One door closed. Two open?

Where do I even start? I've gotten a bit behind on the updates. Well, I had an interview (my first since starting to look for a job) at the Seneca Center last week and received a letter this week informing me I would not be getting a second interview. Seneca Center is a therapy center that provides unconditional support for emotionally disturbed children and their families. These kids can be pretty aggressive and inconsistent because they haven't received consistent nurture and instead have learned not to trust anyone. I am not too disappointed that I won't be working there, but not because of the kids! I am happy that I pursued it and was prepared for taking on this kind of challenge, but I also may have been getting in over my head. I haven't worked in direct contact with children for 7 years, and even then they were well behaved and not emotionally disturbed. I have the heart, I just don't have the experience. In fact, I was feeling nervous, worried, doubtful and anxious about being offered a position, or rather, about being able to do the job, so maybe this is a path I'm not ready to go down yet. Someday, though, I really hope to help kids who either fit into this "emotionally disturbed" category or have learning disabilities because I believe behavior does not make the person and is not permanent. It is something we learn, and something we can unlearn and relearn.

And so, in response to the overwhelming nature of my last job pursuit, I have an interview on Monday at the very UC Berkeley Sleep Lab where I just started as a volunteer research assistant. Apparently, they are in dire need of a Project Coordinator, a position that entails a lot of what I do now and uses a lot of the skills I've developed at Apress. Plus, it's in the Psychology department and I'd be working closely with volunteers, research subjects and Psych department staff and faculty! I could also audit Psych classes on campus during my lunch hours. I will hopefully find out Monday how flexible my hours could be, as well, to find out if I would still be able to volunteer at Berkeley High School and take a day class or two at Berkeley City College. I don't want to get my hopes up too much, but...fingers crossed!

I also submitted an application to Half Price Books in downtown Berkeley for some inane reason. No, I know the reason. I LOVE BOOKS! And I know how to work in a bookstore so I need hardly any training. I figure that if the Sleep Lab gig doesn't work and this does, the position is full time, provides full benefits, and I most likely would have a more flexible schedule to do all the previously said things about classes and volunteering.

This is my last weekend as an Apress employee. It is bittersweet, but I am ready for this era to be over. Just four more days suckers!