Eseme's Den

One of my favorite parts of this summer has been Saturday morning breakfasts at Botto's Bakery in Portland, Maine after dropping QuietDragon off at work (well his former workplace, but that is a story for another time).

Botto's Bakery is a wonderful, locally owned Italian Bakery that has been in business for at least a couple of generations. They have a large wholesale side, and make bread and pizza dough for a whole lot of restaurants in Maine. They also have a very charming retail storefront, with two small tables (though I am the only one who seems to sit and use them, there is a steady stream of people as I sit and eat, buying bread or pastries and taking it all to go.

When you pull up, you are greeted by an Italian flag.



( Continue to the rest of the tour... )

In short, this place is a treasure, with delicious food and is well worth visiting is you are ever in Portland. Me, I plan to stop there anytime I am in Portland in the mornings.

I have finally gotten some reading time! This is sometimes a distressingly rare thing for me. While Panther was here, I finished Sharon Lee's Carousel Tides.

I've enjoyed it. It is an urban fantasy, I suppose, although the setting is decidedly non-urban (a small town on the coast of Maine that is a tourist mecca in the summer and full of boarded up storefronts in the winter). It is a fun tale, though I must admit it resonated more for me because I have been to Old Orchard Beach (for the book release party). The town in the book is based off OOB, and having seen the town I could envision it full of strange inhabitants and unusual events (I am working on a supremely long travel post about OOB, which will probably be of interest to no one other than me).

As for Carousel Tides:

Kate Archer was the Guardian of the Land in Archer's Beach, until she did something she felt was unforgivable, cut her ties with the Land, and fled to the southwest deserts to slowly die. She reluctantly returns when the management of the Fun Country amusement park inform her that rent on the carousel is past due. And Kate can't reach her grandmother, who should be running the carousel. The carousel needs to be tended to - it is no ordinary carousel, and Kate is not certain she can keep the other-worldly criminals who are bound to it in line. The past returns to haunt her and there are threats, both of this world and of others, taking advantage of the Guardian's absence.

The holidays were great this year. I picked up Panther in Rochester on Yule, and got to have him at my place for a couple of days, which was cool.

The weather on the 24th was supposed to involve freezing rain. This posed a problem, as we were due to travel to Maine that day. So I got out of work a bit early (I'll work extra hours this week) and we left on the 23rd. This resulted in an extra day of just relaxing at my parents' place, which was lovely.

Christmas itself was rather minimalist. I got a number of neat things (including jewelry and art) from my family. We then went to my cousins' place, where Christmas was decidedly less minimalist (and not as nice, I thought).

I then got to drag Panther all over the mid-coast area visiting friends and shopping. Much fun was had by all.

The return trip today was wonderful driving, thanks to the unseasonable thaw.

oh, and I had essentially no internet access during this time - if anything important happened, let me know.

I got home from work tonight and the house lights were on. This is unusual, but then I remembered that the World Series is on tonight.

As I went around the garage, I realized that the lights were on there too, and my mom was in the door.

"Hi Mom. What occasioned the welcome?"

"Look. See the twins?" Mom points out into the garage.

I'm halfway up the steps to the little landing in the garage that leads into the house. I look out, and squint in the general direction she is pointing. I can see a car in Dad's place. Did they get the same brand of car? Dad hit a deer a couple of weeks ago, and as it was a 80's model it was totaled.

"Oh, you you replaced Sluggo? Is it-"

"No, not the car. The deer."

I look again, this time noticing the ropes, the skinny legs pointed at the ceiling, the long brown back, the ears dangling above the ground, and the newspaper stained with blood. "Oh, wow, he got one the first day. That's -"

"Not one. Two!"

Looking yet again, I see the second smaller deer. "Oh wow. He's done then isn't he? Wow, that was fast."

Dad confirmed that it was his quickest hunting season yet. He went out this morning and saw the deer. He shot at one and missed. He went out again in the afternoon, and in 20 minutes he got both deer. These ones are rather dumb, and I'm guessing the local population will do better without their genes. He shot them in the afternoon in the same clearing he shot at them in the morning. The female twin went first, and her brother just stood there, despite the very loud noise. He didn't run til Dad reloaded and shot him. Very dumb deer. Exceedingly poor survival instincts.

We'll have venison this year, although not much. Both deer are very small, we think they were born this past spring. Dad got two doe permits (which allow you to shoot any deer without antlers) this year (the area is overpopulated). So he's done for the season, though he says he will try for a bear when he goes up north with his hunting buddies to the camp they meet at every year.

Aside from the continuous need to get ever more resumes sent out, I've gotten a fair bit done lately.

Went to my favorite beach to go Shell-hunting for silver_spider. Got the shells into a diluted bleach solution, so as not to send him germs. Still need to sort and label stuff, then off to the post office.

