hmmmm....so where can I get a copy of this deck?

Poor Encyclopedia Brown...

So, how do I feel about being a blight on the republic, part of a profession that should be exterminated right after we "kill all the lawyers? Not sure how to answer that...but then as I'm a librarian, I am, by definition, a thoughtless and unreconstructed leftist. Right, Rich?

Harold Bloom is upset that the National Book Foundation's annual award for distinguished contribution went to Stephen King.

Oh, it's official, by the way. I didn't get the job in Saskatoon. Not that that was unexpected. Back to the search, I guess.

Okay, the car has been back in and belts have been adjusted, so she's finally running without any noise. What an ordeal. I am so glad that tomorrow I finally have a day off. I swear I'm not going to do anything but laze around and watch movies! Finally, a day that I don't have to get up early to call anyone, or take my car in, or run errands...finally...

Still no word...

You know, this is one of the few times in my life that all signs unequivocably pointed towards a specific outcome. The yearly Tarot reading I always do on my birthday indicated a new beginning in the physical realm (jobs, money, etc.) this month. Even my fortune cookies have been consistent, saying I was going to move, that I would be successful in a new project, and even, yesterday, that a phone call would lift a burden. Yet, despite all this good news, I still don't be seeming to get the job. One would think something like this would cure superstition...but probably not.

In other news, I took my car in for servicing yesterday and ended up spending over six hundred dollars to get the brakes and the drive belts fixed along with my regular maintenance. They also cleaned the leaves out of my a/c fan, and now, of course, the fan is making squeaking/chirruping noises sometimes when the car idles, so I'm going to have to take it back again. I love my car, I really do, but having to dump this much money into routine maintenance really hurts!

I knew those Olsen twins were evil...

University of Saskatchewan Library Search Committee met yesterday. I'm still waiting to hear. Every time the phone rings, my stomach clenches with anticipation...and every time, it's a hangup or someone for the fugitive Nadine. Well, a few days more will tell the tale...in the meantime, I'm trying not to think about engaging, meaningful work, the Nitotem coffee house, and the feel of autumn wind on my face.

So Dubya finally tells us that there's no Iraq-9/11 links. Surprise! Somehow all these hypocritical "well, we can see how people might think that...but we never actually said it" statements make me ill.

Are they sure these ROUSs are extinct? I think I lived with them....

So, the Bolshoi Ballet has fired this woman because she's....wait for it....too fat.

Whatever.

Ashcroft mocks librarians for opposing the so-called "Patriot" Act. Too bad his spokesperson couldn't even get the name of our association right. But luck is on our side, because we're not totally stupid...just "somewhat duped."

Would you like placebo with that?

Well, in an amazing act of hubris, I've added a comments feature to this site, in case anyone wants to leave a comment on any of the entries. Powered by BlogSpeak, which, like all good things in life, is free. Thanks to Randy for the idea...

So, the WTO talks have broken down. Isn't that a crying shame? So, so sad. Because I was such a fan...

So how'd you like an open source desktop?

Are any of the tomes on the Terrorist Reading List on your nightstand? Better watch out...

Well....back from Saskatoon. The interview was strange. I'm still not really sure how I did. Not so many questions about my job, skills, history, and abilities...and not so much information offered on exactly how the position works. Plus, there was no break from the grilling at any point during the day. The "informal coffee breaks" consisted of sitting in a formal boardroom atmostphere with whatever library staff could come shooting questions at me to answer for the whole room. And I even ended up fielding questions through lunch. At the end of the day, the library director did tell me I'd done a good interview, and did comment in particular on the quality of my presentation's visual aides and delivery, but who knows how much that counts for, or how I stack up in general against the other three candidiates. Overall, I left with the feeling that I'd done an interview for position at a much higher level than this one was described as, and that I hadn't been totally successful at it.

I also began to wish that I'd never brought up virtual reference, because there was so much focus on that, to the point that at times it seemed they wanted me to speak as a representative for the software or a defender of the service itself to the exclusion of other things. That's only part of my experience, and only part of what I can do. And my resume makes clear that I'm involved in providing frontline service rather than resolving technical issues, evaluating competitors' products, etc. Maybe it's just a "hot button" issue there, but ...

And, of course, much of my perception of the day stem from the fact that I learned early on that the person who has temporarily been filling the position is also an applicant for it. The director was adamant that no preference was being shown to her, and that they were giving all interviewees a level playing field, but it's obvious that she would have the advantage over me or any other applicant. She was already chosen as the best candidate once. She has first-hand knowledge of who the students are and how the position works. She already knows the people on the search committee and the librarians on staff. She probably went in having a good idea of what they wanted to hear, points to particularly hit on, and so forth. It's hard not to believe that the search process was really over before it was begun despite the fact that they took the trouble to fly me up for interview.

The search committee reconvenes to make a recommendation for hire on Wednesday. Apparently, if I've heard nothing by the middle of next week, that's an indication I am not the recommended party.

The hardest part of this whole thing is having been in Saskatoon again, going through old stomping grounds with family and new areas with the city tour the librarians gave us, and being able to see how great it would be to be there again. I can see the coffee shops I'd hang out in, the places I could take yoga, the parks I could go to when my brain needs clearing, the river valley walks I could take. And that makes the thought that this whole thing is probably predetermined hurt. These reminders of how much I want to get out of Broward, and into a place that suits me better, get harder to endure with every trip out of the county. Yet if I am job hunting, and no one is biting, what can I do?

I'm telling myself that at the least I will have gained experience with how these types of interviews work, so next time I can prepare differently and do better. And U of S will have other positions opening in the next few years, so it's not even like this is the only opportunity I would ever have to go there. Just going to be waiting on tenterhooks for the next week or so, I guess.

Whew ... hectic week. Still working away on preparing for my interview--seems no matter how early you start, there's always that rush to finish at the end. I'm freaking myself out worrying that I'm going to finish and then find out it's too short, or that I'm going to end up not saying what they wanted to hear, etc. etc. etc. See how fun it is to be a worrier?

On top of that, weird things floating around at work. Entire departments getting called on the carpet for one person's mistake. The rumor mill working overtime. I ask a clarification question on policy only to find myself branded as part of a conspiracy to undermine authority. Anonymous notes left on my desk for no apparent reason about how the greater part of our happiness or misery depends on our dispositions rather than our circumstances. Whatever. Don't feel like I've been so negative that I need anonymous little messages to "cheer up"; didn't think that clarifying policy was a challenge to authority. Not that I'm not of the opinion that respectfully questioning or disagreeing with authority is always a bad thing, either. Just might have to wear that one as a badge of honor rather than a reprimand ... :)

I got the silk veils I ordered within a week--they are gorgeous, and I'm having a lot of fun playing with them. If I ever manage to get dancing pictures taken, I'll do some with them and then put links up. I was finally in town to go to Myriam's monthly Bellydance Performance Party--it was packed this time, mostly because a local flamenco teacher and some of her students came to perform. I went with Michael, another woman from my class, and her family, and we had a lot of fun. Still thinking of signing up to solo in September, but to be honest I'm still not sure I can get my courage up. I'm so not good at improvising ... we'll see.

Last big of news is that Michael and I had our annual Sugar Party at his place last night. We were afraid that not very many people would show up, but we ended up with a full house! I finally got to see a lot of people that I'd lost touch with recently, the rain held off for once, and I'm pretty sure a good time was had by all. We have so much candy left over we won't have to worry about Hallowe'en, that's for sure!