Oooooh … there’s new email.
Ugh … it’s another one from the job board where most of the links are dead or months old.
What’s this one? Just a newsletter that I signed up for that sometimes has useful info, but not usually.
Hold on … there’s one more, and it’s from a place I sent an application to more than 10 minutes ago, so it’s not the “we got your application and will look at it carefully” form email (unless it’s 10 minutes ago and they won’t, see “Moments of pessimism” below). Maybe they’ll actually want to talk to me!
Nope, they’ve “carefully reviewed” my qualifications and decided I did not meet their needs at this time.
And … delete.
“Ghosting – When I was single, this was called, ‘She didn’t return my calls and made herself scarce whenever I was around.’ At least that’s what I heard from other people because it wasn’t a thing that ever happened to me … why do you ask?”
— “Decluttering the dictionary,” Jan. 2, 2019
It’s kind of a weird mix when you think about it. You want some kind of finality, but until you get the rejection letter, there’s always hope, always the possibility that this company will be the one that wants you.
Unless it has been weeks and they’ve just ghosted you, which is not something I thought I’d be talking about as a 40-something guy who has been married for 18 years.
Either way, it sucks, whether you’ve been unemployed for a month or a longer than that.
WHAT I WROTE
Moments of pessimism — Sometimes, things just hit you the wrong way.
Remembering the silly stories — And sometimes, you just need to think about the fun stuff.
WHAT I TALKED ABOUT
Coworkers and friends — What if they throw a going-away party … and nobody leaves? Plus other tales of people I used to work with.
LIVING THE DREAM
A few months ago, Renata challenged people to write about their first weekend after quarantine, including me.
I challenged the folks at Smelly Socks and Garden Peas, and while a bunch of people have contemplated what they would do once … you know … was all over, they’re actually doing what they imagined.
STUFF I READ
Enthusiasm Is My Brand (Buffalo Sauce Everywhere) — Renata isn’t much for doing things halfway. (Also her brand … going to bed early.)
Mental Illness Isn’t A Choice, So Stop The Blaming Yourself (Dark Blue Journal) — I like the wording of “being on your side.”
Why Can’t I Be Invincible, Too? (The Return of the Modern Philosopher) — It’s bad enough not being invincible, but I’m also at the age where when things hurt, they stay hurt.
And That Is How I Learned To Love (alwayscoffee) — Ali writes about her mom.
Let There Be Light! (But After A Few Days) (Strikeouts + Sprinkles) — My in-laws also live in Connecticut, but this was a rare power outage that missed them.
A New Age (Live, parent, teach, repeat) — It doesn’t get easier as you get longer in the tooth.
My honest hiking evolution (Sunshine with Savannah) — The story is interesting enough on its own, but she also points out the ways the internet can be different from real life.
The Days Before (Stories I’ve Never Told) — The days before … you know.
A little bit of peace. (Millennial Life Crisis) — It’s about time.
Lesson learned (My Life In Triplicate) — Good advice for all of us to follow.
TWEETS I LIKED
I like Daniel Craig a lot, but Connery is the best Bond.
I’ve seen worse views at ballparks.
https://twitter.com/rumhamlet/status/1291068831767703552?s=21
And if you balance them just right, they will reach the ceiling.
Having been married long before Tinder was a thing, I’ve never understood how it works.
However, I do wear glasses.
I’ll march right alongside her.
Looks tasty.
You know what’s coming (unless you’re these guys and have never heard the song before), but it’s still cool when it happens.
https://twitter.com/travisakers/status/1291694978499055616?s=21
No, I don’t have 6,763 unopened emails, but I hope one of those in the photo by gabrielle_cc from Pixabay is good news.
A Silly Place 
Thanks for sharing, Bill! As someone with an obsessive personality and black-and-white thinking…I’m all for those rejection emails…just kill my hope already!
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If I don’t hear from someone in about two weeks, I assume I’m not going to.
The flip side of the “rejected in 10 minutes” story was a company where after a phone interview and three rounds of in-person interviews that included everyone in the department, they told me they’d have a decision in a couple weeks. Seven weeks, and three emails from me later, they told me I didn’t get the job.
But wait, there’s more!
The job I didn’t get was one they suggested we talk about because they said I was overqualified for the one I originally applied for!
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Crap! That is BRUTAL!
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Gotta love those rejection emails, I have a rejection blog post going up this week. I almost prefer being ghosted!
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I can see both sides. On the one hand, even if you’re being ghosted, as long as they don’t say no, there’s always a chance they say yes, right?
On the other hand, rejection ends whatever hopes you may have, but at least there’s no uncertainty. I don’t know which I’d prefer, other than “neither because someone decides they want me.”
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