Intraview

I was up a few minutes early and happy to report that the sky was completely clear with a half moon visible in the southern sky. The deck was wet after last night’s storm. I quickly slipped into my exercise shoes then started my calisthenics. In between sit-ups and push-ups I checked the weather via Yahoo. It was 64 degrees with an expected high of 76. Calling for a chance of rain all day long.  In fact, calling for rain the entire week.

Eiknarf and I headed out shortly after push-ups. It was nice to walk without the immediate threat of rain. My mind was racing and elsewhere thinking about my pending job intraview. I found myself walking the old Ykraps trail without even thinking about it.  We headed back home after Eiknarf took care of her business. It was coffee time.

I enjoyed coffee in front of my PC. I didn’t dwell there long, however. I wanted to stay slightly ahead of schedule. At 605a I headed to the family room for meditation and stretching. Both went well. During meditation I decided not to worry about the intraview. Make it fun. However, I planned to consider how I might answer the standard intraview questions during my run, which has always been a place for me to solve the world's concerns/issues/problems.

I delivered Mindy’s coffee and the pug around 620a. Mindy was just rolling out of bed. I helped her put it back together before heading downstairs to dress for my run. I wore summer running attire. By the time I headed out the door thin cloud cover had almost completely overtaken the sky. L Easy come easy go.

I ran the full 4.1 miles under dry skies. After Monday, I considered myself fortunate. During my run I contemplated my response to several basic interview questions. I felt at peace as my run drew to a close.  

As soon as I got home from my run I headed upstairs to iron the dress shirt I planned to wear to my interview. I planned to wear dress slacks and a tie as well. It didn’t take me long to iron my shirt. I haven’t used the iron in years.

During breakfast, Mindy asked if I was nervous or excited about my interview. I shared that I wasn’t, but that wasn’t entirely true. I was a tad nervous, but also confident. She expressed confidence in my strengths. Before leaving for school she reminded the kids to bus home to Noah’s and then wished me luck.

Jacob wasn’t 100% but was returning to school. He wanted to. I headed for a shower a couple minutes earlier than usual. I shaved with my quad bladed razor for only the second time in as many years. I don’t care for the clean shaven look at all, but it’s not about me. Sometimes it’s about the 'norm'. It took three tries to get my tie to hang just the way I wanted. I looked good but felt uncomfortable – unlike my real self.

I didn’t bother packing a lunch. Instead, I used the few minutes I had before bus time to prepare for my departure. I planned to drive the Trooper in again. The kids and I headed out at the usual time of 757a. Chrissy quipped about my snazzy attire – Interview, she asked? I said not. Didn’t want to talk about it.

After seeing the kids off on the bus I walked Eiknarf out front for a few minutes. She took a dump. I could feel the butterflies churning in my stomach knowing that I’d be in an intraview within the hour. After all, I hadn’t intraviewed for almost 14 years. I headed inside to grab my gear and head in to work. It was a Rachel cleaning day. Had it not been, I would’ve planned to return home to change clothes after the interview. As it was, I planned to simply remove the tie.

I arrived at work a couple minutes early. I was concerned about my team seeing me dressed up and then panic ensuing. I kept that in mind and took the back way into my office. I logged on but then quickly headed off to my intraview.

The intraview went about like I expected it might. I was confident but at the same time a little nervous. The nervousness quickly abated. I was honest about what I did and didn’t know technically. It's kind of funny, because over the years I’ve probably done 250 interviews asking some of the same questions. I found myself stumbling on a few that had I had more time to prep I would’ve totally nailed. I Am who I am however, and feel strongly that I conveyed that point. Nothing worse than overselling oneself.

I got really good vibes from the intraviewer. Seemed genuinely interested in bringing me onboard. We wrapped up after nearly an hour. Said he wanted to have another guy talk with me, a person I was somewhat familiar with. Figured in the next day or two. Said I’d have an answer by Friday. Cool. I walked back to my office relieved. I pulled off my tie before I got back to my office in the center.

A few folks commented about my more dressy than usual attire, but I simply downplayed it. I guess it’s the price one pays for wearing jeans and a black t-shirt almost every other day. My boss stopped by to get my thoughts. We talked about it for 10 or 15 minutes.

The only food I brought to work was a banana. I ate that around 10a. The weather did what it’s done for the past couple days, sun then clouds. A quick storm rolled through at some point. Can’t recall when that was. Nearing 1pm, I decided to take my lunch and headed to the Honda dealership to test drive both an Accord and a Civic. Trooper drove fine.

I met a kid named Tony right away, not the same Tony that sold us the Pilot, however. He was friendly and asked how I might be helped. Asked to test drive a new Civic EX-L if they had one. Found the keys to one that had just come in. It still had a foam bumper attached to the actual bumper and plastic over the aluminum wheels. Said the stereo wouldn’t work because they hadn’t yet prepped it. Made a copy of my driver’s license and turned me loose.

This was a 2012 Civic EX (not an EX-L) meaning it didn’t have leather seats. Otherwise, it would be a good representative of the model I was interested in. I noticed right away that it didn’t have power seats. That’s something I didn’t catch on the accessories sheet. Not even an option. It only comes in a 4-cylinder too. My guess is that they don’t want the Accord and Civic to compete with one another.

I loved the cool digital dash (speedometer and gas gauge). It was spunky, much like my Z3. However, there’s no mistaking it for anything other than a small car with a stiff ride. One would never mistake it for a luxury ride. But then again, that’s not its niche. Its reputation is that of a reliable, well built small car, and it boasts 39 mpg on the highway.

