Two people in the last week told me they thought I was 25. I'll take it, I guess! It weirds me out a bit though. When I actually was 25, I was in Scotland, living an entirely different life - in some ways, I feel like I was an entirely different person. Odd how that goes. Never mind, it's been a fun ride one way or another.... even if the (cute) new departmental hire is a mere year older than me, with a solid academic job and a star-studded career.
The new post-doc, on the other hand, is 26 freakin' years old and gunning hard for a tenure-track position ASAP. He might do it, too. He has four times my paper count and a million NSERCs and whatnot on his record. He is hard-core.
Somebody remind me that it's not about competition and that I'm pretty freakin' lucky to have the most fun job in the world... even if it means living below the poverty line (at my age!)
That said, having a pretty fun semester so far. The big news (to me at least) is that I handed in a thesis draft last week. I was mad because it was a month later than I had hoped, but it is a huge weight off. Of course, this is only the start of the process - first my supervisor will make me change it all, and then we will send it to my committee and they will make me change it still further. Then the external examiner will tear it to shreds and then I will have to (gulp) defend it. But for the moment, it is Not My Problem until Mark sends it back. Hallelujah!
In the meantime, I am keeping myself busy with five piles of marking, four students to supervise, three side projects, two seminars to teach (and a partridge in a pear tree). I have an honours student and two internship students whose projects I'm responsible for, and one of the volunteer RAs just expressed an interest, so I've designed one for her as well. The more the merrier! I am still collaborating with Yale on a couple of things, and my labmate Tyler and I have a side project on the go that is looking really good right now. I looked at the pilot data today and am quite excited, so full speed ahead with data collection and we will see what we get.
Teaching is going pretty well too. I have two seminars and don't hate teaching them as much as I feared. They all just stare at me blankly the entire time, of course, but they do seem to be paying attention and I've just finished all the marking of that first assignment. It was kind of fun teaching them experiment design, since it's pretty much my favorite topic right now.
In other news, the new postdoc (despite inciting extreme CV-related jealousy) is totally awesome. He has single-handedly instituted Thursday/Friday Pub Night every week and for the first time in three years, I have actually met some people in the department who are not in my area. I had literally never seen these people before - sad. He also keeps inviting me round for games nights and dinner and this and that. It is glorious. On Tuesday I was at the grocery store when I ran into him and his wife, who scooped me up, bought me fried chicken and cider and entertained me until midnight before giving me and my groceries a ride home. Amazing how having ONE PERSON (okay, technically two people) in this stupid town who appear to enjoy my company and will actually go out of their way to hang out with me can have such a huge effect on my quality of life.
And the best part? One week till Reading Week, mega Del time and roadtrips! Cannot wait. I'm going to push through and work the weekend, in the hopes that by the time Del-time rolls around, I can actually take the week mostly off. Glorious!
Showing posts with label marking. Show all posts
Showing posts with label marking. Show all posts
Thursday, 9 February 2012
Sunday, 27 March 2011
Living in America is creepy.
In the last week, some poor bike mechanic got shot, and somebody opened fire at a gig. Suddenly pretty happy I went for the house in the "nicer" part of town. My housemate went on a Critical Mass ride in memory of the dead bike dude. He says the cycling community is pretty shook up.
However, luckily I pretty much work all the time, and our participants are unlikely to shoot us because being associated with the lab is pretty lucrative for them (longitudinal studies pay well and usually include travel costs, and you're guaranteed that money as long as you show up to be tested every six months). I've finally, FINALLY started testing and have two participants run, although not without a lot of drama. The first girl turned up with braids on Monday, meaning we were not able to fit the EEG cap on (it fits like a swim cap, so no room for giant bunches of hair). We rebooked her for Wednesday at 6pm, after she had taken her braids out, and her mom was there by 5.45. Said her daughter was on her way. 6.30, no sign of the kid. It's getting dark and mom is freaking out. 6.45, still no sign. Mom is calling every relative she can think of, but they won't pick up because they don't recognise the number. 6.50, kid finally appears. Luckily her hair is down. We run her anyway, since she seems up for it, getting the net on as quickly as humanly possible. Study ends, we pay the participant, and mom starts yelling - "What do you MEAN we don't get travel costs?!" eek.
