Why I'm Still Smiling

I found out three weeks ago that I'd be losing my job.  The job that I took so we would have some security. The job that isn't what I wanted but what is what would allow us to settle nicely in our community, buy a little house and live our little lives. She didn't want to tell me alone so she had one of the deans come with her. I think she took it harder than I did. Seriously, bless her heart.

Sent this to my boss the other day when I was working from home. :)

I hate it when my plans are interrupted.  Of course, I've been down this particular road four times in the last two years at the same university.  The reason this time: funding cuts. Well, that's the first reason. The second reason is politics and truly, the budget cut wasn't about me or anything I have or haven't done. The university is overall sort of graceless, with some really nice, kind and loyal people interspersed throughout.  But mostly, they just don't have their stuff together.

I was offered another job- one that I helped create when I was on a committee this spring.  I'm pretty proud of my work on that committee too. And it was a great compliment to me that the job description was lifted directly from the report that I wrote (with credit too).  But ultimately, it's not what I want to do at this stage of my life. So I said no. G put it nicely. He said that it was time for me to recognize that while this is a nice place, I'm in a bad professional relationship and it's time to break up.  I agree.

So we're looking at packing and moving again.  I am tired of instability and I'm tired of feeling as though I am employed at the whim of people who do not know me, nor care one way or another about the predicament they leave me in.  I don't trust my university anymore.  I have a signed contract- guaranteeing me employment- and it did no good. That's all I'm going to say about it because I don't want to go down a bitter path.  Instead, G and I have decided that we'll take time and do a national job search. There isn't any place that's off limits, though we're more excited by Northern, cold climates than boiling Southern ones.  Like I said though, nothing is out of consideration.

I have a back up plan to teach full time at the university this next year while I look for something more suitable, so we're ok there.  The English department has been fantastic, absolutely fantastic.

So I'm still smiling. The weather is great- not too hot and not too cold.  Eleanor the kitty is in great health and seems to be more feisty every day, and G and I are both in good health.  Heck, everyone in our family is right now.  That may not seem like a big deal but to me it is.

Oh, and we had our second wedding anniversary a few weeks ago.  It was fun and we went hiking and even took a trip to Seattle to see the museum. G visited Trader Joes for the first time and we shopped till we dropped. It was a great day.

I'll keep you posted on the job situation. I haven't mentioned it to many people because I'm not in shock and I'm not really worried, just intent on doing the right thing.