BTRIPP

One thing that's come out of these past few days is that I have somehow managed to notch out some time for writing. I anticipate that I'll get one done on the way back from the interview as well. If things go well and they hire me, it will mean that I will have a LOT of subway time in my schedule ... since it's the better part of an hour out there from here (I have to go downtown and change trains or do a bus-and-train combo to get out there). Oh, joy, a hidden benefit. I need to go to bed. Tomorrow's almost here.


                    SO SUDDENLY THE GATE


                    sudden chasms
                    deep ravines
                    we encounter edges
                    the precipice yawning
                    out below
                    the path leads here
                    dissolving there
                    in endless falling

                    these days idle
                    so unprepared
                    no intent drives
                    any action
                    no meaning makes
                    a purpose at the end
                    while hours drag
                    and fill with useless tasks

                    so much dread
                    so many deep unknowns
                    we steer here blindly
                    denied the stars
                    and the landmarks
                    of the world we know
                    always fearing
                    what waits with dawn

                    standing in between
                    the forces of destruction
                    the tide of blind tomorrows
                    and the weight
                    of all these wasted years
                    we can not see
                    what shape is forming
                    what power would appear

                    too little this
                    too much of that
                    things not fitting
                    to the moment
                    these clocks roll down
                    to sudden times
                    we can but walk
                    with inner balance



                             - Brendan Tripp
                                06/13/2001

                    Copyright © 2001 by Brendan Tripp
 
 

Whew. That was not fun. Not fun at all. First of all, it's 90 degrees and muggy around these parts ... JUST the sort of weather that I want to be traipsing around in a dark suit ... not. Then, when I get there, they're still interviewing the previous guy and I had to sit out in the hall until 10 minutes past my appointment. Then I come in, the last of the candidates, and sit down at a big conference table with six middle-aged restauranteurs who are The Search Committee. I was at a significant disadvantage, as I had not been provided with ANY information on the organization or the official job description until just before they brought me in.

As it turns out they're REALLY looking for two people ... but they want those to be in one body. One person is the one who will build membership, increase public awareness, create web sites, newsletters, etc., etc., etc. and the other is the one who will manage the office and do all the association negotiation with suppliers on behalf of the 1300 members. Bleh. I'm definitely Guy #1, but I'd need a lot of ramp-up to get to be Guy #2. Frankly ... I don't know of any "Guy #2"s who can BE "Guy #1" effectively ... and I suspect that it goes the other way as well.

There weren't a whole lot of questions, but the ones that I had to field were not particularly constructive ... most concentrating on Eschaton and stuff about that. I did get to answer some "what do you think you would do about ..." things, which let me tap-dance on some off-the-top-of-my-head stuff. What I think I'll do is draft a letter and "ask for clarifications" while giving my ideas of how I think things should go.

Judging from the guy before me (who was, literally ... heard him talking to somebody at the elevator ... in his 70's!) they're having a hard time filling "the complete package" (I heard them grilling him about the newsletter/web stuff ... which he plainly had NO IDEA about), so I could well still be in the running for this.

If I do a good enough follow-up, maybe they'll hire me as a FREE LANCER to do their promotional stuff and then hire an office manager / contract negotiation guy to manage the association. THAT would almost be an ideal situation ... I'd be able to work from here and still have some bucks coming in!

Anyway ... I'm disappointed and sweaty. Hope this wasn't a total waste. Thanks to everybody for the good wishes ... keep 'em coming!