So I have been battling with this Lit PhD for a year and a half now. Now that the current semester is almost over, I am realizing that a) I am totally screwed when it comes to my term papers, b) I have neither the patience nor the time nor the passion to get all of them in on time and decent, c) that every semester that I have hoped would get better hasn't, and d) ergo e) I'm working my butt off to get very little done in order to get a job that I don't even know that I want and that, even if it exists, I may never get .

I just can't do the scholarship, at least not in literature. But I love the teaching. And while I struggle to do mediocre scholarship, I always wish I were either working on my teaching, or the material I'm teaching (ie my language skills) or doing day-to-day functional activities (cleaning, grocery shopping, etc). So now I need to figure out how to bow out of a department in which I've stepped on almost everyone's toes with grace and somehow support myself w/ a Masters in French lit, a BA in French/Spanish, a smattering of teaching experience and no teaching certificate.

Given the economy, the prospect of giving up "sure" temporary income (even if it is meager) is rather terrifying, but I think I (and virtually everyone around me) will be better off in the long run.

Any ideas (I've already been brainstorming) and/or encouragement would be more than welcome.

fc

PS I should mention that I'm in the NYC area and would love to stay here, in case anybody has any experience with job markets here.

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