Friends locked just to say (I’m sure I’ve mentioned this before) that applying for teaching positions is one of the most frustrating, time consuming, idiotic waste of paper, jumping through hoops sort of process around. I think that’s it.
Tag: jobs
The Big Decision
This morning I couldn’t sleep in. I don’t know how some people can readjust their biorhythms to weekend time. My body just does the same thing each day. Wake up time, six am. So I went for a lovely walk. The weather is muggy today and threatening rain. The forecast says it will be in the 80’s today. We had a beautiful spring that lasted a very short time and now we are full on into summer. Ick, hot and humid. Good thing the pool opens on Memorial Day.
For those of you who do not know, we’ve been in Maryland this year and it just wasn’t a good fit (to use publishing lingo). We will be back in our Brunswick, Maine house come August. I’m applying for jobs– mostly teaching positions but I just found and applied for a community educator’s position with the U Maine extension office in Portland. This would have so many benefits, including a possible tenure track. Cross your fingers for me and if you know anybody in that office, call and tell them nice things for me. Thanks.
I have good news to share. I got into both the Vermont and Lesley MFA programs. Now comes the hard part, deciding where to go. Vermont offers more rigor and a more established faculty and program. Lesley offers a cross-genre program with interdisciplinary studies that would allow me to work with illustrators and maybe get some teaching time at the university level. (Always good on a resume.) I spoke with the Lesley Director this week and will speak with Vermont next week. I think it may come down to the money issue with financial aid.
Happy to hear your comments below and if you want to talk with me about it further please email. I’m open to advice.
Almost two weeks?!
I’m shocked that it has been almost two weeks since my last posting. Shocked, but not surprised. My fingers have been tingling like crazy. Do you get that? That, oh-my-gosh-I-haven’t-been-writing feeling. So there it is. The admission. I haven’t been writing, when I was most charged up to do so. We have been on a long coastal journey which I will tell you more about in paragraph three, but it includes 1400 miles, a job interview, and matzah.
I have been drawing and revisioning my Roar, dummy…AGAIN. Actually I got a great brainstorm while on my recent journey. Another secondary character, a mouse, who watches the action unfolding. I’m excited to finish this up and get it to my agent. Secret agent man has given me permission to put aside the Ballet project for a while. He says that it is best not to put too much work into a non-fiction work lest it be changed by the publisher who is interested in the proposal and first chapter. Instead, Secret agent man has advised me to get to work on the novel that the editor at the conference wants to see. That is all good with me. The characters have been calling to me as I re-read Bird by Bird this week and I am eager to see what they have to say.
The journey started on Friday 18th when we drove from Maine to Pennsylvania to visit with my parents. We admired their forsythia bushes and awoke to lovely birdsong. On Saturday we had Passover Seder #1. It was very casual as we really made it our own, inviting comments and linking the traditional with current events and issues of the day. I love including everyone in the Seder, especially kids. I & E were great and had a lot of wise things to say. Passover Seder #2 was at my cousins’ home. Thanks Robin and Bob! A much bigger and more traditional event, it was great to see the whole fam damily.
Monday we drove to St. Mary’s county where Chris had an interview. Things went well and we are awaiting an offer from the company. Assuming this all goes well we will move from our wonderful home in Maine to a new adventure south of D.C. (Anne Marie are you out there?) I grew up in Northwest DC and I’m looking forward to being closer to my parents, cousins, sister and one of my brothers. It will be tough to leave our home that Chris built for us and our community of 14 years. However, we are planning on renting out our current home for a couple of years until things are clearer. The best thing about blogging is that I know that I will still be connected with all of my writer friends when and if we move. LiveJournal and writing are portable.
Creative Chaos 