Polite decline of the newspaper job interview

Well, after talking to the VP of Mid America Publishing this afternoon, I politely declined his offer of an interview later this week. The position was a part-time news reporter and part-time sports editor/photographer, and to be honest, that's just not really my thing. I've never read the sports section in my life, and I can't think I'd be very good at writing it. Plus, it would mean a lot of nights and weekends covering the games. No thanks.

But I had a nice chat with the guy. He publishes 17 community newspapers around the state, mostly on the eastern side. He says community papers are faring much better than the big dailies, which are trying to compete with online publications and news sources. I wished him well in his search and told him to give me a call if anything else opened up, or if he heard of any communications/PR jobs.

So back to the search. A lot of my friends and coworkers are switching jobs and interviewing for jobs, so i think the market is slowly started to swing back in favor of the workers. Well, that's sugarcoating it, but I try to be optimistic.

Today's photos are from the Birthday Luau at the farm on Saturday night. A good time was had by all, as I mentioned. We are heading to the farm again this weekend and will spend the night Sunday and hang out there on Memorial Day. I am planning to bake a couple pies (with Aunt Bev's pie crust of course) and take them to Aunt Bev's farm on Monday. Can't wait to see Andy and Jeff, and just hang out on the Arganbright farm. It is one of the greatest farms in Iowa. I will be sure to take pictures and report back. Jeff has promised to show me the two Easter geese I donated to his flock several years ago.... Uncle Troy thought they would be a cute Easter present for Mazy and my niece Theron. Heidi and I did not agree. But I am thrilled they are alive and thriving on the farm.

Luau at the Farm

Well, I apologize for the long delay between posts. Where does the time go?

Here is a rare moment in my household: it's 9 a.m. and the boys are STILL asleep! Seriously, this has never happened since Bo's been born. Mazy will sleep in once in awhile, but never both of them. So I am enjoying this quiet, overcast morning and contemplating what I shall do today.

We've been quite busy the last few days. I had Friday off and took the boys to Nevada to see Shawn's parents for the day. I also took them to Ames to get new summer sandals for Bo and then to Brookside Park for a couple hours. I love Ames. It has some beautiful neighborhoods and such a nice mix of people. I've considered moving there -- the benefits of having ISU nearby would be great. But the schools are huge and not what I had in mind for the boys.

And Saturday found us at the farm for Hudson and Theron's luau birthday party. It was a beautiful day, though it was insanely windy out there, and everyone had a wonderful time. We stayed until nearly 10 p.m., which explains the boys sleeping in today. We ended the day as perfect as you could -- sitting around the bonfire, all the kids in the garage having a dance-a-thon and the rest of us just hanging out together. I love those times. And I love my brothers and sister and their spouses and kids. That's another reason to move to Western Iowa, I want more of those moments at the farm. It's not often we're all together, and it will become less frequent the older our children get, but I want to be part of their memories of coming home to Iowa and visiting Grandpa and Grandma's farm and Aunt Keesi and Uncle Shawn's cool acreage.

So today begins and I do have a lot to do. First, plant Mazy's garden. It's nearly June for pete's sake! Grandpa Pud gave us some yellow plum tomatoes to put in it last night and I want to be sure they grow. We're going to grow watermelon and pumpkins in the back garden this year. And have all kinds of seeds for Mazy's side garden. (Today's pictures are from earlier this spring when the boys helped me plant a tree and some flower pots on Earth Day.

Also today, I want to start sorting through things for a garage sale. And if time allows, buy the mulch I've been talking about and get the front landscape finished... And get groceries and make a menu for the week. And laundry. Oh laundry, how I hate you.

And that should finish out a Sunday. Tonight when the boys are in bed, I'm going to followup on a job lead my friend sent me. It's for a newspaper reporter in Western Iowa. It's worth checking out. And then I'll write her a letter of reference.

Finally, hello to Uncle T. I just listened to your message you left me yesterday. It makes me so happy to hear from you! I'm sorry your comments didn't show up, I would have loved to have read them! Send my love to Sassy.

Perfect timing. I hear the sound of little footsteps on the stairs. Enjoy your day!