Ren has a job!

Yes! It’s true. Two months after being “laid off”, yours truly has been hired by the non-profit Kids’ Center! It was quite a bumpy road; a process lasting 3 weeks.

I received a call from Human Resources on Wednesday extending the offer to join their team as the administrative assistant to the facility manager.

“Thank you. Problem is, we haven’t even discussed wages, schedule and other benefits” I told the woman from HR.

“We still need you to take a TB (Tuberculosis) Skin test, and hopefully you can have the results back by Friday so you can start on Monday. In the meantime, let me review your file and get back to you with the offer this afternoon” she said.

I was at a standstill. I had a job…… but no wages. Can I Facebook the good news? I immediately called my dad to let him know that I had both good and bad news.

“What’s that?” he asked.

“The good news is that they’ve decided to hire me. The bad news is that I have no idea what they’re willing to pay me! I’m still lost!” I said laughing.

He was extremely proud and congratulated me over and over again.

“Oh wow! You don’t know how great these news are! This is amazing! Congratulations! I am so happy!” he exclaimed. Things with my mother weren't as exciting though. "Oh that's good. So you can't babysit the girls anymore on Mondays and Tuesdays I take it?" she said.

I went to have the TB skin test administered that afternoon at a walk-in clinic at the pharmacy and later went on campus to study for a test. The HR lady called me later that afternoon as promised and began going over the benefits.

“We offer a 403B retirement savings plan (similar to 401K but for non-profit organizations) health, dental and vision insurance at low cost. 17 days of Paid Time Off a year. And I’m sure you’re waiting for the wages…..” she said.

It was better than what I had actually asked for in my application and discussed in the interview.  You can imagine my surprise. It amounted to a 12% increase from my previous salary. I actually got what I wished for.

The next day, I went into my regular job and slowly broke the news to all my colleagues and bosses. The President was saddened by the news of losing me but smiled and wished me good luck. The Executive V.P. mentioned that she was happy for the good news and let me know that I had been a wonderful asset to the company for my duration there. At the end of the day, I parted with many hugs with everyone and exchanged phone numbers as well.

One of my boss asked me if I’d be willing to come in for a couple of hours if there was ever anything extra they needed help with. I hesitated at the thought.  “I can’t promise I’ll be able to. This will be a full time job, and I go to school full time as well, including the weekends. But you can always call. I may not answer right away, but I will get back to you.” I hope she got the hint. They’ve been doing fine without me anyway for two months, so I can’t imagine what they’d be calling me about.

But hold on- it gets more complicated!

I went on Friday to get the TB skin test evaluated before going to turn in paperwork for the new job and was given bad news: I tested positive.

How can this be??

The physician told me the next step would be to see my doctor and be referred for chest x-rays. When I told him it was for a pending job, he gave me a few numbers of doctors around the area that might be able to see me in today. I called a few, but most of them charged over $70 for the visit, and who knows how much more for the x-rays. I called HR and my new boss and told them the bad news. My new boss told me to come in anyway for the meeting with HR to see what they could refer, but that this in no way meant I couldn’t work with them. It just meant that the process may be delayed, and if I really had the disease, I’d have to get treatment.

“It’s okay. I went through it too when I first came here. Don’t you worry” he reassured me.

Oh thank God. I was scared this would mean no job!

HR told me this would push my start date back by a week if I got x-ray results on time. They just needed a yes or no on whether I had TB because there were kids around the center, obviously.

I drove to a low-cost clinic down south and walked in to see a doctor.  I paid a total of $55 for the visit AND the x-ray which came back negative. The doctor gave me a note to give to my employer and almost 3 hours later, I was free again. I called HR to let them know the good news, and she scheduled me back to come see her on Monday and finish the paperwork then.  We didn’t discuss if I’d be able to start on Tuesday, but I’m hoping that’s the case. I’d hate to waste an entire week.

So there’s the conclusion to a very….. chaotic week. I’m hoping this weekend will be good.

We make music

I was on campus yesterday for my Tuesday evening classes when I found out my 7pm lecture was canceled. Seeing as to how I was technically free and dressed, I texted Gorgeous Guy to ask him if he was free, to which he called me back right away.

“I’m just getting out of the gym and I’m really hungry. Want to get something to eat? Say, Mediterranean?”

Ugh. I just ate, but… that doesn’t mean I have to eat a handful. I wouldn’t mind just sitting down and…. talking. Eek.