Got done with another errand too. Finding time to get to the shop before work was challenging (especially when they called me the day of and asked me to come in early). So the Lissa-errand is done and in the mail. Should arrive tomorrow or Monday.

Got btoblake a card at a neat shop in Wiscasset last week, and got her address last night. No one in the world is going to appreciate that card as much as her. Found it in a shop called "Rock Paper Scissor" which turned out to be a stationary shop of sorts, with a tape dispenser shaped like a garden snail and all sorts of cute stuff from Japan.

I have ideas for writing again, although it is of course for the story that I didn't bring with me. All my earlier notes on this one are in storage in Buffalo, which is annoying. However, I have a few notes, and have started plotting again, to the extent that I have what should be a cohesive plot. Yay! I have various ideas for scenes, and intend to get them on note cards so I can grab them when I get to that point. I've also got a fun short story idea and hope to use that to get in the right frame of mind.

I've got a present for little Jess, but need to get her address from her mom. And given that I'm not able to make phone calls (most days of the week) during the time that Jen is home and awake, this has been a sticking point. Poor child is going to get an extremely late birthday present at this rate.

I haven't updated much lately, especially about the fun things I've done on my days off with M. Not much since the Fiber Frolic ( http://eseme.livejournal.com/144441.html ) anyway.

That will be the goal for this weekend.

So, I'm... alive. And not online much.

The job at L.L. Bean is great, I really enjoy helping customers. It's just that the "part-time" seasonal job is giving me 40 hours a week. And many of those are the 4:00 PM - 12:00 AM shifts, where I sleep until 11:00 AM and then get out a couple of resumes for library work, drive in to my job, work, and get home at 1:00 with enough energy to read. No real internet time for me.

I want to update on all sorts of things since I've been in Maine, and it's going to have to wait. My two days off this week are today (large backlog of resumes must get out) and Saturday. Saturday will be spent at L.L. Bean, just not working. I've learned that the locals start putting out chairs for the free concerts at 10:00 AM (show starts at 7:30 PM). So if I want a front row seat for Great Big Sea, my blanket and I will need to be there at 7:00 AM. I'll just bring food and a book.

Two good things.

Institution of Higher Learning Three has called. I've got another interview next week, on Friday right after the interview at Institution of Higher Learning One (the second place has contacted me and I'm not in their top three candidates). More interview is good.

But there is even cooler news

While shopping with M today, I bought a couple of Great Big Sea albums. I really like their music, and these each came with a DVD.

Having watched these, I am now aware that their lead singer not only has a great voice, he's got great hair.

I then hit their website, thinking that I really should see this band in concert. I think to myself, "Not until I've got a job. Concert tickets are expensive. And they may not play in Maine any time soon."

I check their tour schedule.

They are playing in Maine, on August 11 FOR FREE thanks to L.L. Bean and its free summer concert series.

SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!

*Jumps up and down ecstatically, and inks this onto the calendar*

Got a call yesterday from Institution of Higher Learning One. I'm in the final three candidates, and will be traveling to the campus within the next week and a half. I'll have an all day interview - stay in a hotel the night before, then 8:00 AM breakfast with the interview committee, tours of the library an campus, at some point I'll also make a presentation (yes, there is homework for this sort of interview) and meet with HR.

Think good thoughts, please. Once the date for this is set I'll let you know when specifically good thoughts will be needed.

Oh, and all expenses for this will be picked up by the potential employer, including mileage and food.

Being in Southern Maine this past week has had its ups and downs.

I love the area. I know the roads, the shops, and I can get to a beach easily. It's home in a lot of ways. Comfortable.

The job that I interviewed for last week is literally just down the road. Great location, someplace I'd want to live. Plus the library was welcoming and fun. it would be close to not just my parents but a good friend who lives in the area.

I got the rejection letter by email. That's new. I mean, I've gotten written letters, and phone calls... but not email. I moped on the couch for a while last night.

I've got a phone interview tomorrow, and have yet to hear from Institution of Higher Learning Number Two who has asked to contact my references and told me when their interviews would be. But they haven't called since. I sent an email (gah!) in the hopes of finding out if it is just trouble contacting my references. I'd like that position, they have some interesting digital projects going on.

Both academic jobs would be inland, one two hours inland. I'd miss the beach, but Maine is littered with lakes and rivers, and mountains.

I've had some great food on my trip up here. M took me to her favorite Mediterranean Grill, and the meal was divine. I've also had Indian and Mom made guacamole yesterday.

More job hunting in my future.

Done packing. Done driving.

I drove to Maine yesterday. I ended sleeping on a friend's floor Sunday night, when I could not drive to Maine (as I didn't want to arrive at 4:00 AM) but could not stay in my previous apartment (due to having handed over the keys).

Interview was this morning. I think it went well. I'm one of two candidates. Wish me well.