quartzpebble

I am in the middle of considering what I actually want to be doing for the next N years, and gah. I am afraid that my choices are pretty much (a) do interesting work and work my ass off, no really, and (b) do more physical and less chemical science, which ime is not as enjoyable, and maybe have more reasonable work hours. I don't know how to set those priorities but right now I am pretty bummed out about current!group and the research (which I'm not sure how to mentally separate). When I look at descriptions of physics-inflected research right now I am getting an gut-level icky feeling.

I did talk to a PI today. The out-of-department is a problem for sure, but my background impressed him enough to be willing to meet with me, he waved some projects at me (need to bug him for the manuscript he promised, need to re-read the other paper), and we talked some about how he runs his lab (2 weeks vacation plus holidays, expects a part-day on the weekend, and would like 9-10 h days). If 8-5 including lunch counts as 9-h day, that might be doable; if it's a full 9 h work, probably less so. It looks like interesting work (but I need to talk with the students), it's work with applications (newborn screening for treatable congenital diseases is one of the projects), and it would involve some synthesis and would be My Project. So, useful. A pretty well-funded lab too and I wouldn't be running columns by hand! (Yay.) But sounds like there would be Expectations. More hands-off though, which I would greatly appreciate.

I can't tell what I want to be when I grow up. Or for the next 4 years.

In possibly related news, I've started getting grey hair this year, mostly at the temples. Someday I will look distinguished. It is a nice silver color.

ETA: Wow, it's late. I totally posted about the group already. Anyway, have more details.

This is a list of (some of) the exercises I have started doing over the last few weeks to engage many of the shoulder-related muscles that are all "lalala, the upper trapezius can do all of my work for me forever, lalala" with some emphasis on being able to roll again*.

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These have been really useful so far but obnoxious, especially some of the ones my new PT is giving me. Still, not much point in getting good advice if I'm not going to follow it, and I can tell that being able to actively engage mid-trunk muscles is going to do excellent things for connecting my hips to my shoulders. PT says it is a good idea to keep up with the stabilizer work even after I am healed, since my shoulders are so very flexible.

*I tried rolling on the squishy mat today and found that it is easy to develop bad habits because of the give. For instance, if you can't really feel when you go over your head, that's a terrible one to take out on a firmer surface. However, I have started rolling from standing on the normal mat and it's been a bit bumpy sometimes but not terrible.

( Getting rid of some books, let me know if you want them...Collapse )
It's more convenient if I see you in person occasionally (or at least show up in your city sometimes, but if you are not local and want something I can deal with the post office also.

In the spirit of the food-posts, here is some of my quasi-recent delicious stuff:

( Stuffed pumpkinCollapse )

We got (unofficial) chemistry department t-shirts today. Since I didn't want one that said "Need Money for Beer Research" I got the snarky one (much funnier, anyhow):

Physical Chemistry
The grand attempt to apply y=mx+b to everything in the universe

Organic Chemistry
The practice of transmuting vile, toxic substances into publications

Analytical Chemistry
The fine art of letting the machine figure it out for you

Inorganic Chemistry
The syphoning off of NSF grant money for research that will never be useful. Ever.

Biochemistry
An exercise in making buffer, after buffer, after buffer, after buffer...

Combinatorial Chemistry
The process of making a million useless compounds when one would suffice

Chemical Engineering
Doing for actual profit what other chemists just do for fun

I'm amused.