to do a trial run to see if I would be a good fit. And that's when I found out that it is not really a cancer research/prevention center at all, but more like a Beverly-Hills-high-profile-celebrity-focused-dietitian facility, where celebs and rich folk who want to lose weight and look good before going on the red carpet come to her for advice. Secondly, there was no writing at all, what-so-ever, for the next 3 hours. Oh, except I guess when she wanted me to re-word/organize her thoughts for a slightly angry e-mail to some company that misused her name for a dieting program. Yes, staunch, hardcore journalism. Thirdly, I spent the rest of the day saying "Beller Institute, Stephanie speaking, how can I help you?" and constructing a daily dietary intake schedule for some girl who hates broccoli, bell peppers, cauliflower, carrots, mushrooms, tomatoes, and every other vegetable you can think of.
Needless to say, at the end of the "interview", I was like... this is what I gave up a high-paying pointless job for? An even MORE pointless job that pays shit? I am a fickle, temperamental brat, so I couldn't do it. Yes she has a degree in nutrition, she wrote books on healthy eating, she's a big deal with big time clients. It was just a weeeeee bit misleading to title a receptionist job (which was exactly what it was) "writer/research" position.
I mean, I already rejected a crappy travel writing job whose "office" actually turned out to be an old house in North Hollywood, whose writers never actually really traveled anywhere, and a readership whose ideas of "exciting travel writing" consists of maximizing cruise ship luggage space, and getting more leg room on an economy-class flight to Las Vegas.
And so I thought it would be amusing for the next couple blog entries to document all the trials/errors of my failed job attempts. Wouldn't it be darkly comedic to see me, a person who is apparently not meant to be content with any kind of job because of my high expectations and exasperating need for a purpose in life, wander from interview to interview never being satisfied? Well I thought it would have been a good experimental mini-project that I may compile into something titled "See how many times it takes a hopeless optimist to get disheartened, disappointed, and squashed down before she becomes jaded and disillusioned enough to settle for reality, and understand what the real world, real jobs, real life, is really like."
But lucky for me, I'm an avid believer of opportunities, potentials, and happy endings, and I guess I wasn't meant to waste my time like that... as wonderfully promising as that road sounds. Cross my fingers, I might be employed soon in a part-time job I'm actually very excited about, and may actually (grudgingly) enjoy :] but I'm scared of jinxing it so I'll keep it on the dl. Plus, I contacted my awesome LA Times boss and asked if I could come back for a few days out of the week. Unpaid, yes, but those 10 hrs/wk of writing may actually get me a good letter of rec, some more substantial writing, and... maybe even change my title from "intern" to "contributor"!!! No? Pushing my luck?
Anyway, I hope all will go well!!! Maybe when you take risks, do what you love, do what you want, things have to fall in the dumps before they start looking brighter! And a whole new slew of opportunities seem to be waiting on me to give them a shot, opportunities I've always wanted to pursue but didn't have time to try out, or even have time to learn more about. I made the right choice. And I know this because I slept for the first time in ages last night. My brain shut up for once and I got a legitimate 8 hours without yapping, nagging voices. And I closed my eyes knowing that everything is going to be A-OK.
Oh yes, and I need to start GREs, amongst many other things. And Frank Bruni spoke for the Writers Bloc today and I completely forgot and missed it! and the left side of my face is still numb from a gi-normous cavity filling today. Who says being unemployed is easy?
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