was lost but now i’m found

i forgot to have faith. faith in myself and the universe and in Eugene itself. because everything here has been amazing and has fallen into place more perfectly than i ever thought possible. Robert kept reminding me that whenever we need the money, it comes.
and it does.

i just forgot.

i forgot because i was so stressed about finding work that i was having nightmares. another couple weeks without a job and i would have had to borrow money to eat and pay my phone bill. yeah, it was that bad.

i even did a little class that the state of Oregon provides that helps you find work. they give you gas vouchers to help you- this state is incredible when it comes to taking care of people. i had done the beginning steps to get food stamps.

and then? the one job i really wanted, the one that is in my current field of interest- the ONLY place out of some 30+ places that i applied that even called me in for an interview- they hired me. the very day after i did the job search class, not even 12 hours after i sent in my application, resume and cover letter, i get a call. and for once someone was impressed with my wit on an application- i told her i had been really excited and she said in a awe-ish tone that i was very thorough (read verbose, chatty, can’t-shut-up, yeah that’s me). she was again surprised and impressed that i jumped at the chance to come in for an interview that very day- only 2.5 hours later. i hoped to convey my excitement more than my desperateness and somehow it worked. we had a great interview, she said she’d let me know by early next week and i went home biting my nails.

a couple hours later i get a call from a grocery store that i applied at- one that makes you do a drug test, forces you to do a humilating online survey as part of the online application process and tells me on the phone that if i get (the priviledge or course) of getting called in for a interview in person is it ok that you can’t have crazy hair or facial piercings? i swallowed my pride and ethics and said sure, of course, because what if i didn’t get the job i really wanted? in the 5 minutes i was on the phone with this place i miss another call. after i see that it’s the other place! but no message was left! why? what does it all mean?

next i go to visit the Eugene Waldorf School to visit and meet a woman named Leanne and observe some of their teacher training course. this is another amazing experience in and of itself. what a beautiful school and Leanne was one of the more beautifula and kind people i’ve ever met.

when i leave the school a couple hours later i have a voicemail! it’s the cool job! they didn’t want to risk waiting until next week to offer me a job! i start on Monday! holy crap!!

okay, okay, i’ll tell you where it is

it’s here: http://www.mountainroseherbs.com/

every single person in Eugene i’ve mentioned this company to has smiled and gotten excited and told me how wonderful they are. and it’s true. i got to tour their whole warehouse and cozy office and it’s a pretty amazing place. it’s mostly all organic and what’s not is tested in a lab to check for pesticide residue. they are working toward as much local wild crafting as they can. and i got offered a position in the Customer Service department, taking phone calls, filling orders and talking to people all over the world about herbs. it’s a good starting wage, full time and in 6 months they will offer me 1. insurance that includes all alternative medicine 2. vision and dental 3. paid time off and 4. tuition reimbursement to continue my herb studies.

holy fucking crap.

here’s the other part of the story: Robert’s main interest and focus here is continuing his blacksmithing and learning biodynamic farming and permaculture and perhaps starting a non-profit. but mainly the farming part. well, the son of the woman from the Waldorf school runs a biodynamic farm, an organic bakery and has dabbled in blacksmithing. this morning at the Farmers Market we met Leanne who was disappointed to tell us that her son was nowhere to be found. in less than 3 minutes he randomly showed up, told me that he’s getting ready to work with Mountain Rose to get them more local herbs and he offered Robert a job on his farm. no shit. (Robert also used to be a baker by the way). not only that but Robert found a whole crew of men young and old that meet once a week to blacksmith and talk AND he’s been given a little office space at one of Aaron and Mitra’s clothing shops to use as an office and another to use as a workspace where he’s going to be fixing up their sewing machines.

i seriously cannot believe that this has all transpired in 2 weeks. what planet is this city on?

the only downside is that my job is about 11 miles away, sort of out in the country. it’s highway out there too, with no real bike paths that i can tell. so i will probably need to get a second car so Robert can have the truck (which i really don’t want to be using every day anyway). but i’ve been having a serious craving for another old VW bug in my life, so there you go.

in all my years i have never had so many things fall so perfectly into place all at the same time. i’m really glad we listened to our first inclination to stay put here- as hair-brained as that seemed at the time.

so i’ll keep you posted how it goes from here!

love

~ by dreamofgreen on October 3, 2009.