Things and Stuff
So, many many things have happened.
First, I went to my sister's graduation. As befits Albany, it was 50 degrees and raining, yet the ceremony was held outdoors at ten am. Go SUNY system! My parents had arranged to stay in the same hotel pre-thermonuclear war, so when I went to check in the desk guy gave me a sympathetic look as he handed me the key and the note from my dad and the key and the note from my mom. Since they'd both checked in the night before, he had some idea of what the situation was like and was most sympathetic. My mom wasn't in, so I went to my dad's room. When my mom and sister came back from the mall, she was dispatched off to dad and I went to see my mom. See how it works? Two kids, two parents, maximum avoidance? Except that we all (including my sister's boyfriend, who I actually wound up liking) had to go to the ceremonies together. And my sister had to be up on stage, which left me actually serving as human wall between my parents. Who both got drunk at dinner, which made things even more awkward. I should mention that there was pre-dinner, during-dinner, and brunch drinking that weekend.
My parents' court date was supposed to be on my birthday (June 22, so all of you who missed it owe me double presents) but it was postponed so the war will continue into the future.
I had two back-to-back conferences in Pittsburgh, SBN and ICN. SBN was fun, but less fun than last year because it was all downtown and downtown Pittsburgh doesn't have much by way of nightlife. Plus there wasn't as much free booze this year. Though I did get to meet with the CFEx (more thoughts on that whole thing to be posted at a later date) and the lovely Cindy. The ICN part of the conference was less fun, but I was also all conferenced out. And my flight back (on my bday) was delayed and then all turbulent and surrounded by lightning.
Our old lab tech left and we have a new lab tech. We also are officially out of money and our new R01 isn't being reviewed until August, so even if we get it we still won't have money for awhile. It is very hard to do science without money. It is also very depressing and I'm blaming the lack of funding on the silly idea that tax cuts + war = good economy.
Rachel is leaving, her advisor (and I will refrain from juvenile name-calling here even though I really really want to) is moving the whole lab to South Carolina. Which would have been fine had he told his underlings about the possibility of a move ahead of time, when he was still thinking about it, so they could get their lives together and decide whether to go, and so that new people he hired weren't totally screwed by moving to Philly to begin with. Instead, he told them three months before and was apparently shocked that not everyone is thrilled to follow His Excellency. I hear he's got a great million-dollar house, though! And there's lots of sailing!
Yeah, so on my front it is no lab money + ongoing parental warfare + loss of close friend + start of horrific Philadelphia oppressive summer = life sucks. You know, in a nutshell.
First, I went to my sister's graduation. As befits Albany, it was 50 degrees and raining, yet the ceremony was held outdoors at ten am. Go SUNY system! My parents had arranged to stay in the same hotel pre-thermonuclear war, so when I went to check in the desk guy gave me a sympathetic look as he handed me the key and the note from my dad and the key and the note from my mom. Since they'd both checked in the night before, he had some idea of what the situation was like and was most sympathetic. My mom wasn't in, so I went to my dad's room. When my mom and sister came back from the mall, she was dispatched off to dad and I went to see my mom. See how it works? Two kids, two parents, maximum avoidance? Except that we all (including my sister's boyfriend, who I actually wound up liking) had to go to the ceremonies together. And my sister had to be up on stage, which left me actually serving as human wall between my parents. Who both got drunk at dinner, which made things even more awkward. I should mention that there was pre-dinner, during-dinner, and brunch drinking that weekend.
My parents' court date was supposed to be on my birthday (June 22, so all of you who missed it owe me double presents) but it was postponed so the war will continue into the future.
I had two back-to-back conferences in Pittsburgh, SBN and ICN. SBN was fun, but less fun than last year because it was all downtown and downtown Pittsburgh doesn't have much by way of nightlife. Plus there wasn't as much free booze this year. Though I did get to meet with the CFEx (more thoughts on that whole thing to be posted at a later date) and the lovely Cindy. The ICN part of the conference was less fun, but I was also all conferenced out. And my flight back (on my bday) was delayed and then all turbulent and surrounded by lightning.
Our old lab tech left and we have a new lab tech. We also are officially out of money and our new R01 isn't being reviewed until August, so even if we get it we still won't have money for awhile. It is very hard to do science without money. It is also very depressing and I'm blaming the lack of funding on the silly idea that tax cuts + war = good economy.
Rachel is leaving, her advisor (and I will refrain from juvenile name-calling here even though I really really want to) is moving the whole lab to South Carolina. Which would have been fine had he told his underlings about the possibility of a move ahead of time, when he was still thinking about it, so they could get their lives together and decide whether to go, and so that new people he hired weren't totally screwed by moving to Philly to begin with. Instead, he told them three months before and was apparently shocked that not everyone is thrilled to follow His Excellency. I hear he's got a great million-dollar house, though! And there's lots of sailing!
Yeah, so on my front it is no lab money + ongoing parental warfare + loss of close friend + start of horrific Philadelphia oppressive summer = life sucks. You know, in a nutshell.
