Little Heart Squeezes

You know what I mean by heart squeeze, right?  When something good or bad happens and then you get that little squeezy feeling right around your heart, like a band of emotion is just closing in around your chest?  Sometimes it results in tears, sometimes my breath just starts to come a little bit faster until the band dissolves, but over the past twenty four hours I have had one after another.

• Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince was pushed back for a release date of July 17, 2009.  I am just... heartbroken.  I know that is completely ridiculous, after all IT'S JUST A MOVIE, but I am amazed at just how much I miss Harry Potter in my life, and apparently I was looking forward to this release a little bit more than I realized.  WB gave the most ridiculous reasons for the push, and I think it's not quite a coincidence that the movie version of Twilight is scheduled to be released just a couple of weeks after the original Half Blood Prince release date.  I think WB was just afraid of being knocked out of the top spot by another kid friendly, immensely popular fantasy movie.
• That women's gymnastics all around competition nearly killed me.  Granted, it was very late, and I was very tired, but I was this close to a complete Hulk type tantrum when those judges kept over-inflating the Chinese scores and giving Shawn and Nastia the most ridiculous deductions.  I think the medals were given to the right girls, but I really don't think that the competition should have been that close.  But let me tell you, there were some serious tears during that medal ceremony.  I loved watching Nastia's face as she focused on breathing and remaining upright while she stood on the podium, you could just see the realization that she had just won gold breaking over her face again and again.  That was a really beautiful moment for US gymnastics after a really tough week.
• A few months ago, my high school boyfriend's mother passed away from cancer, and that was a hard thing to accept, then I found out yesterday that the man who was my high school band teacher and the father of one of my friend's ex-boyfriends passed away a few days ago.  Sad enough on its own, but when combined with the other parent death, it hit me pretty hard.  I don't like to think about my parents as mortal beings, and I can't imagine the pain that my old friends are going through.  I feel ridiculous sending them Facebook messages with my condolences, but it doesn't feel appropriate to intrude on their lives any more than that right now.
• Every time the phone rings, I race to answer it thinking that it might be one of the companies I've applied with calling to set up an interview.  One of the managers I dropped an application with told me to my face that she'd be calling this week to set up an interview, and nothing.  Honestly, this is one of the suckiest things I've ever been through.    Yesterday my hair dresser told me that the unemployment rate for high school age kids is at its highest right now, and I tell you what--I feel their pain!  I'm putting in another couple of applications this weekend, but yesterday was a pretty low point for me when I realized that I have a college degree, I have tons of experience in the work place, as well as personal recommendations from CEOs of companies and colonels in the military, and I can't even find a job selling an effing skirt.  What the hell world?

Anyway, I could go on and on ad nauseum, but I still have a long chapter and an article to read and outline for school today and the day isn't getting any longer.  I have a pretty quiet weekend planned--just working on a 30-minute presentation on "Teaching with Purpose" and a book club meeting tomorrow, which means I should probably try to finish A Tree Grows in Brooklyn before 6:30 pm tomorrow night!

Comments

[Janssen]

With all the comparisons between Twilight and Harry Potter in the last few weeks, I've realized again how much I miss HP. I can't believe the whole series is done.

[Lacey Bean]

I looooove A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. I can't even remember how many times I've read it!

[Old Warrior]

Note to job seekers everywhere (from someone who has done lots of hiring). Make sure your resume matches the job you are applying for. Never mass produce resumes - it has to match the job. Appearing over-qualified (read as I'm smarter and more experienced than you are) is just as bad as being under-qualified. All interviewers/hirers know that an over-qualified person will not be happy in a mundane job they are over-qualified for.

In addition, if you have lots of military experience and have high level military references, the liberal anti-war loons of the world (there may be one or two of those in the SeaTac area) hate you and think of you as a ultra-right wing Nazi. Which is weird on its own because NAZI is a German acronym for National Socialist or ultra-left winger.

