A personal note: As of this fall, I will be on the faculty of Western Illinois University. Various responsibilities associated with moving have been responsible for my irregular blogging in the past couple weeks. Actual moving day is still over a week away.
While I accepted the position back in February, I don't blog much about specific job related things. And although my colleagues knew about it right away, I didn't feel the need to broadcast it to the world until I was about ready to go.
Well, we're about ready to go. And we (that includes the wife and kids) are very excited.
WIU is in Macomb, Illinois--population about 20,000 located roughly equidistant from the Quad Cities (where WIU has a growing satellite campus), Peoria, and Quincy. Living expenses are low--we are buying more house for less money. (Are you listening, Calculated Risk?) I'm eagerly looking forward to walking to the office rather than driving. I'm also looking forward to teaching in the master's degree program. I really like the fact that the building that houses the econ department is next door to the library which was ranked in the top 10 among libraries at non-doctoral universities.
More regular blogging will resume soon. The next Fed meeting will probably be the focus of any blogging I do in the next few days. Oil prices are getting everyone's attention, of course. The "conundrum" continues. Home sales figures and durable goods statistics are due out this week too. The Social Security debate has quieted down a little. Support for privatization is waning. While I consider that a shame, it's also, upon further reflection, quite understandable. Before too much more time elapses, I'll give you my version of why (which may or may not agree with other versions out there).
The nice thing about the blog is that its address is still the same, no matter where I go. Lots to do, but also lots to blog about. I'll try not to get so far behind again (except during the actual moving days).
Congrats on the WIU position. All of my distant cousins and a couple of friends went to WIU for business related degrees...none in Econ though.
Another plus that was left out of your blog is that the football team at WIU is a very strong. So you'll have something to look forward to in the Fall outside of the classroom.
I am happy to hear you will still be writting your blog. I have enjoyed reading it.
Bradley is definitely losing a great professor.
I've been wondering where you had been. Best of luck in your new position!
Thanks Mark and Dave! Yes, Dave, I forgot to mention sports. The football team is historically good, but they had a down year last year and they aren't in the pre-season top 25. Hopefully they will make a comeback. Actually, I am excited to be at a school that has BOTH football and men's soccer. Bradley has soccer but not football. Iowa has football, but not men's soccer. (Can you believe that?)
I read that WIU and Northern Iowa have the most players in the NFL from D-I(AA) schools.
Women's basketball at WIU is also very good.
Congratulations! Good luck with the new position.
"More house for less money" sounds great. That might be a common statement across the country in the next few years!
Bill,
I heard from a friend that you were moving, but he didn't say that you were moving so far! :-) Congratulations on the new position!