He gave me directions and we met at a Greek place about 15 minutes away.  I admit we had a few awkward silences and moment lost in conversation, but it was a casual meet-up after our last (and awkward) hangout back in September.

I managed to get him off the topic of soccer and asked him about his relationship stint earlier this year which had disappeared just a few days later on Facebook.

He laughed and said “Well, it was more of her pushing the status change. I guess it’s important to some people. If all my friends know I’m dating someone, I don’t need to announce it on Facebook.”

Guys just don’t get it!

“Things just moved too fast between us. It was almost like she moved in cause she was always over and spending the night. I mean, it’s not that I’m against it, it was just…. too soon for me. She was walking around in her pajamas and she was…. kinda butch; she was broad shouldered, so I was kind of scared she’d one day scratch her balls or something” he said.

This sent me into a laughter.

“She just turned me off. I don’t know how else to say it. I didn’t tell her that obviously, but my friends know” he added.

So he likes the feminine woman I see….

Nearing the end of our dinner, he asked if I was up for anything else, to which I replied “Uh, I guess. What did you have in mind?”

Well, I can let you listen to our band’s music. We’ve got some new material” he said.

Oh that’s right… I forgot he’s a bassist for a local band.

“Yeah sure” I replied.

With that, we went over to his place where I met his roommate who high-fived me, and his girlfriend as they were on the couch eating dinner.

We went into his room and listened to music and he then decided to play along on his bass to one of their tracks.

He then got out his keyboard and started messing around with the controls making all different noises and sounds with instruments. I came up next to him and started hitting keys also until we somehow decided to make a loop track to “All my friends know the low rider.” It was actually pretty entertaining.

This entire time I’m thinking it’s nothing but two people having clean fun (yes, it still exists mysteriously) and once it got past midnight, I decided to leave seeing how sleepy he was getting. He walked me out to my car where he gave me one of those awkward hugs like, he's going in for the kiss, but I'm brushing it off completely by nuzzling my head against his chest.  He suggested we hang out again and I told him to find time in his busy schedule and give me a buzz if he ever was available. I asked him if he was free Saturday late night to catch a showing of RHPS; he said he would be at a soccer game but would call me either way to let me know if he could make it. With that he leaned into me and kissed me!

I was surprised that he made the first move, though I was half-expecting us to part ways with a smooch on the cheeks or whatever seeing as how he’d been coyly caressing me as the evening wore off.  We smiled as we hugged one last time and I left back to my place.  Early on, I’d decided against making the first attempt seeing as to how I wasn’t sure if this was a date.  I guess I know what to expect for this weekend!

I managed to go on a date without realizing it.

Is he....... gay?

So Mr. Gorgeous Guy has appeared back after a few months beeping low on the radar, and it's gotten me thinking. I first initiated the conversation the day of my breakup with Sebastian asking him of his plans to attend the Muse concert in mid-March. Since then, it's been a text here and there every once in a while, but nothing to get my hopes up. I've decided that I won't make a move if he doesn't.

So the day of the concert, I text him and he says we should meet up after the concert for a beer. I tell him ok, but seeing as to how I got a ride from someone, I really couldn't. However, my phone died out on me, and I couldn't text him back until I got home after the concert. I got a message asking me if I was at the bar, and I explained to him what happened. The next day, I wrote on his wall on Facebook just chit chatting about the concert, and he responded with "I had fun..." blah blah blah and "we should do something next week."

I know he's not one to really follow through with plans, and neither am I, so I don't check up on him at all. Earlier this week as I'm thinking about him and our "attempted" plans, I get a casual text with "hola." We engage on some weak convo and he tells me he's going to Utah for a business trip. Today, I text him asking how his trip went, and get a missed call with a voicemail from him telling me a bit about it. He asks to call him back to talk, and I call him maybe 30 minutes later when I have free time. We just engage in simple convo about his plans for the year, travelling and getting published in a magazine next year for engineering. Wow, great job and that's really good I tell him. Then he asks me "So when are we hanging out again? So we can talk in person instead of over the phone."

I'm a bit surprised and think to myself Wow, this is.... out of the ordinary, though a little expected I guess, but whatever....

"Well, I guess whenever you can. Like, I guess tell me when you're free and we'll see if we can meet up" I tell him.

"Well, I'm free Tuesday and Wednesday" he tells me.

I tell him I'm free on Wednesday and he plans to keep his schedule clear for that day.

"Yeah, and you should come to a soccer game with me!" he explains.

