I should be like working on my job interview stuff. But I'm sort of worn out on it right now. I'll pick it up again in a minute .....
Since the last update, I've gotten offered two more campus visits. So, that's a total of three this month. There's also one more phone interview I'm waiting to hear back from. Fingers crossed?
Well, not sure yet, but it looks like I may get a post-doc. And there may be a sort of intermediary moment where I go out for a visit, and I assume I will be making a presentation. That should be interesting, because I don't think I'll want to do ALL dissertation, but I'm still discussing potential new projects with the post-doc advisor. So I really don't know what I will or should do, in that case.
Anyway, yeah, the phone interview went well, and I've heard from my dissertation advisors that she seems quite interested in me (i.e. she called them for references). So this is good. The post-doc is a bit of a switch from my dissertation, but it's almost exactly what I am looking for.
My fingers are crossed. I hate talking about this stuff before I'm sure about it. You know how that goes.
Job front updates: two more schools have contacted me for phone interviews (that's three this spring now), and I have moved onto the "next round" at another school. None of these are Fantastic Super Jobs, but several of them are good solid positions in eminently fine locations. We shall see.
I'm going to do one of those annoying pop culture blogs that is a "list of stuff I'm enjoying right now." Just to prepare you. Because I'm a *conscientious* motherfucker like that.
The first.
We've been working our way through Bones on DVD lately. Of all the CSI-type shows out there, this is by *far* my favorite. I like that the main character is a... Read More
On Martin Luther King Day, my wife and I celebrated our dedication to racial harmony by watching Conan the Barbarian and Conan the Destroyer back to back.
It's not even a joke how much better the first movie is, is it?
Mongol Warrior: Conan! What is best in ilfe?
Conan: To crush your enemies. See them driven before you. And to hear the lamentation of... Read More
Minor job update: Last week Livable Regional State School e-mailed to see if I was still available. I, of course, quickly emailed back to confirm that I was. Then, I got an email back that basically said "We like you, but we have a strong pool, you'll here back soon." So I'm cautiously optimistic.
I'm especially excited because Livable Regional State School actually had a... Read More
Christmas was good. We had a bitch of a time getting out. We rented a car to head home on the 23rd, and the snow kept us in. But we got off early the 24th, and I had a really nice visit. Saw the family, the friends, ate a lot. In fact, I'm still eating a lot: my mother-in-law always sends us home with a... Read More
It was a pretty basic idea and one I'm surprised more people haven't attempted. She wasn't sure if she saw it somewhere or dreamt about it. She made stuffing mix (from scratch) and put a bunch of it in a cupcake/muffin tin. Then she baked it up. We all nervously took our first bites, not knowing if this would work or not. It did. One of the best part of stuffing (for me) is the crispy part. These were crispy all the way around.
They were even better a few days later. Sometimes it's the simple stuff that works so well.
Now, as far as getting the recipe for her stuffing...good luck.
I've had it up to here with self-pity. So let's get rid of that old post.
My wife has put my Christmas present under the tree. It's big and heavy. I have some ideas about what it might be, but she's mum on hints. This is because one year I guessed my present and tricked her into telling me what it was. So now she's... Read More
If your wife was smart, she put something lightweight in there with a bunch of heavy rocks or bricks.
Re: your previous journal entry . . . It's such a bad time to be looking for a job right now. Really sucks, I feel for you. And institutions are often sooooo bad about interviewing etiquette. When I was a post-doc, I applied to my former grad school when they advertised a position. They didn't even interview me, and what's worse, they never even gave me a courtesy phone call or email to say something like "thanks for applying but you're not quite what we're looking for right now." I mean hellllooooo, I was one of their best students. My research won this huge award for them, they have the plaque with my name on it hanging in the conference room. But I wasn't worth a courtesy phone call or email?? So bizarre.
I think it's an EXCELLENT idea to have a Plan B such as yours. Who knows, you might like the "real world" better. You'll likely get paid better. I always recommend post-docs these days, too. They just make you so much more competitive if you do want to stay in academia. Moving somewhere for a year or two does suck, but it opens up so many more possibilities for faculty jobs. Just food for thought. Hang in there. Something will work out, probably better than you could have guessed.
I am hoping not.
Also, good luck with your interviews.