Lost is Found, and Now for Something Completely Different

I finally found my disks, in a box with my other disks. Who'd have thought? So, I'm back to work on writing, listening, transcribing and analyzing. I'm hoping that I'm going be inspired to deep thinking about the meaning of all of the data, but am afraid that my analysis will be trivial and superficial. But, onward and upward...

I got a letter from the university that I should not expect any assistantship money next year because, at six years, I have outstayed my welcome. Not a shock, but a little off-putting. I can't say as I'd blame them. I've been in a stall for a year and some, and it would be good to get moving again...from my perspective as much as from theirs.

I'll be looking for non-tenure positions as well as tenure positions in the area. I'm hoping to stay part-time so that I have time to do the research and write my dissertation when I'm not on the job. I had hoped to be able to live on my pension and just write, but that seems to be a deadly proposition. I have been very isolated and this makes me less able to think critically about the world around me. I need to be challenged by dropping ideas on others and having them pull the ideas apart. I also need feedback from others about whether I am making my thoughts clear.

For now, I've been working diligently on learning everything about the state's special education initiatives, and how they are intended to blend general and special education into a unified system. I keep wondering if I have anything to offer as far as consultancy to the state, or whether I should be aiming for a teaching position or advocacy work in a non-profit. I really would rather look at the bigger picture--policy, and its effect on kids who are harder to teach...