Seriously. "Johnny English"? How did that get there, and why?
Oh well--it comes tomorrow, and I'll watch it...someday.... Maybe after I've watched "Persuasion," which arrived more than a month ago.
Monday, January 14, 2008
Sunday, January 13, 2008
Desperate Clothing Query
Okay, all you people with much better fashion senses than I, I have a question for you.
For this upcoming campus interview, I'll need two days' worth of suits. I have two suits; unfortunately, they are not of equal merit. The first is fine. Comfortable, flattering (I think), what have you. The second--well, the second was supposedly tailor-made to fit me, but the pants have never ever been comfortable, and they just look funny--they bunch up in the front, strain across the back, and are generally ill-fitting and cheap-looking. Can't wear those for the job talk. (The jacket is OK, if not as nice as the first jacket.)
The plan is to wear the nicer suit for the first day (when I'll be doing most of my interviewing and my teaching demo), and then Something Else for the second day (when all I have scheduled is a breakfast, a library visit, a lunch, human resources, and my job talk).
So here's my question. Or questions, I suppose; it's more of a two-parter.
1) Would it be okay to wear the solid-black jacket with a pair of black pin-stripe pants? The blacks in the two garments are close enough that there wouldn't be an obvious clash, but it would be obvious that these items didn't originally belong together (because, of course, one is pin-striped and one is solid).
2) If not, can I wear the better-fitting suit pants with the other jacket? They're both black, but not quite the same black, and someone might notice that I'm wearing the same pants two days in a row. Not sure if that matters. Or if anyone will be paying such close attention to an innocuous pair of black pants that they would detect the repetition.
Or life could be easy, and I could wear the same suit both days (with different shirts), but that doesn't seem right. (Or is it? Can I do that?)
Any other options out there for me? I am in possession of very little formal attire: I have some long skirts and button-down shirts and a variety of rather eccentric sweaters. Long skirt + button-down could make me look reasonably professional, but it isn't a suit. And none of my skirts go with my suit jackets. At all.
Should I switch things around, and wear the questionable outfit on the first day--when I'll be making first impressions and will generally be more visible (in the teaching demo)--and save the nicest suit for the job talk, when I'll be meeting the entire department? Actually, no, I'd rather not do that. I'll be writing on the board and gesturing a lot during the teaching demo, and the better jacket is definitely preferable for that kind of activity.
Bear in mind that it is, literally, impossible for me to procure any new clothing between now and the interview. Unless I make a run on the local thrift store on Tuesday morning, and I think it would be best for everyone if I didn't do that.
Help!
For this upcoming campus interview, I'll need two days' worth of suits. I have two suits; unfortunately, they are not of equal merit. The first is fine. Comfortable, flattering (I think), what have you. The second--well, the second was supposedly tailor-made to fit me, but the pants have never ever been comfortable, and they just look funny--they bunch up in the front, strain across the back, and are generally ill-fitting and cheap-looking. Can't wear those for the job talk. (The jacket is OK, if not as nice as the first jacket.)
The plan is to wear the nicer suit for the first day (when I'll be doing most of my interviewing and my teaching demo), and then Something Else for the second day (when all I have scheduled is a breakfast, a library visit, a lunch, human resources, and my job talk).
So here's my question. Or questions, I suppose; it's more of a two-parter.
1) Would it be okay to wear the solid-black jacket with a pair of black pin-stripe pants? The blacks in the two garments are close enough that there wouldn't be an obvious clash, but it would be obvious that these items didn't originally belong together (because, of course, one is pin-striped and one is solid).
2) If not, can I wear the better-fitting suit pants with the other jacket? They're both black, but not quite the same black, and someone might notice that I'm wearing the same pants two days in a row. Not sure if that matters. Or if anyone will be paying such close attention to an innocuous pair of black pants that they would detect the repetition.
Or life could be easy, and I could wear the same suit both days (with different shirts), but that doesn't seem right. (Or is it? Can I do that?)
Any other options out there for me? I am in possession of very little formal attire: I have some long skirts and button-down shirts and a variety of rather eccentric sweaters. Long skirt + button-down could make me look reasonably professional, but it isn't a suit. And none of my skirts go with my suit jackets. At all.
Should I switch things around, and wear the questionable outfit on the first day--when I'll be making first impressions and will generally be more visible (in the teaching demo)--and save the nicest suit for the job talk, when I'll be meeting the entire department? Actually, no, I'd rather not do that. I'll be writing on the board and gesturing a lot during the teaching demo, and the better jacket is definitely preferable for that kind of activity.
Bear in mind that it is, literally, impossible for me to procure any new clothing between now and the interview. Unless I make a run on the local thrift store on Tuesday morning, and I think it would be best for everyone if I didn't do that.
Help!
