What is a challenge?

I've experienced a recurring theme this week, "Do you really feel like this job would be a challenge for you?" Let's see what Dictionary.com has to say about a challenge:

A test of one's abilities or resources in a demanding but stimulating undertaking.

This seems to leave a lot of room for interpretation. Is it fair to assume that what I've been doing the past few years is the only type of challenge that I'll be satisfied with? If it is, then I need to find work that provides me with a lot of responsibility but no authority. And accountability on anyone's part needs to be completely missing. Then, for good measure, throw in a clingy middle age man suffering a mid-life crises for me to report to and give me enough assignments so that I can work 24 hours a day and still not feel like I've made a dent. Then, of course, make sure the strategy changes often enough that if I do finish something, it never gets used.

No, I think I've learned the lessons I was intended to learn at my troubled former employer and I'm ready to move on. In fact, I picked up a key skill that will undoubtedly guarantee my success in the rest of life. I learned how to say, "No" without wavering. Let's look at some examples:

"Will you do so-and-so's job so I don't have to manage him/her?"
"Um, No."

"Is it OK if I do your job while the consultants are watching so that I look good?"
"No, I don't think so."

"Would you like to come up to my room for sex and coffee?"
"No! WTF, aren't you married?"

"Would you ask your husband to leave his children and move across the country so that you can have the same level of pay and responsibility and live in place with no trees, hills, or decent schools?"
"No, no, no and no."

This week has been a frustrating one, I suppose I shouldn't be taking it out on past employers. I actually got a call today, after being told that I was the last one in their round of first interviews, informing me that of the 7 - 10 people they interviewed I was the only decent one. Great, right? No (there's that word again). Because they have nobody to compare me to, so now they need to do more first interviews. OR, since they had so many "junior" options to pick from, maybe they'll just go with two junior level employees rather than one senior employee.


Yes, I do realize how terribly juvenile this is and I may take it down in a day or two....

My husband has a belief which he calls "the finite intelligence theory", and I'm starting to think he might be on to something. The basic concept is that there is a finite amount of intelligence to go around and as the population grows, the average intelligence level drops. Occasionally someone brilliant passes away and bumps things up a bit, but mostly we're in a downward spiral.

Never fear, I do have dozens of profound thoughts in my head waiting to be shared with you and I will express them very soon. For now, you can thank wiblondie for this little creation, which was the direct result of her calling me something along the lines of a pathetic loser for allowing so much time to pass since my last post.

Good night all!