Cat Pants

I'm pretty sure my cat gets up in the morning & goes to her Haunches Closet to decide what her day is going to be like.  If it's raining like today, she always puts on her Pyscho-Pants (which she also changes into around 10:00 every night).  She often dons her Meow-Pants or her Sleep-Pants.  Occasionally she chooses her Nice-Pants. And, I'm pretty sure she always layers her Cute-Pants underneath whatever else she's wearing that day.

Part II: Sometimes my inner commentary sounds like tweets from The Onion.

- Breaking: Umpa Lumpa admits diet consists solely of orange cauliflower.

- Walmart launches new Sexy Halloween Costume Line for babies and toddlers.

- Cat writes best seller by walking/sitting on keyboard.

- Weirdest girl in school wonders why everyone else is so weird.

- New hairdryer pulls more hair through blower to improve and extend burnt hair smell.

- Fit Americans forced to eat fast food to cure un-American-ness.

- Meditation - Butt-sleep connection discovered.

- Girl deleting friends on Facebook disappointed to discover they still exist in real life.

Sometimes my inner commentary sounds like tweets from The Onion.

- Man who cannot bend pinky continually ridiculed while drinking tea.

- Only man with Pinterest "Wedding Inspiration" Board confirms its creation was a dare.

- Dog feeling pain of Government Shutdown; must urinate on privately owned trees.

- Newly designed controllers more comfortable for cats to sleep on.

- Couple burns down house waiting for the other partner to get up as oven timer beeps.

- 3-legged dog laments inability to wear favorite Petsmart Halloween costumes.

- Cat thumping tail on owner is actually communicating via Morris Code.

   - Owner disappointed cat's Morris Code thumping is in German, which he doesn't speak.

Emotions of Job Hunting & Interviews for the [f]unemployed (illustrated with terrible quicky drawings)

     I finally feel like a whole, sane, healthy person.  It has only taken about 8 months to recover from the last few months of my last job.
     This is excellent news since I'm now fully dedicated to the job hunt.  My state of mind in the application process and interviews is open, excited, and relaxed.  I have much to give to a company and it turns out that there are some really exciting opportunities out there.  Who'da thought you could be excited about going back to work?  Well, I may actually be if the right opportunity presents itself.
     This was not the case in February or even over the summer.  I remember interviewing for positions in January and February and hoping not to get an offer so I would not feel obligated to take it.  I'm too competitive not to give it my best shot, however, and there were offers that presented themselves (which I turned down).  I kept thinking, I should take this job. But in the end, I just needed a mental break.  I'm glad I did give myself a mental break.  Whoever my new employer will be, will get not only a capable hard-worker, but also a positive, happy employee.
     The job hunt is emotionally challenging at times.  In earlier months, part of the challenge was that emotionally, I just wasn't ready to work.  Now, that is not the case.  It is still challenging.  Job hunting is like ceramics - you can't love it until it comes out of the kiln (especially if you are me, since my clay skills are dicey at best).

        So, here's kinda how it feels:
1. Finding an interesting job posting that you are qualified for: surprise & happiness :) makes my breakfast taste a little better (when I'm not so surprised I spill it all over myself).  Gives you the stamina to keep looking for additional jobs.

 2. Updating Cover Letter & Resume for said posting: feeling accomplished.

3. Filling out institutional forms: frustrated and annoyed that it takes at least an hour.  Must. Get. Up. For. A. Min. &. Get. Snack. (once completed). Sometimes it can take me 3 hours to apply to a single job posting.

 4a. Getting a call about a position you applied to 2 months earlier: Confusion...then excitement!

 4b. Getting a call about a position you just applied to: They LIKE me!  They really like me!

 5. Phone interviewing: stressful, frustrating.  I find it difficult to represent my full self over the phone.  While I feel none of my phone interviews have gone poorly, I still much prefer interviewing in person.

 6. Scheduling an in-person Interviews: Yay!  Trying.Not.To.Get.Too.Excited...

 7. Driving to an interview: Oooooh...I no longer want this job (after seeing the commute).  BUMMED because the job is interesting in & of itself & I'd be a rock star for them.

 8. Public Transport/walking/biking to an interview: feels good.  Opportunities still exist where I won't have to purchase a car!

9. Waiting...on one hand I'm anxious to know, but on the other hand, I can stand a little more time off since I've not yet found the ideal position.