00:36 - 20.01.08
Reverberations
Happy birthday to number five son. His birth time was just after the sun slipped into Aquarius from Capricorn. I'd spent the day washing walls prior to his delivery. Some instinct telling me it would be a long time before I'd have enough "free" time to do that task again.
There was an article in the first e-newsletter I read this morning that had me wide awake in an instant. Remember that police report I filed on Tuesday, where someone had applied for credit in my name? Well today the name of that credit company was mentioned and that they had had a serious data breach. A backup tape containing credit data for customers of around 100 businesses, including JC Pennys, had been stolen out of their secure storage provider's warehouse. I had the desire to go to the police station immediately to add that piece to my file, but I don't think they are open on weekends anyway. There were a couple of comments that shook me up even more, since there were tie-ins to that last downtown assignment I had too. Hmmmm.
I went to the one scheduled interview on Friday. I had gotten out to my bus stop on time, but the bus had already passed by. My youngest had left for his work about five minutes earlier and said that the driver was definitely early and travelling much faster than was safe on such icy roads. Meant I had to wait an additional half hour for the next one. I was afraid to return home to wait in case the teleride time for that one was wrong too. Bitterly cold it was and I froze waiting, but I didn't need the steroid inhaler anymore, evenso. Yay! When I arrived downtown, with five minutes to spare, I found the address given to me by their HR person was wrong. There was a restaurant at that number. I was certain no employer would set up an interview at such a site. This isn't New York after all. Finally stepped inside the nearest office building. It had a street number 33 digits less than the address I had been given. Fortunately there was a security/information officer located in the foyer, who allowed that there were several places in the nearby downtown that housed parts of the company in question, - office space being in very short supply - but that some of the services could be found in his building too. I took a chance and followed the instructions given to me by the HR person who had called me for finding the company offices in that building, using the elevators as a reference point. There wasn't even any signage outside their offices except for the words "Office Services" and a shelf with the words "Mail" over it.
The receptionist was rude and surly. I told her the first name of the person I was to meet. She said she wouldn't be able to find her with just that information. That was the contact information I had been given and I was beginning to feel a bit frantic. I was already four minutes late because of the misdirection about the street address. She finally conceded that the person I was looking for was indeed on site, then called her while I waited. The space was very small, so I had no choice but to hover over the reception desk, you see. A large group of business-suited males suddenly appeared and started walking into the back of that office. It almost seemed as though the lead male was giving a tour. Turned out that the company where I interviewed is having their own building constructed and would only be at this site for another few months. A guess was that the building manager was showing potential renters the space, but hadn't advised the current tenants of same. The person interviewing me had arrived while the males were still trolling by me and she became quite upset. Their offices are supposed to be secure space and this was a violation of their lease agreement. She had a quick word with that receptionist telling her to stop their inward motion. As she spoke, memories of the problems I had had with the last landlord during the last election started swirling in my head.
The interviewer turned to me after her short chat with the receptionist and we jogged up one flight of stairs where the meeting was set to be held. Glass enclosed space on a busy corridor. Her second in command was waiting for us there. The main interviewer was the head of the department, while the second woman had a team of 10 people under her wing. She started by asking me to tell her about myself, then asked specific questions based on the resume that the agency had forwarded to her. It hadn't been my full document, but I always carry a couple of copies of my own for that reason. Handed her the full version even though that isn't always in my best interest, given that my volunteer activities with civil liberties groups is not all that well received in the industry I work in. However, I feel that it is better to be upfront about that involvement rather than have it "found out" during the reference check or later. Makes it look as though I have something to hide otherwise. I don't, of course, but I would wonder the same thing myself if the positions were reversed.
They had a standardized list of questions for all candidates in front of them. They stated that they had several candidates to interview. There seemed to be more than one position to fill in different areas, since the questions covered a wide range of skills. That's fine with me. There were questions about what management style I preferred working with. I just responded that the only thing I didn't like was being micromanaged. If an employer feels that I have the skill to do the work, then I don't need to have someone holding my hand. I explained that I ask for feedback regularly, after finding out what the goals and priorities are, and that I also provide detailed weekly reports so that problems can be caught early by my supervisor - provided they read what I've written. Some information about benefits and working conditions was offered, then the second in command walked me to the elevators. There was a tension evident with both of the interviewers, but it was also obvious it didn't have to do with me. The senior of the two had raced off again to follow up on the security breach. It was apparently an on-going issue for her, you see.
When I got to street level I pulled out my map, so as to find the building where the placement agency was, following through on my promise to go see the agent once the interview was done. One block east and one block south. The building had a name prominently displayed, which was fortunate, because the street number wasn't readily visible. Headed up the elevators and was greeted by the most personable receptionist I had met in a long time. Made up for the sour sister at the meeting before, only this person was male. Oh hi, I remember your name; .... is waiting for you. Looked after my comfort needs automatically, but with a great deal of warmth as though he really meant it. Made me feel welcome at least. The agent was equally as pleasant. He said he liked to debrief after an interview, both to make certain that it had gone as well as possible, but also to gain insight as to what and how an employer conducted their interviews for future reference. Good thing since I was a bit addled by the misdirections earlier and forgot a lot, even about what he had told me about himself as a result. At that point I thought I was doing well just remembering my own name.
