“Kind of busy at the moment trying to keep my job. Will tell how that goes.”

Sorry, that seemed a bit dramatic, when I just wanted to flag a short absence while writing my application. The job was set up as an emergency hire 5 years ago and the university can’t keep using fixed term appointments because that deprives me of various benefits and so is against rules. But they can’t just switch me over, because of my unusual mode of arrival they have have to throw the position open.

And they have thrown it well and truly open.

It’s not so much that I haven’t earned a chance but it’s likely to end up a bit of a slog against every arts academic that thinks a nice position in Australia would be great move for the family. I can beat 2 or 3 but maybe not all 100+ of them.

So it goes.

If I am successful, then I will keep on doing what I do which isn’t that glamorous but makes the world a little better.

If I am not successful well then I’ve got a whole lot of creative projects on the shelf and a year’s wages banked up while I pick up some other work. Not nearly as bad as some people have had in recent years.

(The birds have been no help this time. They told me that I was getting this job but they have had fuck all to say about what happens next. Mind you they wrote a back story for HH today, so I think that’s what I am doing next year.)