Break=Good thing

The break provided me with some much needed R&R. I was semi-productive (cleaned, worked on my thesis), but I mostly relaxed. With moving and working simultaneously, it was good for me to take a break. I have more energy now than I did before.

I can’t believe that the semester is over soon. Although there have definitely been moments or days where things couldn’t be done faster (dealing with plagiarism), the semester went by fast.

 

Don’t update your system when working on an important project

My advisor decided I needed to update a graph that I made used Matlab. A small theoretical curve graph, nothing fancy or labor intensive. I thought that it would take 5 minutes to make the small changes. I was wrong, it turned out. Matlab became screwy after I upgraded to Snow Leopard (the latest Mac OS). It won’t let me save graphs and displays my y-axis label oddly. I had one of those midnight moments where I didn’t think it was possible to change it. I considered editing the graphic under Photoshop, since the changes were really cosmetic (a frame, a thicker line) but couldn’t figure out how to make a credible thicker graphed line.

Then walking for my coffee, I realized that all I graphed was an equation and I could redo it in Mathematica (which still functions). Solution worked. However, I learned a very important lesson: don’t upgrade until everything is done.

 

A week until break

I’m preparing my students for the next exam, which is fast approaching. I forgot how long the semester system can be; when I was doing my graduate degree, we were on quarter system. That means we would end right before Thanksgiving. I used to prefer the semester system, but now I’m not so sure. Perhaps it’s just what you’re used to at the end of the day.

Although I enjoy teaching, I could use the break myself. It’s just nice to relax, you know? Relaxing is relative, though. I finally received more edits in the mail for my thesis, so that’s how I intend on spending my time, hustling out those edits. It would be nice to have a real break, but at the same time, I’d rather be finished with my thesis than have a break break.

I’m starting to get settled more things. I think this weekend I may finally start doing yoga again. I’m starting to incorporate little dance practices for when I go back to dance class (I’m thinking next month, right before the New Year). I’m surprised that shimmy is still there and that I can still isolate muscles. I suppose muscle more really does exist.

 

Midterm time

My week has consisted of getting my students ready for their midterm. While my boss is fine with me delaying exams, I want to get them used to my exams as well as get them motivated to learn the material. I find it odd being on the other side of the table. Making problems up that are thoughtful, interesting, and not too difficult is a challenge. Writing my first equation sheet was a challenge as well. I have fairly good notes of my own that cover what we’ve done, but  I wanted to make something clear for the students. I don’t think they’re used to using an equation sheet, and it is a skill to learn prior to the exam, not at the exam.

Speaking of my students, they are slowly warming up to me and how our classes are. They were used to not having a system, so I think they appreciate that there is consistency, even if I’m still learning. What I like about my boss and everyone at the school is that they understand that I’m still learning. I know how to teach physics on some level, but I’ve never had to worry about assigning work, creating exams, etc. No one taught me how to do that, either. I’m somewhat of a perfectionist, but I’m trying not to be hard on myself. I feel like I am improving with each day.

The job has been quite a bit of work, which is to be expected. I’ve been fitting in my thesis editing (working on that after I finish writing here) and job searching. To clarify, my contract is only good for this semester. While I think I have a decent chance of getting more work, nothing is secure so I feel that it’s necessary to still search. I’m not sending out my CV as vigorously as before, but I have sent out a few applications. I would be more than happy to continue working at the school,  but since I’m not guaranteed work beyond this semester, I have to keep looking.

 

Life occasionally throws a curve ball

I’ve been debating about writing this in my blog, since I try to keep it light and alittle apersonal (perhaps, trying to keep it more professional). However, I am a person at the end of the day. My father died last week, which is why there have been no updates. I simply wasn’t in the mood to write or make progress on my life goals. My father and I didn’t have the best relationship, and the grieving process has been difficult in many respects, much different than when my mother died.

