99.75 & 100.80...Gee, I feel better *:-)

99.75:
That's my score (out of 100) on a recent 2-hour written examination I took to qualify for a job I am trying to get. That score placed me in position #1 for the upcoming round of face-2-face interviews, so that's good news...at least I will get an interview, and at most I will get the job! *:-)

100.80:
That's my score (out of 100) on a recent panel style oral examination I took last Thursday to qualify for a different job I am trying to get. That score placed me in position #1 for the upcoming round of face-2-face interviews, so that's good news...at least I will get an interview, and at most I will get the job! *:-)

By the way, looking for a new job is a learning experience, containing all the elements of a good novel...fear, suspense, failure, success, romance (not very much of that - I'm married), hard work, learning new ways of doing old things, and meeting people. I'm doing the very best that I can, with lots of help *:-)

Movie Recommendations:
"Saved!" (2004) - Yes, see it. OC+
"Parting Shots" (1999) - No, don't see it. OC-
"'Cracker'-All Series" (1994) - No, don't see it. OC-
"The Ice Rink" (2001) - Yes, see it. OC+
"To Die For" (1995) - No, don't see it. OC-
"Aparajito" (1957) - Yes, see it. OC+
"Spitfire Grill" (1996) - Yes, see it. OC+
"Bigger Than The Sky" (2005) - Yes, see it. OC+
"All About My Mother" (1999) - Yes, see it. OC+
"The Gospel Of John" (2003) - Yes, see it. OC+
"The Last Of The Blonde Bombshells" (2000) - Yes, see it. OC+
"Angel Of Death" (2002) - No, don't see it. OC-
"Bonjour Monsieur Shlomi" (2003) - Yes, see it. OC+
"Garden State" (2004) - Yes, see it. OC+
"Bright Young Things" (2003) - Yes, see it. OC+
"Bride & Prejudice" (2004) - Yes, see it. OC+
"Around The Bend" (2004) - Yes, see it. OC+
"Boys & Girls From County Clare) (2003) - Yes, see it. OC+
"A Very Long Engagement" (2004) - Yes, see it. OC+
"Ocean's Twelve" (2004) - No, don't see it. OC-

Lee's OC Index:
OC+ = High potential healing and/or educational message for people with OCD tendencies.
OC- = Low potential healing and/or educational message for people with OCD tendencies.

Gee, I Thought I Was Pretty Decent At It...

Gee, I Thought I Was Pretty Decent At It...
Speaking Latin American Spanish that is. I failed the proficiency test even for level one *:-(
That will add a minimum of 90 days to the time it will take me to get qualified, because I can't retest for that period of time. The fact that I get around on my own ok in Monterrey, Mexico, and Mexico City, Mexico, and Madrid, Spain doesn't count? No complaints. I will try again as soon as I can *:-)

Movie Recommendations:
"Agatha Christie's: Marple: A Murder Is Announced" (2004) - Yes, see it. OC+
"My House In Umbria" (2003) - Yes, see it. OC+
"Interstate 60" (2002) - Yes, see it. OC+
"The Crime Of Padre Amaro" (2002) - Yes, see it. OC+
"Great Expectations" (1998) - Yes, see it. OC+

Lee's OC Index:
OC+ = High potential healing and/or educational message for people with OCD tendencies.
OC- = Low potential healing and/or educational message for people with OCD tendencies.

Fruit Is Comin' On

Fruit Is Comin' On:
The orchard pruning we had done in the winter had an amazing affect on the size, quality and health of the fruit that is ripening on the trees. All the fruit is of far better quality this year than in many of the past several years. Some of that may be due to the higher level of rainfall but because the fruit also looks and feels healthier I believe it is mostly due to the pruning. We will have the arborist back in about a month to do the summer pruning.

Movie Recommendations:
"Apocalypse Now Redux" (1979/2000) - Yes, see it. OC+
"Agatha Christie's:Marple:The Murder At The Vicarage" (2004) - Yes, see it. OC+
"Agatha Christie's:Marple:The Body In The Library" (2004) - Yes, see it. OC+
"Hallmark's The Secret Garden" (2002) - No, don't see it. OC-

Lee's OC Index:
OC+ = High potential healing and/or educational message for people with OCD tendencies.
OC- = Low potential healing and/or educational message for people with OCD tendencies.

