White HouseThursday, February 10, 2005 | 5:39PM |
You can’t be turned down from a job for which you never applied. This was my thinking when I visited the White House web site last week and sought out a way to apply for a job as a White House photographer. As it turns out, you can apply for an appointment to just about any position (as far as I could tell), because most of the questions on the online application seemed to be geared towards people that had, for instance, been the CEO of a company for 20 years.
So this further emphasized the fact that I have very little chance of ever getting that job. I know that two of the current photographers are award winning photojournalists with distinguished careers behind them. I’ve earned a degree in photography and I now work for the Texas House of Representatives as a photographer. Not quite the same thing. But I really would love to have that job. Every time I get to shoot on the house floor now, I enjoy it immensely. And to be honest with you, I didn’t think I would like it quite this much. Life experiences really can change your outlook on things.
That’s not to say I’ve lost interest in graduate school, because I’m still hoping that I’ll get into one of the four (I decided not to apply to University of Arizona) schools to which I applied. I’m actually quite excited about the prospect of moving to the Boulder/Denver area, Tempe/Phoenix, Albuquerque or Chicago. But if something amazing happened and I was able to work for President Bush… well, I think we’d start looking for a house in Arlington, VA pronto. What an amazing opportunity it would be. And perhaps I could get someone here to write me a letter that would really help. We’ll see how that goes, but I’m not holding my breath. (I am, however, holding my breath for graduate school admissions letters.)
I think one of the most exciting things in life is the prospect of interesting life changes. Sure, the changes are certainly exciting, but when you’ve yet to be rejected from something, and the potential is still there… that’s what makes a crappy day into a good one. So I’ve been having a few really good days lately. Some of my coworkers have told me that I’m a bit of an optimist. I can’t disagree with that. At least not lately. Maybe it’s just that I’ve been around quite a few pessimists lately (ahem… you know who you are) that I can’t help but try to see the bright side of things.
Stacy and I went to see the Austin Symphony last week. I was surprised how good they were. It’s not that I’d heard bad things about them, but I’d never really heard anything that good about them either. And with the exception of the strings in one quiet, slow piece (and they were bad) they were more than acceptable. It was no Chicago Symphony Orchestra concert, but it was good for a night out in the Grand Marquis. We topped it off with Sonic for dinner. We eat healthy.
And tonight we’re going to eat at a place called Lucky Dog Chicago Style Grill. I’m probably at the height of my metabolism, otherwise I would weigh 350 pounds and have already had my first heart attack.
Comments
I was thinking, since you are in Texas, and you work for the house of representatives, you may have better connections than you think. Getting a letter of recommendation is a great idea and who knows— maybe you know somebody who knows somebody, etc.
Well, and then there’s the whole God thing. I’m sure He could arrange it for you as well. :)
Stacy is lucky that you share an interest in the symphony. My husband wouldn’t be caught dead going to a symphony with me, yet somehow he is dragging me to a Nascar race in April. Ugh. :)
I miss Sonic so much… there aren’t any Sonics where I live, but when I lived in Utah I went there all of the time.
Sondra | Friday, February 11, 2005 | 12:07PM
walker, i just wanted to let you know i miss like crazy. glad to hear things are going well and i’ll keep my fingers crossed about grad school for you.
amanda | Wednesday, February 16, 2005 | 1:03AM
Thanks Amanda.=)
Walker | Thursday, February 17, 2005 | 11:25PM
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