Flew out on Tuesday afternoon, landed in the Southeast in the evening and picked up my rental car and headed to the hotel. Beautiful drive, a little bit of rain, and then…oh that LAKE!! That gorgeous lake.
Checked into the hotel and dragged my gigantic portfolio and suitcase up to my room (you might have thought I was staying for two weeks instead of one night, but I’ve somehow lost my small suitcase–I think I left it at the old office). Immediately went back downstairs to ask the guy at the hotel where would be a nice place to have a glass of wine and some dinner.
He recommended a place on the waterfront, and off I went, one exit south, back on that beautiful lake.
The patio was packed with diners al fresco, so I found a spot on the other side where people were lounging on couches. I asked a couple sitting on a couch if they minded if I sat down on the next one. Not at all, in fact, they struck a nice conversation.
They were celebrating their anniversary, and I didn’t want to intrude, but they were so friendly and told me how much they liked living close by. Turns out, the husband works at the same place I was interviewing! He said really great things, and the wife raved and raved about loving everything…EVERYTHING! And that was nice to hear.
They left shortly, and left me to my wine and the view of the sparkling lake as the sun set. I chatted on the phone with my parents and K. and TMG and it was lovely. It was also 1/2 price bottle of wine night, so of course I got a bottle because it was less expensive than two glasses!
Was seated at a table, had a delicious steak salad and enjoyed listening to the diners around me. Then the waiter packed up the rest of my bottle and I headed back to the hotel to practice my presentation.
Didn’t really get much practice in as I sipped my wine and settled into bed, so I set my alarm for early, early, early because I’m much better in the mornings and I was sloshy from my wine.
Got up early, rehearsed (nervously!), and got ready…shaky! I couldn’t believe how nervous I was. I’m glad I packed the valium, so I took 1/2 of one and headed to the sparkling, new, and gigantic corporate office. Did I tell you the place is HUGE???
I had to pass through three layers of security before even getting to the lobby!! Thank goodness the valium took the edge off pretty well. The view from the lobby was quite stunning, and I was early, so I watched as vendors checked in and joined me in the waiting area (I think the lobby could have seated 100–this place is INSANE!).
Was soon greeted by the Director, and she took me through another security checkpoint and up in an elevator, through a maze of cubicles and into a boardroom where I attempted to set up my presentation on my Mac, which was not compatible!). She made some phone calls for me (so nice of her), and we made several attempts to hook wires and cords, yet nothing worked. Nerves again, but not debilitating. Still, we couldn’t hook the damn thing up.
Luckily, I’d saved everything to PDF format, burned those CDs, brought a zip drive, and even had a printout, so I knew something was going to work. Finally, I asked if Director had a PC laptop, and she did! She ran and got it as 4 more execs showed up, and I plugged in the zip and shook hands and introduced myself to everyone all at the same time. UGGGHHH! Frustrating, but not fatal.
After that, presentation time! It went off without a hitch (~20 minutes or so), and then a barrage of questions…the toughest one being why I left my previous company. I just said there were shifts in the area and left it at that. More questions, and the VPs had to leave for other meetings, and I was left with two directors and the intensity was lower at that point. I was feeling goooooood and relieved and I think I did a pretty good job if I do say so myself.
Then Director walked me back through the building another way. She told me that the next communication would be from HR and that she had a few more interviews to conduct (I’m guessing they are interviewing at least 10 people for this position). I thanked her for her time and told her that I really wanted this opportunity. And she thanked me for that.
I walked back through the lobby and turned in my Top Secret badge and exited through the sliding glass doors and breathed a breath of FRESH AIR, feeling quite pleased with what I’d just done.
Now. We’ll see. Sure I feel good, but I know that doesn’t guarantee me an offer. All I know is, if I don’t get an offer, I did something that made me feel GREAT!! Sure, nervous and shaky, too. But MAN, I realize that I get a thrill out of exhilarating experiences like that. I had a blast with it!
