Susan Arthur

I just finished applying for a job at State in the preservation dept, doing book repair. I had the application all filled out... when it's a government job, you do a god-awful-detailed application.... and got ready to submit it online. I was hauled up short by the option to add a cover letter. Erk? Never had that happen before, when filling out an application online. Never had an application and a cover letter together, because usually when it's an application you don't have any idea who will review it, ie, to whom such a letter should be written. Guess what-- I still had no idea to whom this thing should be addressed, but hurried consultation convinced me that I had to do it. Thank god for good librarians, because zihuatenejo came up with a solution I could use. I was still dreading it; I"m SO bad at those things. So I just sat down after lunch and started writing, using a template I found online (from VT, which gave me a jolt, though it really had nothing to do with anything-- it was just weird.) And lo, it was easy. I used a slightly less formalized approach than I've used before, which helped, and it probably also helped that I am genuinely excited about the possibility of getting this job and could explain exactly how I felt I was suited for it. Always helps to believe what you're saying!

This AM I had an appointment for a check up with a doctor for the Social Security disability claim. It was kind of medium-thorough, I guess. No idea what they'll come up with next. I'll play their silly games, though.

I also dropped off a couple of prescriptions at my local drugstore, and realized I'm turning into my mother.... I have a favorite pharmacist, I know her name, and she knows MY name. I was always kinda spooked about the idea of a bartender knowing my name (it happened once or twice) but at least I spent time talking to them. But with a pharmacist, you're just dropping off an order, not standing around chatting, and they don't even see you when you pick it up. That means I'm dropping off way too many prescriptions, IMO. Sadly, that opinion makes no difference I'll have to keep on doing it, at least if I want to keep breathing easily, sleeping easily, and not having migraines, and hopefully not having broken bones and heart attacks, either. Depressing as hell, I tell you.

I have the essay almost done-- I'm riffing off the topic I used for the big paper this semester. Oh, and there's a competition for papers about archives and preservation, and I think I'm going to submit the ink/vellum/paper piece I did last semester. School is drawing near the end, guys. Very strange.

I would be embarrassed to ever show my face again if I sank so low as to whine, "Math is hard!" but I swear to god, my poor brain is spinning around like the kid's head in The Excorsist. Except faster. I've had a really productive evening but when I got to fractions that have radicals in both parts, I lost it. I had to resort to reviewing language stuff for a while. I still don't think I'm up to that, at least by myself. Those suckers are going to need either a good night's sleep or outside help.

And to make things even better, the ring tone on my phone is so annoying I want to hit something. It's a sequence of notes that sticks in my head every time I hear it. I found alternate tones on the thing, but I can't figure out how to make them the ring of choice.

Michael's called to set up an appointment for an interview. Insert mixed feeling face here.