So today I performed the first act of the ritual job hunt: I logged into monster.com and did some searching. Are there openings? Sure, there are openings for people who do what I do. There are even openings at Google. Do I feel encouraged? Oddly, no.

This brings me nose to nose with a decision that I would probably have avoided making as long as AltaVista was willing to keep paying me, to wit: what would I like to do with myself? I am bored with what I've been doing, and that's really been no secret. I would rather do something new. The trick, then, will be distinguishing myself from the hordes of people who are applying for jobs for which they have little recent immediate experience out of sheer desperation.

I'm not desperate yet. Ask me again in mid-November.

I have some ritual to do tonight, but I feel utterly zorched and not really up to so much as lighting a candle. Of course, this is exactly when I need it most. Witch, heal thyself.