The last four days have been nothing short of miraculous. Even if, as I write this, I can barely talk, am totally exhausted and am reasonably certain that I have finally capitulated to The Crud.
Tuesday Night:
I "enjoyed" a 5 1/2 hour white-knuckle drive through two snowy mountain passes (the last occuring at night, on a road I've driven only once ... during the day ... in the summer). As much fun as that was, my favorite part had to be lying down in profoundly nasty snow to put on snow chains, only to lie down a couple of hours later in deep powder, to take them off. Good fun. But soaking in the jacuzzi hot tub and sleeping in the middle of a pillow-topped king-sized bed in the Inn at Goose Creek, TOTALLY made up for it.
Wednesday:
As I ate breakfast, I reviewed the copious notes I'd made about the position I was interviewing for that day. I was a little bit nervous. But a rather surreal calm descended upon me: I just knew that I had what it takes to not only do this job, but kick ass at it. I'd even identified the external resources I would need to help me navigate the bits I'm a little weak on.
So as I drove towards town, I simply focused on taking in the scenery. It's a lovely little town, literally in the middle of the state. There was snow - both fresh and old - covering the wide valley, and ... the best part ... it was SUNNY!!
Anyway, my interview day went as follows:
The two interviews about which I was most nervous, were the last two. After all, the VP has the final hiring decision. And anyone with any sense knows that if the Staff aren't happy, the School isn't happy (universal truth). Overall, the VP was most concerned about my ABD status. I explained that my degree progress was kind of hindered by an 18 month freak out over my fibroid, followed by employment instability and criminal assaults on my home. But I am sick of being ABD and am making steady progress (even though, I admit I've been a bit bad about communicating with my committee). I will graduate by summer. It's time to move on. He agreed.
With the staff and other faculty, there was pretty much one person who grilled me the most. Which makes sense, since she's the interim program director and was instrumental in the school winning the grant.
But, as luck would have it, there was another Search Committee meeting a half hour after this last interview started (this one for a Provost), so we cut my last interview a bit short.
As I drove home, racing to beat the incoming storm (I made it ... barely), I realized that in the course of the day, there were many folks who made comments like, "When you come.." or "Oh, you'll want to work with so-and-so...," you know, like I had the job already. But I didn't let it go to my head. After all, this was a position I almost didn't apply for because I'd thought it was out of my league. It took getting the interview and really scrutinizing the expectations of the position for me to realize that I am totally suited for it. But I worried: if my initial suspicion was that the job was beyond me, what did they think?
But, I did not have a lot of time to worry about it.
Thursday:
Between 8:00am and 1:30pm, I had 13 one-on-one student conferences, and taught my lit class. Then I had to go home and grab some professional-looking clothes, because by noon, I had received TWO interviews for the next day at nonprofits in the Bay Area! And not just any nonprofits, but two of the three that had really jazzed me.
So, after grabbing some clothes and patting the cats so hard on the head that Chester actually swiped at me, I broke some serious speed laws to get to my 3:45 flight to San Jose. I got there in time ... just barely, sat in my seat and began drafting Thank You notes to my interviewers from the day before.
But I was a bit confounded. Every time I'd try to write a simple "Thank You," it turned into an action plan, with specific things I would do if given the job. I guess it makes sense, because they need someone who can start asap. But still, it's not like I'd been hired, yet; no need to come across as presumptuous, or desperate. So I changed gears and flipped through Alaska's magazine (now I dream of staying at a lodge on the Copper River).
As we approached San Jose, I looked out the window and was stunned by the cloudless sky, the bright setting sun and the pall of smog. The woman sitting in the row with me made similar observations, and we began chatting about our respective experiences growing up in the valley back when it was mostly orchards. Though she's closer to my mom's age than mine, we had a lovely conversation and I learned that she lives in Selah, a small community a mere 30 minutes away from where I'd interviewed. She'd also graduated from the school, as did her son, and had nothing but wonderful things to say about the experience.
We talked so effortlessly and amiably with each other, that we didn't even notice we had effectively closed the plane, until the flight attendants began to smile at us with a little too much urgency. When we got to the terminal, we exchanged contact info and she offered to be a neighbor and a guide to central Washington, if I do get the job. Oh yeah, and her name is Grace.
When we parted ways, I checked my voicemail. The VP had called me during my flight. I called him back, and got his voice mail and immediately began to panic: Is he calling to tell me that I got the job? Or maybe he needs more information? Or...? So I did what any sane person would do: I called my mom and proceeded to analyze every bit of intonation in his 10 second message.
Then my phone died. What does that mean? Did I get the job, and this is God's way of telling me to chill? Did I not get the job and this is God's way of telling me, "Psych!"
I wasn't any calmer by the time I met up with a dear friend for dinner. But I couldn't freak out too much because I had the finishing touches of a presentation to put together for Saturday and two interviews on Friday.
Friday:
As I organized my notes for the two interviews, I received a call from the VP: I GOT THE JOB!!!!
