Reinforcing the View

I created this new blog with an eye toward a new chapter in my life. As I described then, I haven't made a complete break with my former self.

I sent a note yesterday to my sometime correspondent, Joe Krowicki, whose encouragement both inside and outside academia has been important for me.

Hi Joe,

It's been a while. Just thought I'd send you a note, see how you're doing. I'm still plugging away at my ideas for practical applications in [Applied Research Field]. I'm hoping to have a patent application worked up by the end of the year. That's keeping me busy. I've realized I need to hone up my programming skills (or hire someone) to test some of my theories. I really need some means for manipulating the data in ways that will allow that. So, I've been working my way through some texts on that count.

Meantime, I'll be teaching adjunct this year at Lemon University. I'm somewhat ambivalent about it at the moment. I guess I was set up to expect so much more (by myself as much as anyone else), so it's hard to accept a part-time adjunct post two years after the PhD as a big step up.

I've decided to keep my eyes open this year, but I feel less and less interested in taking just any faculty post, especially as I'm optimistic that I can build something with my research. The past couple years have inured me of expecting too much from the academic job market. If something promising opens up, I'll send my application. Otherwise, I'll keep plugging away at my own projects. Once I've worked up some proof-of-concept demos, I'll be looking for venture capital or some such. No telling about things though, as you well know.

I was a plenary speaker at a conference on [topic] in England in June. That was quite a treat. Got to see [mutual friends], and others. How was your time in Europe?

Enjoy,
Articulate

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Hi Articulate,

Thanks for the update. You may or may not enjoy the teaching. A lot seems to depend on the composition of the class. I have taught for years. Some groups are great and others aren't. Academia, as a job, is not that great. It has a civil-service quality to it, so people accept the mediocre pay and many hassles in exchange for decent benefits and occasionally interesting tasks. Of course industry and commerce have their own downsides--maybe some combination of the academic and the non-academic will fit the bill.

With best wishes,
joe

I suppose that's what I've lighted upon, isn't it? And Rocket this morning reflected on just how much she hates the commute. Plan the escape... That's our job, remember. We will get what we want. We deserve it. We will prove worthy of it--is what I wrote in reply.