Bringing Home Bacon

Let me backtrack and tell you a little about the interview process I’ve been going through over the past few weeks, this time for a job with Berkeley Humane. It was Molly who first alerted me to their vacancies, which she’d seen on the organization’s Facebook page, and then on their own site.

job

As you recall from past posts, the job application process in general is grueling: sending out application after application and never hearing a squeak back, like shooting into the dark. So it was with surprise that, after submitting a voluminous online application, I got an e-mail inviting me to come for an interview. I was under consideration for one of two positions: a full-time foster care coordinator, or a part-time community outreach coordinator. It’s tricky to prepare for such a two-pronged interview. “Why are you interested in this/that job” is a hard question even when you’re talking about only one job. Molly helped me prepare.

At the interview I met with two would-be bosses, very nice people who asked questions about my opinion on everything from volunteers to euthanasia. They said they’d make a decision within about a week. Ten days later I was called back for a second interview. I learned I’d been eliminated from consideration for the full-time position, so this was for the part-time job. At this second interview I met with the volunteer coordinator, Dana, one of the two people I’d seen the first time. She is a refreshingly direct, no-nonsense person. We talked for about an hour as I answered a slew of thought-provoking questions, and learned about the role in question. A few days later Dana wrote back to ask for references, and wrote again later asking me to return for a third interview, this time with the executive director who asked questions that momentarily stumped me. “Your background is quite different than what is required for this position,” the executive director noted. “Buh-buh-buh,” I replied. But eventually I was able to wrap my brain around some slightly more effective syllables that formed actual words, and articulated the overlap between what I’ve done and what the job calls for. After the executive director left, Dana said, “I’d like to offer you the position.” “Really?!” I gasped. “That’s so cool!”

Though the pay is on a typical nonprofit scale—I won’t be bringing home much bacon—and there are no benefits on account of its being part-time, I am very fortunate. The organization is visionary in the field of animal welfare, and it’s good to be doing meaningful work. Among my worries is that I’m going to end up with another doggie. I love having a dog, but I tend to disappear from home life rather often and spontaneously, and finding a good kennel is hard. We’ll see. I have my first day of work next Friday.

Talking of disappearing from home life, Anna and I just got back from two days in a funky cabin near Sierraville.

anna

On a pretty hike, we saw woodpeckers, two garter snakes and a lot of horse poop. There was a lot of smoke from the nearby wildfires. She beat me badly at Sorry and I beat her at Battleship. There was something about the concept of sinking little plastic ships that seemed to confound her, so I won against all odds.

grass hnake lake1

On the knitting front, I finished my little washcloth, the prettiest darn washcloth you’ll ever see.

washcloth

One of the yarns I ordered arrived, and I am sorely disappointed. Here’s this photo from my last post that shows what it was supposed to look like, alongside of a picture I took of the actual colors.

yarn1 bad-yarn

To drown my sorrows, I bought a set of gradient yarns. I’m going to turn them into a cowl.

five-yarns

3 comments

  1. Well, Marianna, if you put it THAT way. Hmmmm. But yarn doesn’t cuddle with you on a lonely evening. Well, maybe it does, and it won’t drool on you, and it doesn’t need to be taken for a walk.

  2. I’m so glad you’ve found a jobby-home at Berkeley Humane! They are such an amazing organization. I hope your work there (both the exciting parts and the everyday parts) bring you much inspiration and joy. So there.

    I like your Sierraville snake. He is a handsome fella.

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