What's next?

What's next?

One of my favorite television programs ever was "The West Wing." In it, the character of President Josiah Bartlett (play by Martin Sheen) was noted for saying "What's next?" when he had put all the effort into a particular subject that he intended to and was ready to move on. I feel very much like that now about the job search and planning for the immediate future. What's next?

I've been in Louisville for a couple of weeks. I left Columbus the day after I learned that my job had been eliminated. Being here has been good. I've stayed busy, not only with the job search, but taking on some projects, visiting with friends and family, and getting some exercise.

This morning, though, it came crashing back to me that it is getting close to deciding on when to return to Columbus. I need to give written notice on my apartment. I haven't seen my mail in two weeks and I'm sure there is correspondence from the university about my separation and COBRA (not that anyone can actually afford COBRA, but it always seems like big thing when they send you the information). I'll need to tend to my wonky car. Ultimately, I will need to sell off some furniture and start packing and getting ready for what's next.

I'm not sure what's next. I'd like to think that I'll get a job right away, but the reality is that it is likely that hundreds of people are applying for the same jobs for which I'm applying and this search is going to take a while. Assuming I'm no closer to finding something by the end of the month (e.g., in TWO weeks) than I am now, I will plan to move back to Louisville sometime in October and set up my base of operations here living again with someone else.

The mooch.

With a loss of a job comes the loss of a good bit of dignity. I cannot afford my own living space. I am lucky in that I can go on the eventually-to-be-ex's health insurance, but we're not sure how much that will cost or what my ability to pay for that will be. I will still have other insurance to pay. In the short term, I will have to rent a truck and get my stuff moved up to Louisville and hope that someone will let me store it in their basement or garage. (Once I get a job, I will get to do this all again when I move to the job location.)

I feel like a mooch. Relying on the kindness of others is not the ideal situation for anyone. I keep picking up projects at the eventually-to-be-ex's home (the place I used to call my home) just so there is some return for the expenses that are about to come, many of which I will be able to pick up only in part, I'm sure. I'm told that I need to let go of the control issues and let my friends and family help me as I have helped them in the past. This is not in my nature. I don't want it to be in my nature. However, if I have an alternative at this point, I am unable to identify it.

The apps keep rolling

Thankfully, I have had no problem finding jobs for which I can apply. I have put out 30+ job applications. I keep believing that eventually one of them will resonate with a hiring manager and I will get that coveted call for a phone (or even an in-person) interview. Thus far, nothing beyond the automated receipt confirmation, though. I did get an email from one organization saying that they planned to review applications this week and another from a kind hiring manager who informed me that my resume didn't go through when I submitted my application. The latter gave be an chance to further plead my case as a candidate, so maybe that was a blessing in disguise. Or, I'm just grasping at straws.

"I used to believe that anything was better than nothing. Now I know that sometimes nothing is better." -- Glenda Jackson

There are a few positions at other state-funded universities elsewhere in Georgia and beyond. I've seen a couple in California and one in Michigan. Those, of course, are two states in worse economic condition than Georgia and the thought if getting myself into a situation of trying to survive budget cuts every semester is worrisome. Still, like a moth to the flame, I inch closer and closer to hitting the submit button on the application system and throwing my hat in the ring. Something is better than nothing, right?