I've had a secret that I was hoping would pan out and I'd have great news to tell and spring and surpise people with, but it didn't. But at least now I can talk about it. The story begins on 11/29/2005, when I get an email about an Amazon interview session at the W Chicago Lakeshore on 11/30. I couldn't get off work to take part in the whole day affair, but I managed to sneak in a little 1/2 hour before work of what I thought would be an informational session, maybe get some material, they'd get my resume, and that'd be all. But the guy I talked with seemed to like me, wanted me to stick around, but I couldn't, and I figured that was that. Next I hear from them on 12/5 about doing a phone interview. Now it's getting serious. Huh, Amazon might actually be interested? Wow. Gotta give it a shot though. So 12/8 I have a somewhat technical phone interview. About an hour. I don't actually think it went that well. So imagine my surprise when I hear from them on 12/13 that they want me to come out to Seattle for some in-house interviews. Oh, did I forget to mention this was for a Seattle based position? So a week later, I fly out on 12/20, get put up at the W Seattle, interview on 12/21, which doesn't go so hot, and head back in on the red eye. I figured holidays meant they wouldn't get back to me, so I finally got in touch with them yesterday to find out where I was, and the answer's no. But that was fun. It was. And interesting, and kind of like a kick in the pants. How cool would it have been to spring on family and friends that I a) got a job at Amazon and b) would be moving to Seattle? (I would have announced the news in person if it happened to those that count.) But alas, it didn't happen. But gets me thinking. So anyway, since I didn't get it, I figured I could just announce the bad news here. What could have been...