I don’t want to move.
In about eight weeks, though, that is exactly what I will be doing. Again. And then possibly again, nine months or so later. (No, I am not pregnant, but that’s about the length of an academic year, and Mr. Etchevers has received the first of what we hope will be a couple of job offers, and it’s not quite where I wish to be.)
Not only will I be thinking about what is necessary for getting the household up and running smoothly, but all the usual September stresses will be in place to welcome us back to Paris: figuring out the most efficient way to not be late to new schools, piano and sports lessons, catching up on “what did you do over the summer” and “what did you do over the last three years?” Undertaking some redecoration (paint and quarter-century carpeting to replace) before moving in.
Deciding whether I try to repack my cherished centrifuge and other such kit and slip them into my personal moving stuff or tag along with another colleague who is also moving his lab up to Paris in the fall. Choosing what to leave, and which cell vials in the liquid nitrogen, and which paraffin blocks, so the students here can continue working comfortably.
Lots of things for which I would just as well put my head in the sand.
My job will be the same at least in the Paris lab, and I have been keeping my foot in the door by showing up like clockwork for two days every fortnight, or three days every three weeks, for the last three years. But even so, I’m rather out of a number of loops, now, and there will be some adjustment necessary.
My one Ph.D. student is defending her thesis in early October, and I will not take another student on right away. Too many medium-level responsabilities. It has been a long time since I said no to a collaboration. Yes is more of a habit, and a way of avoiding hearing any expression of disappointment from across the table or the Internet. But the first opportunity has presented itself today, because I just said yes to two others in the last two days.
Meanwhile, two gigabytes of sequencing data await my inadequacy, and I have to learn Ubuntu-based programs so as to run them on a 64-bit operating system. That should not be impossible, but in what time can I acquire that knowledge?
Who was that deluded optimist who invited some sixty-odd people over for a potluck this weekend, anyhow?
Have you ever put off going to lunch until 2:30 PM because that way, the morning would not yet be over? Every day is like that, now.
No wonder you’re feeling overwhelmed, Heather – that is so much to do! I hope everything goes well, and best of luck for the move. It’s good you have a few toes in the door, but stressful nonetheless, I should think.
Thanks, Clare! Mostly the concern is about someone slamming the door on it anyhow.
The potluck went like a charm meanwhile, and Ubuntu 9.04 is up and running on our home computer.
Good luck with everything, Heather!
I’m wondering how I can arrange to have a few more days ‘off’ (doing paperwork and getting organized, more likely) before starting my new job 1 July…
But once we’re retired, life will be nothing but reading good books, going for long walks and drinking red wine – right??
Hm. My reply seems to have been swallowed. It was something to the effect that when it is this hot, I’ll settle for a cold glass of rosé. Or a beer.
My way of taking a day off was to say to myself, hey, my daughter won’t be asking me to accompany her on school trips much longer. I had better seize the occasion now. I hope you are able to negotiate something as easily, well before retirement.