Road-trip for a job interview

Tolga and I drove to Fergus Falls, MN today, a 200 mile trip almost to the border of North Dakota. We packed sandwiches and on the way there I folded programs for my sister's wedding. It was a mundane task, relaxing with an end in sight. I am appreciating doing these tasks for my sister because its reminding me of all the things in our wedding that I couldn't fully appreciate at the time, but now I am reliving it all without the stress.

Tolga asked me today,

"We're you excited about the wedding?" I had to think about that. It was a good question because when we talked about it, I remember wanting a perfect wedding, and wanting to enjoy working on all the details - but all I was really excited about was getting married to Tolga and beginning the rest of our lives. Now, after the fact, I love reading wedding magazines and looking at wedding blogs, and all those beautiful details . . . but they were also stressful distractions at the time.

It was even a distraction in the car ride as we were heading up for another interview. I should have been preparing brilliant answers to possible questions for my position as Online Writing Tutor with the community college. Then I would have been prepared for questions like, "How might you supplement a struggling student's learning online?" The questions were scripted as they are clearly interviewing many for the position. I answered as best as I could in the moment, but I'm unsure how convincing I was. At the end of the interview, I had to evaluate a narrative piece. I was given a pencil, a hard copy, and a computer. I read through "My Fishing Trip to Canada", editing while I read. Then wrote my comments in a positive, helpful suggestion, positive feedback format. I ran out of time, as I usually do and I'm unsure how clear my advice was (I didn't get to revise my own comments) nor did I have time to give more specific comments about sensory detail, cutting ideas that didn't belong, and giving examples.

A woman in Human Resources came in to cut my writing off. I hesitated in the room, wanting to add one more idea, do one more thing . . . something. I felt filled with regret as I finished because I was remembering so quickly how much I loved editing and revising work - it's a craft to help someone improve a piece without changing his or her voice, and I began remembering that it was something I was very good at. Unfortunately, I'm also out of practice and I felt my revisions didn't do justice to my skill or desire. I wondered if my notes were effective enough. I left the building with a pay-schedule handed to me, never being given the opportunity for questions or a timeline of what would be next. I stumbled out of the building a bit confused but happy for three reasons: 1) I really enjoy going to college 2) I really enjoy writing and 3) I really enjoy being in Fergus Falls with my husband.