I was still riding high off of that call, when, like 10 minutes later, I received a call from a third Bay Area nonprofit, FacingHistory.org, offering me an interview with them. The voice of caution in me told me maybe I should go ahead and interview, because until I have a written offer, the offer doesn't legally exist. But when the interviewer explained that their hiring process would take 6 weeks and 3 rounds of interviews, including one at the headquarters in Boston, I turned down the interview. Instead, I turned on the networking. The work that they do resonates with the work done at PSEC, and I plan to put the PSEC director in touch with the new Program Associate in Seattle.
As for the other interviews, the first was very short. He discerned, really quickly, that though the position is for a Research Assistant, my research passions would be better served in academia than as his Girl Friday. But again, I totally respect the work of the organization.
After a brief attempt to walk up Telegraph from Oakland to Berkeley (man, I'd forgotten just how huge the Bay Area is), I caught a bus to Berkeley where I walked around, soaked up some very nice 66 degree sun and plopped down at one of my favorite Berkeley cafes to do some more work.
But as I sat there, alternately people watching and working, I realized ... I am complete with the Bay Area.
I still love the plethora of amazing restaurants and cultural events. I covet the diversity of dance classes. And the sunshine ... my Lord, I was walking around in a tank top in FEBRUARY! Hard to beat.
But when I looked at people going by, you'd think they were all at a funeral. Living in the Bay Area is a hard-scrabble life: it's more crowded than ever, and only getting worse; it's ridiculously expensive (what $650000 buys in Oakland vs. Ellensburg); and it's dirtier. So, I decided: the best way to love the Bay Area, is from afar, with occasional pilgrimages (like for Stern Grove). Nevertheless, I still went to the interview and learned a lot more about the organization. It's definitely a group that I want to support however I can, as they provide basic Green job training for young people and are poised to join the Ella Baker Center's Green Collar Jobs Campaign.
Anyway, the day wrapped up with my friend treating me to yet another dinner and some kick-ass Turkish desserts (I love all things with rose water. Seriously).
Then, at like 11:30 at night, I finally got some substantive feedback from my colleague and tried to finish the PowerPoint for today's presentation. Due to my financial limitations, I wasn't able to register in time, so I will be there virtually. I tried to narrate my presentation, but about 1/3 of the way through, my voice gave out. For some strange reason, my body seems not to like it when I go from a plodding pace to a frenetic one, in the midst of cold and flu season. At any rate, I should find out later today how it went. Right now I am WRECKED.
I need to take a nap and then resume grading. I'm also going to have a double shot of Emergen-C, because I REALLY want to meet the new baby some of my church friends recently had.
Recap:
So yeah, in the last few days I have been blessed with:
Tuesday Night:
I "enjoyed" a 5 1/2 hour white-knuckle drive through two snowy mountain passes (the last occuring at night, on a road I've driven only once ... during the day ... in the summer). As much fun as that was, my favorite part had to be lying down in profoundly nasty snow to put on snow chains, only to lie down a couple of hours later in deep powder, to take them off. Good fun. But soaking in the jacuzzi hot tub and sleeping in the middle of a pillow-topped king-sized bed in the Inn at Goose Creek, TOTALLY made up for it.
Wednesday:
As I ate breakfast, I reviewed the copious notes I'd made about the position I was interviewing for that day. I was a little bit nervous. But a rather surreal calm descended upon me: I just knew that I had what it takes to not only do this job, but kick ass at it. I'd even identified the external resources I would need to help me navigate the bits I'm a little weak on.
So as I drove towards town, I simply focused on taking in the scenery. It's a lovely little town, literally in the middle of the state. There was snow - both fresh and old - covering the wide valley, and ... the best part ... it was SUNNY!!
Anyway, my interview day went as follows:
10:30 - 11:30 Interview with Search CommitteeThe whole day felt like one long conversation, in which I carried myself pretty well. I made it clear that I'd not only researched the school and the resources available at the school to help me do the job. But I'd also researched the federal requirements that dictate much of the position, regional and national resources that could support broader campus initiatives and had looked up the history of the community where the school is located (i.e. addressing the Elephant in the Room: are there black people in Central Washington, or would my moving there significantly change the statistics).
11:30 - 1:00 Lunch with Search Committee
1:00 - 1:15ish A partial campus tour
1:30 - 2:30 Meet with one of the VPs
2:30 - 3:30 Meet with interested faculty and exempt staff, for more questions
The two interviews about which I was most nervous, were the last two. After all, the VP has the final hiring decision. And anyone with any sense knows that if the Staff aren't happy, the School isn't happy (universal truth). Overall, the VP was most concerned about my ABD status. I explained that my degree progress was kind of hindered by an 18 month freak out over my fibroid, followed by employment instability and criminal assaults on my home. But I am sick of being ABD and am making steady progress (even though, I admit I've been a bit bad about communicating with my committee). I will graduate by summer. It's time to move on. He agreed.
With the staff and other faculty, there was pretty much one person who grilled me the most. Which makes sense, since she's the interim program director and was instrumental in the school winning the grant.
But, as luck would have it, there was another Search Committee meeting a half hour after this last interview started (this one for a Provost), so we cut my last interview a bit short.
