Showing posts with label postdocing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label postdocing. Show all posts

Monday, March 5, 2012

In which I act full of myself

I'm speaking at another conference, which means at all the conferences I've attended where I've submitted an abstract, I've been asked to speak.  It's getting to the point where I'm worried about what my reaction will be when I am inevitably not chosen as a speaker.

But the much more important point is, what the hell shall I wear?  I think this is an excellent occasion for my new patent pumps.  This is an inaugural meeting so I'm not sure if it's suit appropriate.  This is the problem with working with both scientists and MD's  :/

Saturday, February 18, 2012

Postdoc Blues

So I've been doing this postdoc thing for about 10 months now.  It's really surprising how different being a postdoc is from being a student - but that's a good thing!  It means I'm learning new things, unlike postdocs who are just data chugging like a cheap tech.  I've written a review, coauthored a few papers some of which didn't get outright rejected, reviewed papers, applied for a few fellowships and even got one, am mentoring students (I currently have an undergrad, a very needy master's student, and a rotating grad student), presenting at conferences, leading committees, am currently writing the skeleton of an R01 and am taking a class as required by my fellowship.  Oh yeah and producing (somewhat kickass) data.  That's a long fucking list and there just aren't enough hours in the day.  I am feeling overwhelmed to the point that I lost control of my normally publicly cool self and swore at the janky-ass lab printer.  Très professionnelle. 

How I feel most days
Of course, it doesn't help that recently there have been two deaths (one a family member, one a family friend) in as many weeks and yet another sinus infection.  Nonetheless, I need to find a way to balance out my responsibilities.  I'm not sure how to do that, but I do know that it's a skill that I will need to be successful down the tenure track.  But all I want to do is take a long nap.