number one sign "you've made it:" the reference check call.

received the third one of my life today, this one on behalf on our friend flax. "what did he do?" "ummmm...i don't really know. he never really spoke to me." "what was his best quality?" "it seemed to me that he bathed at least daily, which is more than i could say for much of our other staff members." "would you hire him again?" "he was free the first time, so, if that was the going rate, yes." "thank you for your help!"

it should be noted that this call came at 9:02 a.m., while i was deciding not to shave because i was late to work (i charge the phone in my bathroom). the number looked somewhat familiar (it wasn't), but no name popped up (and i had just gotten out of the shower), so i ignored the call. then, as i'm brushing my teeth, they call again. this time, they figure i must really not be planning to answer it, because they leave a message this time.

i return the call at noon.

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sometime last friday or thursday, and enterprising student from the university of dayton sent an email that i'm sure she spent hours on, wondering what it's like to be "in the business," as she was considering what internships she might be interested in applying for (!). so today, i emailed her back. "here's my number. there's not much going on this time of year, so anytime you call is fine." i sent it at 2:59. no joke, she calls back at 3:03. (i looked at my phone. saw the 937 area code. thought "couldn't be." "then who?" and indeed, it was.)

my goal was to steer her completely from the business, and i did. odd. she kept me on the phone for 25 minutes. towards the end, as i'm directing her future career (be persistent!), she asks my hobbies. (why?, i don't know.) "i like to cook. i read a lot. and, um, drinking, i guess."

welcome to adult life, kiddo.

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arrested development returned tonight. if you consider yourself to be not-dumb, and you like to laugh, please watch this program. (7 p.m. on mondays, central-folk. 8, others.) fantastic. "i'm not the outdoorsy type." "well, then, maybe you can rub off on her, george michael." woof! (and, i mean, really, dig this! award-winning!

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did you know that, in the michigan counties that border wisconsin, towns operate on central time? i learned that this weekend, and was excited. turns out, there are more towns on the border than 'inland,' so it makes sense to keep the same time as the 'other side of the line.' cool, right?

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i didn't completely clean, but i'm getting there. i cleared everything out of the bedroom on friday night and saturday, then began the process of returning things on sunday. currently, i can't safely walk in my living room, but that's okay. i also cleaned out my closet, eminem-like, even donating old clothing to the salvation army. so i've done one good deed this decade.

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i am a fan of the first-place chicago bears. they play defense, and the division's awful, so let's play in january! i still hate thomas jones, i don't care what you say. moose can play (ignoring the three drops week one.) i think the bengals will kill them.

a coworker/bears fan, on friday, bet a coworker/vikings fan, that the bears would score 30 points. ten bucks and everything. upon hearing this, i said "i'd give him 40-to-1 odds on that." good thing i only bet with pride.