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Help regarding answer about fiance's job Post-doc and faculty positions

tinan

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Hello,

Thank you in advance for any advice on this situation. Here is the background: My fiance recently graduated with his PhD. I have been working for years after graduating with my Masters, and supporting us both financially. We have been living a very modest lifestyle but have still accumulated some credit card debt due to not having 2 incomes. Nothing that's an emergency, but money is a concern.

Now that my fiance has finished school, he is hoping to find a faculty position within a reasonable commute from where we live, since I really like my job and we don't want to move. This will take time and some experience, of course. He has some courses to teach lined up at the university he just graduated from, they start January 2008 and the 3 courses will be almost as much as a full time job, but he needs to do something to earn some money and preferably gain experience in the meantime. He also needs some free time to finish publishing the chapters of his thesis in journals so they will be considered for any faculty positions he applies for in the future. He knows that the university will also be hiring another assistant professor in about a year in his field, and he wants that job.

To complicate matters, he has just finished writing his first novel and is looking for a publisher, his ultimate goal is to be a published author. Since that's not something that will happen overnight, he sees university professor as a compatible job for the near future and possibly along with being an author. The dual goals do sometimes confuse readings though!

Recently he was hired as a post-doc at a university a little distance away, but the position is in a slightly different field from what he has been studying, and different from what the university will be hiring for. He started working there 2 weeks ago, but the commute - 1.5 to 2 hours each direction depending on the day - is terrible and he finds it really boring. It also pays about 1/2 the average salary for this area. He has called me from work very upset on several occasions, and I think part of the problem is his dislike for the job and the other is adjusting to having a full time job at all after being a student with a flexible, self-directed schedule.

He also had an interview on Monday at a research institute very close to where we live. The interview went well and they want to have him come back to give a talk and then they may offer him a position but they won't be moving quickly on it since several members of their department are away on vacation this month. It would still not be in exactly his field of study, but they would like to utilize some of his work (a computer program) from his PhD. It would also be biking distance rather than a round trip of 3-4 hours every day!

My first reaction was that he should quit his current miserable job before he gets too integrated there and simply continue looking for another job - hopefully the one he just interviewed for close to our home. In fact, a friend of ours has offered him temporary work helping fix some apartments while he looks for another job in his field (and again at least that would not be a 3-4 hour commute each day and would acually pay more than his current job).

So I urged him to do some I Ching readings. Here is what he was told for 2 questions:

1. What can I expect if I quit my current job right away?

Answer: Kua #16 Harmonize - Enthusiasm - revelry (no moving lines)


2. What can I expect if I stay at my current job until at least December (in January he'd be starting his teaching and it may be difficult to fit in around the job so he could work until December and quit then)

Answer: Kua #32 Duration - bottom line moving. Becomes: kua #34 great power

At first glance it seems like the answers contradict one another. The answer to the first question seems clear - leave the job and you will feel joyful, your newfound enthusiasm and charisma will help you enlist helpers and supporters (another job?).

But when we examine the answer to the second question it is confusing, it says enduring hardship brings success but it also says to stick to your inner goals and visions. It talks about examining the traditions of society. In addition, the moving line says you are in a weak position and your attempt to forge ahead into a strong position will come to nothing. That seems to contradict the "outcome" kua of "great power". So does it mean that you will get great power if you stay at the job, or great power if you leave the "weak position"?

Any feedback would be appreciated.
 

Trojina

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Hi, when one line is moving i pay it much attention - and 32.1 for me always points to trying to make things predictable and permanent way too soon, trying to fix things just right too soon is like 'digging a hole for oneself', so I think this means if he stays in the current job he bogs himself down unecessarily through being over anxious about the future - afuture its too early to 'fix'. The whole hexagram is about enduring and permanence - but in line 1 someone trys to do that too soon. When one line changes i don't pay much attention to the relating hexagram though most people do - s perhaps someone else can tell you what they think of that.

As for 16 unchanging - theres feelings of optimism and readiness but its important not to get carried away with 16 - check whats really inspiring and whats a lot of excitement over nothing. I think 16 here just reflects his feelings about leaving his job right away - he can't wait and it would give him a boost -
 

shefa

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I feel your fiance's pain and I hope these difficult times end soon for both of you. My Huang books says that 32 is Long-lasting and line 1 is Deeply long-lastly. Being steadfast: misfortune. Nothing is favorable. And 34 is Great Strength.

I am not an expert here but I would say this is telling you staying at that job would take great strength from him and would not be favorable. In other words, it would cause wear and tear.

On the other hand, I have always understood 16 to be short lasting delight, so although there may be a sudden jump in spirit to leave the job it is important to remember the others involved and to be humble. I guess this means to leave respectfully.

I believe our work is an expression of who we are and who we become, and I would urge anyone just starting out to be thoughtful about compromise with something so important.

Now go get that book published and buy her a beautiful ring!
 

willowfox

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"1. What can I expect if I quit my current job right away?

Answer: Kua #16"

You can expect a period of relaxation and freedom so that new projects can be started with a little help from your friends.

"2. What can I expect if I stay at my current job until at least December ?

Answer: Kua #32 Duration - bottom line moving. Becomes: kua #34 great power

Hex 32.1 it would seem that you want to many good thing to happen straight away, you have jumped into this job mistakenly believing it would be better than it has turned out to be, you will have to work there a long time before you get any real benefits. So have a good think about your situation before you go any further with it because seriously, you have jumped the gun on this one without realizing what it entailed..

Hex 34 says it is down to you what you decide to do, but listen to others, then you will know what is the right thing to do. It says that if this job is not the right path then abandon it.
 

tinan

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Thank you all very much, that was extremely helpful. He sent an email resigning from the job, and an hour later got an email requesting an interview from another place!

I could use some guidance for the suture about how to reconcile moving lines with the resulting outcome kua... often they contradict one another. I understand moving lines are the most important part of the message, but why have the outcome kua at all then? Does it mean anything?
 
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