employment, calves, lighting and farmhouses

I'm a little overstimulated right now. All sorts of exciting things happened today.

First, I did a proctored examination for a job with the USPS in Johnson City. I always thought it would be fun to be a mail carrier, either on foot or by vehicle, but in order to be considered for any job with the USPS, you have to first do an online, unproctored evaulation, and if you pass, then you get to set an appointment for an exam at a testing facility.

I am rather disappointed at my 84 out of 100 score. It was definitely not the comparison part (making sure addresses are accurate) of the test that got me but rather the memory portion -- my memory sucks. Here's to hoping that I did better than the other people there and get to put a flashing light on my car and drive around all day (have I ever mentioned how I love to drive?). The facility does testing for institutions other than the USPS, too. My name was on the list next to another guy that was testing to be a secret agent with the FBI!

However, before all this happened, as I was driving down our road on the way to my exam and gawking at the cute calf that was born about a week and a half ago, I noticed another tiny calf nearby being licked clean by its mama. Pretty sure he/she had just been born within the hour. Then, about five miles further on my route to Johnson City, I waved to an attentive farmer that was standing nearby another cow that had clearly just delivered a newborn calf herself. I'm telling you, this place is paradise, people.

I got to Johnson City about an hour early and killed some time at Target.

I bought string lighting. I kinda have a thing for lights.

I already broke that last bulb on the right, dangit.

On my way back, I decided to take some pictures of my favorite farmhouse in this area. I'm not sure why I'm so infatuated with it, but I think it's because it's all white. No pink or green or blue shutters like every other farmhouse I've seen around here. Just a clean, uncluttered, symmetrical white farmhouse. I would beg Jay for us to live there if it weren't on such a fast road.

Lastly and most importantly, I answered a Craigslist ad last week for a local photographer to do a commercial shoot at a medical facility in SW Virginia. I really didn't think I would get a response, but I did last night. I talked to the head guy in charge of marketing (who is in Cupertino, CA of all places -- ironic), and guess what, I'm hired! I'm still a little bit in shock. I shoot next Wednesday. I have a lot to do to prepare before then.

OK, one last thing: I felt a little self-conscious having my vinyl lettering on the back of my car (the first time I've driven in public with it) since I was driving all over the place today where people might actually see it, but then I realized that I don't feel like such a weirdo when I pull over on the side of the road to take a picture of something.