I have considered teaching, but...

[MineralMan]

16. What happened with the adjunct positions you applied for?

I used to teach at a junior college for minimal pay, too. I did it to make my house payments as I was building my career as a freelance magazine writer. I taught non-fiction writing classes. I helped quite a few people improve their writing abilities so they'd be able to communicate in their chosen professions, none of which were writing professions. I got paid for my time, and it helped meet expenses in a difficult period.

As my income from writing grew, I stopped doing that teaching. Someone else started doing it. There were always people willing to teach a class or two as a supplemental income resource. The people changed, but the need for what was being taught didn't change. So it was, and is, I suppose.

I also took a few classes, despite having a Master's in English. I was trying to improve my oboe skills, so I took the junior college band class so I'd have a place to play as I got back into playing. I took a ceramics class, which led to another art class. It was interesting, and all of those classes were taught by part time adjuncts, who were probably making a few extra bucks, too.

The bottom line is that most of those classes couldn't be offered except for adjuncts willing to teach for small pay to make a little money. Those part-time adjuncts allowed the Junior College to offer a wider range of classes, take advantage of people in the community who could teach, and improve their catalog of offerings.

It was fun. I like to teach, and I helped some people learn skills that would improve their own opportunities. What's not to like? In the process I made some money during a time when that money helped me, too.

It sounds like you didn't get the adjunct jobs you applied for. That's too bad. You could keep trying, and maybe one of them will come through for you.