I didn’t go far after noticing that the fuel gauge was on E. I returned to find Tony out in the lot. I asked to drive the Accord EX-L next. He brought me a black one completely decked out. I realized right away, though that it was the 4-cylinder model. No since in that. I wanted to drive the V-6. He returned with an ugly maroon EX-L Accord with a tan leather interior. Can’t think of an uglier color, but it wasn't the color I was test driving.

I liked the feel of the Accord far more than the Civic. However, this was a 2011. The new Accords aren’t out yet and probably won’t be until September or even October. While 2012 won’t be a body style change, it will almost certainly come with more progressive technological features, comparable to that in the 2012 Civic.

I returned the car and chatted briefly again with Tony. He’s new to car sales, and I could tell. Never once did he try to sell me a car, or ask any probing/leading questions. I had to draw his attention to my Trooper through casual conversation. Neither car knocked my socks off or inspired me. I’m still a little jaded. Would prefer not to buy a new car at all if I could avoid it. What to do? I left after thanking Tony for the test drives.

I was gone from the office for about 90 minutes. I was crazy hungry but knew I didn’t have any food at the office. I’d simply have to tough it out. Lucky for me, one of my guys had a big bag of pretzels in his office. I enjoyed a couple handfuls of them mid afternoon.

The afternoon went by in a hurry.  I left the office at 525a. For one reason or another, I was super sleepy and had been since mid-morning. It might’ve been unrecognizable stress from the intraview and all. I called Mindy as I walked to the parking lot. We talked for about 15 minutes. She was curious abut the intaview. I shared what I knew. I then shared that I test drove the Civic and Accord at lunch. She was curious how that went too. Still undecided and largely unimpressed. She asked how the Trooper was holding up. I shared that it was fine while looking to knock on wood.

And don’t you know, at the next roundabout the transmission slipped, once again delivering fair warning that the problem was still there. I’m guessing it’s still low on fluid. Either that, or enough has since leaked out and it now needs more. Regardless, it got my full attention.

Before parting ways, Mindy reminded me that she was leaving to take Bella to gymnastics. From there she said she was running to Sam’s Club and almost certainly wouldn’t be home until after gymnastics. Jacob was staying home. Sounded like I’d be fending for myself relative to dinner.

I went straight for the peanut jar once I got home. I had two or three handfuls to help fend off my growing hunger. I didn’t want to stuff myself with them like I have a tendency to do sometimes. I put them away. After prepping Wednesday’s coffee I ate some cheese then decided to warm some of the leftover chicken and pasta. I topped it with two slices of pepper jack cheese. It was incredible! After my dinner I headed out to plant the cone flowers and canas. Carl gave us a bag with about 12-15 cana bulbs a couple weeks ago.

I planted them in the bed next to the A/C unit, which has proved to be a tricky spot over the years. A couple other items I’ve planted there lived a short life, and that includes a rose and butterfly bush. Not sure why, but suspect it’s because of the wildly varying conditions. Shady most of the day, but then it gets the harshest sunshine late afternoon. I’ve planted tomato & pepper plants there, too. They’ve typically done OK there long term but were prone to wilting in the late afternoon sun.

I spent about 30 minutes planting and then watering the cone flowers and canas. I then headed inside to wash up and nap. I fell asleep in the recliner in short order. Slept until Mindy got home. Don’t think I was out for more than ten minutes, but it was very restful sleep. Bella wanted to tune the TV to Idol, but it was only 730p. She watched some Nickelodeon or Disney Channel programming leading up to it.  Mindy invited me out onto the deck to sit and relax. It was a sunny & mild evening with very little humidity. All and all, a very nice evening for sitting on the deck.

Mindy was grading school papers. I went back inside twice. Once to get my BB gun to shoot the pesky geese, and then a second time to get a beer – a CBC IPA. After seeing my beer, Mindy went for one of her own. Jacob joined us a time or two. He was being awfully annoying. After the sun dipped behind the house, it actually got a little chilly. Both Mindy and I fetched our fleece jackets. We stayed outdoors until 8p or after. Neither of us had any interest in watching the Idol finale week. Sad, really. After all, we watched every week since January. But with our favorites out we couldn’t have cared less.

At some point Mindy shared that she got her hair cut again. I thought it looked freshly cut. She didn’t exactly ask for my opinion, but seemed to be prodding for my reaction. I shared my true feelings, which were displeasure. I don’t like her hair “boy short” or draping over her ears. I like it like I like it. Period! She wasn’t pleased with my candidness. I see no point in being anything but honest. I didn’t feel my comment was rude, but she obviously did.

Once we finally headed inside I went to the sofa recently abandoned by Bella. She was off to the shower. I quickly tuned the TV away from Idol and instead to one of the knowledge channels. I wasn’t enamored with any of the programming there either, but ended up on a crime solver type show. It was there that I fell asleep.

Can’t recall if Mindy woke me before she headed off to bed, but I’m thinking not.  I continued nesting on the sofa until waking at 1005p. I was still in my fleece but getting extremely warm. I wondered if Mindy might’ve turned on the furnace. She hadn’t, but the AC was off. As expected, she had our bedroom windows open.

I laid in bed for a few minutes, but like often happens after a restful sofa nap, I couldn't immediately fall back asleep. I ended up heading back downstairs to my computer where I edited four days worth of blog entries. All of the sudden it was near midnight. Suddenly, I was too tired to fool with publishing them. I headed for bed. I could see a few stars out the half moon window. Good night moon!