because they called today and want me to come back next Monday so I can meet the other two people in the office, who were out sick when I came last time. I figure this is a good sign, because if they had really liked one of the people they interviewed when everyone was there they probably wouldn't have bothered asking me to come back. And I really want this job. It's about a 40 minute drive, but it's a really pretty part of the New York State Thruway -- in some ways it reminds me of driving on 75 across OK, but even prettier, with more hills and trees. And of course the Hudson does not look like it is about to run dry, the way the Arkansas River does. Plus, I'm going against traffic, and the tolls are only 4.00 each round trip, which is about half what it costs to get into the city. And the job sounds perfect for me. I would basically be helping the Observatory's Development Office turn a bunch of old photographs and papers they have collected over the years into an organized and catalogued archive they can use when they create Alumni newsletters, fundraising appeals, etc. In other words, I get to be a librarian, even if it's not of books. I told the guy who interviewed me I was a "library geek" and he got a kick out of that. Plus, it will not be a high stress job, so hopefully that and the beautiful, inspiring drive to and from the office every day will help me get a lot of raw material generated for my thesis. So I really, really hope this works out.

I have written a first draft of a new short story to turn in for workshop next week. It takes place in Tulsa in 1991, which was interesting because most of my stories, even the ones with OK references or settings, could take place just about anywhere, but I got very specific with some of my references, including putting my old elementary school and fourth grade teacher (though not by name) in it. Also, I've never written a story set farther back than about three years, and it was weird how the more I wrote the more I'd remember about what was going on at that time and how it tied into my story. Right now, the ending really sucks, though. The plot just kind of runs out of steam. But I have a few more days to work on it.

This week's grade for the Cardinals: A - You have to call a week when you win a 20 inning game and sweep the Mets (scoring 13 runs on two consecutive nights in the process) a good week. But because the 20 inning game only happened because we blew a 5 run lead in the ninth inning, I have to downgrade it a little. Isringhausen can not come back soon enough.