The Lunchroom shut down for awhile there. So sorry.

If you’ll recall, about three weeks back I took a day trip to San Francisco and asked you all to put out good vibes for me. I was up there for a job interview with a company where I’d be doing for TV exactly what I’ve been doing for the last three years for radio. I couldn’t be more qualified for the position and they’ve already hired six of my coworkers, two of whom I trained. The job was a lock.

Or so I thought. Because now it looks like I didn’t get the job. I think I probably priced myself out of it with a salary request about $5000 higher than I know they hired a coworker at, but that’s how you negotiate: start high and then work your way down. I started high — and they never countered. Oopsie.

So that seriously took the wind out of my sails and that’s a large part of why I haven’t been posting. I was halfway planning a triumphant “Check it out, I got a new job with more money already!” type entry, but then they didn’t call me. And didn’t call me. And. Didn’t. Call. Me. So I didn’t exactly feel like shouting from the rooftops, if you know what I mean. I mean, they hired six of my coworkers. Two of them people I trained. And they don’t want me? WTF?

But, eh, whatever. That severance check from my last job is looking a lot smaller now, but the truth is that this gig I interviewed for wasn’t really a very good fit for me, family-wise. It was going to be 75% travel (or more), which — after being home 24/7 for two months now — would be hard on us, and especially hard on Zoe. And this company expects its employees to pay all their travel expenses up-front and be reimbursed later, which can be pretty expensive when you’re doing 75% travel. But mainly the traveling would suck. I’ve really enjoyed being around lately, able to take Zoe to school in the morning and pick her up in the afternoon, have dinner as a family every night, spend some quality time with Beth, not be gone but instead be here. It’s been nice. It’s felt almost … normal. Going back to traveling again wouldn’t exactly be a step forward.

So not getting a job I thought was a lock sucks, there’s no doubt about it. But it’s not all bad, either. I just need to find something else.

At least I’ve found some wind.