(no subject)

[prog]

I am vaguely worried about my financial situation, but the timing seems to be just right for it. I've juuuust about spent all the money I had when I stopped collecting a salary (a little more than five months ago), and, modulo the then-unexpected new book project, everything is going as I planned it, way back in October: I am coasting (doing odd jobs and collecting advances, which is why I still have money at all) until I hear back from MIT, which should be very soon, and then I will either continue coasting until September, or get a job immediately.

Yes, I am also concerned that when I do hear back from MIT, the letter will be lost under one of the many dynamic piles of kipple that decorate the floors and tables here at Chez Chestnut. My housemates have reacted to my setting up mailboxes by taking theirs and hiding them in their rooms. I guess we sort of have a system now where my mail goes in my box, and then there's a pile on either side for the other two. I really don't like it, despite its apparent logical cleanliness. I must make doubly sure that my information about expecting a reply in early April is correct.

The job thing is tricky in light of the book thing. I'd really like a regular income & benefits again, but I'd hate to lose book-time. Then again, most authors, at least for this publisher, have day jobs... but my current schedule assumes that I won't have one. Mumble. Well, I'll talk to Chuck et al about it if I have to. We'll see.

Note also how I gaily assume that I'll be able to find a job as I might pluck a pear from a tree. Is this realistic? To a certain sort of hackerly-attuned recruiter, my talents and skillset, especially as reflected in my online portfolio, can look very attractive. I have no reason not to believe such recruiters continue to exist in this area. But, even if I can find a job very quickly, I would enter into it with enormous skepticism. I can characterize my last three jobs as being wonderful and energizng for a little while and rapidly becoming boring and tedious as the environment deteriorated, due to the insanity or incompetence of my employers, or the cruelties of an economic downturn.

Eh. Working. I tell you, there's gotta be a better scam out there somewhere, for someone like me.