(no subject)

The interview in Santa Barbara was ... interesting. A very upscale, well known practice with a top notch cosmetic dentist obviously interested in good dentistry as well as money. Great! I interviewed with her husband, who is also the office manager. He did most of the talking, occasionally letting me get a word in edgewise. Mostly he wanted to make sure I understood what the office was all about--reconstructive and esthetic dentistry, and that the hygienists who "did well" here were generally the ones who were really interested in that. (As it turns out, I'm not, which is one of the main reasons I'm a hygienist, not a dentist). He mentioned about five times how stressful the job was. He was also heavily concerned about the fact that I lived in Pasadena. In fact, he basically told me that I wouldn't get the job unless I moved to Santa Barbara--which I'm not going to do for one day a week! Pay is REALLY GOOD--about $400-$500 per day. But that would just about cover my rent check were I to move, considered how obscenely expensive it is to live up there. It just doesn't work out, financially. Not to mention my little breakdown on the way home when I realized that I might have to MOVE! I do *not* do transitions well. However, right off the bat we discovered that we had gone to the same private elementary school (he grew up in Pasadena as well) and he was thinking about sending his daughter to the same high school I went to. He liked that I went to Berkeley, and said he "understood" where I was coming from (he talked a lot about how people are "too rich" in Santa Barbara and how he didn't like it.

Anyway, after all the stressing about how the job was so difficult, how it "wasn't worth the drive" (his words) I left sort of wondering whether I really wanted it. If it was within an hour of home, I'd snatch it up in an instant. But I don't really know what to do about the distance. Should I hang out here for a few more months and keep looking? Should I try and convince him to let me drive and stay the night at a motel once a week to start? He stressed (again) to me that he's looking for someone here permanently-he's not interested in a "probation" period. Argggghh!

So, I'm still thinking about it. He told me he'd be happy to give me a week or two to think it over, figure what I can do about housing, etc. and to give him a call if I'm still interested and he'll set up a working interview. I probably should at least try to get the working interview. I figure the worst thing that could happen is that after an hour I hate it and respectfully walk out the door, right? ;)