His job, after all, is to try and make his matches of potential employees as close to what the employer is really seeking. That isn't always that clearly articulated, as you well know from previous interview experiences I've posted to you, dear diary. It also helped me to gain a context around which to assess some of the behaviours and questions that evolved during the earlier session. For example, where I saw the process as slow - "we'll get back to you in two or three weeks" - the agent said that the turnaround for me was remarkably quick for that employer. "Usually it takes well over a month". One of the things that seems really important to the this employer was loyalty. I have no problem with that, but being left to sit waiting for that long is a serious financial issue for me. If the test for demonstrating loyalty is not having income for several months, then that is asking too much, especially after not having steady work for a while. I know that isn't the employer's problem, but I didn't choose to catch that superbug nor to have such a long recuperation period to follow. The lack of income/basic resources is putting considerable stress on my health. The agent was quite sympathetic and encouraged me to continue looking elsewhere for my dream job as I waited. He stated that he would look for me too. That helped my state of mind a bit. Just after I walked in the door at home, he called to ask for my references so he could proceed with that part of the process. I emailed those immediately, with an explanation of how to contact my friend who is observing that one election overseas. Emailed her to warn her of the potential contact. Within the hour she acknowledged she was ready to respond to him if he wrote to her.
Spent a lot of today in contemplation of the heavens. You see there is one planetary alignment - Venus/Mars - occuring that has it's roots in an aspect that happened on October 24, 2006. That first aspect could be compared to a new moon and the current to a full moon culmination of that first aspect. "The Harvest". Looked back in your posts at that time to try and determine what that might mean. Funny thing was that the first comment I read was about that first dental flare up with my youngest; having to go to the dentist, but not being able to proceed with the extraction then because his work health care benefits hadn't yet come into force. Pretty clear connection there, but I couldn't see the correlation in the text where I was concerned. At that time, I was buried in paperwork for the preparation of what seemed like an imminent federal election on a threatened non-confidence vote. At that point, the tampering and aggressive interference by the local rep, both with my completed work and with my invoices for payment - her blocking that by withholding and/or altering some of the written material I was required to give to head office, but only through her - being really apparent. The one letter of documentation and protest of same being sent to the head of the project not long after, you see. How does that correlate to now? My computer was acting up as it is now, but that has it's own cyclical manifestations. I was struggling financially then as now, as a result, but a settlement of some money owed to me by the boys' Dad for my youngest's home schooling covered off the debts I had then, with $20 dollars left to spare. I would love for there to be a correlation there, but I don't see how that could be. I have been getting odd spam email offering to help me get the full amount of a supposed settlement coming to me, but that would imply that I had been part of some legal action - which isn't the case, at least not to my knowledge. Wonder if someone has tried to get credit in my name and found some other avenue that would provide an (illegal) alternative way to find funds by stealing my identity. Makes no sense but does make me paranoid; as if I need any extra help in that area.
To deal with all those "whisperers", I stayed physically active a much as possible today. Stair climbing; singing along with the Messiah's the "Hallelujah Chorus". Belly dancing with the one hip hop fusion tape. About midway through that, my neighbours of a Middle Eastern persuasion drove up and parked in front of my home. They sat in their car and appeared to be watching me. Probably not, but I imagine they would find it a bit amusing and bemusing to see someone not of their culture trying to dance anyway. Not my issue though, since I'm doing it for both my own health and enjoyment - it really is a fun way to blow off stress. The cats had taken up defensive positions under various pieces of furniture, since there was a fair amount of pirouetting required for the session. Turned up the volume on some youtube music and sang as well, as I did the necessary housework for the day. My youngest had been back to the dentist so I waited for him to arrive home before starting dinner. Wasn't certain what he would be able to eat, you see.
Watched the one investigative report about the one Canadian - William Sampson - left to be tortured by one of the Middle Eastern countries while our government stood aside. Interesting that when I was reading the posts from October 2006, another Canadian - Maher Arar - was just receiving an apology from our government for not protecting him when two different foreign governments abducted, then tortured him as well. In the news today, a backing off of that same government now with respect to acknowledging reported acts of torture by other governments even though those have been thoroughly documented and reported by numerous independent agencies including US newspapers - the destruction of the CIA waterboarding tapes, for example. Why are they apologizing for acknowledging they know of incidents. Our country has long been a signatory to international agreements/instruments that forbid the use of torture for any purpose, just as we are signatory to those that forbid the use of the death penalty. Have they been actively complicit in some of the more recent incidents? There is incontrovertible evidence that they were complicit in that one incident where there was finally an apology and compensation too. What is going on here??? What is it that is being hidden? Hmmmmm.
An aircraft of some description has been buzzing overhead in the community for an unusually long period of time dear diary, so I think I'm going to go hide under the covers for a while. And that's the kind of day it's been.
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