Seriously, there’s a big part of me that would love to have to travel for work a lot. Weird, I know, and I would TOTALLY miss Ingrid and all of that, but I love the whole hotel thing, even cheap hotels, and all of that.

My hotel tonight is a cheap hotel, but I ordered in pizza (brick fired!) and it has one of these chairs. The chair kind of scares me. I have ginger ale and cable and a big bed all to myself. Nice.

… went swimmingly. I need to warm up my cube-office a bit, of course, but today was lots of meeting people. I felt a little overdressed in my suit, as it seemed to be casual friday (lotsa jeans) but not too bad, because it conveys a good first impression, I’m sure.  And I went to a meeting!!! And unlike meetings in public k-12, there were pastries! And beverages! And it was free!!! (As opposed to "we have all this ice cream left over from a party, but you can buy a cup for 50 cents. Ahhh, public school.)  And I bought a caramel macchiato from the Starbucks that is JUST DOWN THE HALL.

Pumping was fine, I pin up a little blue curtain in my ‘window’ and am good to go. I managed to pump exactly what Ingrid ate, so that’s cool. And, I tend to have lower output when I first pump in a new place, so I’m sure as I become a little more relaxed about it, that will pick up (or at least maintain.) I have formula for backup at daycare, and am totally not at all opposed to them cracking into it if my kid is hungry (first rule of feeding your baby is FEED THE BABY) and my pumping at this point is not only for Ingrid, but also for my comfort. I feel pretty confident that our nursing relationship is solidly established, and the occasional bottle of formula isn’t going to make the sky fall.

And daycare has been really great about the EBM thing — totally fine with it, for one, no problems with taking a frozen bag, thawing it, and putting it in a bottle, no pointed questions as to why my 8+ month old is using newborn nipples (the slow flow of a newborn nipple helps stave off nipple preference, since it’s more like the effort needed to nurse), and they did ask about the 2oz servings, but are cool with my storing food in 2oz portions, and if she needs more, she’ll let you know. As it is, I think she’s a bit of a reverse cycler (taking in the bulk of her nutrients not during the day) as she still wakes 3x to nurse through the night. It’s not a big deal, really, now that we’ve figured out a system — the first waking is around 10 usually, and I’m up, so whatever. the second is around 1-2, and I go to her and nurse in the glider. The 3rd is around 4, when Dave gets her and brings her to me, and at thispoint, I barely wake to nurse lying down. After that 4am one, there is usually at least one more before we get up.

Today we had our first run at everyone getting up early early, I rose at 6 and showered while Ingrid and dave cuddled (cutest thing EVER, after months of our cosleeping usually being Ingrid nestled against me, she’s been snuggling her daddy more and more in the morning. As a result, I think Dave’s given up and decided to grow a beard, because he keeps delaying getting out of bed and breaking up the baby snuggles, which means he doesn’t shave for work…) and then I started doing all the usual things I do in themorning, shooting up the cat, getting Ingrid’s things together, when I thought "wait a damn minute! Those guys are in BED doing NOTHING!" So, Dave got Ingrid dressed this morning. And any of my annoyance at the morning duty division was tempered when I heard that Ingrid took a massive crap just before they left for daycare, necessitating a messy change. Hee. Ahem.

ANyway, we all got to where we need to go on time, I’m going to be working 7:30-4, to Dave’s 8-5, so that I have more time with Ingrid in the afternoon after picking her up. (Dave does drop-off.) And man, today I was soooo escited to see her, I almost cried. Anyway. We got home and she nursed for like, EVER, which makes me feel better about the 4oz she ate between 7 & 4 today. I’m so not concerned about her breastmilk intake.  BUT! BW (Before Work) we’d get up around 8, she’d have two, maybe three, 30 minute naps during the day, and then go to bed at 7. Today, she was up by 6:30, had just two 30 min naps, and was positively exhausted by 6. Dave and I grudgingly put her to bed, hoping maybe just a nap was in order, but that was 3.5 hourse (and one feed) ago. I really hope she consolidates her daytime sleep a little bit, so that we have more time in the evenings with her. Sigh.

Also? I highly recommend starting a new job on a Friday. It’s fantastic.