Thursday, participant is half an hour late. No, make that an hour late. No, make that cancelled entirely. Rebooked for next week. Friday, I'm calling around trying to get people in for next week. Mom says her kid could come - if we can fit him in that day. Check the schedule, there's a tiny one-hour slot available in the testing room. Book him. Luckily he showed up braid-free (perfect hair actually: very short!) and was a nice, cooperative kid. However, the person who needed the room ahead of me ran late and so had to spend 15 minutes trying to make conversation with a taciturn adolescent. However, data is data.
I did make it out to a performance of the Bach mass in B Minor in support of Japan last night, though. We got there late and got pretty bad seats, but luckily could see the conductor, who was very entertaining. Complete with flying white hair and hopping on his toes and giant arm gestures. Everything was sung in Latin, so I was kind of losing focus until out of desperation I read the liner notes, which explained the similarity between Baroque architecture and music - both were obsessed with symmetry. It used the Palace of Versailles as an example. After that it was easier to know what I was listening to, and I was much less fidgety.
In other news, now that the snow has melted there are three blue jays, two robins and countless squirrels hanging out in my yard. Much more fun to watch them than do my marking, although I'm trying to make inroads. I have never encountered more whiny students than with this course. They seem to think that "Distance Ed" = "Don't have to work", and they send extremely nasty emails should they get a lower mark than they thought they should have. Highlights have included, "I don't know if you realize, but I'm a 90% student and you just gave me a 70%", and "I don't agree with the mark you gave me. I technically did the bare minimum requirements, so clearly deserve a high mark" and slagging me off in a series of public posts on the course forum, claiming I should not be doing the re-grades. Luckily the prof has supported me 100%, but it ain't the most fun I've ever had.
Ah well, it pays the bills... sort of.
However, luckily I pretty much work all the time, and our participants are unlikely to shoot us because being associated with the lab is pretty lucrative for them (longitudinal studies pay well and usually include travel costs, and you're guaranteed that money as long as you show up to be tested every six months). I've finally, FINALLY started testing and have two participants run, although not without a lot of drama. The first girl turned up with braids on Monday, meaning we were not able to fit the EEG cap on (it fits like a swim cap, so no room for giant bunches of hair). We rebooked her for Wednesday at 6pm, after she had taken her braids out, and her mom was there by 5.45. Said her daughter was on her way. 6.30, no sign of the kid. It's getting dark and mom is freaking out. 6.45, still no sign. Mom is calling every relative she can think of, but they won't pick up because they don't recognise the number. 6.50, kid finally appears. Luckily her hair is down. We run her anyway, since she seems up for it, getting the net on as quickly as humanly possible. Study ends, we pay the participant, and mom starts yelling - "What do you MEAN we don't get travel costs?!" eek.
Thursday, participant is half an hour late. No, make that an hour late. No, make that cancelled entirely. Rebooked for next week. Friday, I'm calling around trying to get people in for next week. Mom says her kid could come - if we can fit him in that day. Check the schedule, there's a tiny one-hour slot available in the testing room. Book him. Luckily he showed up braid-free (perfect hair actually: very short!) and was a nice, cooperative kid. However, the person who needed the room ahead of me ran late and so had to spend 15 minutes trying to make conversation with a taciturn adolescent. However, data is data.
I did make it out to a performance of the Bach mass in B Minor in support of Japan last night, though. We got there late and got pretty bad seats, but luckily could see the conductor, who was very entertaining. Complete with flying white hair and hopping on his toes and giant arm gestures. Everything was sung in Latin, so I was kind of losing focus until out of desperation I read the liner notes, which explained the similarity between Baroque architecture and music - both were obsessed with symmetry. It used the Palace of Versailles as an example. After that it was easier to know what I was listening to, and I was much less fidgety.
In other news, now that the snow has melted there are three blue jays, two robins and countless squirrels hanging out in my yard. Much more fun to watch them than do my marking, although I'm trying to make inroads. I have never encountered more whiny students than with this course. They seem to think that "Distance Ed" = "Don't have to work", and they send extremely nasty emails should they get a lower mark than they thought they should have. Highlights have included, "I don't know if you realize, but I'm a 90% student and you just gave me a 70%", and "I don't agree with the mark you gave me. I technically did the bare minimum requirements, so clearly deserve a high mark" and slagging me off in a series of public posts on the course forum, claiming I should not be doing the re-grades. Luckily the prof has supported me 100%, but it ain't the most fun I've ever had.
