I know...I'm not sure. I like Willow Smith though, too.

Going through puberty is a pretty common metaphor for the divide between childhood and adulthood. I don't think it's something you can pin down to a specific age. Just seems like metonymy, pretty much, to me.

Okay, Google, that's not cricket.

They changed the code on their search by image screen since yesterday! The direct URL I was using to search in Opera is no longer valid.

I suspect someone ratted me out...it's the only possible explanation for these shenanigans.

I’ll be making less than I was, but unless they come back with an insultingly low offer, I’m going to take it. Even better, since it’s a government job, things move slowly, so I’ll have a few more weeks before I start.

Tom, do you know how common raises are? If they are not common at all, you may want to negotiate for as much as you can to start. Signed, worked for a state uni for eight years and got two(?) tiny raises (less than inflation), once a week of bonus leave (just for that year, not an increase in vacation), and once maybe a little bonus-y thing. And once furloughed for a day.

Willow may have her period already. I knew girls who got it at that age, if only a couple.

ARgh! I am so annoyed! I ordered a new suit with swim trunks and a rash guard to bring to Hawaii. But USPS decided to return it to REI instead! Seriously. They "attempted" delivery on the 29th. Only usually they just drop the box on the porch, not sure why they didn't, and usually when they don't deliver they leave a notice, which of course wasn't there! And then on the 3rd they sent it back undelivered. So that means a grand total of... 3 working days to grok that my package was late since I never got notice, and then go pick it up. Which of course I failed to do.

Bah!

It's a government job; the salary bands are strictly defined. They should be coming in on the high-end of the range, given my experience and my MS degree.

Ooh, that is super annoying, Burrell. But.... you're going to Hawaii? That's good!

Even so, Tom, if you can get a salary offer before accepting the job I would also recommend negotiating -- either to a higher band or the highest of your range. Because of the band thing, etc., it's extremely difficult to get any sort of extra increases once you're employed.

ETA: and increases are generally percentage based, so starting from a higher salary helps.

What bon bon said.

What bon bon said.

Indeed. And while the government says they don't negotiate, they actually do: they just might have to get approval from higher up the chain to meet your salary requirements. When I took this job originally, they offered me the bottom of the grade, and I pointed out that it was a $10K pay cut. Once I'd provided proof of my current salary, they moved the offer up a couple of steps to something roughly equivalent. But it took six weeks for the final offer to come through, and I was Very Stressed Out by the time it did.