Most people here consider CCitizen to be somewhat strange and few understand his struggles. The same applies to most forums I have been on since '98.
In '02 CCitizen found support groups. On one hand most people there understood CCitizen very well. On the other hand each member there is absorbed within their own problems, and has little time for others. And many people are not just strange like me, but are superstrange. Thus I mostly talk to people more successful then myself.
Why does CCitizen refer to himself in the 3rd person?
Because he is strange and he is experiencing crisis due to inability to find a job.
Oh, ok. That makes sense.
Do you refer to yourself in the 3rd person on your resume, and in job interviews? That could be part of your problem (probably the tip of the iceberg).
What about that 20-hours-a-week job that you got last week? Are you still doing that? How has it worked out?
What-the-fuck do you expect anyone to have to say to you here? This is the epitome of blog material.
You didn’t actually buy that, did you? What professor do you know, who’s kept a random post-doc around for 6 years by tossing him a few thousand dollars every year, has money just laying around to pay that post-doc for 20 hours a week at (minimum) $15/hour? AND is able to access that money- where they can confirm “yes, I can bring you aboard at X amount for 20 hours a week starting immediately”- in a few hours? At the end of a school year, no less?
If that twenty-hour-a-week job working from home was exhausting, you’re really going to be surprised to find that many people work forty hours each week and have to travel (sometimes an hour or more) to get to and from work.
40? I dream of 40. Why, when I was a kid we worked 40 hours EVERY DAY, and we were happy to have it! We’d walk to work uphill, both ways, in the snow, and we slept in a hole in the street. And we were happy to have that too!
Luxury!
Good for you to be going to support groups. Whoever pointed you that direction is giving you good advice.
Have you considered tutoring students in math? I realize you’re not happy having been forced to become a PhD in Mathematics, but this would be an excellent way for you to create an employment opportunity and turn a negative into a positive by helping others and yourself. Win-win for CCitizen.
kayaker used to consider himself strange, but no more!
ETA: re support groups; the one I’m in meets during happy hour. Seriously, CCitizen.
Here’s where you go astray.
Between this and your constant reminders that you’re a Russian-emigre/Jewish-intellectual special little flower, a big part of your problem, I think, is that you think you can’t relate to others and others can’t relate to you. Well, get over that. Because everyone is unique in some way and yet we manage to make connections with others nonetheless.
I will get on average $10/hr.
I know. But they get paid.
Not a good way to get regular income. But I have tutored since '97.
What has changed?