Day 20: Not All Who Wander Are Lost

Two years ago today, I arrived in Illinois to start my life as a resident. A year and a day from now, my term of employment with Fermilab will end. It is not too late to begin looking at the job market for my next position, which is what I started doing today.

There are several positions that caught my interest. Some are fellowships, which will be highly competitive but quite a feather in my cap if I can snag one. There is an Auger position open at the University of New Mexico, which I can almost certainly get if I apply for it. There is a tenure-track professorship open at Mt. Holyoke College; scoring this job would fulfill an old dream of mine: To live in the Pioneer Valley again.

Of course, I have time and need only apply now for the jobs that hold particular appeal to me (i.e. the ones mentioned above). There are many months to come where new positions will be opening up. Still, looking through the job list makes me think about where I will be living a year from now. We are only now unpacking a significant fraction of cheshcat's belongings. Am I really ready to pack up and move again in just a few months? I don't know. I know that I do not want to stay in the Chicago Burbs for the rest of my life... but I am not certain that I am ready to leave so soon. Besides, I really like living in the Event Horizon. In part, where I end up will depend on what science opportunities arise. In part, it will depend on what Mom does; if she moves to Illinois (unlikely!), then my next job will not involve a move. I did look at houses in New Mexico today, though. It appears that for the same price I paid for the Event Horizon, we could get a very nice place near the city and university there.

It will be very interesting, one year from now, to look back at this post knowing how it all played out.....

Day 20: Not All Who Wander Are Lost

Two years ago today, I arrived in Illinois to start my life as a resident. A year and a day from now, my term of employment with Fermilab will end. It is not too late to begin looking at the job market for my next position, which is what I started doing today.

There are several positions that caught my interest. Some are fellowships, which will be highly competitive but quite a feather in my cap if I can snag one. There is an Auger position open at the University of New Mexico, which I can almost certainly get if I apply for it. There is a tenure-track professorship open at Mt. Holyoke College; scoring this job would fulfill an old dream of mine: To live in the Pioneer Valley again.

Of course, I have time and need only apply now for the jobs that hold particular appeal to me (i.e. the ones mentioned above). There are many months to come where new positions will be opening up. Still, looking through the job list makes me think about where I will be living a year from now. We are only now unpacking a significant fraction of cheshcat's belongings. Am I really ready to pack up and move again in just a few months? I don't know. I know that I do not want to stay in the Chicago Burbs for the rest of my life... but I am not certain that I am ready to leave so soon. Besides, I really like living in the Event Horizon. In part, where I end up will depend on what science opportunities arise. In part, it will depend on what Mom does; if she moves to Illinois (unlikely!), then my next job will not involve a move. I did look at houses in New Mexico today, though. It appears that for the same price I paid for the Event Horizon, we could get a very nice place near the city and university there.

It will be very interesting, one year from now, to look back at this post knowing how it all played out.....