The Longs Are Officially Sick

Sorry I have been rather absent in the past week or so. I have been sick - and still am!

The coughs, sinus headaches, congestion, sore throat, swollen lymph nodes, slight fever, sneezing, and just plain not feeling good have gotten the best of me.

Poor Phillip has braved this with me - only to find himself feeling a little bad starting this afternoon. Are we embarking on our first co-sick season? He NEVER gets sick. But leave it to me to test his limits. Poor guy had to stay up the whole night with me last night with my hourly coughing spells. Am I to return the favor soon?

Getting better every day but feeling like this is dragging on...

Growth, Opportunity, Love, Friendship, and Change

Today is a day celebrated across the country. Happy thanksgiving!!!

I live this holiday for many reasons. It's a time for family and reflection. It's when everyone across the country celebrates together with the same traditions (combine with the flare of their unique interpretations). I get to spend time with my loved ones and be thankful for all I have.

I am thankful for: growth, opportunity, love, friendship, and change.

Kingman is in the Past

EPCA told me today I was their top candidate for the position in Kingman. It was great to feel wanted.

And weird to turn them down.

Yes you read right. I have been painfully job searching for over a year now and have turned down a job. Who am I!?

We said no for many reasons. The job wasn't 100% what I had hoped for. There was a whole lot of travel required. Phillip would have hardly any opportunities. It is simply too far away.

Thank you for being so loyal to me throughout these passed couple weeks. It's been an interesting ride and I'm glad to have some of my future settled and less uncertain.

P.S. please continue emailing me if you want to keep following me. I'm going to change the settings December 1st.

Privacy Settings Change

After over 500 blog posts through this “open” website, I have decided to break down and make this blog more private. It will give me a chance to be more honest with you readers and have more freedom of expression.

All you need to do is send my an email to the following address. Let me know what email address you would like to use to read the entries, and I will “invite” you to continue to follow me.

ashleylong@swbell.net

Please everyone feel free to email me. I would love for any/all of you to keep up to date with our lives as newlyweds. Hope to hear from all of you soon!

Ashley (and Phillip and Murphy)

Home is Where Your Heart Is

You know that feeling you get when you have made a big decision? One that will change your path in life? It's relief mixed with sadness, anxiety, and excitement.

As I look out the window here in Kingman, those feelings surface.

We will not be moving here.

The reasons include a lot of things. The job doesn't seem like a great fit for me - a grueling interview felt more like an intervention than welcome committee. We can't justify moving this far from family. The town doesn't have enough to offer.

It's beautiful out here though. Life is simple and clean. There is definitely something refreshing about that. Makes you wish you could live your life like all the residents here do - one minute at a time.

But we will not be moving here. Pending details after thanksgiving, I will accept that new job and begin a new chapter. I will have to turn down the graduate program I was accepted into in order to pursue another direction with graduate school. We will leave behind the adventure of moving 1000 miles away in favor of happiness and love for the area we grew up in... The area we love... Home.

So that's the update folks. A long and crazy November came in like a lion and will go out like a lamb. I'm ok with this. I feel like we have made great progress as professionals and as a couple making big decisions on our own.

Thank you all for your continued support. :)

Updates from Kingman, Arizona

We just got checked in to our hotel in the city. Pretty soon we're heading out to explore the town. Tonight we're even going to try the wine bar. Sounds cultural, no?

For those of you wondering, the flight went well. I dosed up on Benadryl to help with the anxiety and it made the trip so much faster. Now I can breath until Saturday's flight home.

Today in Vegas was certainly interesting. The city is not at all like I had expected - although it WAS a week day morning. However, we ate at Bobby Flay's restaurant in Cesar's Palace and it was WONDERFUL!!

But back to my big update....


I'M PRETTY SURE I GOT AN UNOFFICIAL JOB OFFER YESTERDAY!!!

Yes you read right!! The Houston-based company said I'm their top candidate and we will meet after Thanksgiving to discuss details/questions/concerns. Isn't that so exciting!?!?!?

Now to wow the Arizona people tomorrow. It would be nice to have TWO offers after a cold year in the job hunting world.

Seasons of Change

Do you ever get the feeling that your life is about to take off but you're not sure how or precisely when? Yeah. I'm there.

With the interview in Arizona this week, results from last week's interview coming any day now, and my recent acceptance to grad school (yay!), I am thoroughly confused and not quite sure what direction my compass needs to be set to.

