The bug hopped around quite a bit modelling her bunny suit before heading out to trick or treat with Dad:
Happy Halloween!
10.31.2007
One holiday eve...
The bug hopped around quite a bit modelling her bunny suit before heading out to trick or treat with Dad:
Happy Halloween!
10.30.2007
My Pumpkin, at the Patch.
Last week I accompanied my daughter's preschool class to the Pumpkin Ranch, a fall family fun center with much marketing and a number of apparently inoperable rides. On our way in, we passed the organic-goods indoor area and a JUMPY CASTLE. Fully inflated. Which the children were not allowed to play on because "that is only for weekends," according to our tour guide. Like preschoolers know what day of the week it is. So some tears were shed there while we waited for the group to assemble.
The natives were restless even before the herding started, but they scattered like dust in the wind when they were asked to "group up, now, it's time to walk into the tent over there." Eventually, all the parents rounded up the strays and the tour began.
After scarecrow making, a hay maze, and some information on beekeeping, the kids were allowed into a clearly marked fun area: the "petting zoo."
Goats, sheep, lambs, and an extremely patient and long-suffering llama were all featured in this particular petting zoo, and the kids had a wonderful time (molesting) (pulling on) (trying to ride) (shoving and chasing) petting the animals. In return, none of the animals ate the children. In retrospect, this might not have been the most satisfying outcome for either side.
After the petting zoo, a trip through a corn maze, and large applications of hand sanitizer, the preschoolers were given a brief lecture on various types of squash, pumpkins, and gourds that were available at the Pumpkin Ranch. They were also given small bags with coupons good for one-half the cost of any of the rides that weren't operational on weekdays, which most of them promptly lost so I couldn't be too offended by the direct-marketing technique. Then they were allowed to pick out one pumpkin from the "small" patch to take home, their choice. Here is the bug with hers:
The end of the trip nearing at last, the bug claimed her booty from the field in triumph. She and her classmates joyously recongregated, thoroughly pumpkinized, for more hand sanitizer and fruit snacks before heading to the car. This trek unfortunately took us past the jumpy castle, again, which now had small children bouncing in it but NOT HER, and NOT her friends. (Apparently the rides are for post-school-visit higher-paying customers. ) Needless to say tears were shed and fits were pitched by a number of the class on their way out. It's one thing to tell kids that it's not the weekend yet. But it's "NOT FAIR when someone else gets into the jumpy castle and it's the same day, Mom, it's the same day and we didn't get to go."
It was a beautiful fall day outside and the kids all napped for over an hour after lunch, so those are two reliable signs of a good field trip. I'm learning about this parent-on-a-field-trip gig early so I'll be the cool parent by middle school, maybe. Probably not.
The natives were restless even before the herding started, but they scattered like dust in the wind when they were asked to "group up, now, it's time to walk into the tent over there." Eventually, all the parents rounded up the strays and the tour began.
After scarecrow making, a hay maze, and some information on beekeeping, the kids were allowed into a clearly marked fun area: the "petting zoo."
Goats, sheep, lambs, and an extremely patient and long-suffering llama were all featured in this particular petting zoo, and the kids had a wonderful time (molesting) (pulling on) (trying to ride) (shoving and chasing) petting the animals. In return, none of the animals ate the children. In retrospect, this might not have been the most satisfying outcome for either side.After the petting zoo, a trip through a corn maze, and large applications of hand sanitizer, the preschoolers were given a brief lecture on various types of squash, pumpkins, and gourds that were available at the Pumpkin Ranch. They were also given small bags with coupons good for one-half the cost of any of the rides that weren't operational on weekdays, which most of them promptly lost so I couldn't be too offended by the direct-marketing technique. Then they were allowed to pick out one pumpkin from the "small" patch to take home, their choice. Here is the bug with hers:
The end of the trip nearing at last, the bug claimed her booty from the field in triumph. She and her classmates joyously recongregated, thoroughly pumpkinized, for more hand sanitizer and fruit snacks before heading to the car. This trek unfortunately took us past the jumpy castle, again, which now had small children bouncing in it but NOT HER, and NOT her friends. (Apparently the rides are for post-school-visit higher-paying customers. ) Needless to say tears were shed and fits were pitched by a number of the class on their way out. It's one thing to tell kids that it's not the weekend yet. But it's "NOT FAIR when someone else gets into the jumpy castle and it's the same day, Mom, it's the same day and we didn't get to go."It was a beautiful fall day outside and the kids all napped for over an hour after lunch, so those are two reliable signs of a good field trip. I'm learning about this parent-on-a-field-trip gig early so I'll be the cool parent by middle school, maybe. Probably not.
Snapshots of things to come.
Sick bug = not much posting of late. She has recovered from toddler malaise so I will be posting various pictures as soon as I regain access to the computer that the pix are on.
Topics to look forward to shortly:
Topics to look forward to shortly:
- My Christmas list
- The cover letter I'd really like to write for my job applications
- Trip to the Pumpkin Patch, and the jumpy castle that wasn't.
- Halloween Fun, and associated rhymes
10.19.2007
Job applications.
Given the way things are around here with my multi-job situation, it is clear to everyone that I am quite likely to be out of a job by, say, May, possibly August at the latest. Not because my employers dislike me but because that's the way the interim position crumbles.
The class I'm teaching ends in December. The language center gig will either end next week, or at the end of the academic year. So I've basically already begun a new-job hunt, and quite the schizophrenic one considering all the "if-then" statements involved.
What this means is that I'm considering going on the tenure-track job market because it's probably my last chance to do so. I'm four years out of my Ph.D this year, and I've been in administrative (not faculty) gigs since I graduated. If I want to give that market a shot, this is probably my last chance.
