I have some earth-shattering news for all of you: "la rejection", or, as we say in English, "rejection"? BLOWS. It BLOWS.
My usual strategy, when I am rejected (personally or, in the most recent two cases, professionally), is to:
a) have a good cry;
b) hide;
c) eat my weight in ice cream; and
d) tell everyone who'll listen about how the rejectors have crabs.
They say that when you don't get something you apply for (a grant, a job, a grant/job combo etc.), you should take the opportunity to follow up with the interviewer or selection committee, you know, to get some "feedback" on why you didn't get the grant/job. Personally, I feel that "we're not giving you the grant/job" is the feedback and my follow-up would go something like "Fuck you! HA ha!" (sound of me keying their car). I have never acted on this follow-up tactic, partly because I was too sluggish due to ice cream, partly because of the hiding and partly because I don't like to receive feedback in subpoena form.
So, given my usual modus operandi in the face of rejection, I am quite pleased with my reaction to this latest crapfest. This time, I am trying a different tack. This time, I'm TOTALLY following up, in a non-swearing, no-keying-car-or-more-likely-bicycle way. This time, I actually PHONED (not e-mailed - this is a big deal for me, as I fear phoning pizza parlors, let alone rejectors) one of these folks and set up a meeting for the new year. And I just fired off an e-mail to Rejector Deux (I'm only brave enough for one of these calls a day), and will hopefully set up a meeting with them. Because, as I learned by watching this jerk I dislike become more and more successful based solely on his ability to kiss ass and be all up in people's faces, sometimes you have to be more aggressive to get what you want. And hey - I can do that.
So . . . that's my action plan. The crying, I believe, may still play a part, and I do have ice cream on hand, but, uh . . . none of this "hiding" bullshit. And I'm going to hold back on the public accusation of crabs.
For now.