THE INTERVIEW

    Jenn and I did not waste a minute in our attempt to make the most of the limited time we had left. Almost immediately after deciding we’d travel the road ahead as one, we booked a cabin for the Millinocket Marathon & Half. I had run the half marathon there twice before but had always driven up and back on the same day. This year, we were determined to take full advantage of our marathon weekend together.

    This race is chock full of amazing events, all to benefit the struggling mill town of Millinocket, Maine and we took part in nearly every single one. A 2k costume run in the dark dressed as bigfoot and a reindeer? Check. A rock concert at the VFW, with all the locals, undanceable music, and cheap beer you could ask for? Check. A slow, but fun 13.1-mile race? Check. A raucous, post-run, chow down at our favorite eatery? Check. And finally, an ugly sweater, après-run, dance party/contest dressed as buddy the elf, where the celebration gets so steamy, and the competition gets so heated, that only snow angels under the starry night sky can cool you off? Check, check, & double check!

Jenn and I had an absolute blast that weekend, and it was only just the beginning.

    Unfortunately, reality took back the reigns four days later in the form of a solo cross-country flight to Spokane. The trip was an opportunity for me to visit the city I’d soon be moving to, talk with the teachers at the schools my children would soon be attending, and interview for a job that I hoped I’d soon be getting. I had set up the interview a couple weeks earlier and then spent the next 14 days getting really, really, nervous about it.

    NAC Architecture is a huge, multi-office, architectural and engineering firm with locations in Spokane, Seattle, LA and Beijing China. They specialize in K-12 Schools, Healthcare, and Higher Education. Three building typologies I had little to no experience with. They have over 150 employees across their four offices. The biggest firm I had ever worked for was just 5 people strong. And, on top of that, I was coming down with a cold. Probably from the sweaty snow angels.

    So, on the morning of my interview, I popped some Dayquil, summoned my courage (and my digital portfolio) and headed downtown for my meeting. It was a quick walk to the office from the historic Davenport Hotel that J’s company put me up in. A regal 100-year old mission/spanish revival structure complete with a glitzy marble ballroom that was decked out for Christmas. Thankfully, they also had a Starbucks. Because I was still feeling a bit sluggish from my flight the night before.

    Once I arrived at NAC, my two interviewers, Keith and Brent, immediately set me at ease. They were so warm and welcoming that after a few moments it was like we were three friends just shooting the breeze at our local pub. They talked about their office culture, what kind of projects they were working on, and what made the firm so special to them. I talked about my experiences, my family, what brought me to Spokane, and what I wanted for my life here.

    I must have made a reasonably good impression, because towards the end of our meeting they asked me if I had spoken to any other local firms. And when I replied that I hadn’t, Keith, the firm’s managing partner, said to me, “Good. We want you here at NAC and we’re going to make you an offer strong enough that you won’t want to talk to anyone else.”

    And with that bit of unexpected good news the interview was over. I shuffled back to my room, mind spinning with what had just transpired, and then proceeded to spend the next three days in bed. Towards the end of my last day in Spokane, I did rally just enough to go for a sleepy walk around town. It was pretty, it was hilly, and in 3 months’ time, it would be home.