New job!

Cute-as-a-Button University offered me the job!!  I'm over the moon about this, for all the reasons that I have previously detailed.  And, as icing on the cake, it pays a lot more money than Ghosttown U.  I mean, whoa.  They're even throwing me a sizable packet of moving expense reimbursement.  On the merits, there is literally no professional reason to stay at Ghosttown U. now.  I already told my chair here, and although zi was disappointed that zi had a late-breaking vacancy to fill, zi understood the situation once I quoted the salary and the teaching load.

I am going to leave Ghosttown U., and Ghosttown itself.

I don't think I can even describe to you how happy this makes me. 

I have renewed optimism that I can and will hit the job market full force this fall.  The early signs – and yes, maybe it's just a smokescreen, but why be negative? – from my soon-to-be colleagues at CBU all indicate that they're interested in me and my work, and they want to help build me up as a good job candidate, even when I won't be their long-term hire. 

Plus, now that I know the path my academic year will take, I can finally deal with all those fiddly details that had been on the back burner: which new bank to look for, what sort of summer plans to make, etc.  I feel a lot of security in knowing how things will play out, despite the fact that I am a professional pseudologist whose stock in trade is, to some extent, making sense of near-chaotic uncertainty.  My blood pressure has already dropped, I slept like a log last night, and I have various appointments with friends to drink in celebration.

*Joy*