You Are My Magic 8-Ball

Thank you, Gina's Blog readers, for playing the role of Magic 8-Ball in my most recent poll.

Twenty-two (or 73 percent) of you chose 'Yes' to the question "Yes or No." And guess what? You were right. Those of you who picked 'No' were wrong, wrong, wrong. Thankfully.

About a million years ago I applied for a writing/editing job at Cincinnati Children's Hospital. When I was in graduate school Children's was spoken about in a kind of hushed tone. We all knew it as the nationally ranked hospital (it's 7th, according to U.S. News and World Report) that was a great place to work but difficult to get into. So when I sent my resume I didn't think too much of it. I figured I'd get a lovely generic rejection email.

And then HR at Children's called me. And I nearly passed out.

I was screened through a phone interview. Then through an in-peson interview. Then an interview with three research doctors. Then yet another interview. It was seriously the most gruelling interview process I've ever gone through. And this led to a lot of pacing and me asking my colleague Tabari's Magic 8-Ball, "Will I get a job offer from Children's?"

After mixed results (Yes, No, Maybe, Cannot Predict Now) I felt his Magic 8-Ball was not very Magical. But a poll on Gina's Blog? That is magic! And accurate!

So... Though I'm sad to leave my job and friends at CiN, I'm pretty excited to work for Children's. (Finally, a use for my master's in public health!) In a few weeks I'll start my new job as the senior writer/editor for Cincinnati Children's research Web site.

Which is a fancy way of saying it will be my job to twist into order the impact of research discovered by brilliant minds but perhaps not such great writers. Many of my new colleagues will be researchers and doctors hoping to find cures and better treatments for sick kids.

And that's ultimitely is what sealed the deal for me. Yes, the benefits and people and pay were all terrific, but was I ready/willing to leave journalism? The question kept me awake many nights.

Then just before my second interview I was sitting in the cafeteria at Children's, which was buzzing with families, nurses, physicians, support staff. And there were all these parents with their kids in tow and I looked at the kids and wondered, Are they sick? Are they having treaments here? Do they have a little brother or sister who is sick? And it gave me chills to think that these families were bringing their kids to Cincinnati in the hopes that they will get better.

And that was it.

Even though I won't work with kids, the bottom line at Children's isn't to shareholders or profits, it's to making kids feel better. I figure that's something I can get behind even if I can only contribute as a writer for a Web site.

I'm pretty excited. And word on the street is that there is a brand-spankin' new MacBook Pro with my name on it, waiting for me to log in. Ow ow!