Anything Can Happen

I'm starting to gear up for another season of job searching. This just after a particularly grueling and demoralizing year of sending out job applications. So this post is for my future self, to remind myself that even in the darkest of hours that it's not the end of the world. Because no matter what happens with regard to my job search, I still have

1. My own health
   
2. A wonderful, loving husband who has always supported my decisions
   
3. Two healthy, intelligent and adorable children
   
4. A roof over our heads
   
5. Enough wealth to provide us food, power, necessities, and then some
   
6. Friends who care about me
   
7. Career options open to me other than academia
   
8. A life full of endless possibilities
   

We went to see Mary Poppins the Musical over the past weekend, and as cheesy as it sounds, I found the song "Anything Can Happen If You Let It" to be very uplifting. It's the part where Winifred realizes that she doesn't have to be stuck in the role that her husband and society have set out for her. So I can relate to her as a woman with big dreams. And as an astronomer, I can't help but find the bridge to speak directly to me:

If you reach for the stars all you get are the stars
but we've found a whole new spin
if you reach for the heavens
You get the stars thrown in

I don't have to be defined by the box that others try to put me in. I can choose my own life and my own happiness for myself.

The Ides of March

I spent last week in Boston and Philly. Before I left, there were still a few sad piles of snow left from our snowstorms back in February (aka "Snowmaggedon"), enough that finding a clear parking space at the airport was a challenge. By the time I got back, most of the snow was gone. Except for this, which I encountered this morning:

From Twinkle twinkle YSO

Yesterday was Pi Day, so I made chicken pot pi(e) for dinner, and pumpkin pi(e) for dessert.

I now have a backup employment plan for next year, in the event that a faculty job doesn't come through! Not as good as a real job offer, but it certainly takes a load off my mind.

I'm about out of random updates now.

Rumor mongering

What is your opinion of the astrophysics jobs rumor mill?

a) Nothing good ever comes of reading the rumor mill.
b) The rumor mill is totally addictive and I check it multiple times a day.
c) a & b

Discuss.

The truth about the truth

*testing* *testing*

Boy, this place is dusty with disuse!

I've come back here because I keep constructing blog entries in my head, but they aren't really appropriate for the Women in Astrnomy blog, but I still need an outlet for them, so here I am.

*ahem* Here goes.

A few years ago, I went to a career development workshop, out of which I got very little useful advice. There was however, one exercise which stuck in my mind, and that was answering the question, "What is your biggest flaw?" Well, now I have an answer.

I am too honest.

Here's an example: say I'm interviewing for a job. At some point, the conversation will turn to what it's like to live in the area and quality of life issues, that kind of thing. And rather than expressing 100% enthusiasm for the prospect of living there, I will simply blurt out, "well, I'm not sure I'll like that." Which doesn't actually mean that I won't take the job should it be offered to me, it means exactly that: it's not the ideal living situation for me. But then again, the ideal living situation for me would include one, maybe two specific cities in the US, so why on earth would I even say such a thing?

I believe I am going to shoot myself in the foot with applying for jobs this year, which is bad because there are few jobs to be had to begin with, and I have no real fallback if I don't get a job. Recruiters are willing enough to lie to me (We'd love it if you'd apply to our position! It's a completely open search! We'll get back to you next week!) why shouldn't I be willing to lie to them? Except I can't seem to break myself of telling the truth.

Ups and Downs

+I continue to write Awesome scripts.  Up to 1339 words of IDL.

-It doesn't count toward InaDWriMo.

-And I haven't written any further text yet.

+I feel pretty good about the job applications I turned in last week.

-I think my various advisors and mentors are subtly suggesting that I'm not cut out for research.  But maybe I'm just projecting.

And because I want to end on positive note:

+Peach-blueberry cobbler is yummy.