Cars of the past are behind

[austin_dern]

Miscellaneous updates: I got a fresh rejection in my search for a new teaching job. This one's from a school in what I think is north-central England. It's surprisingly easy to not care just where a school is when the application starts out online. Thoughtfully -- well, they answered at all, a courtesy that seems to have fallen by the wayside. And more, even though my original application was electronic, they sent an actual physical letter, taking me back in an instant to the Commonwealth style of envelopes which are somehow folded up in such a way as to be noticeably different from United States envelopes. Also it let me notice that they addressed me as ``Mister'' on the envelope, rather than ``Doctor''. I don't use the ``Doctor'' much, mostly as a way of resolving ambiguity in messages meant for my father (creating an equal ambiguity as my mother's a PhD too), but correspondence regarding academic postings is one place where I do fuss about it.

Anyway, they were nice about not hiring me. They were even courteous enough to say that I had not succeeded at this time in securing that teaching position, which sounds more optimistic than the blather I've gotten used to about ``there were many qualified applicants'' and ``we have filled the position''. The practical difference may be nil, but the tone better gives the impression that they cared about my application.

And in comic strips I was recently talking about: Tom Ryan has, apparently, decided to end Tumbleweeds with the end of the year. I haven't seen any particular reason he'd chosen to end it, although the press release noted he's 82 years old and has been drawing it for 42 years, which may be enough reason. (Free bonus trivia: from 1969 to 1978 Ryan's assistant on the strip was Jim Davis, of Garfield notoriety.) Also the strip runs in about two hundred newspapers, which is a couple times what I would have guessed. So, uh, aspiring cartoonists out there, if you can be lightning-fast and have your portfolios ready, I guess King Features Syndicate is short one comic for the new year.

Trivia: `EGCG', found in green tea, stands for epigallocatechin-3-gallate. Source: Radar, Hula Hoops, and Playful Pigs, Joe Schwarcz.

Currently Reading: The Age of Voltaire, Will and Ariel Durant.

Comments

[moonfires.livejournal.com]

Of course, England has its own ways. If you are introduced to two medical men, and one is called Mister and one is called Doctor, the one that was referred to as Mr is actually the senior/more respected doctor of the two. Some places also reserve the title "Doctor" for those possessing MD's only. The New York Times was one whose style guide for many years adhered to that. It was John Johnson, PhD, Mr Johnson and Tim Thomson, MD, Dr Thomson. (The NYT still calls Henry Kissinger Mr. Kissinger, despite him having a PhD since 1954, and being referred to as Dr in several places, not the least of which was the Nobel Presentation speech of 1973)

[austin-dern.livejournal.com]

It wouldn't be England if it didn't get weirdly complicated over minor issues. In this case though the problem arises with medical doctors (Fellows of the Royal College of Surgeons), which is comfortably outside teaching positions in mathematics.

[barberio.livejournal.com]

Awww, too bad about your application. I hope you have better luck with the next one.

[austin-dern.livejournal.com]

Thanks. I'm trying to figure the best strategy to use for this coming year. It may involve mailing me to an unsuspecting university and refusing to leave.

Perhaps it's Crazy Talk!

[reptilemammal.livejournal.com]

I dunno even though Singapore is long gone, had you pondered to consider to look abroad for other positions. I am sure there are needs of those elsewhere if not here. Are you up for new adventure and different locales, or only familiar with the comfort level you have established?

Re: Perhaps it's Crazy Talk!

[austin-dern.livejournal.com]

I'm open to different locations, sure. Actually, I think I might be more comfortable overseas, based on how much I did enjoy the first time around. I don't really think of myself as adventurous, but I seem to end up in adventures just fine, curiously.