So, I'm reading Two Lumps [link] and wondering, if Harvey were inclined to daydream himself into a movie, what would it be? I'm thinking, a Cary Grant film, maybe It Takes a Theif or Charade.

Oy. My campus interview next week is going to last all day -- I'm giving a talk, I've got 45-minute interviews with two different people, and then other interviews with whoever else wants to talk to me. We're going to have lunch at the campus dining hall, which is fine -- I checked out their webpage, and they always have a vegan option. But they also want to take me out to dinner at a restaurant. I don't know which restaurant, but I do know that I've searched hard through the menus of the local restaurants and found almost nothing I would eat right off the menu. I really don't want to have to go through the "I'll have the chicken pasta, without the chicken, and make sure there's no chicken broth used, and olive oil instead of butter, and no cheese on top, and plain bread instead of garlic bread on the side if the garlic bread is made with butter, and what salad dressing? Um, whatever you have that's not made with mayonnaise," thing in front of people who are trying to decide whether to hire me.

Hil,

Have you tried calling the most likely restaurants and asking if they have any vegan items not on the menu? Many do, and then if they pick one of your suggestions, you will be forearmed.

Hil, just let the people who are interviewing you know that you are vegan and let them select a restaurant accordingly. You don't want the host/interviewer to feel awkward that you can't eat. If you end up having to do the vegan dance at the restaurant, they're prepared.

Thanks all for the ~ma. The surgeon feels like she got everything, and so far L's had no complications.

Hil, you can ask where you're going and call the restaurant ahead of time to order. Then you won't have to quiz the waiter in front of prospective employers. I pity your all-day interview. The last time I had one of those, I ran out of personality by mid-afternoon.

When I made it to final interviewers at UCI I had two full days of interviews including all meals both days with people.

I had two full days of interviews including all meals both days with people.

It's possible that's what I'll be doing in hell.

When I made it to final interviewers at UCI I had two full days of interviews including all meals both days with people.

Yeah, one of the weird things about an interview lasting a whole day or more is trying to make a good impression all the time, even when you're eating.

Although 23 years ago I impressed some interviewer folks when I ordered calamari at the dinner the night before the interview.

I startled some interviewers by eating the hot peppers in my Chinese food.