Oral Exam & Cancelled Oral Exam

Oral Exam:
I don't feel very well. Early today, on the third floor of our local county building, after waiting 20 minutes past my appointment time, I was lead, alone and with only the examiner, into a medium sized conference room with a table and some heavy, old style furniture. My examiner closed the STEEL DOOR behind me with the expected clang. The lighting was '50's style dim and the metal table hard and cold. Then the worst moment came...the examiner pulled out a TAPE RECORDER, damn it! My entire oral exam was to be tape recorded, so that every fuck-up I made would be forever available to anybody who wanted to hear it, damn it! My examiner was female, Hispanic and quite professional, although I later learned she is not college educated. Please note that my examiner was Hispanic...guess what the oral examination was for...Hispanic Language Proficiency! A-h-h-g-g-g-g! I don't want to dwell on this, so I'll just say I did the best I could and will light some votive candles to the saints in charge of passing language proficiency exams. *:-(

Cancelled Oral Exam:
The dental hygienist called and cancelled my appointment for cleaning my teeth. Who knows when the next appointment will be available? I don't. Stay tuned.

Movie Recommendations:
"Before Night Falls" (2000) - Yes, see it. OC+
"Valentin" (2003) - Yes, see it. OC+
"Rosemary & Thyme: All series" (2003) - Yes, see it. OC+
"Miss Congeniality 2" (2005) - No, don't see it. OC-
"Are We There Yet?" (2005) - No, don't see it. OC-
"Lady Audley's Secret" (2000) - No, don't see it. OC-
"Secret Window" (2004) - No, don't see it. OC-

Lee's OC Index:
OC+ = High potential healing and/or educational message for people with OCD tendencies.
OC- = Low potential healing and/or educational message for people with OCD tendencies.

Happy Fourth Of July & Watch Where You Walk

Happy Fourth Of July:
To all, everywhere, even if they aren't US citizens or living in the US. I believe freedom is our natural state, and hopefully we have the courage to live that way. I recommend clicking on the link above for some fun facts relating to the celebration.

Watch Where You Walk:
Where we live, personally owned and detonated fireworks are illegal...yeah, right. A friend of mine owns a nice sailboat that has a permanent slip in the harbor off the ocean. For this weekend he tells me that starting Friday at noon, orange construction fencing, armed patrols and private security officers are swarming all over the harbar and that controls are in place for how many people are allowed into the area because literally thousands and thousands of inlanders come over to the beach for this holiday. He tells me that he parks his car in a safe place away from the harbor on Friday around noon, and doesn't even try to use it until Tuesday morning after the holiday. He stays on his sailboat to keep it from being messed with and then for the actual city-sponsored fireworks display he goes to the big restaurant facing the harbor and watches from there. Other of my friends tell me that walking on the beach during the 4th of July evening is like walking in a war zone because of all the private-and-illegal fireworks being set off. So, how do the fireworks get past the bag-searching, jacket-pat-downing and ever watchful police? Well, my friend who owns the sailboat tells me that for about a week before 4th of July weekend folks can be seen carrying in suspiciously heavy bags, heading for remote areas of the beach and surrounding hillsides, and burying the bags then leaving without them. My friend tells me everybody knows what is going on, including the police, and so guess how many illegal fireworks they find on people going into the area when they start searching at noon on Friday? None of course *:-) Have a great holiday *:->

Movie Recommendations:
"Fortunes of War" (1987) - Yes, see it. OC+
"Y Tu Mama Tambien" (2001) - No, don't see it. OC-
"Hop" (2002) - Yes, see it. OC+
"Dead Letter Office" (1998) - Yes, see it. OC+
"Body Heat" (1981) - No, don't see it. OC-
"One Hour Photo" (2002) - No, don't see it. OC-
"The Student Prince" (1998) - No, don't see it. OC-
"Midsomer Murders: Market For Murder" (2002) - Yes, see it. OC+
"Big Business" (1988) - Yes, see it. OC+

Lee's OC Index:
OC+ = High potential healing and/or educational message for people with OCD tendencies.
OC- = Low potential healing and/or educational message for people with OCD tendencies.