Job Hunting: The Numbers

• 9 applications mailed out
• 7 acknowledgments of materials received
• 3 short phone interviews
• 5 invitations to campus interviews
• 2 visits to campus
• 2 research presentations given
• 1 teaching presentation given
• Approximately 45 people heard job talk (Dear Advisor heard it at least 6 times!)
• 6 airline flights (counting connections)
• 24 individual interviews with faculty members/dept. chairs/deans
• 2 group interviews with 12 graduate students
• 6 interview meals
• 3 suits worn
• 2 job offers received

AND ...... I HAVE A JOB!!!! (1 goal attained)

The Five Meme

I know I've been just lurking around...I'm busy with job interviews etc. (update soon---just to hold you over --> it is going really well).

I was tagged by Seeking Solace for this one.

Remove the blog in the top spot from the following list and bump everyone up one place. Then add your blog to the bottom slot, like so.

1) zerodoll
2) Overread
3) BrightStar
4) Seeking Solace
5) Statgirl

Next select five people to tag (Sorry!):
1) Russian Violets
2) ABD me
3) Psycgirl
4) Dice_Singer
5) Science Woman

What were you doing 10 years ago?
January 1996, I had just earned my first MA in a field in which I no longer work or study and I was dating a boy with whom I was completely enamored.

What were you doing 1 year ago?
January 2005, I was starting my second semester in my current position and was procrastinating like a pro on one of my comprehensive exam questions.

Five snacks you enjoy:
1. Chocolate
2. Lollipops
3. Anything with Nutella
4. Cheese
5. Pistachios

Five songs to which you know all the lyrics:
1. Any Melissa Etheridge song
2. Most Sarah McLachlin songs
3. Walkin' on Sunshine by Katrina and the Waves
4. Silent Lucidity by Queensryche
5. Crucify by Tori Amos

Five things you would do if you were a millionaire:
1. Pay off my student loans
2. Pay off any debts belonging to my family members
3. Travel extensively--Africa first.
4. Have a huge party in an exclusive resort with all my friends
5. Invest

Five bad habits:
1. Being indecisive
2. Judging people too quickly
3. Procrastinating
4. Avoiding chores that need to be done
5. Never folding the laundry

Five things you like doing:
1.Sleeping
2. Playing games (video, cards, trivia, etc.)
3. Wine tasting
4. Dining out in nice restaurants
5. Getting massages

Five things you would never wear again:
1. Leg Warmers
2. Shoulder pads
3. Leggings with long sweaters
4. Jeans with holes in them (purposely added)
5. Bubble skirts

Five favorite toys:
1. PS2
2. My laptop
3. My cell phone
4. My martini shaker
5. My teddy bear

Back to regularly scheduled job search activities.....

Inner Rock Chick

Found at Seeking Solace.

You Are Ani Difranco!

Honest, real, and well liked.You're not limited by any boundaries."And you can call me crazyBut I think you're as lazy as white paint on the wall"

Who's" Your Inner Rock Chick?

Not sure this is who I thought my inner rock chick was.....but it's not like I really sit around and ponder this question. :-)

I am an idiot...

Just realized that I somehow turned on "moderate comments" in my settings. I was thinking all my fellow bloggers and friends had abandoned me and actually I had a whole list of fun comments. I couldn't handle rejection and desertion at this point in my year. :-)

I am who I am and gosh darn it...people like me! [This is my job search mantra.]

** Note to Seeking Solace. I finally finished my 5 weird things meme (see below)---sorry I'm so slow on responding to the tag (it's been a busy few days and the post has been a work in progress.

Stressed? Need to goof off?

How great is this??

Fun Stuff

Quiz time!

Saw this one over at the Dice_Singer --she is a Gorillaz song which I love and I also got a catchy song that makes you want to spell!!!

Your 2005 Song Is

Hollaback Girl by Gwen Stefani "This shit is bananas B-A-N-A-N-A-S)" For you, 2005 was the Best Year Ever.

What Hit Song of 2005 Are You?

Tagged

by Seeking Solace

5 Weird Things About Me

1. I hate driving. I have to drive because my city does not have decent public transportation, but I hate it. I worry about breaking down, having a flat, finding parking, being in an accident, etc. In my previous job I picked my housing so that I was close enough to walk to work. Now I have a 25 round trip commute.
2. I am a "checker" (probably borderline OCD). I'm always getting back out of bed at night to make sure I locked the front door. I check to see that the stove top is off before I leave the house.
3. I have conversations with the cat. [I know I'm not alone in this weird pet obsessed plane on which I live. Several others have admitted this.]
4. I do not have huge need of having people around me. At the extreme, I detest crowded places. On a more daily basis--I have a stong desire/need to have some alone time. I never spend time with friends more than 2 (or 3 max) evenings a week. I like quiet evenings with my books or a movie and a cup of hot tea. :-)
5. I love math equations, logic puzzles, etc. Yes, I am the person on the airplane who did all 6 of the soduku puzzles in the newest Skyways magazine and didn't save any for the next passenger to board the plane!

Pooped.

Exhausted.

Tired.

Worn out.

Going to bed.

