Panting to the Finish Line

Wow, what a packed last few days. As I'm typing this, I'm surrounded by a small fort of books--the library's and my own. When I write my papers, I sort of stack them around me and the computer as I use them. I didn't realize how they make me look like I'm under siege until I tried to get out of the book-castle. I don't want to take them back until the very end, just in case I need to make some last minute changes.

I had my interview yesterday. Holy Shitsky what a stressful event. I was interviewed by a committee of four people--I've only ever been interviewed one on one before. I did my homework and came prepared, but I absolutely loathe those personal "performance" events, so I was still nervous. I think I did OK, but honestly it's still one big blur. Hopefully I didn't say "poop" or something else self-defeating. I can only imagine what it's like to interview at MLA. That's where the "real" job interviews are held, at the convention once a year. I was trying to explain the process to Director/Buddy, about how each school takes out a conference room for a certain length of time and sends a panel to interview lots of people in one day. "Sort of like the NFL draft?" She asked. Yes. Pretty much like the draft of the really "good" English grad students.

This Friday I will know whether I made it to the second round. Second round??? I'm starting to feel like I'm on American Idol. I didn't even know there was a second round. I was happily thinking I was done until I got the new set of info at the end of the interview. If I make it, I'll be interviewing with one or more deans on Monday. Holy Shitsky II. This job is a lot more involved than I thought it was. I thought it was some departmental thing, but apparently it's part of a greater university program to try to improve student retention. If I got the job, I'd be one of 8-9 people hand picked to carry out the experiment in his/her field. The realization that I got close enough to interview for something that important hit me pretty hard. Our chair didn't even have to interview with the dean.

The next nine days or so are just packed like crazy. I'll be glad to get through them. They shake down like this:

Wednesday: student conferences, bunch of appointments, class at night (last one, woot!)
Thursday: work all day as hard as I can to get the office back to normal from where Stinky destroyed it. Class at night. Last one ever. Woot.
Friday: last day of teaching, discover whether I made it through to the second round or not, leave immediately for KY Derby, drive all day. Party. Woot.
Saturday: Horsie! Horsie! Horsie!
Sunday: Breakfast and let down of no more horsie, long drive home
Monday: Grade portfolios like mad, potentially meet with dean for second round interview, freak out.
Tuesday: leave for state literacy conference, unfortunately an overnighter in a city that should be fun but just isn't.
Wednesday: All day state literacy conference; contemplate stabbing out own eyeball
Thursday: proctor a prof's final exam at the buttcrack of dawn, give back my own portfolios, work, dinner meeting with tutors, possible 80's themed party at Batmite!'s in celebration of being done with grad school, collapse
Friday: work to try and catch up for having been out of the office, discover whether I got this job or not, choose whether or not to drown my sorrows in what's left of the Patron tequila or whether I celebrate my new success with what's left of the Patron tequila
Saturday: all day strategic planning session for the literacy program; contemplate stabbing out own eyeball
Sunday: and on the 12th day, she rested.

Then, perhaps, the dust will settle. Regardless of what happens with this job, the dust soo needs to settle.

-- Virgil