In the last couple of months I've submitted resumes to six different universities in regards to seven different jobs, and I've only received feedback twice. This job hunt is starting to get to me because I feel like I'm running out of time since schools are going to be getting back in the swing of things in less than a month. My parents keep telling me to stay positive, and while appreciate their support and encouragement, it's getting harder and harder to do so, but I'm trying.
I did have a job interview a few weeks ago, but the director called me on Monday to inform me about a different job opening at the same school. This new position would be a better fit, so I had to decide if I wanted to remain in contention for the original job, or focus my attention on this new one. I kept going back and forth because even though I'd probably be better at the second job, I didn't want to let go of a potential job since other schools aren't exactly clamouring for my services. In the end, I decided to remove myself from contention in favor of seeing what my chances are at the new position. It wasn't an easy decision, but I feel that it was the right one. This is how Brett Favre must have felt like.
There's also a small glimmer of hope when it comes to another position that I applied for at St. Edward's University in Austin. Today, I received a letter from the school, and I immediately thought it was a rejection letter. It turned out to be a letter thanking me for applying, and explaining that they will be contacting applicants over the next few weeks. So, I feel that this is a good sign that tells me that I at least still have a shot, but as always I'm going to have to wait and see.
So, I guess things aren't as doom and gloom as I may have originally thought, but it's getting harder and harder to keep the optimism up as time goes by. I just want to know where I stand and what I'm going to be doing, but I do have a backup plan in mind just in case. Actually, it's an idea about a potential backup plan. I just hope I don't have to use it.
Friday, July 31, 2009
Thursday, July 16, 2009
My Two-Cents on Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
So, I watched Half-Blood Prince again (yes, I'm a nerd), and it was drastically better the second time around. I'm still not going to claim that it's the best of the series, but it did become one of the better installments once I had the chance to sit back and enjoy it again.
I still feel that the movie is uneven because there is so much time spent on the angsty teenage love stories. The whole Ron-Lavender-Hermione love triangle started to wear a bit thin, and I could have done without a few of the scenes like the necklace/vomit scene. Sure, it was short but it was unnecessary and it chewed up valuable screen time.
Also, I felt that the Harry/Ginny relationship was awkward and forced. I knew it'd be tricky to pull off the subplot since a lot of it takes place in Harry's head, which is hard to translate to the screen, but some of the scenes were just odd (who ties someone's shoes?!?!). There were a few highlights though, like when he stands for her when she approaches the table, and I think the kiss was better than it was in the book.
I'm not against the romantic elements per se, but they just took up too much time which could have been spent on giving more of Tom Riddle's backstory (two memories were not enough), and more of the Half-Blood Prince mystery. The same can be said about the quidditch scenes. I've never been a huge fan of quidditch in the movies, so I was a little bummed that some of the more important plotlines were sacrificed in the end.
The end was also a little anticlimactic. I know that Yates decided against putting in the first Battle of Hogwarts to avoid repetition in Deathly Hallows, but the end needed an epic action sequence to set up Dumbledore's death. Instead we see him fall, the Death Eaters walk through the castle with zero resistance, and Harry gives a brief chase. Even the reaction to Dumbledore's death lacked something. Heck, Cedric's death seemed to affect people more than the Head Master's.
With all of that being said, I was won over by the movie because it had some well-timed humor that rivaled Goblet of Fire, and the story is still one of my favorites. Also, I was glad to see that most of Luna's appearances were kept in tact because she's hands down one of the best characters in the books.
I even like the tacked on attack on the Burrow. I know most purists probably didn't care for it, but I thought it worked perfectly because it makes the danger real. It's one thing to see the bridge collapse, but it's a totally different thing when you see these characters you have grown to care about be attacked in their own home. Plus, it added some well-timed suspense due to the fact that the Death Eaters were concealed by the field. Also, it's a good replacement for the wedding scene in Deathly Hallows since it's pretty clear that it's going to get cut.
Another positive was Alan Rickman's evolution as Snape. The character lost some of his edge in the movie, but Rickman's performance set up Snape's storyline in Deathly Hallows, and it will make him more sympathetic, which will make it easier for casual movie goers to get behind him. Kudos should also go to Jim Broadbent (Professor Slughorn) and Jessie Cave (Lavender Brown).
So, Half-Blood Prince is far from perfect (but which adaptation is perfect), but it has definitely moved up on my rankings of the films. Right now, it's neck and neck with Goblet of Fire, but I wouldn't be surprised if it makes a jump in the future.