I made it

to work before 10 am today. This is progress this week...still struggling to get back into the swing of things. Tomorrow I shooting for a 9 am arrival. Keep your fingers crossed.

Next week classes begin and I have my first interview ....must find energy somewhere. Didn't get to give my practice presentation today; however, I gave it again at home to my dining room wall (and kitty, of course). Kitty thinks its a bit of a bore and needs some spicing up. I've decided I need to cut down my intro somehow and spend more time on my model. So, again, some adjustments to make and finally tomorrow a realy audience, my advisor and whoever else I can round up at the office.

Need to copy syllabi and submit a couple more applications as well tomorrow. I'm thinking of including an app. to a post-doc position as well--just for good measure. It's actually working on a project in which I'm very much interested and even though my final goal is tenure-track faculty positon--who knows? Might as well keep the options open.

Personal life sucks right now---just to work and back home each day. I'm looking forward to my card game tmorrow night and a little kicking back before the wheel of the winter semester really gets rolling. Hopefully, I'll be able to maintain a good routine and stay on top of things this semester. I suppose I should really spell out my semester plan and goals ---perhaps on my next post.

Chugging along....

Final syllabus is drafted! Not finalized and I'm leaving it a bit open so as to be able to add more readings etc. later on. However, I'm a firm believer in syllabus as contract so I have all the assessments hashed out and grade weighting determined. Details of assignments, etc. can be put off for a few days.

I also found out I'm only going to be teaching 2 courses instead of my usual three--unfortunately I lose one of my favorite classes to teach, but on the plus side am keeping "my old standby" which I've taught so many times I can answer questions weeks before they are asked. :-) And I'm still teaching the 'new prep' as well. My course reduction is a result of someone else's course not making and a shift in the schedule. I guess my dept. chair likes me well enough and recognizes I do my share of committee work (I'm on a super important one right now) and I'm also finishing the diss and job hunting. So it's not like I'll really get to enjoy the 'extra' time.

A successfull run through of my research presentation for my upcoming interview resulted in a few changes and tweeks. Going to give a practice presentation tomorrow to a couple of friends and then move on to a larger audience on Monday. So far...it's coming along. I've only wished about 20 times that I would have something simple like a 't test ' to present. :-) No! I had to do somehting fancy in my dissertation--I never considered the fact I would have to present this complicated monster to strangers in hopes of getting a job! Actually, I think it will be fine and hopefully my "natural teacher" inside will come out and help me break it down so a highly intellegent non stat nerd can understand my analysis.

Slowing crawling back to the surface....

Made it to work today only about 2 hours later than when I would normally go into the office--officially, I'm blaming it on changing time zones during my vacation and having some difficulty getting going in the morning. Or it could just be the dread of the semester ahead.... I'm not starting out with my "clean slate" like usual--I'm behind on projects and have several deadlines already looming. I want to throw a tantrum and scream "it's not fair!" However, I dug myself into this hole and I will eventually crawl out.

I'm starting to feel like I am gaining a bit of ground. I handed off the book chapter to second author today --aka DA--with the realization that I can't continue to depend on her to save me when I'm in a time crunch. However, in this situation I'm not feeling very much guilt because I don't really think I should have taken this project on. Yes, I'm a big girl and I can say 'no' to people but it's hard sometimes when you don't have warning and the next thing you know you have a project on your hands. As I recall, this one arrived on my plate over lunch (with no warning--I thought it was just a friendly take a break, walk to lunch, and then 'poof' I had an outline and a mission). In hindsight I really think I should have chosen not to accept it; however, at the time that didn't appear to be an option. Well, I have lived and learned. Next time will be different. (I better bookmark this post for future reference.)

I also have all my laundry done and I went grocery shopping today on my way home from the office--isn't it weird how sometimes these little things are really what makes your day????

Back to life, back to reality...

Wasn't that a song in the 80's?

Anyway, my blogroll is back up and functioning--I've checked all the links and been out a reading....all of us have been a bit slower than usual over the holidays. Ho Hum.....

Finally made it to my office today after a sleep in and a bit of retail therapy. I bought a new suit for the upcoming interviews. Not that I really needed another, I just like having several options--and I have been in a pants frame of mind of late and I want comfort! It will be hard enough for me to be "on point" for 2 days straight with strangers. I'm one who likes to sit back and observe a bit, however, I'm sure this isn't a good strategy nor would even be possible on a job interview. So, I'm practicing my smile and focusing on me (with the purchase of comfortable clothing) and trying to get over the idea of having to sell myself to get a job. And this gives me the excuse to go out this weekend and buy a new pair of shoes to go with the new suit. I love shoes!

In other news, I have 2 syllabi ready to roll and am about halfway done with the last one. It's a new class for me so I'm keeping it 'roomy' so I can stretch and be flexible a bit. It's all doc students in the class so hopefully they will be able to deal with that.
My book chapter sort of looks like a chapter--with sections and everything-- however, I still hate it and hate writing it, and just wish it were over. Why do I let myself be talked into things like this?---oh yeah, I'm ABD looking for a job and I'm adding to my Vita. Geez...... might as well paste it on my forehead.

Speaking of jobs (again)--need to organize and practice that job talk.