race around the track

When I finished up with graduate school, the number one question I got asked by people in academia was, "Did you get a tenure track job?" I didn't, and I didn't care. My job pretty much has all the perks of tenure. I can become an associate professor, if I like, and I can also become a full professor, if I work hard enough. I scoffed at the naysayers. After all, they were the ones who said I couldn't write a dissertation on chick lit. I'd show them. I'm always happiest at the margins.

Until yesterday... when my reappointment files were due. Since I don't have a tenure track job, I have to reapply for my job every three years, which means writing a teaching statement, a research statement, and a service statement as well as compiling an enormous pile of extraneous material including past syllabi, writing assignments, and student samples. Since I take my job seriously (and since March marked the start of Women's History Month and our "capstone" event for our program), I patiently waited until the start of Spring Break on Friday afternoon at 5 pm to begin compiling these documents. It took forever. Forever.

Only now am I emerging from this trauma. The sad thing is that I just wanted to get it all done so that I could have some time to grade. That's what spring break is for, right? Okay... I lie. My calendar is also filled with doctor's appointments, a haircut, and having my taxes done. I'm looking forward to a slight reprieve at the end of the week when we head to the sandy beaches of the Lehigh Valley.

P.S. - A big welcome to Baby B! So glad you could make it in time for St. Patrick's Day!

Watched The Informant. Re-watched half of The Talented Mr. Ripley. Still watching Weeds: Season 5.