Thank you for your warm thoughts, Karen! You know, as much as I tell myself "do NOT let this get to you" the suspicion that I've messed up in some way always sneaks in. The rules and job landscape definitely have changed in the last few years, but at the same time, it seems to me that people are also looking out for each other a little more. Maybe social media has something to do with this because we're more aware, even if peripherally, of things going on in other people's lives. I've been truly heartened by the sheer number of friends who have reached out to me, even if it's just to say "I'm in the same boat, let's meet sometime soon and catch up."

LOL - sorry for hijacking your future post!

You're right - the need for multitalented employees hasn't quite been the sweeping zeitgeist that I made it out to be. In some professions, a talent for seeking out and learning a variety of skills might not seem like an asset, especially if you want your hire to consistently perform a defined set of tasks and those tasks are not expected to change much over time. I also see a lot of resistance in academia. Although there's been increased interest in interdisciplinary research and collaboration, when it comes to publishing, getting funding, and getting tenure, the old models are still very much in place and you may not be taken quite as seriously if you haven't dedicated yourself solely to your field. But I think if universities are going to educate the workers and teachers of the future, they need to start modeling interdisciplinary work environments by reaching across departmental lines.

I really appreciate your honesty. Sometimes I envy moms who stay at home because you get to make your own schedule and spend time just hanging out doing fun things with your kids. I don't have much of a choice - if I didn't work, we would be poor. But I don't resent having to work. Most of the time I think "I'm so glad I get to go to the office!" I do envy other working moms. I hate the unfair standards set by the perfect moms - successful at work, fit and fabulous, house always clean, home-cooked meals every night. I'm pulling my weight, I should not be expected to also be Martha Stewart! I'm sure our self-loathing is in equal measure. I hate that I'm sometimes late picking up my son from day care because of an "important" last minute phone call. What kind of monster am I? I think we working moms have less loathing of our husbands, though. Unless we happen to be married to cave men, they seem to understand that we're a team. It's nice to have someone to kvetch about work with, and because we start out on more equal footing, it's easier to negotiate whose turn it is to procure/cook food, tidy up, give baths, etc. But it's not all wine and roses. We're both exhausted and annoyed at the end of the day, a mood that tends to magnify the other person's irritating quirks by a thousand. I don't think either of us would have to struggle with our choices if social pressures weren't part of the equation. I think we go on the defensive a lot because we are keenly aware of what other people think of us, and therefore where we fit in whatever artificial social hierarchy we've all agreed to construct. I find myself avoiding other moms because I just don't want to have those conversations. But that's not terribly healthy social behavior!

Fantastic! I love mole. I'm gonna add this one to my growing list of fake recipes.

I am so happy for you, Julie! Congratulations on the birth of a beautiful daughter and the beginning of a new chapter for you and your family.

This is so helpful. My son is still a few years away from report cards, but I remember report card time in my house, growing up, as incredibly traumatic. I went to private school, so when my parents said "if you are not getting A's, you are not living up to your potential" the subtext was "we are not getting our money's worth out of you." I don't want my son to think he's only as good as his grades, but I do want him to try hard. Putting him in charge of analyzing his grades and planning a course of action sounds like a healthy way to encourage that.