*adaptive*radiation*

OK, I wasn't dead. Really. I've just gone public now... check it out at http://www.snargle.org/blog. That does a good job of covering what I've been doing for the past 6 weeks.
No more pretty picture over on the left. That's what happens when you let your gold membership expire. But, hey, I've got my own domain now for approximately what it cost me for the gold membership, so I'm content to have no pretty picture here. Not that I'm knocking d-land, because I think Andrew's amazing, and it's a bargain, etc. I just can't spread myself too thin.
Recently my life has revolved around my job search. Sometimes really revolved, and sometimes just in an ellipsoid, Halley's comet sort of way, when I would come back to it (mentally) every few hours/days. Here's the scoop in a nutshell.
Middle of October, I'm web surfing job possibilities in the DC area (since that's where we're planning to move). I find one that looks perfect with a federal agency in Arlington, VA. I'm completely qualified (the requirement was just a BS, so my soon to be Master's is bonus), and the KSA's (Knowledge, Somethings, and other Somethings... the qualities they're looking for) were basic and again, an ideal fit (things like: good oral and written scientific communication, familiarity with scientific principles and theories, experience with computers, ability to deal with peers in the scientific community). The drawback to this position is that it's a temporary contract, initially for 13 months that can be extended by a year. This isn't such a big deal, since I'm really just looking for something to get us there, and then I'll worry about where I'll be working two years from now (if I'll be working vs. SAHM'ing, who knows).
So I apply. I also notice that there's no closing date to the position, and they're filling 4 jobs from this one announcement. Well and good.
Two weeks go by and I've heard nothing. I call. The woman listed on the job posting is on leave until January 2003. I call one of the numbers she left, and get someone who has no idea what I'm talking about, but takes my name and says she'll have someone call me. The next day, I get a call from someone who *thinks* they *may* have lost my application (or never gotten it, despite the FedEx receipt I have showing it was signed for). She'll call back.
Another week passes, and I call again. The woman I talked to one week ago is also now on vacation. I call one of the numbers she's left on her voicemail, and leave a rambling, confused message on some poor other woman's voicemail. This woman calls me back 15 minutes later and offers to have me hold while she gets to the bottom of it. Hallelujah! My faith in humanity is restored. After 10 minutes or so, she comes back and says that there's no record of me, so I should assume it wasn't received and reapply. Since the job didn't have a closing date, this isn't such a big deal, thank God.
But it does set the time table back a bit, since I'm now applying three weeks after my first application. Naturally, this time I was paranoid about them having received it (I did the online application, resolved to not trust my $22 to FedEx again for their rather shoddy performance), so I left two voicemails and an e-mail to confirm that they'd received it. (I had left one voicemail the first time, asking them to call me if they didn't get it or had questions and never heard back, so I was not entirely trusting voicemail.)
Finally, Nov. 25th I got an e-mail confirming that they'd received my application. So I wait. Not very patiently, mind you. But I have other people consoling me with their federal job stories. My own sister just took a job with the DoD, and after she applied it was 3.5 weeks before they called her, and then it was to offer her the job. The job I've applied for is still listed as "open" on the website, btw, so I don't think they've hired anyone else... or at least not filled up all 4 spots.
The main reason for my impatience is that whether I have this job or not (starting in January, I assume) drastically impacts our plans for the holidays. If I'm moving to Virginia at the first of the year (DH has to stay to finish a project he's been working on for 3 years now; he'll join me in March or April), then we'll drive home for the holidays and he'll fly back to Cali. If I'm not, then we're obviously flying. If I'm moving, then I need to start sorting and packing our crap, and cleaning the house so that DH won't have to do too much after I leave. If I have the job, then I can start mentally preparing, and preparing my wardrobe as well... I have the Grad Student look in spades - namely, t-shirts, polar fleece and jeans, mostly with small holes. Won't go over so well in the office, no matter how dress casual it is.
So that's where it stands. We did actually buy our airline tickets home already (in case), but they can be credited towards future travel in case we don't use them...
I'm just impatient, that's clear. Deep breaths... in through the nose, out through the mouth.
Oh, I've applied for two other jobs, but I'm not expecting to be a top candidate for either... I'm also continuing to search and apply, so don't think that I've got all of my eggs in this one basket. This is just the most appealing of the jobs I've found, and also the one that I'm the best qualified for, so I think it's my best shot. Wish me luck.