Wednesday, January 9, 2008
At Least I'm Consistent
I'm in the middle of revising a chapter into a job talk, and I recently decided to look over the conference paper that I pulled out of the chapter last March to see if I'd made any really nice revisions there that I might want to incorporate.
And yes, I made some nice revisions. The thing is, I've already made most of them in the job talk, too. I mean, word for word, I'm revising in exactly the same way that I did last time.
It's a little freaky. But it's strangely comforting at the same time--like I have some kind of coherent aesthetic vision or something. (Or I just make the same awkward phrasing mistakes again and again?)
And yes, I made some nice revisions. The thing is, I've already made most of them in the job talk, too. I mean, word for word, I'm revising in exactly the same way that I did last time.
It's a little freaky. But it's strangely comforting at the same time--like I have some kind of coherent aesthetic vision or something. (Or I just make the same awkward phrasing mistakes again and again?)
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
All Hail Moe, for Moe is a Benevolent God!
Okay. Could my rampant superstition get any more encouragement?
I knock on wood; I admit it. In fact, if I say something that warrants wood-knocking, and there's no wood present, I feel a very real anxiety and wish that I could take back my words.
There was a time back in November when I lamented, on this very blog, that I was anxiously awaiting calls about interviews even though it was far too soon to expect to hear anything--and within 15 minutes I got a call. Last May, I was on the verge of lamenting, on this very blog, that I would never ever get a job when I got a call scheduling a campus visit for Field College. And now, withing a couple of hours of my latest lamentation...I was called about a campus visit. At one of the schools that seemed great in the interview.
Too-ra-loo! I say. Too-ra-lay!
So here's the scoop, y'all: If you complain in earnest, then the Job Market will hear you. It's kind of like the Secret: Failure is all your fault; you weren't whining hard enough. (I'm kidding. I hate, loathe, and despise the Secret. It represents all things deplorable. And I think that I should stop whining.)
And now I need to figure out how I'm going to pull off canceling three consecutive days of classes this month. Because Newest Interview is next W-F, and then Already Scheduled Interview is the following M-W (M being a holiday, so no worries there). My carefully crafted syllabi are falling apart and my students will feel betrayed. Delighted, but betrayed. Perhaps I can do something about comp, though.... Agh! This is a problem I was hoping to have!
I knock on wood; I admit it. In fact, if I say something that warrants wood-knocking, and there's no wood present, I feel a very real anxiety and wish that I could take back my words.
There was a time back in November when I lamented, on this very blog, that I was anxiously awaiting calls about interviews even though it was far too soon to expect to hear anything--and within 15 minutes I got a call. Last May, I was on the verge of lamenting, on this very blog, that I would never ever get a job when I got a call scheduling a campus visit for Field College. And now, withing a couple of hours of my latest lamentation...I was called about a campus visit. At one of the schools that seemed great in the interview.
Too-ra-loo! I say. Too-ra-lay!
So here's the scoop, y'all: If you complain in earnest, then the Job Market will hear you. It's kind of like the Secret: Failure is all your fault; you weren't whining hard enough. (I'm kidding. I hate, loathe, and despise the Secret. It represents all things deplorable. And I think that I should stop whining.)
And now I need to figure out how I'm going to pull off canceling three consecutive days of classes this month. Because Newest Interview is next W-F, and then Already Scheduled Interview is the following M-W (M being a holiday, so no worries there). My carefully crafted syllabi are falling apart and my students will feel betrayed. Delighted, but betrayed. Perhaps I can do something about comp, though.... Agh! This is a problem I was hoping to have!
All Praise Moe, Almighty and All-Knowing
Well. The semester has begun, and, as I sort of expected, I feel much better about it now that it's (slightly) underway. I've designed my comp course to be pretty fun--according to me, at least--and it looks like I have a good group in my survey. And I'm already loving the MWF-only schedule.
So, what new mopey anxiety has me blogging this evening? Not a new one at all, of course, but the dreaded Job Search. I think that I should name my search, I talk about it so often. I think that I will call it Moe.
Moe has me worried, again, because he's been so quiet. Seriously, how long does it take a search committee to settle on its finalists? Actually, don't answer that--unless the answer is "at least two weeks," "always longer than anticipated," or something else to that effect. Two of the schools I interviewed with said that they hoped to make decisions by the 6th, and today's the 8th, right? So...could something have gummed up the works? I hope so.
I'm not really allowed to complain, much, because I'm definitely in the running for two jobs right now. But for reasons that I can't discuss, there could be problems with those jobs. At least with the one for which I'm most strongly in the running. Ugh. Moe, Moe, where are you? Moe! I invoke thee! O Great Moe! Moe the All-Powerful, Benevolent Moe....
****
You know, it's a lot easier to invoke--even worship?--an entity when it's personified. Hm. How much psychological dysfunction do I want this semester?
