Meaningful Distractions
Jobs jobs jobs
Lately I find myself browsing the academic jobs list when the book is too much or I need a break. Sometimes I think about a job like that, one where I’d get the chance to teach again. My partner is split on this, which is fair. I’d need to learn how to balance writing and teaching, to learn about having an academic career and the politics therein. Some of my friends in academic positions would like to leave and write full time instead. There is a kind of necessary diplomacy, of fitting together, in working in the same department for many years. It’s different from other kinds of jobs in that it can spill over to fill all the corners of your life, so you need to find some good people. You have to really want it, too: the application process is very involved and competitive (for those of my friends who are not academics, the process can take half a year, or more—the jobs that are posting now would begin next fall) and sometimes I think about applying and seeing if someone would want to have me. Maybe this is the year I dip my toe in, finally. I’m looking, in any case. I think applying might provide some clarity.
I do teach sometimes, and I love it, either writing or ceramics. I have been a mentor in the AWP Writer to Writer program, on and off, for years. It’s a good program, and free; gives opportunities to folks who might not otherwise be able to get to the next stage of their writing life. I’ve taught one-off classes, or short-form courses, eight or so weeks at most. I want to teach again this fall or winter, but I have to pitch a class still. I have some ideas. I won an award for my teaching when I was in graduate school, which was wild and strange and lovely. Periodically someone invites me to come to their class or university and talk about Cost of Living or else answer questions from students or give a little talk or lecture. This spring, I will be writer-in-residence at Notre Dame, and will also be a featured speaker at the Lions in Winter conference at Eastern Illinois University in January. I’m really excited about both of these. I miss students.
The work-work balance is hard. I don’t say work-life, because it’s not that. It’s teaching work and then writing work and other creative work. The work is everything, somehow. I know I have a tendency to turn everything I like into a kind of work. That’s old alcoholic thinking, I know (I’m not an alcoholic, just aware of those generational patterns), though I like work most of the time. I like having a purpose, a direction, a place to go, even metaphorically. I wouldn’t apply for jobs with heavy teaching loads where I wouldn’t have any time for writing, so I’m looking at 2/3 (five classes a year, or equivalent) at the most. I probably am not a good candidate for those higher teaching load jobs anyway—they seem to want people with more of a teaching thrust, over research/books.
Maybe it’s okay to apply for some things, to throw the irons in the fire and see what turns up. To write a substack post and also a job application or two and also make books and pots. To Zillow all the places where we could live if I got one of these jobs (of course, always—Zillow is a significant part of my writing process, okay? I am always on Zillow). I also tell people that I should be a CPA, or work at the post office, though our post office is never hiring, and I do not have the desirable qualifications to get a good place in the federal hiring queue. It’s all okay. I will figure out where my people are.
Also, I will have new pots posted soon, a mix of porcelain and stoneware, with some weird experiments too, as I work through a new clay body. I’ll let you know when the link for that is available. I am excited to share new work. And if you’re a paid subscriber and emailed me about a book cup, they are coming. I got locked out of my shipping account when I accidentally deleted emilymakesherfeelings.com, but I now have access again (temporarily I made it route to my regular website), and will ship things this week. If you are a paid subscriber and haven’t reached out yet, it’s not too late to get a paperback (signed) or a book cup (weirdly not signed—I didn’t want to interfere with the design, but you know it’s me; it matches the book). Just email me at emily.f.maloney@gmail.com. US addresses only, while supplies last, etc, etc. Okay. Back to the salt mines.
Reading/rereading lately:
This is ALL part of your process! 💃🏻