I woke up to a bright sunny day today feeling energized and excited to continue the job search. My first stop was Clark's Market, a high end grocery store that is well overpriced. I chatted with the guest services guy at the desk for a while while he reviewed my resume. He pretty much turned me down for being over qualified. He said, "I would gladly put you to work here, but I think you should go find a job that is much more suitable to your advanced skills." At $11 an hour, I would have rejected his cashier job offer anyway, but he got me thinking...
Next stop was Valleygirl Boutique, where an assistant manager position is opening up. I talked with the manager who was leaving, and she gladly accepted my resume to hand off to the store manager the next day. Didn't get any details there, just gave a face and a name.
Last stop of the day was Victoria's Espresso and Wine Bar that had a "We are hiring!" sign in the window. I marched in there, introduced myself, and inquired more. I met Victoria, the owner, and was in there for 45 minutes learning about the positions open, their philosophy, how they work, what kind of employee they are looking for, etc. They are looking for baristas, customer service people, and someone to help with baking in the kitchen. Baking!? Totally my thing, right? She gave me a very thorough overview of their system, then told me to sleep on it and come back with questions if I am seriously interested. There's more to think about...
When I got home, my mood did a 180. Maybe it was an overload of possible job options (none of which are guaranteed), maybe exhaustion finally settling in, maybe homesickness. Whatever it was, I felt lonely, bored, helpless, and unorganized. I felt like I had no control over my life, or any idea what I wanted anymore. I started thinking about what I want in Aspen, what I don't want, and questioning why I came here. Do I work a mindless job like I intended? Do I do something I am qualified for? And whatever I do I will have to work holidays. Can I handle that for the first time? All these thoughts brought tears of stress and frustration to my eyes. There was one person who I knew could help with these questions. Mom.
Called her up, and per usual she made everything better. She validated my explanation for an adventure, she told me the loneliness would be temporary, and she made me realize I was worrying way too much (what a surprise). I haven't even been here 2 weeks! She told me moving to a brand new place is not easy, and getting settled takes time. Just hearing the encouragement and excitement in her voice brightened my afternoon and made me smile. It is amazing how little moments like calling a loved one to talk something out can make everything better, no matter how many miles away they may be.
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