The Pope is Giving Up What for Lent? And ABD to PhD: Week 5

Why does headline grabbing news like to happen on my grading day? Last week, the body found under a parking garage in Leicester was confirmed to be Richard III and this week? Oh, you know, just a papal resignation - which hasn't happened for almost 600 years. No big. Whatevs.

OMG.

To learn more about the precedent for papal abdications, give a listen to our special edition podcast.

*Spoiler alert* I write about church councils. Unfortunately not papal conclaves, but if anyone wants to send Q, Z, and me to observe, I can have us packed in 20 minutes. The diaper bag is always ready.  H would rather go to the internment of Richard III (for the ale).

In even more exciting news, well, exciting personal news, an out of the blue technicality has now provided me with a producer credit. One of our potential podcasters - and a good friend of mine - is a member of SAG-Aftra.  Due to "new media" issues, she can podcast only if we are registered with them.  It is a really simple process, but they told her to have FH's producer fill that out and, apparently, that is me. Yes, your's truly is now the producer of Footnoting History for all intents and purposes.

Week 5

Goal: Continue to input information on 25 sessions a day into database.

Outcome: Did not happen. I think I inputted two days total, instead of the 6, which would have had the basic table completed and allowed me a guideline for my more in-depth perusal of the records (I am inputting from the calendar first and then checking the actual sources). I never recovered the will to work after my flu-cation. Then, on Friday, I thought I had mastitis, but, really, I just had a plugged duct and felt cruddy. However, my (involuntary) adjunct-cation (did I tell you all that I wasn't assigned a class for this term?) begins tomorrow and lasts a month (before I have training for another school, which just hired me), so I am going to finish a draft of this chapter. I'm going to step up my game. I'm going to make it happen.

Goal for Week 6: 50 entries a day. Complete tax table, so writing can begin next week. Make it so.

You may have noticed that my blogging has also dropped. Blame it on the flu-cation, but I might only do weekly updates for a bit as I really need to get the chapter drafted.

What's My Plan B?

In my last post, I discussed the "adjuncting" life and why it might not be sustainable for me (and isn't sustainable for many). This issue is one that has been addressed in articles, such as "No More Plan B," which suggest that a PhD may lead not only to the academic/research route and that institutions of higher learning should start training their students for alternatives. Basically, (as many law school grads have found out in the past few years in their own field) there are lots of people holding doctorates and few available teaching positions.  Now, for those in the sciences, such as Bernadette from The Big Bang Theory, private companies come calling, but what of those of us in the liberal arts? I give you my own many plan B's:

1. Copy editor. Did you know I wrote "Become a professional copy editor" and, then, realized that it was too wordy and struck out three of them? Obviously, copy editor material. Plus, even though my grammar is not flawless, I must be better than a lot of people. I'm at least better than autocorrect. 

2. Paralegal. I did this job for a few years during and right after college. I could probably do it again.

3. Episcopal priest. Now, this position would require lots more schooling and I think I'd have to live away from home to go to seminary (none seem to be local), but I could be a copy editor or paralegal until the girls go off to college and, then, enroll. Also, I would need to convert.

4. Historical Fact-Checker for TV/Movies. I'm actually not very good at historical specifics, but I have a lot of friends who are and I think they'd help me if I went to them with a question. There is always google and wikipedia.

5. Stylist. I used to cut my friends' hair in college. One of them told me that when he became rich (direct quote about his post-graduation plans, "Fly like a rocket through the free-market economy") that he would bring me with him to keep his hair in shape. As far as I know, he has not become the next Richard Branson, so this path is also on hold.

6. Politician. Except I like people to like me. I am, however, very opinionated and always right.

7. Podcaster for What You Missed in History Class. I think I could get the NPR-like patter down. I actually sent in my resume and writing samples for a freelance writing gig for the parent program and we'll see if I hear back. If I'm being honest, which why not, this one is a true dream job, not just a Plan B.  I have long been a fan of Peter Laslett and his efforts to create the UK's Open University. I love the idea of making knowledge accessible to everyone. I throw it out to you, universe. Make it so.

The core issue here is passion. I was discussing this with my sister-in-law, who is a working actress, but is considering her options because acting doesn't provide a lot of stability or a steady paycheck, but we have both spent so long following our passions that it seems silly to shift out of gear now. So do I continue to adjunct in the hopes of landing a full-time teaching job at some point? Do I just cobble together lots of different part-time jobs once I have degree in hand? Do I hope that someone from How Stuff Works comes calling?

It's an adjuncting life for me (?)

Well, another term has started and I have been assigned a class to teach.  Now, I wait and see if I have enough students enrolled and whether the class will actually take place ...

All adjuncts will find this period of limbo familiar. Approximately 1-2 weeks before a semester/term/quarter starts, those in the 'adjunct pool' at every university/college and in every field begin waiting around (very hopefully) that they will be one of the lucky ones chosen to teach a class. Maybe even 2 or 3! (3 is usually the most that one adjunct is permitted to teach at a each university, but, to make full-time pay, you usually need to teach at least 5, so many of us have our hats in multiple 'adjunct pools' and are loathe to turn down a job, even if we are already overextended, because (a) we need the money, (b) we need the experience to keep our CVs relevant, and (c) we are hoping that one of these schools remembers what a team player we are and brings us on as full-time faculty sooner rather than later.)

The last hope is, of course, a pipe dream for many of us as over the past 2 generations/40 years, adjuncting has largely replaced full-time and tenured track faculty positions. (Read more here, here, and here.) Of course, this shift toward part-time/no benefits works is not limited to academia (see: any article ever on Walmart), although there are companies that prove that one can give benefits to part-time workers, while still turning a profit (see: Costco, Lowes, Starbucks).

Many of us in the academic field hold out the hope that a community college or maybe really small liberal arts college in the middle of nowhere will want us, but it probably isn't realistic. [To say nothing of those that hope to land a cushy job at a research institute, especially right out of grad school. While it can happen, this expectation is right up there with kids who graduate college with a business degree and don't understand why they aren't the CEO of Sony in 6 months. It isn't going to happen and the majority of us know that.]

Anyway, while for now adjuncting, especially online, is ideal for bringing in some extra income, it is not income that can be counted on as there is no assurance that I will have a job next week, let alone next term. I love teaching. A lot. And I've looked into becoming a high school teacher once I'm done and I may do that (not that there are many open history teacher positions as I hear time and time again), so the question becomes: what is my Plan B?