I have what my mother refers to as "racehorse legs" -- slender calves, bony ankles, and big, wide feet. Tall boots are always too big for my ankles and too narrow for my feet. That's annoying. But what is absolutely infuriating is that on the rare occasion that I find a wide width boot, it's always a wide calf boot. As if a person with a wide foot couldn't possibly have normal calves. Boot makers of the world, listen up: Wide feet do not equal wide calves!
I repeat: WIDE FEET DO NOT EQUAL WIDE CALVES!
Okay, enough ranting. This footwear story actually has a happy ending.
Though I found no boots that fit, I found three pairs of shoes. Three! It is exceedingly rare that I can find a single pair of shoes that fit. Finding three in one go is unheard of. And they were all on sale! Unbelievable!
I got this pair with cute ribbon laces:
This pair of Mary Janes:
And this pair with buckles. They're quite similar to the others, but at $20, they were a bargain.
So what is an unemployed person doing buying shoes? Well, I won't be unemployed for long. :) Only this week, in fact. I just have to decide which job to take.
I find myself in the unexpected position of having offers for two jobs. Both companies apparently really want me and have extended attractive offers. It's a bit surreal being wanted. And the decision is agonizing...
The two roles are similar. The companies' cultures are similar. The compensation and benefits are similar. The main differences are location and job content.
Job One is in downtown Denver, which is appealing to me. I liked working downtown back east, and it would be nice to commute by bus. Job Two would require commuting by car, but it's pretty close to home, roughly a 15- or 20-minute drive.
Job One would be easier and start at a relatively slow pace, I think. This has appeal for someone who's been lazing about for eight months. :P But realistically, I would be unhappy if the job is too easy. I like to have plenty to do. Job Two has a rather intimidating list of duties. No way I'd be bored with it! And expectations would be high because the person currently doing the job is very good. I'd have to be at my best from day one. It's a bit overwhelming.
There is one last thing to factor in. The Job One interview lasted only 20 minutes. I met with a person from Human Resources and someone from the administrative team. I did not meet the executive with whom I would be working every day. I'm a little uneasy about that. It feels a little like a mail order bride situation. :P The Job Two interview lasted almost two hours (and it was intense!), and I met the executives as well as the person who is currently in the role.
Both companies are expecting my answer by first thing in the morning, so I must make my decision tonight. Ugh. I don't usually have this much trouble making decisions.
Whatever I choose, I'm happy that employment is pending. I need the money to pay vet bills!
Friday night, I noticed the cyst on my dog's shoulder had swelled with infection again. :( So it was off to the vet's on Saturday morning. More draining and a longer course of antibiotics this time.
Though I'm not happy the infection has returned, the situation does relieve me of some of the worry I had about my regular vet's handling of the first infection. It's obvious the cyst can indeed become infected in a very short amount of time (about 24 hours this time). And the vet at the weekend clinic provided the same type of treatment.
Luckily, Bean Sidhe is unfazed by the ugly thing. In fact, she's quite happy to receive a glob of peanut butter twice a day. She doesn't even notice the pill hidden inside.
Now I'm off to continue agonizing over the job decision...
Wow congratulations, but thats hard deciscions. When you wrote that job no 1 was down town, I voted for that. But not knowing your executive it feels a bit, hm, weird, and why wasn't that person there at the interview? To bad that you have to decide so fast, otherwise you could perhaps ask for a meeting with the executive. So therefore I vote for no 2, and it is always more fun with challenges. I do hope that the coworkers will receive you without any negative expectations, whatever job you choose.
ReplyDeleteIt's not easy to read the atmosphere at the company just by a few visits.
The shoes are lovely.
I first interviewed with Job One a week ago, thinking I'd be going back for a second interview with the executive if they were interested in me. But then they offered me the job right away. I told them I was concerned because I had not met with the executive. They arranged another meeting with the administrative person so I could ask more questions, but still no meeting with the executive. I'm told the executive trusts the administrator's judgment in choosing whom to hire and that he's been out of town, but it still feels weird.
DeleteThe people I met at both places were very nice, and I think I'd get a positive reception. Still, it makes me a bit nervous to think about taking over for someone who has done the job really well. But I'm probably more demanding of myself than anyone else would be.
Woo! they all look great! And I love the stripy socks!
ReplyDeleteGood luck with the jobs, I bet you will make the right decision!
Lucky Bean Sidhe is so good at taking her pills, I guess dogs are pretty good because they don't check their food too closely! When my partner's parents cat was sick a while back they hid ground up pills in delicious snacks, but she could smell them and would not eat them!
Thank you!
DeleteI am very grateful that it's easy to give pills to Bean Sidhe. I've known dogs who wouldn't eat pills no matter how they were hidden. It's bad enough when a pet is sick, and much worse when you have to fight just to get medicine into them.
Bean Sidhe can smell the pill but the taste of peanut butter trumps all. She'd probably swallow a rock if it was smeared with peanut butter. ;)
I'd take job 2 because I can't stand not being challenged! It depends whether you get your personal satisfaction from your job (then I'd vote for Job 2) or in your spare time (then you might be happier with job 1, if this gives you enough time off). But still, a hard decision to make. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that you will make the right decision!
ReplyDeleteAnd the shoes are indeed lovely, I like the first pair best!
Well wishes to the little Bean Sidhe, I hope she gets better soon...
