Saturday, November 14, 2009

On the market

The Ph.D. is finished, but in many ways it was a hollow victory. The real prize is the tenure-track job that would allow me to begin paying back all the money I've borrowed to get this far.

Last year I sent out six applications, and had one interview. With my degree complete, the total for this year is now twenty-six applications and counting. On Wednesday I had a videoconference interview with Zayed University, which went well despite the technical difficulties.

Below is a list of the universities where I've applied already (and a nifty map). Here's hoping the job market is kinder this year.




1) Kennesaw State University in Kennesaw, Georgia.

2) Empire State College in Saratoga Springs, New York.

3) Crichton College in Memphis, Tennessee.

4) Wayneburg State University in Waynesburg, Pennsylvania.

5) Zayed University in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

6) Salem State College in Salem, Massachusetts.

7) University of Cincinnati in Cincinnati, Ohio.

8) Stonehill College in Easton, Massachusetts.

9) University of Wisconsin-Lacross in Lacrosse, Wisconsin.

10) Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas

11) West Virginia State University in Institute, West Virginia.

12) Monash University in Clayton, Australia.

13) University of Alaska-Fairbanks in Fairbanks, Alaska.

14) University of South Carolina-Salkehatchie in Allendale, South Carolina.

15) Montclair State University in Montclair, New Jersey.

16) Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska.

17) St. Bonaventure University in St. Bonaventure, New York.

18) Berkeley College in New York City, New York.

19) Winthrop University in Rock Hill, South Carolina.

20) California State University at Long Beach in Long Beach, California.


Applications to be sent:

21) University of Delaware in Newark, Delaware.

22) Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah

23) Carleton University in Ottawa, Ontario.

24) University of Wisconsin-Stout in Menominee, Wisconsin.

25) Rice University in Houston, Texas (post-doc).

26) Valparaiso University in Valparaiso, Indiana (post-doc).

Monday, November 09, 2009

Scene and Heard

A few days ago the following conversation took place at our home:


Kaddi: Jake's Scoutmaster just called. They need to meet at the church on Friday at 4 PM because they're going on an overnight campout.

ME: Super!

Kaddi: He's supposed to take a 'tin-foil dinner' with him. So, I need you to get on the internet and found out what that is.

ME: I don't need to get on the internet. I already know what's in a tin-foil dinner.

Kaddi: What's in it?

ME: It's just hamburger meat and potatoes and carrots wrapped up in tinfoil. Sometimes people put in onions for flavor. You stick it on the coals and let it cook.

Kaddi: That doesn't sound right. Will you just look it up, please?

ME: Kaddi, I've been on lots of these campouts. I've eaten plenty of tin-foil dinners. That's exactly what it is.

Kaddi: Well, he doesn't like any of those things. So use the internet to find a different kind of tin-foil dinner.



ME: (after checking several websites) Look, here's several recipes for tin-foil dinners and they are all some variation of the formula I already told you.



Kaddi: Why would anyone want to eat that? That doesn't make any sense. He's already going to be sleeping on the ground. It's going to be cold out there. And then he has to eat tin-foil hamburger? That's not any fun.



ME: (Knowing I should just keep silent but foolishly deciding to speak) No, it's not fun. It's camping.



Post-script: Jake did go to the campout with a tin foil package containing sirloin steak and some carrots. He did eat it. He did sleep on the ground in the cold. And he did have fun.

Monday, November 02, 2009