Graduate Student.

I've been admitted to Eastern Michigan University's graduate program in English. I haven't yet decided between a concentration in Professional Writing or Teaching of Writing. I only know that I'd love to attend full-time (note to self: buy a lottery ticket) and completely remove myself from U-M.

At U-M I have "Reduction in Force," or RIF, status. My job was eliminated, you see, so it's through no fault of my own that I'm looking for work. Qualified RIFs are supposed to be given first consideration by the hiring unit so, theoretically, I have a leg up on other equally-qualified candidates because of my 19 years at the U.

In reality, hiring units want people who have the precise experience necessary for the job. They don't want someone with diverse experience who is quite obviously trainable for their little niche. Also, hiring units don't want someone who has a 19 year history of pay raises, either.

Consequently, all my rejection letters contain this escape clause: we chose a candidate who more closely matches our needs. The hiring unit has thus met the requirements of the RIF program while proving that RIF is a joke.

Meanwhile, back at the Phoenix Project, I'm still grieving for my little nuclear reactor research program, which I admit isn't very healthy. In preparing for decommissioning, we are like ants cleaning a carcass from the inside out. Our job will be done when only the shell remains.

I arrived at Phoenix in 1986 when it was thriving and vital; I haven't coped well in assisting the Project's decay.

And then today, wonderfully, my outlook changed when I visited the English Department, 6th Floor, Pray-Herrold, hoping to find out about my application for grad school. The secretary couldn't find it in her file drawers. Instead, she found it in her to-do pile for this afternoon, when she was going to type my acceptance letter.

I start in the fall. Maybe by then I will have figured out the financials. If so, I would be a very happy man.