On Job Markets and Other Such Things

So, I'm struggling a bit.

I just wrote a long blog on the job market, and working with graduate students.

And then I deleted it.

Part of why I haven't written lately is that I worry about the line between professional and personal me. Could I write something that would misrepresent my employer? Have my voice mistaken for the university's?

The worry keeps me from publishing. And it's very hard because I don't want to blog about my personal life (I like to keep some things private), and other than my personal life and my job, there's not much I feel qualified to write about.

Tips, readers?

So, friends, what's a blogger to do?

I only seem to be writing updates

It's 8 am on Sunday morning, and I just finished reading Ender's Game. I was supposed to read it for book club two weeks ago, but couldn't make it because of work.

Upstairs, my husband's oldest two nephews and mom are sleeping, here for a week-long visit. Two boys, 14 (going on 15) and 13. Lord, have mercy! Honestly, they are great kids. But the number of fart jokes....

I realize that as my job has increasingly required me to write (I now write most of the content for a quarterly newsletter) and I've worked on article revisions, I've found these sufficient arguments for not writing the blog. Add to that how much of my life seems to be spent working, and how work is largely off-limits for writing, and the result is a long-neglected blog.

In the past half-year, here are a few things that have happened:

• My job has gone permanent, which means that I can stay as long as I like. The 12-month appointment means we get to eat; it also makes my Euro-trash life-style a bit harder.
• We bought a house. This now takes up most of our free time (and money), but it's well worth the effort. The garage has an additional room, making it the perfect studio space. When husband graduates in May, he'll be able to move his studio in without a problem.
• I got a new bike to go with my new commute (see the priorities here?). It's a beautiful Linus that I got in an end-of-season sale. A heavy dutch bike, it's a smooth, slow ride to campus. Where my old commute was 2.5 miles on streets and through one of the worst neighborhoods in town, I now commute on one bike route and a bike path that runs along a creek and keeps me protected from traffic. I arrive at work calm and cool, having enjoyed my commute rather than brimming with stories about jerk #429 who tried to run me over.

At some point, I hope to have pictures up of the house. We're about half-way through painting, and husband will be installing all-new windows soon. The current windows are original to the house--single pane windows from 1937. Needless to say, they leak. With more efficient windows, we'll cut down on heating and cooling costs and also make the house easier to sell in a few years.

Hope you all are well!

A new year, new experiences

Well, I've not posted it here yet, but it's official: My name has changed for the second time in two years. Some of you may be shocked, others surprised. Really?

Yes.

I'm now Dr. Edwards!

While this has been a long time coming, it's big news, and I'm happy to share it. What I'm eager to hear is how much longer the dreams will continue. You know, fear that the degree isn't real, that someone will suss you out.... I remember a friend of mine having dreams years after finishing seminary. How many years? Did it finally stop?

With the new year, I'm taking life easier and enjoying *only* working 40-50 hours a week. (But, I love my job, and I'm learning a lot. Really, it's a great situation to be in!) Soon I'm going to start a new project, but for now, I'm just enjoying reading what I want and teaching international students how to adjust to and succeed in the university. It's hugely rewarding, and many of the changes I'm making to the course will hopefully have positive effects for the coming years of students who will come through the course.

This year will also hopefully see some great travel. We're already looking forward to a wedding in Michigan this summer; I've booked a B&B for two nights and we hope to camp for a third. Summer, Lake Michigan, the woods...I'm excited! And then, of course, we're traveling to Tennessee in May for a few days. We'll keep you all abreast of other future travel, I hope!

I'm working on posting more often; please bear with me as I try to find balance after so many years of frantically trying to stay on top of the most urgent thing. I look forward to sharing this next chapter of my life with all of you!