19 January, 2012 | Leave a Comment
I’m taking a break from the never-ending thesis revisions to complete an application for a post-doc at a prestigious Ivy League university. This is the last thing I have time for right now, but tomorrow is the last day to apply. I had to write a course proposal, a teaching reflection, etc. etc. I’ve been working on this since 11am and it’s now 10:30pm and I’m still not finished. So…terrific.
At least 900 people will apply for these post-docs (this is the norm). Statistically I have no chance of getting it, but someone has to get it, right? Just like someone has to win the lotto and someone has to be eaten by sharks and someone has to be taken hostage by Somali pirates. You never know if you don’t try! [That's what everyone keeps telling me.] So in a nutshell, I have no chance of getting this, but I’ll spend a whole day working on it anyway. This is not good for morale. What is also not good for morale:
I just realized that all my documents are formatted to A4 paper size, which is what is used in the UK. So I had to change the paper size to US letter size and now my CV has gone haywire and is now 4 pages instead of 3 (not good).
And then I was looking over my writing sample just now, which is 25 pages from my dissertation. I chose an excerpt from my chapter on Fight Club, because that is my strongest writing. Once I was finished editing it and formatting it, I realized that the excerpt contains the word “dildo” 3 times and the phrase “F-ck Martha Stewart” and lots of other f-words because, you know, this is Fight Club. You can’t quote from Fight Club without that kind of language appearing. And now I just don’t have time to put together another writing sample, because I just don’t have time and I’m tired, so I’m stuck sending this potty-mouthed excerpt to the Ivy League.
You stay classy, Anglofille.
Anglofille said @ 10:42 pm | Uncategorized | 5 Comments
You are right. Someone has to win it. Don’t be dissuaded by the odds. If the Fight Club material is your best, go with it.
I’ve got something for you – for another break from thesis revision: This is an episode of a highly popular austrian crime tv programme (with a cute dog as the main inspector, alongside a very handsome guy), set in Vienna. I think you would find this particular episode very interesting from a feminist point of view. (It’s got english subtitles, and I think they’re ok.) And the programme’s got the whole viennese humour and charm about it too (also in a creepy way sometimes), and in this episode the main villain is portrayed by Christoph Waltz from Inglourious basterds, so I think this is in every respect a complete Anglofille-must-see thing
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wbrJ40n7I9Q
Good luck with the job. As a UK-based sort-of-American I never stop wishing the two countries would use the same sized paper. I don’t care which it is, as long as I can stop faffing around importing my own ring-binders from the states to keep my tax stuff etc in.
Find a message board with a plain font. If you cut and paste text into it and then cut and paste the text out of it, it will get rid of the messy codes.
Thanks everyone!
Dorothy, that is a creepy show! I will finish watching that episode. Is Christoph Waltz always playing evil characters? He looks so young in that show.