Okay, here’s the thing. . . . when I arrived for my HR meeting, the HR lady was late, so my supervisor took me on a tour of the campus, and I realized "oh my god, I’m no longer trying to impress her, she’s trying to impress ME. I’m being wooed!" I’ve never been wooed! That definitely helped me ask for a higher salary, which, btw, I actually got. When I went in today, they’d changed my position from hourly to salaried, at 35, which is what I asked for. And everyone I met today, said "Oh, I’ve heard a lot of good things!" Which, of course, makes me paranoid as fuck about messing up, but really, I’m going to be fine. I have a master’s degree. And a brain. And nice clothes!

Anyway, the supervisor was out today with the death plague that’s been sweeping New England (please, please, please miss us) and I asked the admin assistant about pumping, and figuring out a curtain for the weird cutout window of my cube, and she didn’t even pause, started talking about her own nursing/pumping experience, even. I picked out a new bag today, a large-ish black tote to haul stuff around, like pump parts and milk bottles and all of that. I got some shoes, some new mascara, and I used an LB coupon to get some more Amazing Button Up Shirts. We are ready to rock. and. roll. I start at 7:30 tomorrow. Holy cow!

Aaaaannnd, I have a new job.

I took the first offer, maybe I could have negotiated for more, but I got what I was hoping for, which is a little more than I’d make teaching right now, which is A-OKAY. Plus, it’s an hourly position, so I can get overtime, and even more importantly, I definitely got the vibe that it was really family friendly which is a huge perk that I was looking for.

I’m also ridiculously excited to have my own damn space. I’ve NEVER had that. EVER. Lab assistant, I’m in the lab, floating around, you know? Teacher, I had my desk, but there is NO privacy in teaching, and you have to be On even when you’re not. Americorps, I had the cubby under the stairs, but shared it with a jerk. We were rarely there at the same time, but still, it wasn’t MINE. Now? I have a very office-like cube. When you enter the office, the admin assistant is right there to greet you, and her desk is L shaped with an L against the wall. THrough a door on the right is the boss’ office. To the left, when you enter the main office, is a bug cube with high sides, that is also L shaped, but freestanding, not flush to a wall. The 2 sides of the cube, plus the windows looking outside (windows!!!! Lab had none) make up three walls, and the back wall of the office is about 3 feet from the end of the cube, making a ‘doorway.’ There’s a weird little cutout window, but I’m planning on packing some fabric and tacks or something, to put up a curtain for pumping.

I totally need a red stapler, now, too.

Job! Thankfuckinggod.

HR Interview went BEYOND swimmingly, the HR person freaking LOVED me, and thinks I’m just the best, ever, basically. No salary yet– well, there was a range that was on my low side, and she talk talk talked, and hadn’t even really looked at my resume until today (because, as I figured, everyone else wants me, this is just the HR person making sure) and she kept being impressed by that, so when it came time for questions, I said "Well, regarding the compensation: If I were to teach with my education and experience, I’d be making 35, so I really need to make at least that." WTF! I’ve never been like that before. (The previous range was 25-32, which, no way for 25.) By that time, though, HR was like "oh, oh, of course, this is a new position, and it’s a hybrid, so I’m thinking at least mid-30s if we want to have you in that job, if not more…" I mean, she looooooooved me. I even managed to drop in, somehow, that I had another interview at 11 today, which made her go all "oh, I’m sure, you’re a hot ticket and we want to snap you up." I mean, I could’ve been interviewing at Taco Bell for all she knew, but I’m glad I mentioned it.  The CAO is at a satellite site today, so she wants to talk to him, but I’m definitely the top pick, she wasn’t even sure if there was a second pick, they definitely want me, they’d like someone in there by Friday, even. So, basically, now it’s just a matter of numbers.

I went to my other interview (I really had one!) at the school department, for tutoring, and that chick knows I’m waiting on Husson, so we just chatted politics, she gave me some time sheets, and said "call me once you know what’s going on with Husson, and I’ll find work for you." So, there’s that, for backup.

Now I’m just going to be on tenterhooks, waiiiiting for the number. But, I’m about 50 paces from a Starbucks in there, and I don’t even have to GO OUTSIDE for that. MMMmmm. Also, my workspace would be a cube, yes, but a pretty private one in the main office, totally doable for pumping. Maybe a little embarrassing at first, but fuck it, its been a little embarrassing at every new place I’ve had to pump, and it’s only for less than 4 months. And? There are WINDOWS. I had no windows in the lab. I’ll be excited for that.

