It's the 4:00 a.m. thread

blath

Ars Legatus Legionis
16,467
Subscriptor
It's 4:33 AM a few miles NE of Seattle.
In less than 2hs 30 mins I have a video conference '2nd interview' meeting with high level - national level operational authority / covering wide spectrum Federal procurement officials, for a job I'm competing for. It's a one slot opening on their team.

My background has basically allowed for a fast-track in terms of the interview process. There's still competition, and to be honest ( despite my specialized background which involved national level operation authority / with wide spectrum - but slightly different than them.. in that it just worked that way for me-my and its sister agencies.. for them it's designed that way by necessity and recognized authority) you can train someone quite easily and effectively given say 3 months.. to do the basics of the job and just monitor them / train them so they know the important 'integrity/legal enforcement' reasons and methods of the Federal Procurement process.

Anyway their opening, is literally what I did, but in a harsher environment that they face constantly. So where as with other jobs I've competed for.. it was ' yes I have actually coverage many times here and there, security clearance, science coverage this, other stuff that' good mix with 99% being Federal.. with maybe a guestimate /despite being qualified / on my % of landing an interview to maybe another interview and a job.. - this one is different in that , yes my other backgrounds are a great help, re-instatement eligibility will make it a bit easier after the interview process / nowhere as good as a former Peace Corp candidate 'but' there might be somethings that pop up that they aren't allowed to touch /and we can just have someone else do those things/.. and the environment is actually closer to what they're trained to face / .... this one is different in that it's almost a literal match - just different environment and intensity (and not so much grey area classification stuff / but authorized clear actions).

So getting an actual chance, and passing the 1st interview, now going to the 2nd.. is new for me. It's not a situation chance I've ever occurred that much. Mainly cuz I didn't realize I had 're-instatement eligibility' since 1997 but didn't learn about it and invoke it till 2020 when I learned I had it while applying for a job -that got canned due to the pandemic - (it would have most likely got me so many interviews in regards to the many fed jobs I had competed for over the years - not guarantee jobs but it would have been a good help ).

I of course did what I could to review the agencies policies during the weekend, and did what I could to prep my equipment and get what sleep I could despite my situation. But I woke up 3 hrs ago.. so I'm operating under less than 3hrs of sleep. I'll be okay, the little sleep will hit me hard later past noon - way after the interview.. it's just not an ideal to my liking situation.

Anyway I'm feeling normal nervousness, and I'm seasoned enough not to take things personally in regards to Federal missions / though recent concerns by the FBI in regards to infiltrations in agencies - that included one I interviewd with - and also that temp agency that got caught publishing their notes to only hire a certain skin hue - and one of the temp agency's customer was a Fed Agency I have recently gotten shot down everytime I applied haven't really helped - but this agency seems really honest. I think the early time is to simulate the - emergency type - stuff that will have to be dealt with. It's wild this is a part-time job / on -call that will likely not exceed 17k in salary. But I definitely want it, and I'm sure I could do it. (and to be honest, with people pretty much knowing my situation here. .that harsh environment at times would be kind of a step up in living conditions :p though it's not why I'm applying) but it's the cause and what they do is what I like. And hopefully I'll be seen as a good enough fit that I progress through the competition.

And it's 5:05 AM.. meeting in less than 2 hrs. I'm going to wash my face, eat some tortia (sp?) chips , some bread / I'll treat myself and rub some butter slices on it / drink water, remind myself of the good non-selfish reasons I'd be a great help on the team, and shine. : )

Thank you for reading, benevolent wishes to you and yours all around.
 
Last edited:

Klockwerk

Ars Praefectus
3,493
Subscriptor
It's 4:33 AM a few miles NE of Seattle.
In less than 2hs 30 mins I have a video conference '2nd interview' meeting with high level - national level operational authority / covering wide spectrum Federal procurement officials, for a job I'm competing for. It's a one slot opening on their team.

