I failed the test. Likely by one or two questions. It was close, but close doesn't count. My hovering career suffered a loss of altitude.... It was just a test and I don't want to let it have symbolic value, but...
Someday, when I am back at work and this prolonged gap as a stay-at-home-mom, volunteer, freelancer, home renovator, community organizer is behind me, I'll laugh at how insecure and scared I felt. Today though, I feel insecure and scared. I know the impact on a woman's earning power to have a gap in employment. And that was before the economy caved in. I know that the time I spend with my kids is precious, priceless, the most important thing I could be doing right now.
Another night, I might explore the nuanced difference between being important and having value, but I'm trying not to feed my sour mood. Suffice to say, I know parenting is important but I doubt our society truly values it. And, between you and me, feeling under-valued and a little desperate does not make you look good in a job interview. Just sayin'.
Enough. Moving on from this, there is a summer to enjoy, some un-improving books to read, and more house and garden work to get done. Back to my regularly scheduled life.
Ugh. Certification tests are complete crap. I didn't tell you before, but my dad took the test for the General Contractor's License 9 times. And failed it every time. The last 6 times, he only failed it by a few questions. And yet, as a general contractor, he would not have been performing any of the work, only coordinating the skilled people who were doing the work for him. So, why is that test so difficult? Only to make it mean something when his hired General Contractor charged him $50 an hour for a job that he wasn't actually doing. :(
Posted by: Auntie M | June 16, 2009 at 03:38 PM