Carly's Ramblings Blog - Style

The Story Continues, Living Forever & Life Lessons

Today's blogs....

The next day... the story continues from yesterday...

I arrived at my interview a full hour early. I wanted to be prepared for anything. Mrs. Ryder smiled at me when I arrived at reception and lead me immediately into a small lounge. She told me someone would be along shortly to see to my bag and my documents.
"Would you like anything will you wait? Tea, coffee... a water?"

"Water would be good, if it is not a bother." I told her and she smiled kindly as she assured me it was not.

Alone, I moved about the room unable to sit still. I walked along looking at the artwork that was hung around the room.

It was not long after Mrs. Ryder brought me my water that another woman came in. I gave her a friendly smile and said 'hello'.

"Miss Devon. It is good of you to arrive early. I am Ms. Richards." I moved forward to shake her outstretched hand.

After we took our seats, she explained her part in the process.

"Part of your interview process is for me to access what you have brought with you." When I raised my brows in surprise she gave a gentle laugh then went on, "It is nothing too intrusive. Can I see your passposrt?"

I pulled it out of my purse and handed it over. She smiled and taking it looked through to make sure it was current and up to date.

"I just had it renewed last fall." I told her feeling my nerves tighten.

"That is good... and I see you have been a few places since then."

I nodded smiling. "I do enjoy to travel if I can..."

She handed the passport back and looked over at my bag. "Only the one bag?"

I cleared my throat nervously, "yes... I tend to travel light."

"Will you show me?"

'Odd' I thought but nodded as I got up to retrieve it. As I opened it I explained my plan. "I tend to pack so that I am dressy casual... that way my items can be dressed up or down depending on my needs. I don't take a lot of extras. With a job like this, I figure I can afford to buy anything I didn't remember and if need be I can ship things home to my family if I don't require them anymore. I also have space in here for my portfolio and any other documents I need to carry."

Ms. Richards nodded at that. She seemed mildly impressed with my explanation. I showed her my items and she nodded impassively as she made a few notes on her clipboard.

When she left me to put everything back in she told me that Mr. Marshall would be with me shortly. Left alone, I shook my head at the experience. I had never had a luggage check before. It seems very odd. Nerves assailed me and I got up to wander the room again.

Twenty minutes later Mrs. Ryder reappeared and escorted me to another lounge that, unlike the first room with its minimal decor, this one had magazines, a television and a coffee machine complete with supplies.

"Help yourself to anything in here." she told me. "Mr. Marshall is running a little late."

The smell of coffee draws me and I move to fix myself a rather large mug of the brew. A tentative sip has me moaning at the smooth richness. Definitely good coffee.

With cup in hand I moved to the couch and perused the magazines on the table before me. Several of their own publications and a few others thrown in for variety. I settled into the couch and selected one of their beautiful magazines. The glorious photos of exotic locales never failed to cause tingles of excitement to flood over me. I so wanted to be writing for this magazine.

By the time Mrs. Ryder comes to get me I am thoroughly engrossed in an article and almost hate to leave it. Instead, I set the magazine down open in the hopes I can return to it.

I follow Mrs. Ryder through the maze of their department and come to Mr. Marshall's spacious office. He waves me in and motions for me to take a seat in front of his desk.

"Thank you for coming in, Miss Devon. I apologize for taking so long."

"No worries, Mr. Marshall. I was just reading..." I smile and let my voice trail away.

"More research, Miss Devon?" he says with a smile and I nod.

I ready myself for his questions and surprised by his first one as he handed back my portfolio.

"Do you have a copy of your portfolio?"

"Oh, yes... several actually." I gave an impish smile before adding, "I have another hard copy at my parent's place, as well as a digital copy of two flash drives. One with me and one... in a safe place. I also have one backed up in a Cloud drive. You can never be too careful... and some people prefer the digital copy."

Mr. Marshall gave a kind smile and nodded his approval. When he asked why so many. I told him I had experienced a hard lesson when I had lost a particularly important document for school. "Having to redo the paper was not something I ever wanted to do again so I take the necessary precautions. They may be excessive but I feel more secure with my way..." Again he smiled.

"Mrs. Richard told me about your bags... or rather lack of bags."

"I prefer to travel light. My bag is a backpack on wheels. It fits in carry on and I can bypass the baggage pick up line. I find if you take too much stuff you never wear most of it. If I need something bad enough I can buy it."

"That sounds very sensible." I watch as he makes a few notes then looks up to ask,"if you were asked to leave right now, would you be able to?"
"Oh, yes. I would only have to notify a few people... I have already set things in motion...."

"Things like?"

"Well, my current job is at a bookshop. I have discussed my plans with my boss to take a learn and she is well aware that I may be off and running if I accept this position. My family is also well aware of my plans."

"It seems Miss Devon that you have given a great deal of thought to what will happen if you accept this position."

"Oh, I have Mr. Marshall. This job is a dream of mine. To travel and write for your magazines. To blog about my travel adventures... it is a passion." In my excitement I feel myself getting lighter as I shift forward on my chair. My nerves vanish. Mr. Marshall smiles as he watches me.

Looking back at his notes he nods. "From what we have seen and heard, I believe you would be an excellent addition to our magazine."
My heart leaps as my breath catches. I wait not wanting to assume.

Mr. Marshall looks back at me watching my reaction. I am almost vibrating. He smiles. "If you could be ready to leave tomorrow we could start the employment papers now."

"Oh." My held breath whooshes out and I smile, "Oh, most definitely, Mr. Marshall."

Standing, he offers me his hand to accept the offer and when I clasp his hand to shake he says, "Now that you are one of us Miss Devon call me Dave."

"Thanks... Dave." I am almost floating as he takes me out to introduce me as their newest member of their writing staff.

Welcome To My Reality – Week seventy – nine

1. If you were given the opportunity to live forever, would you take it? Why or why not?

No. I have watched the movie The Highlander... a clansman lives forever, and he sees everyone he loves age and die as he remains youthful and vibrant. I would not want to go through that. To go on alone in the world, unable to explain why I never age as they do would be difficult. You would have to be so close to someone to share that part of yourself and then you would either see them reject you or grow old and die in front of you... either way the pain is great. Sure there is good in it but I think the negative would out weight it.
The Highlander was also not able to have children... that choice taken away is also not good. If you were able to have children watching them die before you would be awful... and what if your children also lived forever.... and you didn't like your children. Just a thought.

3. What have you learned from doing things you don't like or want to do?

We all have to do things we don't like or don't want to do. I have learned it is best to tackle things like this right away and just get them done. When they are finished there is a feeling of accomplishment and a feeling of knowing the dang thing is out of the way... thank goodness. To procrastinate only builds the anxiety and drags me down.
All jobs, even dream jobs, have elements that are crappy. With teaching it is the paper work. Having to assess things often takes away from fully enjoying the experience... Writing IEPs and Report Cards take hours of time... especially if you are a dedicated teacher. The time you take to do those things is the time when the students are not in class. If you are a new teacher you are just learning... I remember doing IEPs the first time - I probably logged 30 hours on 10 students. If your consultant changes, you need to learn what they expect and change accordingly - that gives you a learning curve.