function leaveMessage(phone_number) { return call; }

I was getting anxious about not hearing back from the company in Japan. My friend Andie called me this evening and convinced me to call them. I didn't want to because I am too shy to do that sort of thing. In the end though I knew I should. So I swallowed my fear and made the call.

I have never had luck with international calls.

My first attempt provided me with just a funny beeping sound so I hung up and tried again. This time I got a voice telling me that the call couldn't go through and to hang up and try again. Third try I mis-dialed, managed to hang up before the call went anywhere. Forth time I managed to connect, but their phone system told me that I was blocking caller ID so I should call back with caller ID enabled. I hung up to turn it on, but I realized that it was probably just because it was an international call. I never block caller ID. So I called back to wait for the answering machine. I left a message asking to be called back.

One big hurdle out of the way.

I went and lay on my bed and read a C++ programming book. I am too geeky for my own good sometimes. After about 10 minutes of waiting the phone rang. I ran to the computer room and took a few deep breaths. I was nervous. My heart was threatening to go on strike if I didn't stop getting it all worked up like this. I answered the phone in as calm a voice as I could manage.

The gentleman on the other end explained to me that this week is a holiday in Japan so he hasn't gotten around to evaluating the submissions yet. I apologized profusely for bothering him and felt like a twit. I should have known that it was a holiday in Japan right now.

Anyway, I feel a lot better now. I know I will have to wait at least a week or two before I hear anything again. I can wait now that I know it wasn't just an email going missing.

My heart can relax for a little while.