140 days in New York. I’ve gone into lockdown for over 90 days, heard fireworks going off for weeks at a time, felt the tension in the air as riots and protests swept the nation, experienced heatwaves that made the air feel thick as honey and haven’t touched another human being in over 3 months.
It has been an interesting time to be away from everything I know.
Every day has been a test in one way or another. Every sunrise has been a choice to stay the course or blink away. Each time I felt maybe I was getting a grip; I’d fall three feet behind again. That’s the way of things here. If you’re not careful, you won’t find a way to get back up.
Side note: Did you know that 20 years old equals about 140 years old in dog years? I believe that. I feel 140 sometimes.
Work update
This week I conducted 8 behavioral interviews with job candidates for one of our new positions and am evaluating who will be moving on to the next stage. Not as enjoyable as the interviews, but I’m glad for the experience.
Here are 4 things I’ve learned so far while figuring out how to interview people:
1) Always try to give yourself enough time to research each candidate before the interview begins.
2) If you have multiple interviews scheduled for one day, make sure you leave enough space between each interview to write down initial post-interview thoughts while they’re fresh.
3) There will be at least one candidate that is stiff and awkward. Try to have conversation points prepared for the less engaging/descriptive interactions.
4) Don’t be afraid to take notes during the conversation. It may feel weird, but you will be glad you did afterward.
FYI: Each of these points can be applied to the other side of the table, also.
Personal update
It’s hard to believe that August marks the last month of my apprenticeship and my graduation from Praxis! The months have flown by even when the days felt endless. But we’ll discuss all of that next weekend.
The next few weeks will be full of decisions, and I’m trying my hardest to be intentional about my choices—to pull from multiple perspectives and examine new angles without drowning in the analysis.
In other news, I finally got a Brita and am no longer afflicted by strange tasting water that smells like the YMCA. By far, one of my best self-care investments. 10/10 would recommend.
It has been hotter than hades over here for the last week, and I’ve never been more grateful for a fan then I am now. I can finally sleep again!
Tomorrow, I’m going to venture to a local farmer’s market and try to score some fresh produce.
Fingers crossed for blueberries and raspberries!
Thank you for reading, and I hope it’s a good weekend.
I really enjoyed this post Heather. Maybe because I too am dealing with this whole strange new york business. Keep up the good work.
Thank you, Silas! I’m glad you enjoyed it.
How did you do with finding the berries?
I was successful! Scored some blueberries and apples.