February 15, 2014
6:41 p.m.

I haven't added anything to this blog for a couple of days, not because I had no thoughts, but because I ran away for a couple of days.

Blogging on my Kindle is kind of a pain. I had it with me, but I just wasn't up for it. I don't know how people spend so much time texting on these tiny devices. Even with progressive lenses, I have a hard time seeing what I'm doing. So I end up taking my glasses off and putting the device two inches away from my eyes, and then I can't get my finger in there to punch in my message. Hahaha! Give me a big screen computer any day.

If I feel that way about the Kindle, which is small but not terribly so, imagine how I'd be with a cell phone! So far I have avoided getting one, because I really hate them. I mean really, really hate them. They started out as a convenience item and ended up the focus of the lives of millions. I was eating a meal in a restaurant recently, and there was a group of people at a table nearby. They were all staring at their phone screens as they ate and not interacting with each other at all. That's annoying and depressing to me.

Okay, I haven't mentioned my job interview. I found myself in a room with five other people. Five! Two men and three women. They are a team hiring a team, so it certainly made sense to have a group interview, but I confess that at first I was a little stunned. Then I pretended to turn around and run away, everyone laughed and the ice was broken. After that everything went smoothly and I came away from the experience unscathed.

Does that mean I think I got the job? No, it means I survived my first interview since 2006. I have no idea if I'll get the job or not. I hope so.

I would like to be working again. It's a temporary position, which is a good idea for me. I've been out of the workforce on disability for a long time and I don't know if I'll do well out there. This will give me a four-to-six month window in which to find out what I'm capable of and if I think I can keep it up until retirement age. I have high hopes about that.

The job is in a building that I was able to breathe comfortably in, and that's the biggest obstacle for me. My high sensitivity allergies are the main reason I've been out of the job market for so long. I'm hopeful, that's all I'm saying. Hope is a good thing.

So, after my interview, I took a bus to the light rail, took two different trains and then caught a last bus that brought me home. This commute was in the middle of the day. It won't be quite so long if I'm taking the express during the morning and evening rushes. Yes, I have checked the schedules. Remember what I said about hope!

Once I got home I packed a small bag and left again to go spend a couple of nights in Blackhawk, where I played penny slot games, ate buffet food and didn't drink enough water. I had good luck, then bad luck, then at the last minute won back the money I'd lost and came home about $40.00 ahead.

Sometimes it is really nice to get away all by myself. It gives me time to relax without worrying what anyone else is doing. But I have to confess something: because of Facebook, I recently saw a video about hotel rooms and so I was afraid to use the glasses and cups in my room. You know, in case the maids sprayed them with chemicals. Sometimes I think I should refrain from watching Facebook videos, unless they feature puppies.

 I came home on Friday morning--Valentine's Day. I'm kind of glad I wasn't going to be staying there that night. I've never been a big fan of Valentine's Day, but I have to admit I would not like to be a single in the midst of lots of celebrating couples. I'm generally okay with being single--I just don't care for forceful reminders that I'm alone and everyone else is paired up, and Valentine's Day in public places can be daunting. Instead, I came home, ate too much peanut brittle (I have a problem, I admit it!) and watched a marathon of "Psych".

Now I just have to get through the rest of the weekend. I was told that I would hear back regarding the job on Monday. I'm not holding my breath, and I refuse to get nervous about it, but waiting is hard, nonetheless.

Wish me luck!

Good night.