I still feel that the movie is uneven because there is so much time spent on the angsty teenage love stories. The whole Ron-Lavender-Hermione love triangle started to wear a bit thin, and I could have done without a few of the scenes like the necklace/vomit scene. Sure, it was short but it was unnecessary and it chewed up valuable screen time.
Also, I felt that the Harry/Ginny relationship was awkward and forced. I knew it'd be tricky to pull off the subplot since a lot of it takes place in Harry's head, which is hard to translate to the screen, but some of the scenes were just odd (who ties someone's shoes?!?!). There were a few highlights though, like when he stands for her when she approaches the table, and I think the kiss was better than it was in the book.
I'm not against the romantic elements per se, but they just took up too much time which could have been spent on giving more of Tom Riddle's backstory (two memories were not enough), and more of the Half-Blood Prince mystery. The same can be said about the quidditch scenes. I've never been a huge fan of quidditch in the movies, so I was a little bummed that some of the more important plotlines were sacrificed in the end.
The end was also a little anticlimactic. I know that Yates decided against putting in the first Battle of Hogwarts to avoid repetition in Deathly Hallows, but the end needed an epic action sequence to set up Dumbledore's death. Instead we see him fall, the Death Eaters walk through the castle with zero resistance, and Harry gives a brief chase. Even the reaction to Dumbledore's death lacked something. Heck, Cedric's death seemed to affect people more than the Head Master's.
With all of that being said, I was won over by the movie because it had some well-timed humor that rivaled Goblet of Fire, and the story is still one of my favorites. Also, I was glad to see that most of Luna's appearances were kept in tact because she's hands down one of the best characters in the books.
I even like the tacked on attack on the Burrow. I know most purists probably didn't care for it, but I thought it worked perfectly because it makes the danger real. It's one thing to see the bridge collapse, but it's a totally different thing when you see these characters you have grown to care about be attacked in their own home. Plus, it added some well-timed suspense due to the fact that the Death Eaters were concealed by the field. Also, it's a good replacement for the wedding scene in Deathly Hallows since it's pretty clear that it's going to get cut.
Another positive was Alan Rickman's evolution as Snape. The character lost some of his edge in the movie, but Rickman's performance set up Snape's storyline in Deathly Hallows, and it will make him more sympathetic, which will make it easier for casual movie goers to get behind him. Kudos should also go to Jim Broadbent (Professor Slughorn) and Jessie Cave (Lavender Brown).
So, Half-Blood Prince is far from perfect (but which adaptation is perfect), but it has definitely moved up on my rankings of the films. Right now, it's neck and neck with Goblet of Fire, but I wouldn't be surprised if it makes a jump in the future.
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
My Harry Potter Knee-Jerk Reactions
I had the chance to see Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince today, and my initial thoughts are torn. On one hand, this installment had a great combination of light comedy and dark elements. One the other hand, it just felt too uneven due to all of the romantic scenes. I didn't have the chance to re-read the book prior to seeing the movie, and it might have been heavy on the PDA, but some of the lovey dovey stuff in the film just felt unnecessary and forced. Also, my favorite parts of the book, Tom Riddle's backstory and the Half-Blood Prince plot, were glossed over. I would have gladly traded some of the Ron-Lavendar-Herminoe love triangle stuff and the Quidditch scenes for more Half-Blood Prince and memory scenes.
With all of that being said, I know that I need at least one more viewing before I officially make up my mind about the flick. All I can say is I wasn't as wowed by Half-Blood Prince like I was when I saw Order of the Phoenix or Prisoner of Azkaban. Then again, part of me was expecting to not like the movie, so maybe my biases are just taking over.
With all of that being said, I know that I need at least one more viewing before I officially make up my mind about the flick. All I can say is I wasn't as wowed by Half-Blood Prince like I was when I saw Order of the Phoenix or Prisoner of Azkaban. Then again, part of me was expecting to not like the movie, so maybe my biases are just taking over.
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
My Two-Cents on the Harry Potter Movies
In honor of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince opening wide in a few hours, I decided to repost my rankings of and opinions on the first five Harry Potter movies. I'll also be adding my thoughts on HBP sometime after Wednesday.
1. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix - Oddly enough one of my least favorite books in the series has become the best movie to date. OotP is by far the most grown-up movie so far, not just in terms of theme and story, but it terms of how the film is shot. David Yates really made the Harry Potter Universe his own and has created the most visually appealing film. Sure, it's not a perfect adaptation because there were elements that had to sacrificed, but overall this latest installment is by far the best.
2. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban - The PoA movie will always be my all-time favorite HP flick mostly because it was the movie that got me hooked on Harry Potter. Up until Prisoner of Azkaban I had only watched the movies. I did try reading the book prior to this movie, but I couldn't get in to it. This story had some great themes and plot twists that just drew me in. I read the book after watching this movie (at least 5 times in the theaters) and I was a goner.
3. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire - GoF is by far my least favorite book in the series. I was not intrigued by the Tri-Wizard Tournament stuff and don't get me started on the whole SPEW subplot. I just felt the book strayed too far away from the whole basis of the series, Voldemort. Sure he's there at the start and the end, but very little is said about him throughout the book. So why is the GoF movie so highly ranked? First, the visuals were fantastic. While the book was a bit boring, I always knew the movie would be action packed, and I wasn't disappointed. I also applauded the graveyard scene because I feel that's where the series really takes off. Also, the scene where Harry brings Cedric's body back still gives me chills. Sure, I would have kept the whole Impostor Moody twist closer to the book, but that's just me being nit-picky. Plus, it's the HP movie with the most humor.
4. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets - It was Chamber of Secrets that convinced me that the Harry Potter stories were not just for kids. This film shows how dark the world of Harry Potter can be. The ending of CoS will always be one of my favorites. There is just something uber creepy about Tom Riddle and how he uses the diary to posses Ginny.
5. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone - The movie did a decent job at translating the book on to the screen. Chris Columbus did a good job at setting up the foundation with a fairly spot-on adaptation of the book. Overall, it was a decent film but nothing too spectacular in my opinion.
I'm excited for the new film, but I did hear that there is a lot of romance, and I'm not quite sure how that's going to work itself out. In the end, I really liked the book, and I just hope that the movie does it some justice.
1. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix - Oddly enough one of my least favorite books in the series has become the best movie to date. OotP is by far the most grown-up movie so far, not just in terms of theme and story, but it terms of how the film is shot. David Yates really made the Harry Potter Universe his own and has created the most visually appealing film. Sure, it's not a perfect adaptation because there were elements that had to sacrificed, but overall this latest installment is by far the best.
2. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban - The PoA movie will always be my all-time favorite HP flick mostly because it was the movie that got me hooked on Harry Potter. Up until Prisoner of Azkaban I had only watched the movies. I did try reading the book prior to this movie, but I couldn't get in to it. This story had some great themes and plot twists that just drew me in. I read the book after watching this movie (at least 5 times in the theaters) and I was a goner.
3. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire - GoF is by far my least favorite book in the series. I was not intrigued by the Tri-Wizard Tournament stuff and don't get me started on the whole SPEW subplot. I just felt the book strayed too far away from the whole basis of the series, Voldemort. Sure he's there at the start and the end, but very little is said about him throughout the book. So why is the GoF movie so highly ranked? First, the visuals were fantastic. While the book was a bit boring, I always knew the movie would be action packed, and I wasn't disappointed. I also applauded the graveyard scene because I feel that's where the series really takes off. Also, the scene where Harry brings Cedric's body back still gives me chills. Sure, I would have kept the whole Impostor Moody twist closer to the book, but that's just me being nit-picky. Plus, it's the HP movie with the most humor.
4. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets - It was Chamber of Secrets that convinced me that the Harry Potter stories were not just for kids. This film shows how dark the world of Harry Potter can be. The ending of CoS will always be one of my favorites. There is just something uber creepy about Tom Riddle and how he uses the diary to posses Ginny.
5. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone - The movie did a decent job at translating the book on to the screen. Chris Columbus did a good job at setting up the foundation with a fairly spot-on adaptation of the book. Overall, it was a decent film but nothing too spectacular in my opinion.
I'm excited for the new film, but I did hear that there is a lot of romance, and I'm not quite sure how that's going to work itself out. In the end, I really liked the book, and I just hope that the movie does it some justice.
Saturday, July 11, 2009
My Top 5 Places I Want to Live
Being back home and conducting a job hunt has me thinking about where I want to end up if I had the choice. This post is similar to one that I put up here a while back, but with a few changes.
1. San Francisco, CA
I had the chance to drive the entire state of California on my way back from Portland, and I took this opportunity to check out some potential new homes. The first stop was in San Francisco, and I fell in love with the place after only two days. Sometimes you just get the feeling that you belong somewhere, and that's what I felt in SF. Now, we'll have to see if I have a reason to move there once and for all.
2. Austin, TX
Living up in Portland changed me in a good way. I feel that I'm more open minded, and even more laid back than before. This change in attitude has me warming up to the idea of living in Austin, and again I feel that living here would be more natural than any other city in Texas.