This jacket, in black, these pants, also in black, this shirt in the french blue (I guess they call it batik blue) and this cami in ruby red.  It certainly gives me some options, and I love love loved the button-up shirt, because I haven’t had one of those fit in a million years, and it fit really, really well. Usually if they fit in the boobs, the sleeves are way too long, or they fit because they are a circus tent with a collar and have no definition, but that shirt is shaped, and fits justright. I totally want more, but I’ll have to wait for a paycheck for that, since we are seriously running on E right now. I want our tax info to hurry the fuck up so that I can finish our taxes (new baby and my income of less than 8k = return city!) and get that, and if I get called to sub this week, I will. Of course, if it’s not Tuesday or Wednesday, since I have interview and student teaching thing on those days.

Oh, and I also looked at shoes. Kate’s comment pointed me to aerosoles, which have the WORST names ever, seriously, all bad puns like "elbow crease" or "ballcelona," which both sound dirty as hell. I would totally not at all be surprised if there was one called "Scrota-riffic" or "Endangered Feces."  Anyway, I tried them on solely (ha! I kill me) to figure out how they ran for my feet, and am now looking at maybe something like these. I tried on a higher heel, which I could handle as long as it was a stacked heel, and not a golf-tee I was trying to balance on.

So! I now have at least a week’s worth of clothes, should I get the job. That’s cool. And should I get the job, I am so totally ordering more of those button up shirts. They are that good for me.

Thanks for the thoughts on salaries, etc. It’s just so WEIRD to be even there, you know? More good news, too, in that my advisor emailed today to say she hadn’t yet written my reference letter (I’d asked for a generic one for my files) but "I did give you a great recommendation for Private College." Which means that they are calling my references, so, yay.  With the money thing, for the last 5 years, I’ve made … not much. Americorps (small stipend), teaching (contracted wage, about average for the state), GA (stipend), LLBean (may have even lost money on that deal. Great discount!). I have zero perspective on the scene, truly, but am taking Ann’s advice (and Jeanne’s) to shoot for at least what I’d make teaching with a Master’s.  That gives me a good frame of reference.

My mom gave me a giftcard to Lame Giant before she left, and with a coupon I have "$50 off purchse of $150," I’m planning to go on Sunday to look for some work clothes. Teaching, I pretty much lived in khakis and a v-neck long sleeve t-shirt, but I’m feeling like this will require more professional clothes. I’d planned on going today, while Ingrid was at daycare, but windchills of 30 below kept us inside. So, instead, I’m window shopping online. I’m thinking I need at least one pair of black pants, and a couple button downs. Maybe these (jeanne says cuffs) and some of these? I’m looking for classic, and LB veers wildly from classic to trashy, it seems. Maybe a jacket, too? Jeanne also thinks I need shoes other than Danskos, and even FANCY Danskos don’t count, it seems. Dammit.

What are the staples of your professional wardrobe? I’m not anywhere near where i want to be weight/size wise, so i don’t want to spend a ton of money, but I also know that I won’t magically shrink in 2 weeks, so I should dress well despite being a size I don’t like. (I’ve seen What Not to Wear, oh yes. It’s one of the shows I wish I had cable for…) What should I have? I’m fortunate that the office I’m in will be air conditioned (it’s a rarity up here, and on that campus, even) but, I will be pumping so ‘shift dress’ won’t work at all. I have already the pants, blazer and cami I wore to the interview, as well as a basic brown short that goes well with the pants for a less formal look. Any ideas?

I rocked the interview. ROCKED IT. I’m sure of it.

The skinny is that yes, this is half grunt work, half professional work. But after talking with the Chief Academic Officer, I would totally take this job. This school is working to add more graduate/professional programs, pharmacy and law for two, and is on the cusp of a huge growth spurt. The CAO is new (replacing, incidentatlly, my next-door neighbor’s brother, who died last year, after being CAO forever) really forward thinking, and is determined to upgrade the technology at this school. Dude, they don’t even have WIRELESS yet. No joke. He wants laptops, bookless classes, every student to graduate with an electronic portfolio, as he said, holding up my paper resume "this is going to be the old way of finding a job!" [I sent a letter/resume online, as well as my paper copy, and both had links to, you know, MY electronic portfolio . . ] The CAO and I really clicked in our conversation about what isntructional technology means, definitely on the same page with that, and, yeah, definitely clicked.

