Got a Job!

... for a bit. I just accepted a contract position at Microsoft that involves rewriting some Web pages for their intranet. Should take about three to six weeks. But actually that's perfect; it keeps me busy while I'm hoping something longer term works out.

I don't have a starting date yet; it'll either be later next week or the week after. So I still have a few days to sleep in. :-) And that's just as well; my jaw still doesn't feel right, I've got some minor numbness in my lower lip, and I'm tired all the time... is this normal?

The teeth

Ok, well, what is there to say about the teeth.

A looming deadline for my insurance benefits motivated me to get a long-overdue check-up. The check-up went great (and now I *swear* by my Sonicare toothbrush, which reduced that awful scraping time in the chair to almost nothing), but the dentist took a look at my x-rays and said, hm, you may want to do something about those wisdom teeth.

No one's ever mentioned that before (well, I haven't seen that many dentists, ahem), but he made a good case. They were practically wrapping themselves around the roots of the adjoining molars. So, given the pending insurance cut-off, I was referred to an oral surgeon, who scheduled me pronto.

Last week went like this: Monday: consultation. Tuesday: replace old filling (with dentist #1). Wednesday: fix the new filling (a bit too much of it in my toof). Thursday: get nervous. Friday: surgery.

I was only nervous because, when you mention to people you're having your wisdom teeth removed, everyone has a horror story. Either about the anesthetic or the painful recovery and risk of dry sockets. I was more worried about the former. I haven't been under general anesthesia since I was 4 (and all I remember there is that it smelled funny). Being put under by inhaling fumes, that's just creepy.

Well, that part was easy. Doc is such a pro. He said, "think of someplace tropical," and I said, "Hawaii!," and he said, "yes, Hawaii," and I imagined myself and Rusty on a beach in Hawaii, and that was all. When I woke up, I was soooo happy and calm and peaceful. Oh, there was still surgery going on; the doctor and assistant were still wailing away on the last tooth with mighty gusto. But I didn't care. They could have pulled all my teeth right then and there, and I would have been just fine.

The happy drugs wore off in the recovery area, where they kept me for about two minutes, and this is where I'll stop going into detail, because none of it is pleasant or entertaining and even fun to remember. I spent the rest of the day on the couch, and decided by evening that the prescription pain killer was not worth taking either. Ibuprofen will do just fine, thank you.

So now it's five days later, and I think I've dodged the dry-socket-bullet just fine. Phew. I'm still on soft-ish food, and nothing too hot. Actually, I think I'm just reluctant to let the ice cream and pudding diet go. But the swelling is mostly down, although there's a yellowish bruise spreading on my jaw, especially visible in fluorescent lighting.

I had a job interview on Monday, and the interviewer also had a horror story about her wisdom teeth extraction: She went playing tennis a few days later and got hit in the mouth by a ball. I think I'll wait with tennis until, oh, August.

Laid off in Seattle?

This is interesting, and I hope this tally continues: Independent online newspaper The Seattle Courant is tracking layoffs in Seattle alone. (Should they expand to surrounding areas, since so many Seattle residents work on the East side? I guess that's up to the editor...).

Meanwhile, I'm recovering from wisdom tooth extraction and have one, perhaps two, offers to contract at Microsoft. More about both of those later...

unscheduled days

There's a turning point in the "unemployed" phase. At first, I was full of motivation: clean up my space, catch up on old business, have lots of ideas of what to do. But over time, the absence of a regular work schedule leads to aimlessness: sleep in, futz around, make a to-do list that has one item checked off on it for days. Motivation? Where'd you go?

Part of it may be that the required job search is not that tough. I've updated my resumes on Monster and Career Builder, and still have recruiters pinging me regularly. And good prospects too: tomorrow I interview at Microsoft for a contract publishing their German Windows Media site. How sweet would that be...!

Of course, in secret, I'd rather become a Fundraising Intern at the Kirkland Performance Center. If there's a career switch imminent, I think fundraising and art promotions is it. If the German gig doesn't come through, I'll apply for KPC. If nothing else, it's a good use of my unscheduled time.

In other news, I'm having my wisdom teeth removed on Friday. Yup, all four. Which means that today I'm going to the library and picking up lots of DVDs to watch over the weekend.

Pay Cut. Harrumph.

Had a conversation today with Marianne, a recruiter at a staffing company that hires for contracts at Microsoft. The news is that since last September, the hourly rates Microsoft is paying for vendors and contractors has gone down, and while she was able to place people at the top of the payrange, she's now only able to secure the low- to medium-level pay rate. (Never mind that several contracts have disappeared, as budgets for projects are getting cut.)

So, if I land another contract with my favorite software giant, it'll probably be at a 20-25% pay rate reduction. Not happy news, this. Nope.

... week 3....?

Um, hello... yes, I'm still here.

Job hunt? Yes, well... that's happening. But not with much success. I don't see many postings for jobs I'm qualified for in the usual locations (Monster, Craigslist, Careerbuilder). I've sent out my resume about a dozen times, total, and either got no response or (in just one case) a flat-out rejection. "Not enough management experience."

(Which, if I think about it, is a reflection on how poor my resume is. I've been a teacher, a choir director, and a seminar manager. Is any of that on my resume? Noooo...)

But I secretly know I'm going about this all the wrong way. Sending e-mails with attachments isn't getting me in the door anywhere. I need to come a-callin' or a-knockin'. But, truth is, I'm not sure exactly where I want to call and knock. Or, to be really honest, I know where I'd like to call and knock, but those would be jobs with gigantic pay cuts for me. And now is not the time for pay cuts. I'm on a mission to pay off debt and support my boyfriend through some schooling.

Sigh. So, back to knocking on the big doors. We'll live in poverty and save the world another day. But if you know a job that would save the world and needs exactly my skills (including management!) and might even compensate me adequately, please send them my way...!

The Next Gig: Music, of course. Orkestar RTW is playing at Georgia's Greek Restaurant on Saturday evening. Admission is free, but do have some dinner. Best Greek food in town!