[NotAJerry]

I've been able to get some solid contacts with both Microsoft and Adobe in the last week or so. Yesterday I chatted with the guy I was introduced to that works with Adobe and he's got a connection to one of the companies I'd most like to work for, EverFi, and passed along my resume to the folks he knows there. There's a chance I'll hear from them by the end of the week.

[Sly Fox]

Don't get discouraged. The right job is being held for you at the right time.

[NotAJerry]

Don't get discouraged. The right job is being held for you at the right time.

I think I'm the happiest I've been in years since this feels so much like the bizarre series of events that lead me to Hawaii 14 years ago. I have no clue where it's going to lead, but it seems like it's almost daily that new opportunities pop up.

[Hold My Own]

There are worse destinations than Hawaii...this much I know

[NotAJerry]

I have a few informational interviews coming up, but in the last month I've decided to do what I wanted to do last year and apply for Ph.D./Ed.D. programs. I'm taking the GRE at 12:30 today (12/31) and I've done okay on the practice tests. I'm confident in the analytical writing and verbal reasoning sections, but I haven't taken a math class of any kind since 1992 and the quantitative reasoning is going to come down to how much I successfully crammed the last 10 days. If I can keep formulas straight, I should do well enough. The average quantitative score for schools of education is very low, my first 4 applications are going to places where the quantitative average is at the 39th percentile or lower, so it shouldn't be too big of a factor as long as I don't bomb that entire part of the test.

I'm applying initially for George Washington (deadline-Jan. 15), Hawaii (Feb. 1), George Mason (Feb. 1), and Old Dominion (7/15). Each says there's about a 4 week turnaround from when they receive applications, they all have excellent options for assistantships and fellowships, and I've been in contact with professors for each one so I've got a solid shot of getting multiple acceptances. My top choice is GW as I want to stay in/near DC, but I certainly won't hesitate to make a return to Hawaii if that is the door that opens. ODU is in there as they offer the program completely online, they have a high acceptance rate, and that would allow me continued flexibility in my job search if one of the others doesn't work out. This is going to be an exciting time.

[Sly Fox]

Praying you can remain focused and perform your best.

[Purple Haize]

Much success!

[Cider Jim]

With all due respect, NAJ, did you consider UVa?
I had pretty good luck in their Curry School of Education.

[Purple Haize]

With all due respect, NAJ, did you consider UVa?
I had pretty good luck in their Curry School of Education.

Translation : Diploma Mill

[Cider Jim]

Purple, I know it's New Year's Eve, so you might not be sober, but I said UVa, NOT the University of WEST Virginia [sic].

[NotAJerry]

With all due respect, NAJ, did you consider UVa?
I had pretty good luck in their Curry School of Education.

It was past the application deadline and they didn't want to wait for the GRE scores. They would have been my 2nd choice behind Vanderbilt (also past the deadline).

[NotAJerry]

Scored 163 (91st percentile) and 152 (52nd percentile) on the new scale (130-170). The highest average scores for the schools I'm applying to belongs to GW at 156/149. I won't know the analytical writing score for another 10-15 days, but both seemed easy so I'll be disappointed with anything less than a 5 (0-6 scale).

[NotAJerry]

Woke up yesterday at 3am and vomited every 15 minutes or so until 7am. Went to the ER as there was blood in my vomit and my hiatal hernia was bad enough that I couldn't even get water to go down. Thankfully it wasn't the stomach strangulation issue that can happen with a hiatal hernia. I'm going to be heavily doped up while they run some more tests on my upper abdominal region. They've already ruled out pancreas, liver, kidney, gall bladder, and appendix.

It's looking like the vomiting/reflux burping caused something to pull or tear under the ribs and partially aggrivated my back injury from last fall.

[Sly Fox]

Wow, how awful. Hang in there. Praying in Texas.

[NotAJerry]

Temperature went up to 101.8 during the day but I'm now able to hold down liquids so it's dropping. Should be able to get to the free clinic tomorrow for follow up.

