What if God Was One of Us?

Like every other adolescent (maybe I'm pushing the envelope of adolescence a bit, considering I'm going on 23, but whatever), I have my obsessive questions about religion and a higher power and all that. Clearly, I've chosen the whole God-fearing Ortho-Jew thing, but clearly that choice has some bias considering the way I was raised. I always wonder about that question that people ask - what if someone suddenly told you that you weren't really Jewish? Would you convert right away? Or would you run out and eat lobster and be done with it? I like to think I would do the former, especially since at the thought of eating really not kosher food, I actually get nauseous. It just seems too late to suddenly start cramming fish that came in shells down my throat. Too weird.

Anyway, once you believe in God, the next question is to wonder just how closely he's watching. Well, if anything would make me believe in Hashgakha Pratit (private supervision), it would be this summer. First, I apply to all these book publishing internships - Simon and Schuster, Random House, and Little, Brown - don't hear from a single one, which is sad, b/c especially the Simon and Schuster one sounded amazing. Then I apply to a bunch of jobs I don't want, and get an interview at one. The job turns out to be even worse than I thought - not only is it just being an office assistant in this cold, dark financial office with only six people - but the job is 60% scanning documents. Sounds awesome, I know. Anyway, they offer it to me on the spot, but I think it sounds so crappy that I can't commit. I finally decide that night that I should just take it because I have no other alternatives and I give two weeks notices at my job the next morning, which doesn't go that well, but whatever - great pay isn't that great when they won't let you work more than 12 hours a week. I then leave a message at the new place accepting the job, get a call back from the receptionist, have a whole discussion with her about how I need to wear suits even though I was told at my interview that it was business casual, tell her I am not prepared to invest in a new wardrobe for a summer job since I never plan on wearing suits again and don't own any at present, and have her check back with the woman who hired me, who then calls, tells me it's OK and I don't have to wear suits, and calls again five minutes later to tell me that the receptionist was very offended and "maybe you're not such a good fit after all."

Naturally, I obsess a bit b/c I have nooo idea how I offended her and I am marvelling over the fact that I got fired from a job before I even started, but being free of the burden to take this job out of responsibility was wonderful. Then nothing nothing nothing, then Barrie comes to me with a conctact at Simon and Schuster which she mentioned she had but it didn't sound like they spoke much and I didn't want her mother calling just on my behalf, but as it turns out, Barrie's ever-wonderful mother DID speak to her, AND mentioned me, and told me to give her a call later that day. I then hear from another job, really don't want it but take an interview anyway, am really upset because of how much I don't want it, and then get a call telling me the position has been filled. I then speak to the contact at Simon and Schuster, fall in love with her, and then today, I got the job. Lesson learned: Someone is definitely watching out for me - if not Hashem then Evelyn Jakabovics who is no doubt a close associate of the Great One. (Not only because of this - she also makes awesome cookies. And lets me use her in articles as my "authoritative voice." And has driven me many many times. And she's just awesome, in general. And she's cute, but she doesn't like it when you call her that, as Hannah learned yesterday.)

Anyway, that's just some rambling to keep everyone updated on the fact that I am no longer having a lazy summer. And a heads up that I'll be expecting places to stay in the city.