PixlBit

Well, I was informed I was let go from my full-time adjunct position on Monday. While I was still searching for jobs lightly in May "just in case" when I was told it looked as though I'd be coming back for Fall (faculty hiring freeze, uncertainty on the part of administration etc. all played a role I won't go into), it still came as a bit of a surprise given the circumstances and the way things were communicated to me.

Basically, I read an email from last Friday on Sunday saying two new candidates with a doctorate or ABD (all-but-dissertation) were hired and one of them was to fill the spot I've been in these past couple years. On Monday, I went to talk with my boss (cordial meeting in which he said he'd give me time to clean my office and would be happy to provide references for work or doctoral programs) and have been applying for new work or cleaning out my office since. 

While I'm bummed to lose the position, I'm hoping this can lead to a new start for me either in another department or perhaps another city. I'll go where the work is, unless I think I'd be miserable there (i.e. I can do small towns, suburbs and big cities with at least ok climates, but totally rural and/or frigid, no). 

Some good news is that I was able to save a big chunk of what my salary usually is and have a pretty decently sized personal financial safety blanket for now. The bad news is I'm not entirely certain if I'm going to pay for my upcoming dentist's appointment out-of-pocket or not, but at least I know I can afford it either way. 

The other good news is I know a couple people who are currently working at one of the offices I applied for, and another position I applied for prefers you have a Master's degree (I do) while the person I'm contacting for the job is only working on their graduate degree. I figure that's a leg up. I've also spoken with Career Services about my resume, cover letter, and list of references and gotten some helpful feedback. It is kind of funny having a student help you with this stuff when you've actually graded resumes for the past couple years as part of an assignment. lol Always good to have a second opinion though. 

I know the economy has been trending up since 2010, so hopefully that means positions I actually desire are available. For now, I'm still transitioning from thinking I had a summer to being a full-time applicant, but I've been unemployed before and I tend to find opportunities. Hell, if nothing else, I tend to get in great physical shape because I need something to keep me occupied when not looking at jobs. 

Wish me luck, everyone! 

P.S. 

If you have any suggestions for new laptops in the $600-$1000 range, I'm all ears. I want to see if I can do some online teaching through a company called VIP KIDS some friends have had luck with as well as have a working PC with high storage/RAM that can last a while, help me with Adobe Suite editing, and play my Steam games. 

P.P.S. 

What have you all been reading/playing/watching/doing etc.?