The Friday before my big trip to Hawaii (the 21st?) was my last day of work as a temp at the Nordstrom corporate office. Since leaving Safeway, I have been working in the FLS/Rack compensation department as a data analyst and backend administrative assistant - otherwise known as a ‘minion’ or ‘M2′ as the ladies at the office so lovingly called me.

Working there was an ideal situation for me to be in. First off, it fitted perfectly with my class schedule. I was able to work only three days a week and still receive higher compensation than when I was working fulltime at Safeway. Furthermore, my boss was very understanding in the importance of my education and would constantly remind me that I could take time off in order to keep pace with my course load. I never did take advantage of this as I’m used to a more… consuming… work pace. Her concern was more than enough and the option was very relieving.

Secondly, it was a great opportunity for me to experience the corporate world in action. I watched several women who are already secure in their careers seeing how they interact and perform their duties in a fast pace corporate environment. They’ve been a great source to model off of. Also, the projects given me have allowed me to use the skills fostered at school and have pushed me to acquire new ones as I rushed to learn new data systems and terminology.

Combined with my stint at Safeway, I was able to see what I knew on an academic level played out in the business world. Or to rephrase, to be able to see what I knew only intellectually fleshed out and applied on a more practical level. The application of abstract theory into real life examples has been of great value to me and the reinforcement of the importance of my academic studies has encouraged me to press forward and absorb everything that my professors have to offer.

But as I mentioned, my stay within the compensation department ended several weeks back. The timing of it worked out very nicely as I then went to Hawaii for a little over a week. Before I headed out my coworkers were also so kind as to help refer me to some contacts in other departments. That they would be willing to vouch for me was very humbling indeed as it’s a risk to their reputation if I turn out to be a "bad apple."

The referral turned to be fruitful and I received a call while in Hawaii about a position in loss prevention. However, it went to voicemail and for the next couple weeks I’ve been playing phone tag in trying to get into direct contact with him. Dad thinks (and I do so too for that matter) it’s rather amusing that while I was supposed to be relaxing and enjoying myself in Hawaii, I was working to secure employment for myself. A necessary task but still amusing in of itself.

However, I wasn’t able to get a hold of him during my stay in Hawaii nor once I resumed school back home. My non-school days were horrible, lounging around and wasting my day. Somehow, I managed to become addicted to work. I need to work just like I need oxygen. Financially, I may have been fine for this quarter but I don’t think my sanity would’ve survived. Well… I’m sure I would’ve captured my day for other uses and thus saved my sanity from almost certain destruction but that doesn’t negate the need to work.

So I slowly became discouraged and resumed my job searches elsewhere. Unfortunately a lot of the jobs I found are more suited as career positions and while I do strongly desire to establish myself in my career, I am not able to do so due to my school schedule. All this proved to be a moot point though. Yesterday, I was finally able to get a hold of him and I now have an interview set up on Monday to discuss some potential job positions that he has available.

A not so small burden has been lifted and now I can focus my attentions on some other facets of my life that need attending to. I pray that the interview will go well on Monday and that, God willing, it’ll lead into the employment that I rather need. In the end, however, it is -all- in His hands and while I am fairly confident in good results, I can’t boast in my future as… I just don’t know.

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