I, too, like to be challenged, and I'm a little surprised at my own hesitation to take on a challenging job. But after the negative experience in my last job, my confidence is not great.
DeleteThe first pair are my favorites as well. I really like the ribbon laces. :)
Thank you. She seems to be responding well to the antibiotic; the cyst looks mostly healed already.
It sounds like job two would fit your personal requirements and comfort levels best.
ReplyDeleteI love the shoes! I am so jealous!!
Thank you! I'm still surprised at my luck with the shoes. I very rarely find anything in a normal shoe store (DSW in this case).
Delete1. CONGRATS!!! Isn't it awesome to have to actually choose between two good, solid and appealing jobs? :) I would probably take job two because the interview lasted so long and I got to meet everyone, but that's me. I like an employer who takes their time with interviews. It shows that they are just as interested as making the right choice as you are.
ReplyDelete2. Poor little Bean. sigh ... Hopefully, fuzzy will feel better soon.
3. Nice shoes, doll! :) Congrats on your fabulous finds. I like the first pair with the wide ribbons. VERY nice.
1. Thank you! I have to admit that being wanted by two companies is a good boost to my confidence, which was rather diminished after my last job. I, too, like an employer who takes time with interviews. A two-hour series of interviews can be nerve-wracking, but I'd rather meet everyone up front if possible.
Delete2. Luckily she doesn't appear to have any discomfort. Still, for my sake, I hope the issue doesn't become a recurring one!
3. Thank you! I do love those ribbons. :D
Congratulations! Hm...I see you, I'd have troubles deciding as well; probably I'd chose Job 2 because I tend to get really uninterested if my job is too easy and number 2 sounds more like a challenge. Besides, you know what to expect. I don't understad executives who don't want to meet their future employees; it might just be me, but it seems to be such an ignorant attitude. Of course, you've been there, you know the atmosphere of both places and whichever felt more comfortable should be better to work in. :)
ReplyDeleteAs for the shoe issues: I have a narrow feet, skinny ankles and wide calves, so I can't find any tight tall boots either...I want a pair of awesome riding boots, but it's chanceless. :)
Thank you! I agree, I don't understand why an executive wouldn't insist on meeting his potential new assistant. It makes me wonder if he thinks of administrative work as lowly, an "anyone can do it" job. Or if he considers assistants to be sort of a commodity, interchangeable and all alike. I don't like either attitude.
DeleteNo matter what the foot or calf size, the ankles of tall boots seem absolutely enormous. Even the shoe store employee agreed. She said she bunches up her jeans to fill the ankle area in her boots. :P
Congrats on landing not one, but two job offers, Bane! I know you'll end up making the right decision - choose with your heart and not with your head. :o)
ReplyDeleteLove ALL the shoes. :D
Thank you! I think my heart and my head are going to be in agreement, which makes me feel confident about the decision. :)
DeleteThanks!
Two job offers!? How exciting!
ReplyDeleteI'm sure that either choice you make, you'll be quite happy with the results ;)
Kitty 1 takes his meds fairly easily-- it's quite a load off when pets cooperate.
Kitty 2 is still up in the air... we won't know how he takes them, but hopefully we won't have to find out sooner than later.
Also, that is quite a stroke of luck finding all those shoes that fit!
I love the buckle ones best; I'm a sucker for buckles =P
Yes, hopefully Kitty 2's pill willingness will remain a mystery for some time! :) The good thing is that a lot of pet meds are made to be tasty. Bean Sidhe eats her daily arthritis med like a treat.
DeleteI'm a sucker for buckles, too, especially silver buckles on footwear!
Congratulations! It's nice being wanted, isn't it? :) Hopefully your decision will turn out to be the correct one. Personally, I would feel a bit wary about not meeting the executive in the interview(s). I think that whenever I've been to a job interview where the executive wasn't present the first time, there were more than one rounds of interviews – like first those closest to the position in question choosing potential future coworkers and then the executive choosing their employees. Besides, I could imagine that if the second job offers some challenges, it might also offer some chances to affect your job description.
ReplyDeleteThanks! My experience has been of three rounds of interviews -- first, a phone interview with HR or administrative people; second, an in-person interview with those people; and third, an interview with the executives. I was quite surprised to learn that there would be no round three in this case.
DeleteThe second job does seem to offer a better chance of advancement. The position is open because the incumbent was promoted.
The shoes are great, especially the first two pairs! Finding multiple pairs you like at great prices is definitely a wonderful thing!!!
ReplyDeleteCongrats on the two job offers as well! I'm sure you'll pick the right one for you, but like most of the others up there, I'm thinking that #2 sounds better, and for the same reasons.
Good luck getting rid of that nasty cyst thing! Your pup reminds me of my iguana, who had to take antibiotics for three weeks after my cats attacked her tail. One taste of the bright red, fruit-flavored stuff and she LOVED it, even opened her mouth and demanded more! I've never had an easier time giving meds to a pet. :-)
I typically have to order shoes online, which is a tedious process. The finding shoes in a store thing is pretty cool! ;)
DeleteHa ha! I have a hilarious picture in my head of an iguana standing with its mouth open, giving you the iguana evil eye and stamping her foot. Of course, I have no idea if that's actually how an iguana would demand something... :)
I am glad you got the job offers! Good luck with whichever one you choose!
ReplyDeleteThank you very much!
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