Welcome to 2006

Hello all,

This will be brief because my battery is dying.

An update on the news from the holiday break:

1- My former postdoc advisor died. I was shocked to realize I have very little emotion about this. I guess I really just didn't like him very much, which I sort of knew, but I think you're supposed to feel remorse and forgiveness when someone dies... and I just don't have any feeling for the guy at all. If anything I think it's sad that I don't. If anything, I was relieved, since I knew he was very ill and likely to suffer until he died. I guess I don't care that he's dead, but I'm relieved he's not suffering anymore. Does that make any sense?

In talking with people who knew him years ago, everyone agrees he wasn't himself for the last few years (when I knew him). Too bad for me, I guess I missed out. But again, I had heard that before.

2- My former thesis advisor got a new job and will be moving very, very far away. I am happy for him, and surprised to realize how much I will miss him being nearby, even though we don't see each other all that often. I also fervently hope that if he's going to have any other graduate students, that he treats them well and is less of a micromanager than he was with me.

3- I'm getting some good results in lab, so I've been busy and excited about that.

4- No job interviews, just rejection letters so far.

5- Sending out more applications, of course.

6- Parents are coming to visit soon. Must get hair cut, clean house, have pants tailored properly instead of walking around with threads hanging from where I chopped them with scissors. Mom will be sure to comment on these things, and I am sure it will piss me off since on some level she's right, and it's simple enough to take care of ahead of time.