[Ny Minute Now]

"Only the writer whose ear is reliable is in a position to use bad grammar deliberately; only he knows for sure when a colloquialism is better than formal phrasing; only he is able to sustain his work at the level of good taste."
—from "The Elements of Style" by William Strunk Jr. and E.B. White

To all you folks out there who aren't familiar with the story, it has been a year since I'd painfully (to the tune of thousands of dollars) and hilariously (for those who know me) flunked a job interview for saying "Funner."

Friends and loved ones know how devastated and heartbroken I was after this happened. I was thrust in a career limbo I'd never experienced before and began to question my abilities. Plus, I truly felt like a loser: How does one mess up the seventh out of eight interviews? Even my co-workers were baffled. They probably thought, “It was the second-to-the-last interview, what did she do? (Or say?)" That was the last straw in the back-to-back rejection tango one could only go through in New York City.

Despite the hectic work pace, I enjoyed working in that office: Colleagues celebrated birthdays with potluck cheese and cake-filled breakfasts. My immediate boss—who put me up for the job promotion—was a really cool, smart, statuesque Michelle Obama in-the-making. My seatmate looked exactly like Susan Sarandon and the guy across from me was a deadringer for Eric Bana (sorry girls, he's taken). I also got to read and look at beautiful clothes all day and hands down received the best copy editing training in that workplace. I also found value in the way people interacted and conversed as friends and not just as co-workers.

'Susan,' who had taught me what I now know about modifiers, got teary-eyed in frustration. "Don't they know how hard it is to train someone and they decide just like that. But yes, you said ‘funner’ and that’s what did it,” she concluded.

I maintain that the executive was simply racist who also happened to misinterpret me (I was so nervous and star-struck; and this is exactly why I rarely ever Google people now). But then again, like I've said many times in the past, I try not to play the race card, especially not in a culturally diverse city like Manhattan. If you call somebody racist, you might as well call yourself whiney.

Anyhow, after all the drama and hooplah and lumpectomy and long tropical vacations and sun-drenched beach holidays and fun-filled family get-togethers, I am happy to say that EVERYTHING TRULY HAPPENS FOR A REASON and all the more I believe that THERE'S A REASON FOR EVERY SETBACK (my favorite). So whenever I am hit with the what-ifs and the I-should-haves, I just think about all of the above and immediately I'm appeased.

This holiday season, I truly believe I have many, many reasons to celebrate and welcome the new year with a clear mind, a renewed spirit, and a happy heart.

Labels: career, life musings, New York, New York minutes, work