Back down in LA. Will be here until the new year! Anyway, I had phone interviews with both Cal State Channel Islands and Loyola Marymount University on Monday (12/10). I felt really good about the Cal State one and am hopeful that they'll ask me to come down. They said they won't let me know until January though. As for LMU, I thought that I did well- but it was the loooongest phone interview I have ever done. Like 20 questions!? The end got a bit difficult because I was getting fatigued from doing two in one day and the questions were seemingly a bit less important. "What would you do to build community in the department?" I expect that from the social science department, not the natural sciences... Whatever, I thought I sold the rest well- they said they'll let me know next week whether I made it to the next step.
Meanwhile, I had to take the time to figure out how to remotely access both my home and office voice mail so I can actually respond to them (and hopefully other future interviews) while away. I felt a little bad about the Idaho call. Apparently, they left me like three phone messages over a four day period- but I was down here for Thanksgiving! They also said they'll let me know this coming week. Fun fun...

Idaho phone interview over. I think it went really well, but I won't know for a couple weeks whether I made the cut. They gave me the questions, so it was the easiest one I have done so far!!

Also, since I haven't posted a photo lately...

Add one more phone interview- Cal State Channel Islands... Fun fact about that place- it used to be Camarillo State Hospital- a mental hospital where I volunteered as part of an abnormal psychology class. Weird. Some say that it is "Hotel California", as in the song by the Eagles. "We are just prisoners here, of our own device... They stab you with their steely knives, but they just can't kill the beast... You can check out any time you like, but you can never leave."
Of course they also say that "The Last Resort", also by the Eagles, is about Pepperdine University. Perhaps the So Cal scene is just used to having things sung about them...

It is such a relief to be getting interviews!!!!

Job update- I have two phone interviews so far. Loyola Marymount in LA, and University of Idaho (which is 7 miles from here). I am excited!!!!!

So, I guess I better explain the random photo of my drinking with some woman... ha! I am at a conference in San Jose, Ca. Hob nobbing with the great ecologists of our time. The photo is of Betsy one of the next greatest ecologists- but more so just a good friend from the Blaustein lab. The odd thing about these conferences is the friendships you develop. You only see these folks at the conference, ocassionally if they speak somewhere and yet they reach the level of comraderie that you would have for any friend at home. Take for instance my buddy Pieter Johnson, world reknowned amphibian ecologist- works on parasites causing frog deformities. We chatted last night off and on all night long like were are long good friends. I have known him for 5 years now. Yet I probably have only hung out with him for a total of 40 hours. I suppose it has to do with living similar lives that brings us closer together... or it could be the drinking at the bar?

Texting at ESA

Having a small drink.

A couple closeups...

My nephew was just born! 8:02pm Ervin Carl Krueger- "Vin"- 8 lbs 7 oz. Here are the Krueger guys and a closeup.

We were all at a wedding when just before the Bride was going to walk down the aisle various cell phones started receiving messages that my sister-in-law was in labor. So we watched the ceremony and said a quick goodbye to the Bride and off we went to the hospital. I left to pick up some food. Everyone was fed and then he started coming. My first nephew! Too cool...

Lucas loves his trains!