One of my favorite bloggers occasionally does a “Coffee Date” post to talk to her readers about what’s going on with her.  I think it’s an adorable idea and since, a) I know pretty much all of you personally and most likely have gotten coffee with you at one point or another and b) this post has nothing to do with food, exercise or travel, the normal topics of the blog, I’m going to start to call these kinds of posts “Coffee Dates.”

So, if we were sitting down to coffee, here is what I would tell you, in one, big 10 15 minute monologue.

Hey.  Sorry, sorry, sorry, I’ve been completely MIA (without any warning!) for a month.  Let me tell you, like so many weeks have been since I got back from China, things have been C.R.A.Z.Y. recently.

But why go silent without any warning?  Well, the last time we talked I had just had the first interview for a job I really, REALLY wanted.  The dinner at Jaleo was a celebration of sorts.  I didn’t mention it, though, for a couple reasons.  First, I was really nervous I wasn’t going to get the job.  Second, I wanted the job so bad that I was scared to tell people because I didn’t want to make it feel “real” or have to explain what happened when if I didn’t get it.

I was having anxiety (per usual) and having a hard time handling it, let alone explaining why I was having it! So, I retreated and just stopped talking.  I actually didn’t tell most of my family and friends about the first interview.  It even took me a full day to tell Ethan, which is crazy.

Next thing I knew I got a second interview.  The first interview was on the phone but this time I was actually going into the office to answer more questions and translate an article from Chinese to English.  Anxiety -> through the roof.

And then, just after that the interview, they asked me if they could contact my references. I thought I would hear last Friday, but I didn’t and I spent the weekend worrying.  Anxiety -> skyrocketing.

And then Monday came.  I heard nothing.  I left work feeling down like this was going to be dragged out FOREVER… and then while I was walking around D.C. I checked my email and BAM.  Email in my inbox with an employment offer.

*REJOICES*  I HAVE A JOB.  LIKE A REAL, HONEST TO GOODNESS, NOT PAID BY THE HOUR, BENEFITS INCLUDED, JOB.

WOOOOOHOOOOO.

So yeah, I have a job.  And I went silent for a month because the thought of sitting down to write a post and not mention it, was impossible but the thought of sitting down to write a post and mentioning it, with the possibility of not getting it, was horrifying.  What can I say?  I do know that’s pretty crazy logic and there is like 10 different equally terrifying things a therapist could say about that statement.  And usually I’m not that kind of person.  But I guess in the face of what I would construe as “possible failure” I get kind of wacky.  I’m starting to realize like never before that I don’t handle what I consider the possibility of failure or failure itself, as well as I would like.

But anyways, the details:

I’ll be working as a China Analyst at a small (very, very small!) Department of Defense contractor called the Long Term Strategy Group.  (I would link to their website, but there is nothing on it…)  I’ll be researching and writing reports on current economic, political, and military issues in China using open source information from domestic and foreign newspapers and journals!

I’m super, duper excited.

:)

Here is what’s been up over the last month:

Went rock climbing. Me ↑ Abby ↓

Made some pecan crusted catfish and drumroll, please GOT MY LIGHT BOX UP AND RUNNING!

Started boxing again.  WOOO.  Ethan and I bought a Groupon for 10 classes at L.A. Boxing.  LOVE.

Got my hair cut in a cut that I love but the hairdresser SHAVED the underside of my head, which gave me a flippin’ heart attack.

I went to New York for Ethan’s brother’s engagement party.  I got to spend a day bumming around the city with Emily, going to markets, eating delicious food, and, of course, shopping.  Oh yeah, and I got to hang out with the STINKER.

Aaaaand last but certainly not least, I started a GRE prep class which takes approximately 1238073280 hours of my life each week between the 3.5 hour classes, the 4 hour practice exams (1/week), the 150+ practice problems, and the gazillion vocab words.