Update on Life
So today Mr Bob will courier off his application (Research Proposal, Teaching Dossier, CV, Cover Letter) to the University of Victoria for the position of Assistant Professor-Organic Chemistry.
Every word on that application has been mulled over, considered, rejected, scorned, readmitted, discovered, thesaurised and vetted. His PhD supervisor, myself and two of his co-workers have looked over it. Two hours on Sunday night were spent discussing the last two paragraphs of his teaching philosophy.
I, for one, will be glad to have a new topic of discussion in the house. (The new topic will be "Will they give Mr Bob an interview?")
Victoria is my favorite city. The main difficulty is that there is not much industry there and the University has only one position available this year. This leaves Bob in a bit of a job quandry.
And, for the record, as every.single.one of my 3-D friends, relations, aquaintances has suggested (in various tones of serious, joking, off the cuff and considered) that I start baby making, it's not like that hasn't been considered. My suggestion?If everyone else thinks this is a terrific idea, you'll all look after them, right?
Damn, I wish I was 5 years younger. I just want 5 more years.
posted by Aislinn Sirk @ 9:05 AM
13 Comments:
Victoria is such a pretty and liveable city! I'm not sold on living on an island, but I'm guessing that once you adjust it just makes you feel more special.
Baby-raising and research, sadly, are not easily compatible. And once you drop out research just keeps going on - so all the skills on your resume get dated very fast!
I never did get back into research after I had back-to-back babies (14 months apart) and I have often regretted that. My later jobs were all less intense - I never felt like I was at the center of the universe of knowledge again. On the other hand, I wanted kids with Tom.
I think I could have stayed in research if my last child did not have autism. That was the deal-breaker, or maybe deal-maker, for me.
I say, if he gets the job, there's nothing that doesn't say they won't have an opening in a year or two for you. In the meantime, wouldn't they maybe have part time positions?
Hey! You could become someone's minion! *grin*
...or just go ahead and start the baby making.
Nutz, they may have teaching positions (likely for the labs), but I don't think I'd want to work at the University in a temporary position. It would be a little demeaning to have Mr Bob be a prof and me be a TA at the same place. Also, if a job did open up and I didn't get it, everyone would know and I have a bit too much pride to handle that.
There are two colleges (no research) in the city as well, so I could teach there. That is an option.
I'm also considering other things, like taking a baby break for a few years and then getting another hardcore post doc for year (in another city/country etc)to jumpstart my career.
There are some pretty major decisions to make and I'm really not sure what I want.
The odd thing is I adore my job right now. It's the best fucking job in the world. Mr Bob actually doesn't really like his post doc. He looks a lot better on paper than I do, but I wonder if I wouldn't be too bad at being a prof either. It's great fun.
It stinks when you have to grow up and make major life changing decisions.
Don't stress too much about it yet. Take it one step at a time or it can be overwhelming. Next up... see if he gets an interview, then see if he gets a second interview, then see if he's a finalist, then see if he actually gets the job... It's a very long process and is tough to go through.
If you start planning a new life in Victoria and can accept if it happens, then it doesn't, it can be very frustrating.
{{{hugs}}}
I know Nutz. I am mainly a "Let's see what what happens" person. However, Mr Bob is a fury of organisation.
He'd like to plan both our lives, if he could, but I'm resistant. So he is content with planning his life.
The problem with this is that I can't really play "wait and see" or I'll just get swept up in his planning frenzy. He's got everything rather mapped out (Not necessarily Victoria or even a profdom. He also has plans B though Z-42x72-alpha bubbling away on the backburners.) so I need to have some idea of what I want in self defence.
I think he views me as this bit of messiness in nice organised life.
That's not true.
I know he views me as a bit of messiness in his nice organised life. However, he also thinks that without me he'd have a dull, empty, miserable existance, so he suffers my scatterdness.
You could start a business where you take your Scooba to visit other people's houses.
I solve problems.
He also has plans B though Z-42x72-alpha bubbling away on the backburners.
*snort* :D
I know what that's like! I'm the planner, Mr. Nutz is the scatterbrained spontaneous one. Sometimes, we just don't mesh.
Maybe I could become a Scooba saleman.
As long as I don't need to sell things.
No it is good that you guys are opposites. DH and I are too much alike. Neither of us want to take responsibility. As a result we forget to pay bills even though we have the money, we know nothing about financial stuff and we both will not keep the other in check from doing crazy things, in fact we egg each other on.
WE are flotsam floating in the jetsam.
Please do gget preg. so I can laugh at you and drink.
While you're at it, could you please figure out what I should do when I grow up too?
My application:
I am a co-author on one Science paper and have another in preparation.
I have taught two semesters to excellent reviews.
Sometimes I make insightful comments in meetings.
Ummm....that's all I've got. What should I do next????
Oh! And if the Victoria thing doesn't work out, my lab is hiring some organic chemists to do chemistry things like making polymers and linking them to stuff to make better vaccines. (I assume that sounds exciting to someone. That someone is not me.)
Well, I would babysit your children.
Then again, I would probably bear your children if you wanted me to. I'm a masochist, I guess.
Please go with the baby option so I can send you lots of mushroom themed baby clothes.
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