the trip. Some of you will know that I spent last week visiting various people. I started off from Escanaba last Friday, drove to Ann Arbor where I stopped for dinner with Corey, Jenelle, and Anthony. It was a nice dinner and a great break for the driver. My jaw was on the floor the entire time because of all the young people all over the streets in AA. It's just not like that here in cold, elderly inhabited Escanaba. Back in the car I headed towards Cleveland. Aimee (my college room mate) lives on the Southeast side of the city, right next to Cuyahoga Valley National Park, and works at the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo. We talked a lot, spend a day at the zoo, went to a play, went on a seven mile hike, and watched baseball. We also went to Starbucks twice. No, it's not only about the coffee. Need a nice place to sit with decent atmosphere, newspapers, and internet? Starbucks, where great coffee is a bonus. :) I picked up a brochure about emplyment there. I have looked at their website already. I'm thinking international market research; send me to Timbuck Two and I'll feel out the locals with my ethnorgraphic research methods. What's the local variation of 'Pumpkin Spice'? Do they have speacial holiday flavours like eggnog? It could happen!

Back from that tangent. The trip continued back through Ann Arbor. Corey and I shopped for Mom's b-day, had lunch, fudge, and what may come to be a tradition, CHOCOLATE COVERED MARSHMELLOWS ON A STICK. They now come three at a time with white, milk, and dark chocolate. It doesn't get much better than that. At his apartment, I got some much needed and much appreciated interview advice; in the nick of time! I'm ready with my hose (panty, not garden) and new mid heal shoes and of course intelligent answers to any question. Too much Indian dinner put me back in the car on the short drive to Lansing. Jacqueline and I talked a lot, I did some needed shopping in a real town, we had dinner with and I visited Grandma Bruno, and I had several appointments at State. I talked with a career counsellor at James Madison College. He was great and had a gozillion ideas about international careers because he's lived and worked overseas for many years. I also met with my favorite prof, Beth Drexler, caught up, and got some more ideas. It's awesome to have met and gotten to know such a person in the melee that is State. I guess it helps that I took a class with her nearly every other semester.

Now comes the exciting part. I had a phone interview. It went really well. I don't have the academic qualifications (statistics), but I do have the international experience, understanding, and a drive to break into the 'International Assignment Services' industry. So we'll see.

I'm back in Frieghterville using the internet and preparing for the next term of employment. Maywood's innards need paint. And I'm out. Lot's to research and do. old posts