Yes, you read right. I got into Texas Wesleyan's Masters of Education program!! I am truly excited about it, but it is overshadowed by not knowing if I will accept it or not (it depends on what these interviews result in). I am one confused girl these days.

I've spent a lot of time lately talking with Phillip, family, and my closest friends about these prospects. Their responses have been perfect. I'm getting unbelievable support and genuine advice. Times like these make you realize who your true friends are and I am so grateful to have them - especially during the excitement, occasional freak outs, and constant uncertainty.

My life is moving forward and is about to go at a fast pace. Ready or not, I am growing every day and taking so much with me. Hang on for the ride, readers, because things are about to get interesting.

True Life: I Married a Full Time Student

So tonight, we got another small reminder that Phillip is still in school. You see, I love coming home and not having anything to do but “fun” stuff. Like tonight, we went grocery shopping.

But then we get home and Phillip realizes he has some homework to take care of. Homework!? Really!?

Oh yeah. I married a full time student.

But that will change in one month. He is graduating!! Then we’ll be able to have all nights to ourselves with no cares in the world. After all, that’s how the real world works, right? [Insert laughter from all of your readers out there.]

Now, we wait up for him to finish so we can go to bed. Yeah. I could go to bed already by myself, but I really have gotten used to sharing a bed. It gets lonely when he’s not there.

Another Phone Interview!

I have another one tomorrow morning! Isn’t that crazy!?

It’s for a position with a non-profit organization that tries to reduce the instance of heart-related deaths in Texas high school athletes. It seems like a really good position for an organization that has its priorities straight.

We’ll see how it goes. Our flights have been booked to Las Vegas/Arizona. Graduate school materials have all been received and should be evaluated this week.

Basically, in the coming weeks, our lives might change drastically. Hold on to your socks, readers, we are in for an adventure!

The Grand Canyon State

This may come as a huge shock to all of you readers who have been following this through-and-through Texan… but I applied for a job in Arizona.

ARIZONA!

I randomly applied for it, thinking there would be no way in this world they would even schedule an interview. But they are the ones I interviewed with the other day.

Phillip and I are flying in to Las Vegas November 17, I will interview on November 18, and we will return November 19. It’s all happening so quickly.

The position is a “Health and Wellness Program Coordinator” for an insurance consulting company. It sounds like a lot of fun and I am so excited to learn more about the position and company. We’ll see. It may be a new adventure for us, or it may be an excellent learning opportunity.

Knowing my luck, they’ll probably turn me down anyway. But I’ll keep you posted.

Clarification/Update

So the last post was semi-misleading. The company I interviewed with didn't verbatim tell me I didn't get the job... I just assumed because they gave me the same speech the ones in the past have...

And on that note....

I HAVE A SECOND INTERVIEW!!! More details to come!!!

One Year Ago Today

One year ago today, I interviewed for a great job. It was the Health Educator position for SMU. I studied so hard for that, finished writing my Grant Proposal for class earlier than it was due, bought a new dress suit, and practiced what I would say. It was my first big interview for a dream job. I met the qualifications – and even some on the “preferred” list. The interview went really well.

Then I found out I didn’t get the job.

One year ago today, I was on a high from the idea of working in a great environment for an organization I could be truly passionate about – and fulfilled by. A great first interview for my first “big girl” job.

Then I found out I didn’t get the job.

One year ago, I made the mistake of getting excited over a simple interview. I thought it actually meant something – I thought it meant I had a chance. Interviews mean they’re considering you, right? Interviews mean you really are a good candidate for the position.

Then I found out I didn’t get the job.

 

 

I can pretty much use this post for every really good job I have gotten an interview for.

Today I interviewed for another position. I was revitalized by the idea of living in a new area and working for a job I could wake up passionately about. The phone interview went so well, until he got the part about me having no experience. They always say the same thing. Always. I am great at interviewing, would be a perfect fit for the company, have incredible passion, but lack enough experience to work for them. And they always add that someone will give me a chance one day – it just isn’t going to be me.

Oh well. Another one bites the dust and I can’t say I didn’t see it coming. I know I know I know. There is a plan for me, eventually I’ll get a great job better than this one ever could have been, the right company will give me a chance, and blah blah blah blah blah. Until then I will sulk in the fact that I spent a lot of money on an education that is currently getting me nowhere.

What, is this 4 great jobs now that I’ve had interviews for that haven’t hired me? Add it to my tally list.