Good, bad and ugly

Good: Article in fancy pants journal from last year is being re-published as a book chapter. While I don't think this gets a separate line on my vita, it is still cause for a bit of celebration.

Bad: No news on the jobs. Yet. My advisor wrote me a really supportive email last week and looked over all my materials again, assuring me that my application packet looks great, and I just need to be patient. The patience is not my forte, but the email did help. He could just as easily have been more dismissive, but it felt good to be taken seriously and have an authority figure declare that my materials look great. That lets me feel like I'm doing everything I can.

Ugly: This morning I woke up with a red, itchy, watery eye. At first, I panicked, thinking it was pinkeye, but then I remembered the last time this happened in Postdoc city -- it was just bad allergies. I've been writing at home this morning, and won't be going into campus later as planned, since I look like a mess. Hope it clears up by tomorrow, since I'll have to go in to teach.

The longer I live in a place, the worse my allergies get. Since I've moved every year or two for about the last twelve years, allergies didn't ever get too unbearable in any one place. Now I've been in Postdoc City for over two years, things are starting to get ugly with the allergies. I'm sure I'll have to get shots when I eventually move somewhere permanent, but until then, I spend half the year taking my morning coffee and toast with a giant box of tissues and wastebasket close at hand. The good news is that spring is here, and you won't hear any complaints, even from allergy-ridden-me, about that.

ETA: Phone interview #1 coming up next week.