06-02-04 - 10:28 p.m.

Well, my new computer arrived two Thursdays ago, and it is spiffy. It is 3.2GHz, and it has a 60M hard drive, which I partitioned down the middle so I could dual boot with Windows and Linux. So far I am only using the Windows side because that's what I'm familiar with and I'm not in a computer science mode yet. Once I get high-speed Internet access to match, life will be complete and the universe will run in perfect order. Right now I just have dial-up. I went with ISP.com because it's only $8.95 a month. They have a high-speed dial-up option, but it's only compatible with Windows. Not that it makes a difference for me right now because we haven't gotten Linux to work with my modem yet.

Speaking of high-speed Internet access, that will happen when I move. This will happen a month or so from now. My one remaining good college friend in the area Tim and I have been talking about getting an apartment together, and I'm 90 percent sure that we will. He wants to move out of his place, too. But his current lease ends in July, so that 90 needs to become 100 or 0 soon!

My life plans have simplified because of this time crunch. Previously I was determined to get an editing job even if I had to move halfway across the country. Today I decided that is becoming unrealistic. It's taking a lot longer than I thought it would to connect with potential employers, and if I still didn't have a new job by July (when one of my part-time jobs ends), I'd have to stay in this house and keep looking. I couldn't move because then I'd probably be tied to a long lease and wouldn't have as much freedom to pursue anything out-of-state. Now staying here wouldn't be so bad, but I've been thinking about moving for the past eight months. I don't want to keep things open indefinitely just so I can get the exact kind of job that I want. This is an entry-level job we're talking about. Living with Tim is a good option. This area is good for publishing opportunities. So my plan is to stay in Illinois for at least another year, even if I don't live with Tim and even if I end up with a non-editing job. I can start looking again in another six months, and I can freelance in the meantime.

But! Today I did have my first interview! It was with Livingstone. It went well, I thought. The hiring guy seemed positive, and I did really well on the proofreading test. So at least my editing possibilities now are a little greater. They do have about thirty other candidates, though, so I'm not entirely confident I'll get the job.

I'm still waiting to hear from IVP. According to their reply to my e-mail, they should get back to me this week. They have two days to go before I harass them. Did you know that harass is spelled with one "r"? Did you know that the question mark should go outside the quotation marks unless it's part of the quoted material, according to the Chicago Manual of Style? Did you know that Chicago also prefers that punctuation be in the same font as the surrounding text unless it is part of the title or whatever it is that's in a different font? See, that is why I should be an editor. Things like that stick in my mind.

[a few minutes later] What?? I was randomly wandering through Diaryland features, and I clicked on a link in my profile that would tell me who had put me in their favorite diaries list. I wasn't really expecting to find anyone, but there was one! And it was ... it was urbanality, the guy who was my introduction to Diaryland in the first place. His is one of my favorite diaries, too. Even though he never updates it anymore. Wow. I wonder why I'm on his list? To me that's like being on the President's speed-dial. Maybe not the President, but somebody higher on the ladder. I did e-mail him once (Al, not the President), and he sent me a nice reply, but that was about the extent of our interaction. Anyway, just had to mention that.