3. Boulder, CO
A part of me has always wanted to live in Colorado, and Boulder seems to be the right fit (although Colorado Springs has always piqued my interest as well). Unfortunately, finding a job at CU is a daunting task because they seem to be in short supply. I also don't know how I'd handle the snow, but I'm in love with the idea of lots of sunshine.
4. San Diego, CA
Another stop on my journey home was San Diego, and to be honest it wasn't what I was expecting. To be fair, I don't think I had an accurate image of SD in my head, so I doubt it could have lived up to the standard I had set for it. I still enjoyed my time there, and the coast was amazing, but San Diego just didn't strike the same chord with me that San Francisco did.
5. Houston, TX
The main reason Houston makes this list is because me sister and her family live there, and I wouldn't be surprised if all of my family end up near Houston and San Antonio. I'd make the move to Houston because it'd be nice to be close to them. Sure, Houston is too big and humid, but having loved ones close by does have its perks.
Of course, I'm fully aware that where I end up is heavily dependent on the job market, but it's fun to dream every once in a while.
1. San Francisco, CA
I had the chance to drive the entire state of California on my way back from Portland, and I took this opportunity to check out some potential new homes. The first stop was in San Francisco, and I fell in love with the place after only two days. Sometimes you just get the feeling that you belong somewhere, and that's what I felt in SF. Now, we'll have to see if I have a reason to move there once and for all.
2. Austin, TX
Living up in Portland changed me in a good way. I feel that I'm more open minded, and even more laid back than before. This change in attitude has me warming up to the idea of living in Austin, and again I feel that living here would be more natural than any other city in Texas.
3. Boulder, CO
A part of me has always wanted to live in Colorado, and Boulder seems to be the right fit (although Colorado Springs has always piqued my interest as well). Unfortunately, finding a job at CU is a daunting task because they seem to be in short supply. I also don't know how I'd handle the snow, but I'm in love with the idea of lots of sunshine.
4. San Diego, CA
Another stop on my journey home was San Diego, and to be honest it wasn't what I was expecting. To be fair, I don't think I had an accurate image of SD in my head, so I doubt it could have lived up to the standard I had set for it. I still enjoyed my time there, and the coast was amazing, but San Diego just didn't strike the same chord with me that San Francisco did.
5. Houston, TX
The main reason Houston makes this list is because me sister and her family live there, and I wouldn't be surprised if all of my family end up near Houston and San Antonio. I'd make the move to Houston because it'd be nice to be close to them. Sure, Houston is too big and humid, but having loved ones close by does have its perks.
Of course, I'm fully aware that where I end up is heavily dependent on the job market, but it's fun to dream every once in a while.
Friday, July 10, 2009
My Waiting Game
I have three applications pending at three different universities, and I'm about to submit a fourth, but it's been weeks and in some instances a month since I've heard anything. I know that reviewing candidates is a lengthy process, but this is getting nutty. Too bad patience is not one of my strengths. Let's just hope some good news comes my way sooner than later.
Thursday, July 9, 2009
My Déjà Vu, My Déjà Vu
So, I've been back in Midland for almost two weeks, and it feels like I've been thrown back in time. Very few things have changed, and those that have been altered are so slight that it's almost unnoticeable. Part of me really cannot believe that I'm back here after living in San Antonio and Portland, but here I am.
It's not all that bad. It's nice being around family, and the familiar surroundings can be comforting when they're not closing in on me. Also, not having to worry about a ton of bills is nice since I have yet to find a job.
Oddly, enough I'm slowly coming around to the idea of living in Midland for a bit to work, fingers crossed, so I can save up some money. Sure, San Francisco and Austin are still at the top of my list of places to be, but they'll still be there when I'm ready to move on.
Plus, 2010 looks like is going to be a time of transition for the Canales family with my sister having another baby, and it is likely that my folks will be moving closer to Houston and San Antonio. It'll be a prime time to turn the page to the next chapter of my life.
It's not all that bad. It's nice being around family, and the familiar surroundings can be comforting when they're not closing in on me. Also, not having to worry about a ton of bills is nice since I have yet to find a job.
Oddly, enough I'm slowly coming around to the idea of living in Midland for a bit to work, fingers crossed, so I can save up some money. Sure, San Francisco and Austin are still at the top of my list of places to be, but they'll still be there when I'm ready to move on.
Plus, 2010 looks like is going to be a time of transition for the Canales family with my sister having another baby, and it is likely that my folks will be moving closer to Houston and San Antonio. It'll be a prime time to turn the page to the next chapter of my life.
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