The Waiting Game

We've all been there: those excruciating hours that turn into days while you wait to hear...anything. Any news. Any acknowledgement. Anything.  It's a universal experience (although the business world is a bit more quick to crush your spirits).  And what can you do? This is the point where you no longer have even an iota of control. 

The feelings of anticipation and dread and resignation and indigence slosh into one another like a slop bucket full of disaster, and the only thing to do is to go forward with the day and keep on submitting for more opportunities to go in, stand emotionally exposed in front of those whose decision determines the immediate future, go home, and prepare for the verdict. 

So you wait. 

And check your e-mail. 

And check your spam folder. 

And another 24 hours goes by with not a peep, and you wait some more. 

Most of the time "no news is good news" is enough of a mantra to calm the nerves and brewing panic. Quite often it's true. More often, not so much.