thanks for coming in...

had the interview.

okay, first let me say that in my younger days i was a master at the job interview. not really sure what i did, but somehow i landed the job i needed every time. i had a charm about me. i think it's called 'a naive and optimistic outlook on life.' but whatever it was, it has passed.

it probably started with the fact that i wore jeans. i have never in my life worn jeans to a job interview, but (and this is a ridiculous excuse) my favorite boots broke, or at least the zipper did, and all of my other shoes look really dorky (more than usual) with my 'dressy professional casual' look that i usually attempt. so i wore jeans. not crappy jeans, but jeans nonetheless...and when we sat down, the first thing she said was, 'i noticed you were wearing jeans. did you know we had a dress code?'

'oh, no. i wasn't aware of it.'

'do you have a problem with...a...dress...code?' she looked like she would cry if i said yes.

'no, of course not. no.'

'i think i might get everyone shirts - company shirts. could you - would that be...maybe something you would -'

'sure. great.'

so, if i get the job - and take it - i should get those boots fixed to go with the dress code.

the woman who interviewed me 'was no bigger than a midget.' actually she was a bit bigger, but she was tiny and mousy and she laughed at strange times. and while waiting for my answers she stared with a wide frozen smile, which terrified me - what if i gave the wrong answer and she had a psychotic break or something? she asked me what i expected to make hourly and i told her and i thought she might pee herself (and please let it be known it was not a ridiculous amount). so i began to give really timid answers and pretty much forgot how to form a sentence altogether.

i turned into one of those strange shaky puffy women who smiles and laughs at inappropriate times. part of it was a reaction to the woman interviewing me. and part of it was because when i walked into the establishment i got the strange feeling that i would rather wake up in a tub of ice with a kidney missing than work there. but at the same time, i really wanted the interview to go well.

- and here's another thing - they were not hiring editors. they were looking for someone who might some day want to learn editing. at the moment they're only hiring a receptionist. and so the entire interview seemed slightly inappropriate and a waste of everyone's time (i'm sorry if it's horrible of me to not want a job as a receptionist, said the catholic who took a vow of poverty).

but as the interview continued, i tried to press the point that i am familiar with film editing and the software involved because of my background in filmmaking, but this seemed to confuse her for some reason. i talked a little about my background in writing, producing, and editing and she kept talking about how neat it must be to know so many actors. and i said that yes, actors are wonderful people (sometimes), but that...it's... - and then i couldn't figure out what the hell we were talking about. seriously, nothing made sense.

and then she asked me how i liked being a photographer.

who knows...