Sunday, December 08, 2013

In Which I Return Early To Tell You All's Kind of Mostly Well That Ends Well

Very short version: Mountain U offered the spouse a TT job-of-his-dreams, here in the exact place we most want to live.  So.

Much longer version:

Dr. S took this visiting-assistant-professor job here despite... well, despite practically everything.  It was the equivalent of putting all your money on one horse.  Also:

* the department interviewed four people and the other three were female
* I understand their legitimate desire to hire a female scientist BUT
* two applicants sucked and the other one they apparently hated (this on the direct word of Dr. S's chair)
* so naturally they weaseled around, told Dr. S when they'd decide and then didn't, then made an offer to the one they hated and lied to him about it.
* AND when he called everywhere else he'd applied, they told him they figured Mountain U had written him such a fantastic recommendation that they would surely hire him, so these other places didn't even call him, and now they'd made offers elsewhere.  Way to get screwed coming and going, right?

To give you an idea of the time scale, he interviewed on Halloween.   I have spent the last week both grieving for all our dreams, and applying for jobs across the state.  Also I basically haven't slept well in months.  Do they make IV Valium?  I could really use some right about now.

We are both under the impression that something screwy was happening.  Either the faculty are deeply divided - which is very very bad-  or the administration was applying some kind of pressure and/or leverage that the department either couldn't or wouldn't counter, which is maybe less bad.

However, the only remaining questions are, can he get anyone to tell him what really is going on, and can he convince them to offer him more money?  (This is in accordance with my firmly held principle that one should always at least ask for more.)  They've burned a lot of goodwill by fucking lying but, on the other hand, this is pretty much the life we've always wanted: here in my home state, somewhere we can afford to buy a few acres, plant a bunch of fruit trees and an enormous garden, and grow old watching the sun set over the mountains.

Excuse me, I'm going to go drink a few stiff ones out of sheer relief.

(P.S.  If you've been wondering why the hell I haven't emailed you back - you know who you all are, and you are legion- I'm sorry.  I was too full of sadness and worry to even get as far as "Hello World".  Hopefully the emotional hangover will wear off soon.)

14 comments:

  1. I will focus on the good news: ability to live life always wanted! Fruit trees galore!! I hope the rest of the pieces fall into place without much more angst. You all could use a break :)

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  2. Good to hear your good news!

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  3. Oh what a relief! Such a frustrating process...

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  4. Wow! That's very good news. If one is going to hold one's breath and lose a lot of sleep over something, you really hope it all ends well. I'm so glad that things are working out the way you and your spouse were hoping.

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  5. Great news! Sorry you guys had to go through the wringer to get it, though! But: family, acres, fruit trees, garden, mountains---all good stuff.

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  6. Drink. DRINK! Congrats to you both. Mainly to you for holding the fort and dealing with the fall out without LOSING YOUR MIND (permanently) x

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  7. Wow! That is incredibly stressful. I'm glad that you all got such great news and that things seem like they're (finally) working out!

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  8. Anonymous8:32 PM

    Congratulations to you!
    Sorry the glimpse "inside the sausage factory" ,as it were, was so unsettling and stressful. Hopefully something advantageous will come from all the angst.
    Fingers crossed for best possible outcome.
    And, congrats about the acres, and garden, and fruit trees, and mountain sunset becoming a reality. Bliss.
    --Neighbor Lady

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  9. Er. So the lying is disconcerting to say the least. But hey, a TT job offer! In a place where you'd like to live, and all of that! I wish you guys all the best and hope this works out.

    Also, I was kind of amused that you found my other blog ;)

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    1. I hope it's okay! I can stop reading it if you prefer. I'd actually read it before without realizing it was you, but the pieces clicked.

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    2. Don't worry - I needed a space that is reasonably safe from in-laws and colleagues (and perhaps not so easily linked to my name). You're not in any of these groups, so feel free to keep reading!

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  10. Anonymous11:51 AM

    I'm sorry this did not go down like a fairy tale. I'm coming to see that it almost never does--people are always bitter about some aspect of their hiring. Granted, your scenario is pretty bad. BUT, I think if you guys can shake off the bad (which might require you to stop speculating about what happened), the happy ending part could still obtain. The happy ending parts are pretty F*ING AWESOME, I must say.

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    1. He's mostly only concerned about, is any of what happened something that will affect an eventual tenure bid. I think it's a legit concern. Aside from that, we're over it.

      The 'and then nowhere else bothered to call' is the most bitterness-inducing part. What the hell, academia??? Whatever. IT'S ALL OVER NOW!!!! DRINKS ALL AROUND!!!!

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  11. I have not been keeping up with you, so sorry for the greatly delayed response. Congrats to Dr. S! I'm glad it worked out, though I do wish it had worked out without such tribulations.

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