Wait and Hurry Up

So I wait, and I wait, and I wait. So long I begin to wonder if I will ever get an answer. And then it happens, the answer is: Yes, I have a job. Hooray! What's that? Work starts in a month and a half ...

So I put the house up for sale and look over my list of apartments and start packing and put the bike on Craigslist and ... so much. So much I've done, and so much left to do. Its gonna be a crazy month for sure. Tired and stressed but dealing with it, I guess. And every so often I have enough time to actually get excited about moving. But most of the time, for now, is just spent working. Getting ready. Though I am starting to feel like I am starting to get a handle on things.

The waiting is over. Now hurry up, you don't have much time. It will be here before you know.

Act As If

Being in limbo with my job for such a long time can be frustrating. But honestly, it is the uncertainty that is the most difficult. My grill runs out of gas. Should I get it refilled? Spring comes. Should I plant the garden or leave it empty? And hundreds of other little things. Frankly, I am sick of it. I have been doing this for several months now. So I have decided upon the following: Act As If.

Act as if I have the job. Act as if I am moving in 2-3 months. Act as if I will be selling the house. So I am going to look at apartments in VA during my trip to NC and FL. I am going to fix up some stuff around the house. Trash, give away, and sell everything I don't plan to put in a moving van. Clean out my office at school. Talk to a realtor.

If I act like it's going to happen, then maybe it just might.

Hurry up and wait

Ever been in a rush to get somewhere and then end up getting there WAY early, so then you have to sit there and wait wondering why you were in such a hurry.

This is what it is like applying for a college job. Listings are posted Nov-Jan. Applications are due Dec-Feb. Interviews are Jan-Mar. You find out Feb-Apr. It's a long process. And if you don't find something, you have to wait a whole year to start over again.

So I get called for an interview Mar 9, which is already pretty late. I had already figured that I wasn't getting a call. They schedule it for Mar 30, which is a long time away but ok. I go to my interview and get a call back the next working day, Apr 2. They tell me I am a finalist (A finalist or THE finalist, they don't say) and that the process (background checks, references, transcripts, paperwork, etc.) will probably take 30 days. They have good reasons. I understand why it will take them that long but, seriously, 30 DAYS is a looooong time to wait. Fortunately, I have been so freakin' busy I have not had much chance to care.

If they are correct, I will find out May 2. MV classes end May 7. Then finals. Commencement is May 18. My annual contact ends sometime the week after that.

I would start work Aug 16. So at least I would have 3 months in between to figure things out. Little things like, oh, selling a house. (You would not believe how long it takes to close on a house in NY. It's ridiculous.) And finding an apartment, in another state, that takes dogs. So I am rushing around like a crazed person, trying to get ready for something that may not happen.

Hurry up and wait.

Time for a Change

You may know from discussions we've had in the past, or from my semi-cryptic facebook status updates, but for the past few months I have been searching for a new job. That search has progressed to the point that certain people must be told, so now I suppose can speak a little more freely about it publicly.

'Why' might be your first question.  I could go through a list of a whole bunch of little factors that contributed to the decision. But I think that would miss the main point. So let me try and focus on that instead.

Since I came to Utica, almost 6 years ago now, my life has changed in more ways than I can count. What I need and what I want are totally different today than they were then. It's not so much that Utica has changed or that MV has changed. It is more that I have changed. The past few years have been spent digging myself out of a hole, getting to a better place in my life. But in the process, this place is no longer a good fit for me.

So much like my students, it is time to graduate and move on to the next stage of my life.

Family

Spring break was all about family. Starting with a visit to Angela, Jeff, Michaela, and Ryley in NC. It was great to hang out with them for a couple of days and have fun.

Then it was off to see Tova, Daniel, and Eliana in sunny FL.

Chillin out, soaking up the sun at the beach (the water was still way too cold for swimming), and catching up. Tova just landed a new job, so I had a day to myself. I went down to St Augustine and did the tourist routine.

But that was really just a side trip. Really it was all about visiting and spending time together. The nice weather was a bonus too, but family is what this trip was all about.

Up, up, and away

So after all the running around Zion and Grand Canyon with my friends, I left for Sedona to meet up with my family to celebrate my parent's 50th wedding anniversary. My sister has a timeshare there which we all enjoyed very much. And it was great spending time with my niece and nephews.

In addition, we got a chance to go on a hot air balloon ride over the Sedona desert. I had planned to do that on my previous visit but the weather was uncooperative. Things worked out this time and we got up VERY early for them to pick us up and take us to the launch site.

Just inflating the balloons is pretty impressive. It is hard to describe what it is like. Just how big the balloons are and how intense the flame is. Every time the pilot hit the flame, I could feel a wave of heat blasting us.

Soon we were up in the air and looking across the gorgeous valley. When the flame was not on, the ride was extremely peaceful. You can barely tell you are moving at all, except for the scenery passing by.

An amazing experience, truly.

Thanks

Every year at Thanksgiving, we all make a list of the things we are thankful for. And this year is no different. So much to be thankful for really. I have such a wonderful family. I am so happy about the newest member Eliana and am excited that I will finally be seeing her, Tova, and Daniel soon-ish. And I am happy for Jesse who has a new job and a new apartment and new possibilities ahead of him. And I have an amazing set of friends (old and new) in so many places. I am doing well, in a job that I really enjoy, in a part of the country that has lots of beauty to be found. I could go on and on.

I really have very little reason to ever complain about anything. Though trust me, I find plenty of excuses. From the movie Grand Canyon (if you haven't seen it, put it in your Netflix queue, amazing) "But that's how you get yourself in trouble. By thinking how nice it'd be to be happy more." So how about a different kind of thankfulness instead. Every night before going to bed I'm gonna try to be thankful for the day I had. Because no matter how bad it was, someone else's day was worse. And every morning I'm gonna try to be thankful for the day ahead. Because somewhere, someone didn't wake up today. When you put it in perspective, the vast majority of us are incredibly blessed, and few of us really did all that much to deserve it. So be thankful, not just today, but every day.