Wednesday, May 11, 2011

More changes in store

Life changes. I've been around long enough to realize this. Sometimes those changes are frightening, and one such change is coming up for me.
I just learned I won't be getting any classes for the fall at the college. I am not sure, to tell the truth, that I will get anymore classes there at all. Of course, I have no particular reason to think this. Just paranoia, I guess. But with the budget at the community colleges the way it is, it would not be surprising if the large number of part-time instructors will have to be cut down drastically, and most likely, the colleges will get rid of the most senior and thus most expensive instructors (like me) first.
So I began to think about what I will do. On one hand, I really need a break. I'll be teaching lots of hours all summer long. This would be an excellent opportunity to write and to travel, though I can't spend too much since I don't know when or if I'll get a steady job again. But I put in applications at UCI and Chapman, as well as suggesting at CSU that I be considered to teach lower division humanities courses as well as upper-division comp.
I hope that some of this pays off. People seem responsive thus far, but there are no jobs for the fall, or even for the spring in most places.
I hope that I can get a reading at Chapman since the head of the MFA program there contacted me, having been forwarded a copy of my vita by the head of the comp program to whom I sent it.
I suppose I've learned enough by this time to know that from day to day, nearly anything can happen. I just need to keep an eye out for opportunities, and not let fear paralyze me.

2 comments:

Robin said...

You are doing the right things--sendung out applications and planning some much-needed rest and travel! Good for you, Robbi! I'm sure something good will come out of all of this!

marly youmans said...

I agree with Robin. And I hope it all leads to good things...