The cockles of my heart grow warm every time I realize that, somewhere out there, perhaps in a college classroom, certainly in a pulpit, a tedious distinction between aid and add—vastly more tedious than the single letter that distinguishes them—is still being arduously made. It’s so quaint!
Also quaint, but much more tenable: Late December, a Hermits Rock meetup in Chicago! (Friday, December 28?)
possibly, quite possibly… it would depend on when and where i hock my wares.
this is such a bizzare process. (as i am sure you know)
by Balthasar Gracián—Oct 10, 10:28 PM
Oh, we can work out a place. Anybody else gonna in town? Shaun? Chi-town lurkers?
by greg—Oct 11, 06:35 AM
They’re like figures in a wax museum aren’t they?
As for the meetup, it’s actually not beyond the realm of possibility; I’ll probably be in America around then (for the first time in over 4 years!), but still very unlikely.
by JH—Oct 11, 06:37 AM
Like figures in a wax museum walking on beds of coals!
You’re in the States, too? Then we’ve got to find a way to get you to come north!
by greg—Oct 11, 06:41 AM
I can only wish I were there hocking my wares. It wouldn’t take long — I’ve only got a few to hock. Look for me in San Fran next year, not that that’s a great place for a Hermits meet-up.
by shaun—Oct 11, 07:52 AM
Too bad. But who knows? Next year, San Francisco might in fact be a good place for a meetup…
by greg—Oct 11, 07:59 AM
it will most definitely be, should this year prove uneventful. and, i know one shouldn’t count one’s chickens, but today i’m pretty positive that san fran might not have to happen for me… except as possibly a holiday destination. ask me tomorrow and i will tell you another story. one where i convince you that any school hiring me is insane. and, since they aren’t (insane that is), they won’t.
by Balthasar Gracián—Oct 11, 08:04 AM
the reason why i’m positive today is because i’ve finished my letters and my research plan and i’ve come to realize… though i might only have two publications, both very well placed, i’ve got tons and tons of experience… experience beyond my years, really. in that in my three short years of post-doctoral employ i have done a little bit of everything that people do in universities (except get outside funding and write grants—though i do know how to write a really nice letter begging deans and departments for monies)
of course, the question now is, will any of the institutions to which i am applying pony up.
by Balthasar Gracián—Oct 11, 08:09 AM
bg—
What kinds of jobs are you seeking? I’m guessing from what I can tell about your record your still wanting something with a serious research component, but your recent comments about the current job might suggest otherwise. I don’t really know what life is like for profs in the other languages at non-research schools.
by shaun—Oct 11, 08:19 AM
the places i am looking at are all small liberal arts institutions.
3 are classified as research-intensive and/or research-high institutions. 2 are solidly liberal arts but want faculty to be professionally active (symposia, conferences, and publications). 1 doesn’t mention research at all, and kind of scares me.
1 has a 2/2 teaching load.
2 have a 3/2 teaching load.
2 have a 3/3 teaching load, with possibilities of either doing a 3/1/2 or finding funding for a 3/2 load, on occasion.
1 has a 3/3/i teaching load. it is the one that scares me.
life for the spanish professor, depending on the institution, of course, is not what it was 15 years ago. given the number of Spanish majors, most professors at most institutions have been able to move into the teaching of literature.
only the 2/2 does not mention language. all other institutions indicate that language is part and parcel of my contract. but it would break down into 1 intro to language, 1 advanced (composition or conversation), 1 intro to lit or culture, and 1 in my area of hire a year, or something like that depending on the institution, its needs, and how many language instructors it has.
life at any non-research institution is a lot of language instruction… which is fine, but i didn’t get into this to do that. which, again, is why 3/3/1 scares me.
and, no, i haven’t given up on research, nor institutions that require professors to research. i’d just like to be at an institution that has more of the human touch.
some of these places do not require a book for tenure, some do.
by Balthasar Gracián—Oct 11, 08:39 AM
Thanks for the info. Sounds a good bit like what we English folks face. Best of luck.
by shaun—Oct 11, 08:44 AM
i may be in chicago, but prob not with the fam. keep me posted.
by mary—Oct 12, 06:40 AM
Awesome!
by greg—Oct 12, 06:57 AM
I am now not only far, far behind as a blogger but also far, far behind as a blog reader. . . but that apology made, I will actually probably be in Chicago around the 28, unless I’m already in Iowa City by that point. (Much hinges on a) when my godson’s baptism is and b) when I can get a ride.) But count me in!
by Laura—Oct 28, 07:12 PM
Our travel plans are set: Dec 28 is on! Details TBA.
by greg—Nov 5, 12:31 PM
that’s a lotta faith your stepping out on…
but, most likely i will be in chicago around that time, as you can’t really call my in-laws chicago, chicago-land yes.
is MB gonna be up chicago way around then too?
and, should one apply to a college that changes lives, if it means possibly going back to a place where you still have friends that are still staunchly declaring the full counsel of the gospel… and the expectation is that we too would be to not tolerate “Status Quo” (falling short of the Word) or “Extreme Liberalism” (going beyond the Word), which means that i will spend my days on a park bench?
by Balthasar Gracián—Nov 5, 12:42 PM
We have a friend who’s teaching at the life-changing college you linked to, GB…He was labeled a trouble-maker for his friendship with a colleague on the faculty, and one one of their offices was moved to keep them away from each other. Just to clarify, this was strictly a friendship…the colleague’s a woman, and our (male) friend is gay.
Also, the photos on the website make it appear that faculty members have to dress for class (bow tie!).
by kl—Nov 5, 01:15 PM
oh, i’ve got bowties, i’ve got bowties… and, it appears that they have problems with female/gay male friendships not straight male/gay male friendships.
no, the only reason i would apply there is because i’d get close to a 10k raise, if not more, and because a good friend is applying to UofM, which i still call MState, and we wouldn’t mind being in the same town… but, the four of us, despite our alma mater connection, would end up doing jaegermeister/beast bombs after church on sunday. plus, his getting the remote possible possibility of his getting a job there is not reason enough to apply… i don’t think
by Balthasar Gracián—Nov 5, 01:32 PM