Capsule Collection

Today my style lexicon told me that a “capsule collection” is a mini clothing collection created by a famous designer for a mass retailer (think William Rast for Target, and if you are still a bit confused that’s Justin Timberlake’s clothing brand…yes it’s true Justin has a clothing line).The goal of a capsule collection is to make designer clothes available at a “reasonable” price. Often, I find, this reasonable price to still be pricey, but it’s probably because I can’t actual afford the affordable designer clothes until I no longer receive graduate wages. Someday. There’s always someday.

So, as I sit attempting to pack for the MLA conference and two pending interviews (not an easy task for those that know me: packing is a dreaded task by which I always overdo making the process at least a day or more instead of an hour), I kind of feel like a capsule collection. No, no I don’t mean I feel like a bunch of overpriced clothes; no I mean I feel like a bit of a wanna-be—something that looks very similar to the real deal, good, stable quality for sure, but not 100% real, and it desperately wants to be accepted enough to be bought by the consumers walking by (or in this case interviewing me, and as such, not buying me but offering me a job!). I wanna-be a professor, mancub (trivia that I’m guessing only my brothers and my mom might know) and stroll into an English department no longer a student but as a member of the club. The membership to this club can often be an exclusive, numbing, and all encompassing, while at the same time thrilling experience, as we all know, but we still want it: tenure-track professor position. Today a professor of mine just received his promotion (nicely done MN!), and the excitement was catching. I left his office excited at the very idea of being offered a TT position. Thus, I’ve done what I can do to make sure these two interviews go smoothly: (1) researched the programs; (2) generated a list of possible questions and responded to them; (3) bought (ok I didn’t buy it—it was my Christmas present from my mom and dad, which I’m so grateful for!) a killer, all-black, conservative suit; (4) printed sample syllabi and vitas; and (5) practiced my responses aloud to the mirror (it’s true, but it’s also true that the mirror has some very constructive criticism ;-). No which way about it, I seem prepared, yet I don’t think I’ll actually know if I prepared successfully until Friday around 11:00am (or in actuality probably not until several weeks after). Until then I’ll keep reciting my dissertation overview in my head and hoping that I don’t mix-up my definition of reflection with something silly like my theory of writing.

Fingers crossed, and say a little prayer (or three)—L.A. here I come.

And here’s hoping that this is a step toward at least a day trip into the club because I’d wouldn't mind being able to afford a designer’s capsule collection someday soon...say like September. =)