[katelin]

i was so bummed about harry potter too. seriously ridiculous. come on hollywood please stop being lame.

[sophie]

So sorry about the recent losses. Realizing your parents are mortal is a very tough thing to manage. Hopefully you won't deal with it for many years.

Good luck with the job search--try not to get too frustrated.

Have a great weekend!

[MaryB]

I know EXACTLY what you mean. And I am so sorry that you have had so many lately :( They tend to come in bursts, do they not? Here's hoping your batch is over for now!

[jessica]

I like that phrase, "heart squeeze." Yeah the special on the TODAY show, with images from the games, made me cry, or nearly cry. THe scoring BS on the gymnastics stuff too was ridiculous. Stupid judges.

[Dawn]

Looking for a job is easily one of the most soul-sucking experiences EVER. I hope you start getting call-backs and find something, soon!

[wordnerd]

Glad to know another "adult" is bummed about the delayed opening of HP as well as the fact that the series is over.

Sorry to hear about your friends and the job hunt woes -- that's the suck all around.

I agree 1000% with the whole gymnastics thing -- the ridiculous deductions, the over-inflation of China's scores, and the fact that their girls are, yes, 13. I'd love to see the U.S. try to get away with something like that. They'd have our collective heads on a platter.

[Tipp]

I almost threw things at the TV when those scores kept coming back so high and our girls' so low.

Rigged much?

[slynnro]

GOD, I hate when you are looking for a job and the phone rings. Every ring has so much promise, and then? It's a fucking service survey or something.

[e.p.]

I feel the SAME WAY about Harry Potter. My heart just broke a little.

Also, the gymnastics was one of my FAVE parts of the Olympics so far. So uplifting, especially the individual stuff.

[Jass]

I am bummed out too about HP. Seriously they are going to make us wait until next summer? Oh what a shocker it will be when they shoot the last movie. The actors are going to be well in their 20's! So rude!

Yes gymnastics got under my skin too. Although I liked the dancing by the Chinese girls, they did get old pretty fast. And the scoring was just horrible. I wished for Shawn Johnson to win at least one gold medal. But that Romanian girl was awesome. Did you see that floor exercise?!

And I totally get you on the job thing. It must be the world. Oh how it sucks!

[Celia]

When little stuff starts piling up it's so frustrating. As a fellow job hunter I feel your pain! And I LOVED A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. Feel better soon!

[Becky]

I was bummed that HP was moved as well, but at least it means only 1 1/2 years from #6 to #7 Part 1 (it was going to be two years). Personally, I think they did it b/c of the success of Batman on that same weekend, so they were just trying to make even more $$ in the summer rather than a winter release. What was interesting was how I received my EW Fall Preview on Friday and HP was still on the cover b/c apparently Warner Brothers didn't bother to tell them about the move (who also owns EW).

Personally, I thought Shawn was a little better than Nastia, but Shawn played her uneven bars way too safely so I think that's where she lost most of her points.

[Like A Bad Girl Straight To Video]

Ahh! I know how you feel about the job thing! I had been looking for a job for almost 6 months before I worked for the county.. and when I decided I wanted to stop working there, it took me 6 months to find the job I have now!!! Good luck! You will find something soon!!

[Becky]

Okay first of all... WOW - I totally agree with you on the HP movie. I have been re-reading the series (here's my rationale - I only read the 7th book one time, and that was in one day so that I wouldn't have spoilers. I really wanted to re-read it, but then I realized I should re-read 6 as well, for the same reason, and just ended up starting from scratch).

I'm on 5 right now, and the whole first half of the book makes me feel like I'm in puberty again. Poor Harry - oh my - the angst!!!

Secondly - I was RIGHT THERE with you on the Nastia's victory = tears. I was bawling like a baby. I was SO happy for her. I saved it on my Tivo, and for the first time I understand why my husband is reluctant to give up football game recordings.

Okay- this is LONG - sorry!
:) Becky