friends & jobs

There's news on the friend/job front, both good and bad (both could use a little prayer if you're so inclined).

The friends: Danny and Marlon
The news: Marlon got let go from his job for cutbacks. But wait, that's not the news. He heard about a fantastic job opportunity, went on an interview, and got the job on a contract basis, which means he'll be working for them for three to six months and if it's working, he's got the job full-time. They want him to start Monday. Here's the catch: The job's in Seattle, WA. He flies out Sunday, and Danny will stay behind in Michigan until September/October, when they'll know for sure whether or not the job will work out. That would be great, but one of my bestest friends would be all the way across the country! (Can you say visits?)

The friends: Masha, Chad, and Nina
The news: Masha's my office mate and has been for three years. She got offered a lecturer position at Cornell, and she really wants it even though it's not tenure-track or a professorship. But two weeks ago she got news that her immigration had been denied (she's from Russia, as is her daughter, Nina). They're going different routes trying to figure out what to do, because she got married in October 2006 to an American who doesn't speak a lick of Russian. Guess what? Our country doesn't care anymore. Chad and Masha tried to prove it would be an extreme hardship on him to move to Russia, but they got a three-page reply stating that it was his choice whether to go or not. I guess "family values"--especially when it comes to keeping families together--are not worth much to our government these days.

As for me, I'm not looking for a job or looking to move anywhere but back home (I'll finally be living with my husband soon!). I'm preparing for my comprehensive exam, which I'll take this summer; gathering data for my dissertation; and trying to keep up on grading and homework. Not much free time, and those days I've forced myself to take off this semester seem like they may be nonexistent these next few weeks. We'll see!

Oh, yeah, and I'm going to be a bridesmaid (matron, I guess--that word seems so old though) in Stephanie's wedding in September. Fun, fun, fun!