There are already plenty of committee piles where I will end up on the "no" heap right off the bat because they will look at my publications (varied subject matter, not in first-tier journals) and my recent work record (not solely a lecturer working for a pittance), and discard me without further thought.
However, there are FIVE jobs in my specialty area this year, and two are within commuting distance of where we currently live. The others are in Iowa, (Milwaukee) Wisconsin, and (yes, my Fighting Irish friends!) Indiana.
Not only do I have to be a strong enough candidate to get shortlisted; I have to be intriguing enough to cut a spousal hire deal if we have to move. Matt agrees that two tenure-track jobs would trump our current situation, but I agree with him that it would take nothing less than that for us to even consider moving. We really like it here and he really likes his job. So that's daunting.
I also have a pretty good sense of my odds at getting shortlisted, after spending the interim as an administrator. Briefly, they suck.
I'm not absolutely positive I should put the time into applying that it will take to do it well. If I don't do it, though, I'll probably always wonder how I would have done. (Heck, I've already been wondering that for the last four years!).
And of course I'll also be looking at local academic admin jobs, and local non-profit jobs, and...the sheer variety of people who will be authorized to reject me completely in the coming months is overwhelming. This is why I didn't go into acting all those years ago in college, remember? I couldn't take the rejection after what I felt was a strong audition.
Aack. Thoughts? Advice? Pithy remarks?
The class I'm teaching ends in December. The language center gig will either end next week, or at the end of the academic year. So I've basically already begun a new-job hunt, and quite the schizophrenic one considering all the "if-then" statements involved.
What this means is that I'm considering going on the tenure-track job market because it's probably my last chance to do so. I'm four years out of my Ph.D this year, and I've been in administrative (not faculty) gigs since I graduated. If I want to give that market a shot, this is probably my last chance.
There are already plenty of committee piles where I will end up on the "no" heap right off the bat because they will look at my publications (varied subject matter, not in first-tier journals) and my recent work record (not solely a lecturer working for a pittance), and discard me without further thought.
However, there are FIVE jobs in my specialty area this year, and two are within commuting distance of where we currently live. The others are in Iowa, (Milwaukee) Wisconsin, and (yes, my Fighting Irish friends!) Indiana.
Not only do I have to be a strong enough candidate to get shortlisted; I have to be intriguing enough to cut a spousal hire deal if we have to move. Matt agrees that two tenure-track jobs would trump our current situation, but I agree with him that it would take nothing less than that for us to even consider moving. We really like it here and he really likes his job. So that's daunting.
I also have a pretty good sense of my odds at getting shortlisted, after spending the interim as an administrator. Briefly, they suck.
I'm not absolutely positive I should put the time into applying that it will take to do it well. If I don't do it, though, I'll probably always wonder how I would have done. (Heck, I've already been wondering that for the last four years!).
And of course I'll also be looking at local academic admin jobs, and local non-profit jobs, and...the sheer variety of people who will be authorized to reject me completely in the coming months is overwhelming. This is why I didn't go into acting all those years ago in college, remember? I couldn't take the rejection after what I felt was a strong audition.
Aack. Thoughts? Advice? Pithy remarks?
10.15.2007
Bug theology.
"God is great.
He keeps my sippy full.
He loves me a lot,
until it's Halloween.
And then there's candy."
--original lyrics, my daughter
to the tune of...well, it's sort of a tune.
Clearly, some parts are sticking of the general prayers-at-night, church on most weekends, concept of God-is-good ideology. Other parts...well, it's really interesting to see what's sticking and what's not. Youth theology is not so much my forte, methinks. But something is clearly being instilled, which I hope will be a base for a more deeply personal and meaningful understanding down the road. Of what sort I am not precisely sure. I worry only slightly about the materialistic twist at the end, mainly because it's going to blow her small mind when she grasps that GOD HAS CANDY ALL THE TIME IF (S)HE WANTS IT.
It's not that I expect much exactly in terms of preschool worship--pictures of the ark and animals (loosely constructed) are about what I remember creating in the church basement at this age. I just think about "Let them come to me like little children..." and I truly do wonder if kids are "better" at faith because they have a different kind of understanding. This was the bedtime song she sang me tonight and it's combining her current favorite seasonal theme with some inspirational material related to bedtime in general. But the "full sippy" bit was a surprise. We've been talking in church about generosity and giving gifts so maybe she understands that concept at some level, that all we have has been given to us. Or maybe it just rhymed in her head. Who knows? I learn a lot from her even though her way of thinking is clearly very, very different from my own.
He keeps my sippy full.
He loves me a lot,
until it's Halloween.
And then there's candy."
--original lyrics, my daughter
to the tune of...well, it's sort of a tune.
Clearly, some parts are sticking of the general prayers-at-night, church on most weekends, concept of God-is-good ideology. Other parts...well, it's really interesting to see what's sticking and what's not. Youth theology is not so much my forte, methinks. But something is clearly being instilled, which I hope will be a base for a more deeply personal and meaningful understanding down the road. Of what sort I am not precisely sure. I worry only slightly about the materialistic twist at the end, mainly because it's going to blow her small mind when she grasps that GOD HAS CANDY ALL THE TIME IF (S)HE WANTS IT.
It's not that I expect much exactly in terms of preschool worship--pictures of the ark and animals (loosely constructed) are about what I remember creating in the church basement at this age. I just think about "Let them come to me like little children..." and I truly do wonder if kids are "better" at faith because they have a different kind of understanding. This was the bedtime song she sang me tonight and it's combining her current favorite seasonal theme with some inspirational material related to bedtime in general. But the "full sippy" bit was a surprise. We've been talking in church about generosity and giving gifts so maybe she understands that concept at some level, that all we have has been given to us. Or maybe it just rhymed in her head. Who knows? I learn a lot from her even though her way of thinking is clearly very, very different from my own.
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