Another Chance

Remember that "other interview" I mentioned? The interview is a week from today. I'm super excited about this school because 1) I would get to teach the subject areas I really like 2) they have the equipment I need  and 3) are in a geographic location that would work for Mike too!   I might uncover some things that I won't like when I am there but I'm going to be the optimist and assume it will be great! I only have a 1/3 chance of getting this but I'm going to try really really hard to "wow" them and get them to make me an offer.  I'm hoping that they don't already have someone in mind for the job (remember last year's experience on the west coast).   I'll keep you posted although I likely won't know until the end of January.

No regrets...

One of the job offers that I got was really hard to turn down.  I enjoyed the people I met so much and it would have been so much fun to work with them.  I sent the chair an email thanking him once again for the opportunity to interview and to let him know how difficult the decision was for me.  He sent me a wonderful email back and now I'm sad.  It would have been such a great place to work.  <sniff sniff>

No regrets but I'm going to read the email one more time.

Ethan

Our trip to San Francisco for the Annual Society for Cell Biology conference allowed us to stay a few extra days and spend some time with Mike's brother, sister-in-law, and nephew.  Ethan really liked his Uncle Mike and didn't mind being held in a kind of weird way with a really tight grip!  He is such a cutie and a very happy boy.  Gotta love those baby blues too!

 Sitting on Uncle Mike's lap.

I tried to convince Mike to buy this hat but he wasn't interested.

2013 is looking good so far...

I know that 2012 hasn't ended yet but I have some bright spots on the horizon for 2013 already.

1) I have another job interview, this time in a feasible geographic location and at a school that has the equipment I would need!

2) I'm number 2 on the wait list for a parking spot behind my building.  This would mean that I no longer have to walk 15 mins twice a day to my car.  (This will also mean that I need to go to the gym more regularly but I will have 30 extra minutes in which to do that).  I'm optimistic that sometime in January I will get the parking pass.

3) I'm teaching Genetics at a small college about 45 mins from home starting in February.  My very own class...I'm excited and super nervous.

A good problem to have

The job interviews went well.  I really liked the people and school in the coldest place but the geographic location to a job for Mike was not ideal.  I really liked the location of the not as cold place but the school/department were not ideal.  Both schools offered me jobs.  I have been thinking and rethinking what taking these jobs would mean.  Job 1 (cold) would provide me with a lot of professional satisfaction with excellent colleagues and excellent support but our quality of life would be less because of hour long commutes for both Mike and I.  Job 2 (less cold) would be a great quality of life near family and 20 min commutes for both of us but I see real challenges at that school and professionally I would not be as happy.  So what do I do???

After days of agonizing over this decision (and ruining my vacation in California) we have decided that in this case nothing is better than either job.  I have two potential job interviews coming up which only gives me a 1/3 chance of getting a job but I'm going to be picky.  I said I was going to try this college professor thing but in the end, quality of life with my family is the most important thing to me.

If you can, keep your fingers crossed that one of the others works out otherwise our adventures will continue in NC.

Happy Holidays!

Update

I leave Sunday for two job interviews (back to back).  Both in cold places :(  But since I didn't apply to any jobs in NC or south of NC I shouldn't be surprised by this.  It is just hard, after 10 years, to think about dealing with snow again.  Mike assures me that if we moved to CA this wouldn't be a problem.  Unfortunately no jobs in CA either.  I've also had 3 phone interviews in the last week and a half but won't know if I will be invited to campus for those until after Christmas.  I wish academics jobs search would try and coordinate a bit better....  I'll let you know how it goes!

Happy Thanksgiving

This year we were fortunate to spend Thanksgiving with our friends Caryn and Andy.  We actually cooked dinner at Caryn's parents house in Cary since the kitchen was bigger than both of our tiny apartment kitchens combined.  They let us bring Cali over so she wouldn't be alone all day.  She had a good time but she had to share the space with their two cats so it was likely less than ideal for her.  Cali got along well with Orange Kitty but not as well with their other cat, Watson.  Caryn did an awesome job cooking the bird and all the fixin's.   We spent the evening by the fire watching a James Bond film and had a great time.  I think Cali could get used to this kind of living.  Doesn't she look comfy in front of the fire??

Orange Kitty

Here is the double layer pumpkin cheese cake I made.  It was awesome.