[NotAJerry]

Apparently it was just a horrifically bad case of food poisoning. Free Clinic sent me for more bloodwork, just to ensure the ER doctor didn't miss something with the gall bladder or appendix, But so far the timeline I'm following matches up with food poisoning. Temperature is mostly gone, urine looks like iced tea, and not a bowel movement in sight since no real food is going down.

Should take 2-3 weeks to get back to solid food and normal functioning.

[NotAJerry]

After nearly a year of job/school searching, and two horrendous health issues, I got a bit of good news today. My 3rd option for a Ed.D./Ph.D. program came through. I received my letter of admission to the University of Hawaii at Manoa for the Ph.D. Instructional Technology program. I'm immediately focusing all my job search efforts on Honolulu while getting any financial aid I can in order. I'll be there no later than August. It's going to be nice returning to paradise for a few years.

[Purple Haize]

After nearly a year of job/school searching, and two horrendous health issues, I got a bit of good news today. My 3rd option for a Ed.D./Ph.D. program came through. I received my letter of admission to the University of Hawaii at Manoa for the Ph.D. Instructional Technology program. I'm immediately focusing all my job search efforts on Honolulu while getting any financial aid I can in order. I'll be there no later than August. It's going to be nice returning to paradise for a few years.

Sounds like it! Good for you!

[Sly Fox]

Fantastic!

[BJWilliams]

Congrats to you! Hope you pack plenty of SPF 90

[NotAJerry]

Congrats to you! Hope you pack plenty of SPF 90

I learned that the first time I lived out there. It's not really that hot it's just that there's not much cloud cover most days.

[NotAJerry]

I've been accepted into the pool of Educational Assistants for the Honolulu School District and should be getting offers from specific schools soon. Pay is low but it's 30 hours a week and gets my foot in the door. While I'm waiting on that, I've also interviewed for a grad assistant spot at UH that is exactly what I want to do and I think I've got a good chance at getting it. If so, it's 20 hours a week, within $400 a month of the school district job, offers full benefits, and it includes a tuition waver for up to 9 credits per semester. I found out during that interview that those are the standards now for all UH 50% time GA positions, so I've added several applications in the last couple of days.

I'm almost set on a move date in early August and just found out that a neighbor I've helped with yardwork over the years is going to buy my plane ticket.

[Sly Fox]

Praise God!

[NotAJerry]

Still no job in Honolulu yet, but had an amazing couple of hours today. The only rental options I had gotten responses from prior to today were obvious scams. Today, I got 3 legit offers made in the space of about 2 hours and took the cheapest/closest to campus. I'll be living with two other grad students within a 10 minute walk of the UH campus. I'm going to be living in Honolulu for $525/mo. It's available immediately, so I'm taking a 7:45am flight out of DCA this Monday and will be in Honolulu around 7pm. I'll likely be out of contact for a few days as I settle in, meet with my adviser plan things out a bit, and push for finding at least a decent part time job. Confirmed everything less than 60 hours before my takeoff time.

I love when God works this way, it's just so much fun.

[Purple Haize]

Still no job in Honolulu yet, but had an amazing couple of hours today. The only rental options I had gotten responses from prior to today were obvious scams. Today, I got 3 legit offers made in the space of about 2 hours and took the cheapest/closest to campus. I'll be living with two other grad students within a 10 minute walk of the UH campus. I'm going to be living in Honolulu for $525/mo. It's available immediately, so I'm taking a 7:45am flight out of DCA this Monday and will be in Honolulu around 7pm. I'll likely be out of contact for a few days as I settle in, meet with my adviser plan things out a bit, and push for finding at least a decent part time job. Confirmed everything less than 60 hours before my takeoff time.

I love when God works this way, it's just so much fun.

I'm happy things are working out. I m jealous you are going to Hawaii! I just started my new job yesterday so I have lived the frustration!