Then I was back in my rental and had the rest of the day ahead of me. It was almost 11am and my flight wasn’t leaving until 8pm! Headed downtown for lunch and a stroll and some people watching. Then I drove around and looked at a cute little neighborhood and stopped in a little park to relax and make phone calls. Then I found a little section of town where there were galleries and boutiques. Everywhere I went I seemed to find people who wanted to chat and tell me how much they like the area. I was pretty pleased with my findings, though I prefer a larger city, but I know I didn’t touch the tip of the iceberg and I don’t know much about this town.
I did get a phone call from an old high school friend who I reconnected with on facebook. He lives there, as do some other old high school friends I wasn’t so close with (HS was extremely awkward for me). We were trying to get together for a pre-flight cocktail, but he had a conference call and couldn’t make it, and I wasn’t really disappointed because I wasn’t up to having a cocktail anyway. Told him if I get a nice offer and end up moving, the the cocktail would be so ON!
Made my way back to the rental car place then back to the airport really early. So I found a place to rest my weary feet (still had on the 5″ pumps) and called TMG. I told him that I had spotted a yogurt place in the airport and I really wanted one, but my feet hurt too much to walk over. We chatted some more and then got off the phone and I checked email, etc. on my computer.
And all of a sudden, a woman with a big, delicious cup of yogurt came walking up to me and asked (loudly), “Are you [Ginger]?? Someone named [TMG] called and asked me to bring this to you, and he wanted me to tell you that HE LOOOOOOVVVESSS YOU!!!!”
Cute. Commotion-causing, but cute. And tasty. And truth be told, really, really fun.
Soon, back on the plane and home. What a trip!
I’ve been absolutely exhausted today. It was all I could do to go to the mall and buy really cool thank-you notes, write them out and address them and get them to the post office.
But even a visit to the post office was an event because I started chatting with the woman who works there, and she had dogs behind the counter and I wanted to pet them, so she said, “OK” and the one BIGGGGG dog (pit breed of some sort, I think) came BOUNDING up on the counter and licked me and licked me and licked me until I could barely stand any more. Took me off guard!
Then I took an afternoon nap by surprise! I sat down on the couch and before I knew it I was waking up 2 hours later!
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And then I had marathon phone calls with so many people who wanted to know how it went yesterday. I didn’t even realize I’d told so many people. I talked with:
1. TMG
2. K.
3. Mom
4. Best Bud
5. Lovely Leah
6. Cindy
7. Marci
8. Bill
9. My upcoming RAD
10. An old sales rep I haven’t talked with in years
And that doesn’t include the people I’ve simply emailed/facebooked! No wonder I’m exhausted!
Anyway. Long phone conversation with K. Seems he has an ex-love visiting him this weekend. I know he didn’t really want to tell me, but I kinda eased it out of him and I could tell that he actually wanted to talk once he got it out. It’s obvious that there are unresolved feelings there, and I told him that he doesn’t owe me anything because we are not exclusive (not by a long shot) and that I appreciate his honesty. But you know that there are little pangs going off inside me because I was enjoying getting to know him slowly.
I’m sure that’s one of the reasons he hasn’t been really pushing the sex, and that’s fair and all, but I can’t help feeling a little twinge of disappointment.
So now I have a date lined up for Saturday night, and though I’m not really excited about it, I’m definitely glad I have something to do. I did a little fact checking on this guy, and already I think he’s lied about his age. He says he’s 43, and yet I stumbled upon records that say he’s 50. No biggie if you’re 50…why you gotta lie?? Really, people. There are so many ways online to find everything out about everyone nowadays. I don’t understand how people think they can get away with it?
You know that’s what EXMS did, right? He told me he’d never been married and didn’t have kids, so when I googled him immediately after our first date and found references to his children, I wish I’d asked immediately. Instead, I was afraid something tragic had happened and maybe he’d lost his kids in a freak accident or something. What a naive fool I was.
I think I’m going to come right out on Saturday night and ask this guy how old he really is. Fair question?
Regardless, I’m bummed about K. He was the first guy I’ve met since EXMS who really tickled my…fancy? What do I do now? Because I have a feeling that this little visit is something more than what he wants me to believe. I mean, remember how I was with LDL? I told myself he was my “long-distance booty call” and yet I fell in LOVE with him each and every time I saw him.
And this could all be moot anyway because what if I get a job far away?
I’m just going to take [Satine]’s sage advice and keep swimming forward.
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