My background has basically allowed for a fast-track in terms of the interview process. There's still competition, and to be honest ( despite my specialized background which involved national level operation authority / with wide spectrum - but slightly different than them.. in that it just worked that way for me-my and its sister agencies.. for them it's designed that way by necessity and recognized authority) you can train someone quite easily and effectively given say 3 months.. to do the basics of the job and just monitor them / train them so they know the important 'integrity/legal enforcement' reasons and methods of the Federal Procurement process.

Anyway their opening, is literally what I did, but in a harsher environment that they face constantly. So where as with other jobs I've competed for.. it was ' yes I have actually coverage many times here and there, security clearance, science coverage this, other stuff that' good mix with 99% being Federal.. with maybe a guestimate /despite being qualified / on my % of landing an interview to maybe another interview and a job.. - this one is different in that , yes my other backgrounds are a great help, re-instatement eligibility will make it a bit easier after the interview process / nowhere as good as a former Peace Corp candidate 'but' there might be somethings that pop up that they aren't allowed to touch /and we can just have someone else do those things/.. and the environment is actually closer to what they're trained to face / .... this one is different in that it's almost a literal match - just different environment and intensity (and not so much grey area classification stuff / but authorized clear actions).

So getting an actual chance, and passing the 1st interview, now going to the 2nd.. is new for me. It's not a situation chance I've ever occurred that much. Mainly cuz I didn't realize I had 're-instatement eligibility' since 1997 but didn't learn about it and invoke it till 2020 when I learned I had it while applying for a job -that got canned due to the pandemic - (it would have most likely got me so many interviews in regards to the many fed jobs I had competed for over the years - not guarantee jobs but it would have been a good help ).

I of course did what I could to review the agencies policies during the weekend, and did what I could to prep my equipment and get what sleep I could despite my situation. But I woke up 3 hrs ago.. so I'm operating under less than 3hrs of sleep. I'll be okay, the little sleep will hit me hard later past noon - way after the interview.. it's just not an ideal to my liking situation.

Anyway I'm feeling normal nervousness, and I'm seasoned enough not to take things personally in regards to Federal missions / though recent concerns by the FBI in regards to infiltrations in agencies - that included one I interviewd with - and also that temp agency that got caught publishing their notes to only hire a certain skin hue - and one of the temp agency's customer was a Fed Agency I have recently gotten shot down everytime I applied haven't really helped - but this agency seems really honest. I think the early time is to simulate the - emergency type - stuff that will have to be dealt with. It's wild this is a part-time job / on -call that will likely not exceed 17k in salary. But I definitely want it, and I'm sure I could do it. (and to be honest, with people pretty much knowing my situation here. .that harsh environment at times would be kind of a step up in living conditions :p though it's not why I'm applying) but it's the cause and what they do is what I like. And hopefully I'll be seen as a good enough fit that I progress through the competition.

And it's 5:05 AM.. meeting in less than 2 hrs. I'm going to wash my face, eat some tortia (sp?) chips , some bread / I'll treat myself and rub some butter slices on it / drink water, remind myself of the good non-selfish reasons I'd be a great help on the team, and shine. : )

Thank you for reading, benevolent wishes to you and yours all around.
Best of luck Blath in the interview.
 

blath

Ars Legatus Legionis
16,467
Subscriptor
Best of luck Blath in the interview.

Thank you Klockwerk, : ) it's now a waiting game I guess, hopefully they'll let me know if I'm hired or even letting me know if I wasn't (vs. not saying anything). However the interviewers were really nice, though further communications might not be up to them as they don't have the final say in things and they themselves won't know until someone shows up assigned to the actual position. But again they were nice and had good questions. So yay for that at least. : )
 

Diabolical

Senator
20,545
Subscriptor++
Welcome 4 ammers. I believe that travelling through 18 timezones has caught up to me.
I honestly wonder how many of us are (mostly) night people, by choice or by necessity.
I work nights for the majority of the year, every year. So 4am translates to the equivalent of mid afternoon in my day to day existence.