So, what new mopey anxiety has me blogging this evening? Not a new one at all, of course, but the dreaded Job Search. I think that I should name my search, I talk about it so often. I think that I will call it Moe.
Moe has me worried, again, because he's been so quiet. Seriously, how long does it take a search committee to settle on its finalists? Actually, don't answer that--unless the answer is "at least two weeks," "always longer than anticipated," or something else to that effect. Two of the schools I interviewed with said that they hoped to make decisions by the 6th, and today's the 8th, right? So...could something have gummed up the works? I hope so.
I'm not really allowed to complain, much, because I'm definitely in the running for two jobs right now. But for reasons that I can't discuss, there could be problems with those jobs. At least with the one for which I'm most strongly in the running. Ugh. Moe, Moe, where are you? Moe! I invoke thee! O Great Moe! Moe the All-Powerful, Benevolent Moe....
****
You know, it's a lot easier to invoke--even worship?--an entity when it's personified. Hm. How much psychological dysfunction do I want this semester?
Sunday, January 6, 2008
Are You Kidding Me, Bookstore?
You tell me the day before classes start that the book I ordered 2 full months ago--the one that sixty of my students need by Wednesday--hasn't arrived yet?
Um?
Um?
Regular Blogging to Resume
Okay, I know that I've been pretty quiet here--not posting much, nor replying to your comments, nor commenting on anyone else's blogs. But the state of exception (holidays, MLA, boyfriend visiting) has come to an end, and as the ordinary routine returns, I expect I'll be appearing here more frequently.
To sum up my recent activities: After the MLA and the VGS rejection, TB came to Field Town for a week-long visit. He's just left, and it was rather a sadder parting than usual, because in a couple of days he'll be leaving for a long sojourn on the other side of the world. I'm hoping to make it out there in March and then again at the end of the semester, but it's an expensive flight and my life is currently too unsettled (i.e. will I have a job?) to plan things at all in advance.
So here I am, staring down the barrel of another semester (classes start tomorrow), and hoping that I'm not too many more job searches away from a livable life.
All right, fine: that was melodramatic. Life is livable. I'm just ready for a life lived in one place, with the person I want to be with, and the possibility of a family. Forgive me; I'm in a low place this morning.
And I have things to do. Doing concrete things is one reasonably reliable way of getting out of low places. Here's a list:
Teaching will not be the whole of my life. I will keep it in perspective. To that end, I hereby resolve to not be the very best possible teacher every single day. Because if I'm constantly trying to be the very very bestest, as I was last semester, I will be exhausted and every day that I'm not perfect will demoralize me. Moreover, my life will be unsatisfying and lopsided.
During MLA, I realized that I missed research. It was such a pleasure to talk about my dissertation during the interviews that I know I need to get back into it. I'm not going to have the time or resources for serious research this semester, but I have to get the book proposal out, and I need to revise the intro. I also need to prepare a job talk and a teaching demo--one of last month's phone interviews has yielded a campus visit, and I must get on that.
There. I feel better. The weepiness has subsided. Nothing like a list....
To sum up my recent activities: After the MLA and the VGS rejection, TB came to Field Town for a week-long visit. He's just left, and it was rather a sadder parting than usual, because in a couple of days he'll be leaving for a long sojourn on the other side of the world. I'm hoping to make it out there in March and then again at the end of the semester, but it's an expensive flight and my life is currently too unsettled (i.e. will I have a job?) to plan things at all in advance.
So here I am, staring down the barrel of another semester (classes start tomorrow), and hoping that I'm not too many more job searches away from a livable life.
All right, fine: that was melodramatic. Life is livable. I'm just ready for a life lived in one place, with the person I want to be with, and the possibility of a family. Forgive me; I'm in a low place this morning.
And I have things to do. Doing concrete things is one reasonably reliable way of getting out of low places. Here's a list:
- look into airfares to Other Side of the World, estimate taxes, try to come up with a budget so that I can fly there twice
- buy a humidifier so that I don't wake up choking on the dryness of the air or drive myself crazy with itching
- prepare my classes
- groceries
- make granola for the week's breakfasts
Teaching will not be the whole of my life. I will keep it in perspective. To that end, I hereby resolve to not be the very best possible teacher every single day. Because if I'm constantly trying to be the very very bestest, as I was last semester, I will be exhausted and every day that I'm not perfect will demoralize me. Moreover, my life will be unsatisfying and lopsided.
During MLA, I realized that I missed research. It was such a pleasure to talk about my dissertation during the interviews that I know I need to get back into it. I'm not going to have the time or resources for serious research this semester, but I have to get the book proposal out, and I need to revise the intro. I also need to prepare a job talk and a teaching demo--one of last month's phone interviews has yielded a campus visit, and I must get on that.
There. I feel better. The weepiness has subsided. Nothing like a list....
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