As I drove home, racing to beat the incoming storm (I made it ... barely), I realized that in the course of the day, there were many folks who made comments like, "When you come.." or "Oh, you'll want to work with so-and-so...," you know, like I had the job already. But I didn't let it go to my head. After all, this was a position I almost didn't apply for because I'd thought it was out of my league. It took getting the interview and really scrutinizing the expectations of the position for me to realize that I am totally suited for it. But I worried: if my initial suspicion was that the job was beyond me, what did they think?
But, I did not have a lot of time to worry about it.
Thursday:
Between 8:00am and 1:30pm, I had 13 one-on-one student conferences, and taught my lit class. Then I had to go home and grab some professional-looking clothes, because by noon, I had received TWO interviews for the next day at nonprofits in the Bay Area! And not just any nonprofits, but two of the three that had really jazzed me.
So, after grabbing some clothes and patting the cats so hard on the head that Chester actually swiped at me, I broke some serious speed laws to get to my 3:45 flight to San Jose. I got there in time ... just barely, sat in my seat and began drafting Thank You notes to my interviewers from the day before.
But I was a bit confounded. Every time I'd try to write a simple "Thank You," it turned into an action plan, with specific things I would do if given the job. I guess it makes sense, because they need someone who can start asap. But still, it's not like I'd been hired, yet; no need to come across as presumptuous, or desperate. So I changed gears and flipped through Alaska's magazine (now I dream of staying at a lodge on the Copper River).
As we approached San Jose, I looked out the window and was stunned by the cloudless sky, the bright setting sun and the pall of smog. The woman sitting in the row with me made similar observations, and we began chatting about our respective experiences growing up in the valley back when it was mostly orchards. Though she's closer to my mom's age than mine, we had a lovely conversation and I learned that she lives in Selah, a small community a mere 30 minutes away from where I'd interviewed. She'd also graduated from the school, as did her son, and had nothing but wonderful things to say about the experience.
We talked so effortlessly and amiably with each other, that we didn't even notice we had effectively closed the plane, until the flight attendants began to smile at us with a little too much urgency. When we got to the terminal, we exchanged contact info and she offered to be a neighbor and a guide to central Washington, if I do get the job. Oh yeah, and her name is Grace.
When we parted ways, I checked my voicemail. The VP had called me during my flight. I called him back, and got his voice mail and immediately began to panic: Is he calling to tell me that I got the job? Or maybe he needs more information? Or...? So I did what any sane person would do: I called my mom and proceeded to analyze every bit of intonation in his 10 second message.
Then my phone died. What does that mean? Did I get the job, and this is God's way of telling me to chill? Did I not get the job and this is God's way of telling me, "Psych!"
I wasn't any calmer by the time I met up with a dear friend for dinner. But I couldn't freak out too much because I had the finishing touches of a presentation to put together for Saturday and two interviews on Friday.
Friday:
As I organized my notes for the two interviews, I received a call from the VP: I GOT THE JOB!!!!
As for the other interviews, the first was very short. He discerned, really quickly, that though the position is for a Research Assistant, my research passions would be better served in academia than as his Girl Friday. But again, I totally respect the work of the organization.
After a brief attempt to walk up Telegraph from Oakland to Berkeley (man, I'd forgotten just how huge the Bay Area is), I caught a bus to Berkeley where I walked around, soaked up some very nice 66 degree sun and plopped down at one of my favorite Berkeley cafes to do some more work.
But as I sat there, alternately people watching and working, I realized ... I am complete with the Bay Area.
I still love the plethora of amazing restaurants and cultural events. I covet the diversity of dance classes. And the sunshine ... my Lord, I was walking around in a tank top in FEBRUARY! Hard to beat.
But when I looked at people going by, you'd think they were all at a funeral. Living in the Bay Area is a hard-scrabble life: it's more crowded than ever, and only getting worse; it's ridiculously expensive (what $650000 buys in Oakland vs. Ellensburg); and it's dirtier. So, I decided: the best way to love the Bay Area, is from afar, with occasional pilgrimages (like for Stern Grove). Nevertheless, I still went to the interview and learned a lot more about the organization. It's definitely a group that I want to support however I can, as they provide basic Green job training for young people and are poised to join the Ella Baker Center's Green Collar Jobs Campaign.
Anyway, the day wrapped up with my friend treating me to yet another dinner and some kick-ass Turkish desserts (I love all things with rose water. Seriously).
Then, at like 11:30 at night, I finally got some substantive feedback from my colleague and tried to finish the PowerPoint for today's presentation. Due to my financial limitations, I wasn't able to register in time, so I will be there virtually. I tried to narrate my presentation, but about 1/3 of the way through, my voice gave out. For some strange reason, my body seems not to like it when I go from a plodding pace to a frenetic one, in the midst of cold and flu season. At any rate, I should find out later today how it went. Right now I am WRECKED.
I need to take a nap and then resume grading. I'm also going to have a double shot of Emergen-C, because I REALLY want to meet the new baby some of my church friends recently had.
Recap:
So yeah, in the last few days I have been blessed with:
- Traveling mercies;
- Four interviews and one seriously awesome job offer;
- Providential encounters;
- Time spent with a dear, dear friend; and
- Clarity about where my home and heart should be.
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