But ouch, the jet lag is real. Good luck getting back to "ordinary"!
 

timstorey1

Ars Scholae Palatinae
1,313
Subscriptor++
My wife's memory deterioration and chronic fatigue syndrome have combined, so that to keep her safe and not too tired I need to keep her indoors.
Yesterday she wanted to sit outdoors for a short time, so I arranged a chair for her. I left her and did a few household chores while keeping an eye on her.
After starting a load of laundry I checked on her again, and she was gone. No sign of her on our street, in our yard or in the parking lot of the church across the street.
I asked the neighbors across the street if they knew which direction she had headed (they have security cameras). No luck so I started driving around looking. About 4 blocks later the neighbor called and told me that she had just come home.
And that's why I've been up since 2:00 am.
 

timstorey1

Ars Scholae Palatinae
1,313
Subscriptor++
Yesterday, I spent some time in the morning completing paperwork to become my wife's guardian. Then I pumped up the tires on one of my bikes and went for a quick 30 mile ride. While taking my bike through the front garden, I was stung on my left ankle. Closer examination revealed that it was a wasp that had done the damage. So I washed the area and put some ice packs on the wound and didn't do much the rest of the day. This morning the ankle and leg hurt so much that sleeping was interrupted, and now I'm waiting for the nearest grocery store to open so I can get some benadryl.
 

Klockwerk

Ars Praefectus
3,493
Subscriptor
Couldn't get to sleep night before last until 2ish in the morning, and I'm putting it down to having some softdrink in the afternoon. Woke up at 7, did some stuff, logged in to work and then said stuff it and had a nap for 2 hours. Best decision I've made all week.

Normally drinking soft drink in the afternoon has been "safe". Now I'm coming to realise that as I'm getting older, there is no "safe" time for sugar and caffiene.
 

PhaseShifter

Ars Praefectus
5,791
Subscriptor++
I've been awake for at least two hours now, so I might as well start making plans based on not going back to sleep.

Starting with coffee. Which is always harder to make when I haven't had any yet.

Fortunately, this morning's coffee mishap was grinding more than I needed, so I guess I'll be having 4 shots of espresso over the next 3 hours?

I don't want to fall asleep before my alarm that's set for 2 hours from now and then sleep through it, so I guess I'll just plan to get ready early. Maybe stop by the coffee shop and buy something that doesn't come in a can to brew at work for the next week. They open an hour before I have to be at work, so maybe I can get there when they open and then go to work early. I mean, I'm sure my boss will let me show up 30 minutes earlier than normal and then leave 30 minutes earlier in the afternoon, so maybe I can get to the optometrist this afternoon and schedule an appointment for some other time. I've been needing new glasses, and this might be a good opportunity to get that ball rolling.
 

Jeff J

Ars Tribunus Angusticlavius
6,429
Subscriptor
Four in the morning
by Wislawa Szymborska

The hour from night to day.

The hour from side to side.

The hour for those past thirty.

The hour swept clean to the crowing of cocks.
The hour when earth betrays us.
The hour when wind blows from extinguished stars.
The hour of and-what-if-nothing-remains-after-us.

The hollow hour.
Blank, empty.
The very pit of all other hours.

No one feels good at four in the morning.
If ants feel good at four in the morning
–three cheers for the ants. And let five o'clock come
if we’re to go on living
 

JasterMereel

Ars Legatus Legionis
28,451
Subscriptor
2:30, I wake up to.., flapping?

I turn on the light.

Bat in room.

Get towel. Turn on the outdoor light and open the door.

Herd bat to door.

Not going back to sleep now.
How many times have they bitten you that you haven't noticed yet?

Are you starting to have an aversion to the sun?

What are your thoughts about garlic?

Do you have a thirst that water just can't quite quench?