Bad News Bike

Last Tuesday I bought a bike from a local bike shop called Jerry and Sparky's. Brian had heard their ad on the radio about a month ago, which led to him getting a bike. He has been biking to school at Palmer College of Chiropractic, thus conserving gasoline for the truck in the background of the picture. The thought was that I would also get a bike when I heard for sure about whether or not I would be teaching biology at Black Hawk College again next year.

I have had two one-year contracts with Black Hawk, teaching primarily Anatomy and Physiology and Microbiology. Last summer Black Hawk gave me a second contract only after they had intended to hire someone else and told me I didn't have a job there anymore. Lucky for me, the other person didn't come and I had a job after all. Two weeks ago I finished my best semester ever, feeling confident that I had done a good job and that my hard-to-please students had learned what they needed to know and were satisfied with how I taught them.

A few months ago I reapplied for next school year, making sure to do the best I could with my application. I asked people for advice in revising my cover letter and I asked last year's hiring committee what I could do better this time around. When I knew when my interview was going to be, I practiced my presentation on Action Potentials twice with other faculty. I even bought a spiffy new suit (on clearance) and new shoes just for the interview. During my presentation I was way more confident than the previous year, but this time the committee constantly interrupted me for questions...always a new twist. After the presentation it was time for questions from the committee...What is your academic background? Teaching experience? Why do you want to teach at a community college? Why are community colleges important? How do you foster diversity in the classroom? What research program would you start on campus? What would your approach be in a majors versus nonmajors biology course? What textbooks would you use for a majors biology course versus a nonmajors course? How are you involved in the community outside of the college? There were other questions, but I don't remember them and I really don't remember much of what I said to answer the questions. When the interview was over, I was left to wait and wonder if I had performed well enough and if I was going to get the job. The dean said he would let me know by the Tuesday or Wednesday after Memorial Day. Wednesday passed and I hadn't heard. Thursday I talked with someone in Human Resources and there was no definitive news. Friday I received a phone message from Human Resources that the position had been filled and I wasn't chosen. I would be receiving a letter in the mail stating the same. The letter came an hour later. I felt like I was living in a bad dream...so very disapointed and so hard not to take it personally. With the tears still flowing, I went back to searching online for another job.

Brian came home from his tests a couple of hours later and when he heard the news he was very supportive. He told me that he loved me even if I didn't have a job ever again and reminded me that we had been praying for a long time about me having or not having a job at Black Hawk. Therefore, there must be something bigger and better for me to do now. It is true that things have always worked out in the past, especially when we moved to Iowa from Seattle. And, even right now, I have a summer class to teach that buys me time to find another job. Finding a job that will use my unique set of skills is a bit tricky and usually involves a lot of rejection. If any of you have any ideas for a new job to search for, let me know.

Back to the bike...as I said earlier, I bought the bike on Tuesday which was before I had news about my lack of a job. Brian's tire had blown out and needed to be fixed, so we went to the bike shop. And, we looked at the bikes to see what I could get. There happened to be one of last year's models in my size that matched Brian's. So, the bike shop offered to replace Brian's tire and tube for free if we bought the bike. And, they offered a kickstand at no charge. Offers we didn't turn down...and I got a bike. And, we've been riding since. I guess it was good I bought the bike before I heard the bad news about the job...at least now I can have fun riding my bike, even if I don't have a job.