Summary of failure

I saw an article about a professor at Princeton who created a CV of failures--jobs he didn't get, grants he didn't receive, schools he didn't get into. Not sure he had a lot to complain about, as he was a professor at Princeton. He noted he has received as much if not more attention for this as he has for his own research.  He had links to other folks who listed not only their accomplishments but failures as well.  But it inspired me to do the same.

Though it seems like it could be a depressing exercise, sitting down to list one's failures is actually quite cleansing, as you can see not everything you wanted earlier in life may have been right (ok, some failures were disappointing, though less so in retrospect) or that if you keep trying you're successful (perhaps only briefly).  I'm happy with what I've been fortunate enough to do in life, but creating this it reminded me how life could have proceeded on different paths and to different places had some of the items below had been on my regular resume rather than my:

Stephen Francis Pearcy

Summary of Failure

Education

• M.M. Choral Conducting, Kent State University - I did not earn a masters degree in music because I never completed my papers on 1) the performance practices of the Tournai Mass and 2) the cultural contexts of Andean instrumental folk music.
• M.M. Choral Conducting, University of Maryland - I did not earn a masters degree in music because I was not accepted into the program.

Teaching Experience

Schools I interviewed with on-site but did not get an offer.

This list does not include schools I interviewed with at NAIS conventions or those I applied to by mail (all before the age of email) and received in return polite replies or utter silence. A couple schools in DC listed below later ignored or sent polite replies to my application letters.

• Morristown-Beard School, Morristown, NJ - I drove up the night before and stayed with a friend who lived a couple exits up the Garden State Parkway.  The morning of the interview I found I had forgotten to pack dress shoes, so I had to buy a pair of shoes on the way to the interview.
• St. Andrew's School, Bethesda, MD - The first time I interviewed I got an offer which I declined. The second time I was rejected.
• Field School, Washington, DC
• St. Alban's School, Washington, DC
• Deerfield Academy, Deerfield, MA
• Marvelwood School, Marvelwood, CT
• Bullis School, Washington, DC
• Edmund Burke School, Washington, DC - twice! (Second time was a couple years after the first. They didn't remember.)
• Maret School, Washington, DC - twice! (Same story, but there were leadership changes in between at both schools.)
• Some school in the Milwaukee suburbs but I cannot figure out which one. They flew me in, put me up in a hotel for two nights, yet we all realized pretty quickly it was a bust but still had interviews all day plus dinner that evening. Awkward. But I found a cool bar downtown.

Other Professional Experience

Positions I interviewed for on-site but did not get an offer. 

This list does not include companies or organizations I interviewed with at the Lafayette College Placement Center (I missed one interview because of illness but the company still sent me a rejection letter with the salutation, "Dear Frank." I threw away the letter a couple years later. I still regret it.) or those I applied to and in return received polite replies or utter silence.

• Accounting Associate - Kipp Schools, Washington, DC
• Finance Assistant - Smithsonian Folklife Festival, Washington, DC - they brought me in partially because "I had the craziest resume they'd ever seen."
• Program Associate - Washington Opera, Washington, DC
• Math Curriculum Developer - Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD - a job writing math teaching scripts for teachers, explaining how to teach math for teachers with little to no skill in math (many math teachers in schools do not have very much background in math, particularly in inner city and primary schools).
• Math Curriculum Developer - Math Curriculum Company (forgot name), Towson, MD - another job writing math curriculum with a company that was an offshoot of the Johns Hopkins program. I had initial and follow up interviews for the job but they chose someone else
• Foreign Service Officer - State Department, Washington, DC - passed written exam, failed oral exam
• Computer Programmer - Social Security Administration, Washington, DC
• Computer Scientist - Prudential Insurance Company, Newark, NJ - In retrospect, I have profound relief I was rejected. 

Professional Singing Experience

Professional singing jobs I auditioned for but did not get in.

• Old Presbyterian Meeting House Choir, Alexandria, VA
• Ascension & St. Agnes Choir, Washington, DC
• Georgetown Presbyterian Church Choir, Washington, DC
• St. Paul's Episcopal Church Choir, Alexandria, VA - There was a notice for the position 3 months later. 'Worked out well.
• Suspicious Cheese Lords, Washington, DC - I auditioned again a couple years later and got in. A failure marred by later success.
• Church of the Epiphany Choir, Washington, DC - twice! (different directors)
• Master Chorale of Washington, Washington, DC - I auditioned for the group that rose from the ashes of this one after it collapsed and got in (see WMC below), but was ultimately let go.
• Washington Opera Chorus, Washington, DC - Forgot all the words to Se vuol ballare in audition. A great moment. 
• Woodley Ensemble, Washington, DC - I auditioned again a couple years later and got in. Another failure marred by later success.

Ensembles I have sung with, sometimes for years, but was unsuccessful in re-auditioning with or was let go.

• St. Alban's Church, Washington, DC - sang for 2 years with the choir, new director came in and brought in his crew so I was out.  He left 8 months later.  BUT, at the church I went to afterwards I sang the solos from Messiah that December, so a case of failure marred by success.
• Chantry, Washington, DC - I sang in its first concert, decided not to continue, re-auditioned ten years later and was rejected.
• Washington Master Chorale, Washington, DC - Was let go after 4 years.
• Washington National Cathedral Choirs, Washington, DC - Sang with for 6 years, left, re-auditioned and was rejected.
• Christ Church Georgetown Choir, Washington, DC - Was a frequent sub a couple years, later auditioned and was rejected.
• Washington Bach Consort, Washington, DC - I was rejected, then auditioned again ten years later, got in, and then was let go after 3 years. Failure marred by success and then redeemed by ultimate failure.

Volunteer Singing Experience

Ensembles I auditioned for but did not get in, decades ago. I would probably get in now (really, I would).

• Cleveland Orchestra Chorus, Cleveland, OH
• Choral Arts Society of Washington, Washington, DC

Grant I applied for but did not get

• Catalyst Grant, Hathaway Brown School, Shaker Heights, OH - To fund research and planning for a Science and Society class, examining the relationships between science and society at times of Galileo, Darwin, and the creation of the atomic bomb, as seen through literature and drama.

Interesting things I started to apply for but gave up

• M. Ed., Harvard University, Cambridge, MA
• M. Ed., Teachers College, Columbia University, New York, NY
• Peace Corp Volunteer, Exotic location, Exotic country - twice!

Women I was unsuccessful with

Women I knew and was unable to find any positions with and had actually tried. This list does not include those I gave up on without trying (much longer list).

• Jennifer
• Gretchen 
• Cathy - twice!

I think I remembered everything in my adult life.  Perhaps an accompanying document would be summary of what might have been: job offers and opportunities that I declined or did not more than nominally pursue, which, like the above, would have led to different life paths.  UPDATE:  I did it, here.