Ah well, it pays the bills... sort of.
Wednesday, 21 January 2009
I am taking a break from marking! I'm not taking any classes this semester (only a required seminar where I just have to turn up and listen) but I have a sinking feeling that I'm going to be learning a huge pile of stuff per week in order to be able to mark for two classes. One's a 4th-year neurobiology seminar dealing with learning and memory (haven't done any of that since undergrad) and one's stats (UGH). However, the nice thing is I can mark from home in my PJs. Can't argue with that.
Although still a pretty empty house, it is starting to look reasonably home-like around here. The landlady left me a bunch of student-grade furniture she didn't want anymore (for which I will be forever grateful) and I bought a bunch of stuff from the dollar store, a few pans and a cheap futon to use as a couch. You would not believe the number of people who seem to think their old crappy futon is worth $200. Good lord. Mine is not the loveliest thing in the universe (and it required extensive cat-hair removal), but it was cheap and delivery was included! And now I have somewhere to sit. And a spare bed, when you all come for a visit!
Here is a post I started last week but was too lazy to finish then:
Canadians are so cute. Today waiting for the bus they formed an orderly queue as a woman in a wheelchair slowly descended the ramp. But then after she left, nobody wanted to be the first to move. Eventually the bus driver said, "C'mon you guys, it's too cold to stand around out there! Get on the bus!" and there was a minor stampede. Brits are champion queuers, but they are DEFINITELY NOT SHY about moving forward if they are first in the queue, or even if the first person is showing no signs of going anywhere. Also, the first thing I noticed starting school here was the sheer number of people holding doors for me. They will even hold a door if you are five or ten metres away, necessitating a bit of a sprint to get to the door if you don't want to make them wait forever. Which Canadians generally don't.
Anyway, it's less cold here (or less consistently cold) but way more snowy. Perhaps a house with a lease saying I have to shovel it was a bad call! But the bus system is pretty good and goes right past my house. I have found bus routes to a grocery store and a Zellers, so that should hold me for now. I think when the snow goes away I should be able to walk to work with relative ease, as well. The bus is free, but it would be nice to have the daily exercise.
Here are some pictures of a snowman I made at the bus stop. And a buried bicycle.
Although still a pretty empty house, it is starting to look reasonably home-like around here. The landlady left me a bunch of student-grade furniture she didn't want anymore (for which I will be forever grateful) and I bought a bunch of stuff from the dollar store, a few pans and a cheap futon to use as a couch. You would not believe the number of people who seem to think their old crappy futon is worth $200. Good lord. Mine is not the loveliest thing in the universe (and it required extensive cat-hair removal), but it was cheap and delivery was included! And now I have somewhere to sit. And a spare bed, when you all come for a visit!
Here is a post I started last week but was too lazy to finish then:
Canadians are so cute. Today waiting for the bus they formed an orderly queue as a woman in a wheelchair slowly descended the ramp. But then after she left, nobody wanted to be the first to move. Eventually the bus driver said, "C'mon you guys, it's too cold to stand around out there! Get on the bus!" and there was a minor stampede. Brits are champion queuers, but they are DEFINITELY NOT SHY about moving forward if they are first in the queue, or even if the first person is showing no signs of going anywhere. Also, the first thing I noticed starting school here was the sheer number of people holding doors for me. They will even hold a door if you are five or ten metres away, necessitating a bit of a sprint to get to the door if you don't want to make them wait forever. Which Canadians generally don't.
Anyway, it's less cold here (or less consistently cold) but way more snowy. Perhaps a house with a lease saying I have to shovel it was a bad call! But the bus system is pretty good and goes right past my house. I have found bus routes to a grocery store and a Zellers, so that should hold me for now. I think when the snow goes away I should be able to walk to work with relative ease, as well. The bus is free, but it would be nice to have the daily exercise.
Here are some pictures of a snowman I made at the bus stop. And a buried bicycle.
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