One Down...

... a couple (or a few more) to go.

Phew! I have finally sent out my first job application, not that I expect that much will come of it, but at least I tried. (the last one I sent became a fruitless lead :-(, remember?)

What I didn't want to do is what I have not in fact done until now although I intended to. I haven't sent out any "query" letters about adjuncting to each and every college and university in the area.

Should I try that? I have lots of doubts that it would work. And it might be too late anyway at this point (those are some of the excuses I use).

I do think that now I have a general enough "Teaching Interests" section in my CV that might help me out, but I cringe just thinking of sending those uncalled for "applications." This is precisely what my husband did when he finished his Ph.D. and was looking for a postdoctoral position. He sent out 50+ letters to researchers he was interested in working with. And he did get three offers and one interested researcher (who actually had him fly out to Atlanta to give a talk, but whose financial help for the offer never materialized). But that's in the sciences, not in the humanities, so... I feel safer applying for actual positions.

Oh, I did send out one such email, but that was it. Well... I'm glad at least I'm doing something. Remember my new year's resolution? I'm not fulfilling the part about "looking into anything," but I guess it's just that I don't know how some of those "things" (curatorship, editing, etc.) work.

P.S. [a long one, sorry!]
And for those who may be wondering about this announcement from last April regarding another "career" path. Well... I have given up even before I began. The problem is that because of the uncertainty of our lives right now and pressing the need for me to work and help pay the mortgage, I cannot be sure that I will be available in September when my friend is due. This friend is the one who would have helped me financially to pay for the course andcertification in exchange for my support as doula at her daughter's birth. I still want to go and be with her and help her, but I don't need to be a doula in the process of certification to do that, right?

Another friend is due in two weeks and I really want to be at the birth of her son too -- I've never seen a birth except for my own births, so it'd be lovely! I hope I can make it!

And finally... it would have been cool to have doula certification, but I've already spent 10 years of my life pursuing the PhD and I think I should try to use it for something, right? That's why I feel leery of abrupt career path changes. E.g. I think I'd love to work in librarianship, but the thought of having to PAY to get another degree (a MLIS master in library and information science) when I already have a PhD is too depressing...

And it's more the paying than anything, let me tell ya... I would gladly go back to school [I loooooove to study, I really do!] provided I didn't have to pay and could even make some money (such as in an assistanship). Maybe I should get another PhD! A-ha! I joke about that with K, but it's true... I really wish I could keep on studying.

Do you think I'm crazy? OK, time to go back to the other applications. I'm just happily procrastinaging here. :-D