Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Doesn’t anyone TALK with his or her spouse anymore?
I write this blog from row 27 of a Boeing 737 headed to the bright lights of Las Vegas. Yes, it’s NAB/BEA time once again, and I'm on my annual trek to the city of neon, 'free' alcohol and huge buffets to see the latest media equipment and to attend and present at the preeminent conference on media education. And while I'll comment on tech in this and coming blog entries, what I have to lead with is a simple question: are my wife and I unusual?
Now, I know that Kim and I are not your 'normal' couple in many ways. But I am amazed that in the recent months we in the RTV/EMB program had not one but TWO candidates verbally accept our offer for the documentary tenure position only to have that oral commitment forgotten when it came time to sign the contract. It seems that both candidates forgot to consider that accepting a position at NKU would mean that they and their spouse would have to MOVE TO ANOTHER CITY!
A free interviewing tip: if you’re interviewing for a position that is outside your current living situation, discuss with your spouse the possibility that you’ll be moving if/when offered the job. In my mind, two of the most troubling words in the English language are 'trailing spouse'. (A clarification: 'spouse' on it's own is a wonderful thing – I love my spouse. And I’m not just saying that since I'm on my way – solo – to the city that what happens there stays there…) But 'trailing spouse' SUCKS. One candidate actually had our contract in hand (and held on to it for a good while) before the candidate's (idiot) spouse realized that it wouldn't be possible to be a brand manager at P&G before upon finishing an MBA. News flash: the BIGGEST COMPANY IN THE WORLD DOESN'T ENTRUST THEIR BRANDS TO NEWBIE MBAs! And of course to this spouse Cincinnati doesn't have any other businesses – we’re just home to the headquarters of a about a dozen Fortune 500 companies and have an economy that supports around 3 million people. Whatever. Moron.
OK, vent over. On to GOOD NEWS. Yesterday the Governor of Kentucky signed the biannual budget that awards $35.5 million to build the Center for Informatics at NKU. Yes, this is the newly formed College of Informatics' building. The speed at which all of this is happening is amazing. We’ve gone from formation to over $35 million in commitment in less than one year. That’s unheard of for most large organizations, let alone a university. So now part of what I'll be doing out at NAB is meeting with Avid, Apple, Grass/Thompson and some others about starting long range plans for the construction of the new facility. And in the short term I understand that the CoI has a commitment for a Media Informatics lab in our current facility, so I'll be getting that ball rolling.
Other news: I recently received a substantial grant from the Scipps Howard Center for Civic Engagement to make the Alz project really happen. We’ll organize over the next couple of months and plan on shooting in July. Much more on that was we go along.
I'm off to finish my presentation. Got an hour left on the flight, then it's off to the equipment show floor. I'll try and blog again while out here in the pacific time zone.
CLS
Now, I know that Kim and I are not your 'normal' couple in many ways. But I am amazed that in the recent months we in the RTV/EMB program had not one but TWO candidates verbally accept our offer for the documentary tenure position only to have that oral commitment forgotten when it came time to sign the contract. It seems that both candidates forgot to consider that accepting a position at NKU would mean that they and their spouse would have to MOVE TO ANOTHER CITY!
A free interviewing tip: if you’re interviewing for a position that is outside your current living situation, discuss with your spouse the possibility that you’ll be moving if/when offered the job. In my mind, two of the most troubling words in the English language are 'trailing spouse'. (A clarification: 'spouse' on it's own is a wonderful thing – I love my spouse. And I’m not just saying that since I'm on my way – solo – to the city that what happens there stays there…) But 'trailing spouse' SUCKS. One candidate actually had our contract in hand (and held on to it for a good while) before the candidate's (idiot) spouse realized that it wouldn't be possible to be a brand manager at P&G before upon finishing an MBA. News flash: the BIGGEST COMPANY IN THE WORLD DOESN'T ENTRUST THEIR BRANDS TO NEWBIE MBAs! And of course to this spouse Cincinnati doesn't have any other businesses – we’re just home to the headquarters of a about a dozen Fortune 500 companies and have an economy that supports around 3 million people. Whatever. Moron.
OK, vent over. On to GOOD NEWS. Yesterday the Governor of Kentucky signed the biannual budget that awards $35.5 million to build the Center for Informatics at NKU. Yes, this is the newly formed College of Informatics' building. The speed at which all of this is happening is amazing. We’ve gone from formation to over $35 million in commitment in less than one year. That’s unheard of for most large organizations, let alone a university. So now part of what I'll be doing out at NAB is meeting with Avid, Apple, Grass/Thompson and some others about starting long range plans for the construction of the new facility. And in the short term I understand that the CoI has a commitment for a Media Informatics lab in our current facility, so I'll be getting that ball rolling.
Other news: I recently received a substantial grant from the Scipps Howard Center for Civic Engagement to make the Alz project really happen. We’ll organize over the next couple of months and plan on shooting in July. Much more on that was we go along.
I'm off to finish my presentation. Got an hour left on the flight, then it's off to the equipment show floor. I'll try and blog again while out here in the pacific time zone.
CLS
