Tony, congratulations! Those "done!" days are memorable. Like when you go to lift a Coke can that you think is full but it's empty? Almost a body buzz....a glow.

I got lucky with grad school -- found a full-time job at the university and then used that to wrangle school half-time, essentially for free. But I *do* remember what it was like to: Work full-time graveyards while taking a full load including clinical stuff during the day (and giving 10 hours a week to a political campaign and stupidly deciding to be a Big Brother at the same time!). Was I younger, or what?

Guess it makes sense that it'd also create a glut of wanna-be professors.

I'd say that there is a glut of wanna-be *everythings*. I was lucky to meet and work with an independent (PhD) systems consultant (from New Jersey) on my last project who is perhaps the most accomplished guy I've ever met in that line of work -- amazing resume and great industry connections. He is scrambling right now, taking whatever crumbs he can turn up. He'll do fine, I think, especially as he's very pragmatic about those "crumbs".

We had a few guys go back to school last year. All I could say was "great idea". I think it is stil a great time to duck out of the job market if you can find a funded way to go to school for a year or two.

Well, time to file my first-ever unemployment claim! (Hmmmm, wonder if Mr. Wallach has any telecommute spots? Ummmm, doubt I'd have the quals even with my freshly printed [insert very small back pat] CISSP. ) I will definitely be working to use unemployment academic/retraining benefits if it comes to that.

Again, congrats!