My "inner hausfrau" has been unleashed!

My first day as our new cleaning lady was yesterday, and I must admit, the house sparkles. I don't really know what happened, but about a half-hour into the job I found myself cleaning like a woman possessed. Used to consider myself a "just tackle the most obvious piles of dirt" kind of gal, but not any more.

I think it's my Swiss ancestry coming to the fore--those folks are tidy as tidy can be, aren't they?

Also, it took forever. Maura, our former cleaning lady, usually took about two hours to clean our house. Me, I took four hours, and could have kept going ("I could have cleaned all day, I could have cleaned all day, and still come back for more!"). Crazy.

And though I like to think I'm in some sort of physical condition, I woke up aching this morning--from cleaning the house! A little three-bedroom ranch, for heaven's sake!!

The best part? I don't have to do it again for two weeks. Color me happy.

Still haven't heard back from 96% of the 24 organizations I've applied to--either they're all taking their sweet time, they're not the sorts to keep people posted (which speaks volumes), and/or I am barking up the wrong trees. Am heading to the local jobs center today with a friend, in the hopes that they'll have some resources that may help boost my effectiveness somehow. Ordered a couple of books yesterday on writing/communications careers, in the hopes I've somehow missed some tremendous possibilities due to ignorance. Also ordered Edith Wharton's autobiography, for I applied for a job at her "cottage" in the Berkshires, and what I've read of her intrigues me.

So, if I can't find work, I can at least learn something, eh? (And not just how to clean houses, please God.)

I know, I know--this career business takes time. I don't want to find myself in the occupational equivalent of a "marry in haste, repent at leisure" scenario--I want to find work that I really want to do, for a purpose that I can endorse (not just endure), and for a salary that reflects my worth.

Or a reasonable facsimile.