Humdrum.

It’s rare for me to get so nervous that I want to vomit. This morning I awoke feeling incredibly optimistic, but the feeling faded as the minutes ticked by. As I walked toward the building, I could feel my legs start to tremble; I briefly considered walking away from the glass doors. In the back of my mind I still knew everything would be fine. The interview would be short, just as all the previous interviews had been. The executive editor would like me, because there is little to really dislike about me, especially after a fairly cursory meeting.

The interview progressed just as I’d expected. There was the usual chitchat about my previous work experience, but one question completely caught me off guard:

“Now, my next question will be completely off-topic, but I noticed something on your résumé that is pretty unusual. It states that you’re a philosophy and religion minor. We don’t see that often, if ever. Could you tell me a little more about that?” (I’m paraphrasing, just so you know.)

Whoa. I went blank for a second. That was the last bit on my résumé that I expected to discuss today. It turns out he studied comparative religion in college. He’d even heard of my Concept of God professor, Jacob Needleman. Prof. Needleman’s son apparently works down the street at CNET/CBS Interactive. It felt wonderful to converse about something other than my journalism experience, and I felt like he got to know me a bit better than if he had stuck to conventional queries.

I left the office still feeling rather light-headed, but I did not barf on the sidewalk. Instead, I walked tall on my way to work. I took a bit of a detour and walked by SFMoMA, one of the first places to hire me up here. I’m considering applying again if none of these internships work out.

Despite the anxiety, this whole process has been wonderful. I’m very appreciative of just being considered for this opportunity; this alone boosts my confidence tenfold. By Monday, I’ll finally have an answer. I’ll be content with it either way.