Get 43 rejections

This one’s a bummer, because it’s only partially mine—a student applied for funding to work with me over the summer and was turned down. We’ll find another way.

I just remembered getting turned down for an actual job plus another volunteer gig.

And it gets better! I just got invited to apply for something I’m … uh … not super-qualified for. They do want diversity of age, gender, and technical area, which I will bring to this group in spades, but let’s face it, I don’t exactly have a multi-decade record of brilliant accomplishment just yet. So I expect another rejection soon!

I haven’t been keeping track of this very well, but I’m pretty sure we had at least two more rejections on the Paper of Doom—plus I got turned down for a professional position.

I’m chagrined by how slowly this is progressing. That is not some kind of humblebrag; as my fellow academics know, it genuinely means I’m not doing enough or aiming high enough, and that is Not. Good.

This one was unexpected. We screwed up something minor but non-negotiable. At least the reviewers liked the actual content.

I ran for some committee at work and didn’t get elected.

On the other hand, I just found out that a grant I had given up for dead is likely to get funded. I’m a somewhat peripheral player in the project, but it’s still cool.

2 more paper rejections brings this up to 9. I’m sure I’m forgetting some, though.

happened over the last 6 months: 2 papers and a grant.

Also had some acceptances, but that’s not what this goal’s about :)

And it was brutal. We just totally misjudged the type of submissions they were looking for, I think. Eh, it’ll get in somewhere.

I broadened this goal from “get 43 paper rejections” to “get 43 rejections”...there’s no danger of married ol’ me confusing this goal with asking people out, after all :)

I’m submitting a paper to a prestigious venue in a field that I haven’t published in for…a while. The paper is solid but not revolutionary, and the acceptance rate (should be around 10%) is daunting. This is exactly the kind of risk I haven’t taken in too long.

I also am collaborating on a Giant-Ass Grant Application. I’m almost more terrified of getting it and having to do the work than I am of not getting it.

But finally, months and months after creating this goal, I’m taking a few of the big risks it was designed to inspire.

I need to be more prolific in my research and put myself out there more. And what better way than to pile up rejections? I think I’ve had 3 rejections so far, although 2 of them are kind of blending together so I’m not totally sure. My last few have been accepted right away, though that’s hardly because I’m awesome…I just wanted to get them published and didn’t bother shopping around for the most prestigious venue.

I’ll keep y’all posted as I work toward Rejection #4!