Back to routine

Call it laziness, call it writer's block, call it whatever you want -- I just couldn't write these last few weeks. I guess there were too many things we had to deal with. Germany, Israel, all of a sudden a job offer, the flight back, a hectic week of getting-back-to-routine, and then my first day at work on Monday.

I started at a company in Oakland, which is really close by. My manager agreed to flexible hours, organized a laptop for me, and is besides also a really sweet person. A good manager too, for all I can say after three days. It's tough at the moment though, it always is when you start a new job. At work, my head is spinning from information overkill. I am also having a hard time getting up in the mornings. It didn't really help either that my alarm clock decided not to go off today at 5:45.

Yair stays in school now until 3:30pm. Sometimes he naps after lunch, sometimes he doesn't, but he's taking it all really well. He's happy and sweet when I come to pick him up. He's such a good boy. "Where is mommy? Has she gone to work?" he asks in the mornings when he wakes up and finds me gone. No crying, no complaining. Today at dinner, he asked me: "Mommy, how was school today?" I:"It was nice. I slept on my mat next to Adi." He (rolling his eyes, laughing): "Mommy! You didn't go to school! You went to work!"

So yes. We're back.

Spiderman

After 800 miles, turkey, pumpkin pie, Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Santa Monica, and a glimpse at the smoke of the Malibu wildfires, we are back on Jackson Street. Yair shook hands with Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse, met Spiderman (though he was deeply disappointed by the fact that his all-time favorite spoke English, not Hebrew like the real Spiderman), pocketed clothes and toys, swept leaves in the backyard, bravely endured endless hours on the road, and made new friends.

And since Spiderman remains popular, Yair got himself yet another present today: Spiderman panties. His first. Panties, that is. What an incentive! He spent his first two hours ever without diapers, going potty three times. An incredible success. The hard part came afterwards, when he insisted on going to sleep without a diaper, too. There was much crying, screaming, ranting, clamoring until he finally caved in. To be continued tomorrow... After school.

Just when you least expect it...

The phone rings. You answer in a rather stroppy way because really, you cannot take another of these commercial calls that usually come in around lunch time. Donate for fire fighters. Help in the war on drugs. Keep our children off the street. And that's just when the hiring manager of the company you interviewed with is on the line, all friendly, seemingly smiling, because guess what?! She really likes you and would want you to join her team, there are just a few little issues to get out of the way beforehand. Such as the distance. How would I feel about driving 50 miles every day? Telecommuting about twice a week? Well, well. Not really common at this company. People show up in the office every day. Hard to manage someone remotely. But you know what? "Let me think about it for a while." When we hang up, I realize that I haven't mentioned I would also like a reduction in hours. Can't do it otherwise. How many hours are we talking about anyway? 40? What about 30? 32? OK, 34 at the most. When I call her back, the mail box greets me. No one home. Is she gone for the weekend? I leave her a message asking to call me back. And now I'm waiting... Should I let this opportunity pass by? Or grab it with both hands to see what comes out of it?

What did I write yesterday? I only wanted to get accepted? Well. I got accepted!!!

Job-hunting at Halloween

Today I plunged head over heals into job-hunting. Bought a file for my portfolio, cotton fiber paper to print my resume on, business card paper to print the business cards I designed. My resume is polished, my cover letter more or less in order. And in the afternoon, at a birthday party Yair was invited to, I made my first attempt at networking my way to a job, after learning that only about 20% of all open positions are actually advertised. One of the mothers turned out to be a Harvard-graduate who, for years, has been working for a consulting company in San Francisco. This company, it turns out, also gets requests for technical writing contracts. Now I am to enter my profile into their system and let the girl's mother know when I am done. She is Senior Vice President and General Manager. One of them. That's one step forward then, isn't it?

I do miss the easy, simple way of sending out your resume to a bunch of companies within 15 minutes, the way it is done in Israel. Here, finding a job is real work. It could be a full-time occupation if you wanted to. It is strongly recommended that you call up the companies after sending your application to affirm your interest in the position and improve your chances of your resume at least getting looked at. Better yet, before sending your application, call the company and find out who is the hiring manager. Then address your cover letter to him (or her). And call again afterwards to make sure it went through.

All the while, Shai is supposedly enjoying himself at his first Halloween party in San Francisco. Don't ask how he left the house. He put on one of my pajamas. Did I mention it's his first Halloween party? I tried to tell him that Halloween is different from Purim, in a sense. Aren't you supposed to wear something scary, or spooky, or extramundane? But for lack of a real costume, he wanted to be creative... I, for one, would have skipped the party.

English lesson

Before I forget, I need to document Yair's progress in English. This morning, while romping through our room, he shouted: "Ima, there's a pig!" (There was none!) And later today, when doing the dishes (one of his favorites lately), he handed me a clean bowl saying "This one is ready." I think that was the first time he used English intentionally and in the right context. I'm impressed.

Surprise

in my mail box. Unsuspecting, I open the inconspicuous, white envelope addressed to me. Probably they need more documents. Proof of expenses. Maybe an appointment for fingerprinting, like my French friend received.

Then my fingers feel a thin, rectangular card the size of a credit card. I hold my breath. It can't be, impossible. Only a month has passed since I sent in the application! Now impatient, I unfold the single sheet of paper -- and there it is: my work authorization!

Happy as I am, now I no longer have any excuses to stay at home. Or have I?

Over the last few weeks, I have already sent out a few applications. I have even gotten in touch with a friend of the father of one of the kids at Yair's school, who is a technical writer and willing to get me in touch with people who may be able to help me track down some work. But now I should gear up and get more serious about finding a job. I should. I will.

At my own pace.

Perfect day

Time is passing by quickly now. How could I ever think I would get bored within a few weeks' time (those of you who told me I wouldn't, you were so right!)?

Autumn is here, and the nights are getting chilly. The mornings, too. The trees, though not as pretty as in New England or Germany at this time of the year, are slowly changing their color.

Today, Shai took a break from school, books, and studying, and we left early, heading north for wine tastings in Napa Valley.
Spotless blue sky.
Beautiful scenery.
Delicious wine.
Sweet laughter.
Nothing to add but pictures.



When Yair fell asleep by himself at night, waiving me good-bye when I left his room, after a few rounds of tight hugs and wet kisses, it was the perfect ending of a perfect day. No more impatiently lying or sitting beside him waiting for him to fall asleep. An unexpected but much hoped for present: I've got my nights back without trading in closeness and confidence. Thank you!

As a treat, here's last week's favorite picture, taken in Fairyland, Oakland.