(Okay, while typing this they called to schedule an interview with the HR director, and she called it ‘the last interview,’ which will be next Tuesday at 9. Did I mention that the posting said they were taking apps til the 26th? you know, tomorrow?)

At the end of meeting all these people, I asked the first (registrar) about compensation, because, hi, it’s important. And her answer was "it depends on the applicant, their education and experience…" which was good enough for me. I was worried about being an admin assistant, with base admin assistant pay, but with IT duties, and clearly, that won’t be the case.  But damn, I hope this HR meeting isn’t "what do you expect to be paid" because I have NO CLUE what I should expect to be paid, and wouldn’t want to overestimate my way out of a job, or undercut myself. And salarywizards, etc, don’t work for me because of what I do and where I live.  I also asked about work/family balance, because it IS mt first job as a mama, and that does matter.  The answer was good for that, too — some schedule flexibility, they understand about kids and daycare and illness. The office I’d be in has two other women, both with kids under 3.  Still not sure where I’d pump, but I’ll figure it out.

Anyway, I’m about 99.99% sure that this job is mine to refuse. I don’t even know what the HR interview would entail, since I met with the important people already, and they’ve pushed me through to HR. I just hope to god it’s not "How much do you want to make?"

Hee, I wasn’t on AIM to talk wardrobe with Jeanne lastnight, because I was actually figuring out my wardrobe at the mall.  I had, on hand, these brown herringbone pants, and also this corduroy blazer, in chocolate.  I’d worn the pants with a basic brown shirt to the funeral, but it looked much frumpy-dumpier than I wanted to look at the interview. The manager at Lame Giant helped me out, steering me away from a white shirt (since the pants are cream/brown) and instead to a cream-colored camisole top, a nice belt, and a necklace, and sent me home to try it camisole/short or camisole/blazer. (And, dammit! LB.com is down, or something, because I was going to have links to that, too…) Anyway, the necklace is silver wirey type, withchunky stones in shades of orange, brown, etc. It’s actually called "Shades of coral," but the pic online looks more symmetrical, and longer than it does on me. (Oh, hey! Their site is down, but I still have the link to the necklace, so maybe it will work when this posts.) I wanted to read "professional, not stuffy, and a touch creative" and I think that all that together works…

THen I started freaking out, more. I searched their staff directory for the specific position, and found no one listed. I did find an "Admin assistant/data specialist" and a straight up "instructional technologist," so now I’m feeling a littler nervous. I don’t want an 8/hr job, you know? And I wouldn’t take it if that were the case. On the other hand, it DID require a "bachelor’s degree, minimum" which reads to me "but we’d like more…" and admin assistants don’t usually require a bachelor’s, right?  I just have zero idea of what to expect compensation wise,a nd will absolutely die if they ask ME about it, because I have zero clue what the position should pay, you know? I’m thinking because it’s higher ed, they won’t ask me my salary requirements, but still, that freaks me out.

I did do a dry run of getting there, figuring out the parking, the building, all of that, which is way easier than dealing with UM (which is a good 5x bigger than this place, but still… no surprises, you know?)

So, I spent day 2 of Ingrid’s Transition by dropping off the rest of the paperwork to the school department, coming home and ahem, having a nice lunch hour with Dave, wink wink ("Daycare is AWESOME!"), then actually eating lunch at the radiator cafe, before getting groceries and going to pick up Ingrid. When I got there, Ingrid had JUST fallen asleep, so I decided to let sleeping babies lie, and go home to put away the groceries. (Again, how awesome that this daycare is THAT close?!) When I got home, I thought, "oh, I should just CHECK the caller ID" and there was a weird number, so I checked the messages and heard:

"Hi, this message is for gretchen, this is NAME at Private College, and we received your resume and would like to schedule an interview as soon as possible, and we’re hoping Thursday at 8 am. Please call blah blah blah."

!!!!!!!

I called Dave first, to make sure he could do a daycare dropoff (yes) and then called back with my best "I’m totally professional and capable and didn’t forget to re-hook a bra flap after pumping earlier" voice, where I got directions, and was told that I will meet first with the registrar, then the chief academic officer, and then the head of IT. Whoa. That’s a lot of people!  Especially considering that they are taking resumes until Friday….

Now I’m freaking out about clothes, and wish so much that I had someone like Amy or Kate here to go shopping with me, or to just help me put together an outfit, because I am SO not that person when it comes to fashion. Ugh.

Interview!!!!