Ugh..... well..... live sports event aren't my thing, even though I had fun with you last time.

"Yeah, I guess" I answer weakly.

Fifteen minutes later, we say our goodbyes as I go and venture off on to my book.

Later in the evening, I notice he comments on one of my posts, which is rather strange seeing as to how he never comments on anyone else's. So I decide to venture off onto his photo album where he has literally a thousand pictures of his trips and events with him and friends, and don't find a single picture of him and a hot girl.... like... making out, or you know. All I see are really good friendly faces and a lot of drinking and travelling either by himself or his male roommate. However, I do remember him showing me a picture of a girl he dated when I went to his place last year when we were "dating."

Then, I decide to check his info profile just to satisfy my curiosity and see what he's "interested in" and it's not there. It leaves me dumbfounded. I mean... I met the guy on a dating profile. We kissed, but it was I who made the move, and since then, I haven't really seen girls in the picture. I did see his status change a couple of months ago, but a few days after I commented on it, the status was gone. I was confused.

I'm not chasing this guy. We don't have much in common, and the only thing he's good for is arm candy cause the guy is hot. However, I have had.... sort of... bad luck with "handsome" men in the past- wherein that they turn out gay a couple of years later.

Could my gorgeous guy be gay and still be closeted? I mean, no guy that hot should be single, unless he choses to be, or as they say "looks only get you so far" and he's lousy in relationships.

I guess I'll have to get him to open up about that quicky relationship he had earlier this year and explain that to me.

All quiet on the Job Hunt

I didn't receive a response today in regards to the job with the Kids' center. The background check turned out to be very intrusive. They contacted all of my previous employers and even asked for a family member and friend to serve as character references. My best friend couldn't get back to them on time because she was on a different time schedule so I had to supply them with another friend's contact info which delayed the process.

The second interview went by very well. I was there for an hour and a half- an improvement from the previous 3 hour interview one week earlier. We've yet to discuss wages and benefits, but I've already gone over my salary expectations, so they know what I'm looking for. I got a tour of the center which truly amazed me. I was already daydreaming on moving up to the third floor where I would get a beautiful, bright view of downtown. I met with their CFO and we engaged in a very casual conversation talking about myself and previous work experience.

Once back in his office, my interviewer (which would be my direct boss) wanted to test out my English and grammar skills and made me type a fake letter. Although he admitted he would have used different words, I told him it was difficult for me to write a letter to a person if I didn't know their relationship. He stopped me mid-sentence and said "Don't worry. I understand. You don't need to apologize. This will do." As he walked me out, he reassured me they would be calling me back by the end of the week (which didn't happen because of the references delay) and asked me if I got the job, who I would be telling first.

"My dad" I answered.

"Well you can tell your dad that my boss was very impressed with you" he said.

Oh please please pleeeease! 

I've been reading Dan Brown's The Lost Symbol which has helped keep my mind occupied for a few hours at a time. I'm spending the next few nights at my mom's taking care of my sisters while she's at work. I managed to go to the thrift store earlier this week to buy some really nice suit jackets and dress shirts that I'd been needing and ended up spending $20 in all. I get a 20% discount on Sunday, so I'll be returning to that jungle to buy the rest of my "work" clothes such as slacks, and more button down shirts for the "new" job that I don't "yet" have.

I later went to WalMart to buy an iron and ironing board and proceeded to spend all of Wednesday at my apartment ironing all of my clothes. I didn't finish and left a mess in my bedroom and have yet to finish the other half. I also decided to try out a simple recipe making Empanadas de Pino, a traditional Chilean minced meat "pie." I don't know how to cook, so when my mom told my dad that I had baked empanadas, he was actually very surprised and congratulated me. It actually made my day. I don't cook, but I love to bake.

Things on the dating front are very much dead. My profile on POF is still hidden, but I've favorited some guys for "future use." I haven't yet made contact because I promised myself I wouldn't until I had a job secure. I don't want to lose focus and begin dating without a job. I get side tracked very easily.

To my readers, I'm sorry my material has been a bit dull, but it's mainly due to my current state of mood. I'm not doing much right now, and things after a breakup are always particularly tough. A month had gone by before I'd met Sebastian before the last guy I'd dated. It wasn't serious or anything, but it was my first rejection, so it took me a while to get over it. I'm pretty sure my attitude and optimism will rise again once I start dating. I do much better with a partner, and I'm looking forward to the wacky experience again.