Today I got a phone call from HR in the last place I interviewed. Since I've had two interviews there, I figured this would be a job offer. It wasn't. HR called to tell me that they've hired someone else.

The job market in my field is very slow. I don't have other irons in the fire. What to do? I thought about one of my violin students, age 7. She is shy, determined, and adventurous, like me. When she knows what she wants, she goes for it and hangs on. A few months ago she told her parents that she wanted to learn to ice skate and to play the violin. On her first ice skating lesson, she fell down and cried repeatedly. Her father thought that she wouldn't want to come back for another try, but she did. She's still working at it. I will use her as my role model and inspiration.

Of course, I'm taking all this in stride. I'm just feeling weak and dizzy now. Tonight I'll go to the gym and work it out (not ice skating).