References suck, yo. (We're starting the entry off with an intellectual tone today.) I've spent all day worrying about the interview and trying to nail down people, which hasn't exactly happened. I did the following:

(a) called the SN&R, only to be dumped into voice mail hell,

(b) e-mailed the editor, who nicely wrote me back saying he could pass my number onto possible reference #2, the MIA one,

(c) managed to find #2's e-mail address at her new place of employment and e-mailed her,

(d) found out that Favorite Prof isn't teaching this quarter, but oddly enough does have office hours Wednesday afternoon,

(e) just in case, found out that Reserve Prof (i.e. one I'd rather not ask for a recommendation because I don't think it'll be totally positive, but would be the most likely candidate if I have to find another reference) also has office hours Wednesday afternoon,

(f) e-mailed the ex-boss with the interview news, but haven't heard back from her yet (which worries me a bit- but for all I know she left early or something),

(g) went by where the interview will take place, but saw no people inside. It looks like a little cubicle maze in there.

This stuff is frying my brain. No joke, I am stressed to the gills. I was already worrying about the whole references thing beforehand, but now I'm in a panic because for the most part, I'll have two measly business days instead of three to get ok's from people, assuming I can get ahold of them and assuming they're interested.

I don't know what to do about Favorite Prof besides try calling or visiting him Wednesday (if he didn't get or didn't respond to e-mail- he's not normally the type to just ignore such a thing at all). I don't know if I should e-mail Reserve Prof about it or not (going to her office hours wouldn't be a great idea because they're always booked and since I'm not a student, I can't make any more appointments). We got along fine, and she liked the reporting of mine she'd seen me do (I did an preview article on the fashion show she ran/that I was in last spring), but I have a reputation in the design department for "not taking criticism well", and I betcha that would come up with an employer and I think she'd be honest about it. So that's not the best option either.

(Off-topic, for those wondering about my reputation for not taking criticism well, this pretty much only applies to art projects, not writing stuff. I'm sorry, but do you know how hard it is to sit there and take it when a professor says in front of the whole class that your project reminds her of trying to play the violin again after many years and the talent is gone?)

I would like to ask the editor I wrote the most articles for (the feature editor) to be a reference, and I think she'd love to do it, but I keep hearing how it's better to get recs from more than one place if you can (possible ref #2 used to work there, but at least she doesn't now, and she used to work at UCD so maybe she has an in?). Gah! I don't know! I'm too freaked out to think any longer! Aiee!

I need to calm down. Caaaaalm dowwwwwwwn. Go watch some TV before the invading Girl Scouts arrive for the weekend (though I've been told they probably won't arrive till around eleven). Eat before the hordes arrive so I can get some peace. Do an art project. Watch Remington Steele and the Simpsons. Relaaaaaaax. Steal someone's tranquilizers.

Or um, maybe I'll just keep gossiping on 3WA chat. Whatever works, baby.

I don't know if I'll be getting to update while the Girl Scouts are here or not, we shall see.

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