For obvious reasons, my father’s death put my life on hold for last week. This week, I finally contacted the temp agency I had used the last time I had lived in Boston. Although the contact I had originally used is no longer there, I have a very good record there. If you’ve never used a temp agency, the way the company and individual workers make money is if you make money. Evidently, some folks are unreliable and won’t show up to work or do their jobs, so having a good record is important. The temp agency is sending me on an interview tomorrow with a company I had originally worked at in 2006-2007, before grad school. Company B is thisclose to scheduling round II interview with me. There will most likely be a round III interview, if I do well with round II, but the HR person said that those interviews are usually scheduled within days of round II and decisions are made quickly.

With that, I’m in principle looking to move out of Providence soon, like Oct 1 soon. This weekend I’m heading to my hometown to see my brother and settle some matters, but I’m lucky enough to have a friend who’ll start the hunt for me.

 

The update is that there are no updates

I’ve been working steadily on my thesis, since I haven’t been able to schedule an interview with company B. Perhaps it’s some kind of karmic revenge; I had announced that company B was interested in a second interview with me and now I can’t schedule it. The HR person has been good, but the person with whom the interview is quite busy and hasn’t gotten back to him. I imagine the holiday weekend hasn’t helped.

I haven’t found too much in the job search lately, but again, I suspect that it may have something to do with the holiday. I’m more optimistic about the job search here; at least things are appearing in the Boston-area whereas nothing showed up in Chicago.

The other way I’ve been keeping busy is acquainting myself with Providence. Since I don’t drive, I walk everywhere. Providence is quite charming. I miss Chicago a lot (I have a dream/nightmare about leaving Chicago), but Providence isn’t too shabby. Not home but nice.

 

I have arrived

On Saturday, I arrived in Providence, RI. My move was epic fail. On Friday, I spent most of the day trying to talk to my movers. On Saturday, they didn’t show and worse, sent a cancellation at 12 noon. I told them that I was leaving at 12 noon to catch my flight. Luckily, my SO’s parents are awesome and repacking and sending my stuff. I did a decent job packing for moving which is different from packing for shipping. I feel like a jerk leaving my stuff, but- I didn’t have a lot of choices. I’m still upset about my movers. I find it truly unprofessional to cancel so last minute (allegedly, a truck was broken) and then to not even call to apologize or inform me of the situation.

As I said that day, some day I will laugh about it. Today is unfortunately not that day. I slept for about 12 hours once I moved to Providence (I am staying with friends), and I spent Sunday preparing for my cats. Monday I went into Boston to interview and see my SO. The interview was relatively short (35 min; I am accustomed to at least an hour long interview). I think it went okay. Right now, I’m trying to organize another interview, as well as work on my thesis. Jobs being posted have ceased a little, which is a little distressing, but I hope that they’ll pick up as the month continues.

I miss Chicago. I feel sureal being back; I can’t really describe it, but I haven’t mentally clicked that the New England area is my home again. I guess I may be in denial, since I had visited at least once a year during my stint in Chicago. Oh well. I think it’ll be an adventure. I just need a job to fund it!

 

Vedi, vidi, not quite vici

My thesis defense was yesterday. It went okay. I was disappointed by the lack of crowd (one adjunct admitted he went to the beach). The presentation was not flawless. I use Keynote, which is the Mac version of Powerpoint; I prefer it, though I have Powerpoint. The day before, when I rehearsed, Keynote had an aweseome presenter only display, where I had a clock and my notes on my screen, and the presentation on the big screen. True to how life rolls, I wasn’t able to get that back the next day, even though I hadn’t changed any settings on my compuer and no one had used the room for my presentation.

The defense part (the part behind closed doors) was intense. At least mine wasn’t a friendly meeting of professors; we were there for business and nothing nice. I have to do rewriting. Everyone has different standards; some things that my advisor had wanted me to do and loved were things the committee hated. Go figure. The only bad thing about the edits are that some of them I need to have access to stuff at school. Due to my job search and lack of job, I am moving in with a friend in Providence, RI next week sometime. I have to work hard to get stuff done all while packing.

The other thing that made yesterday rough was a friend wanted to cancel on me for moving. I was relying on this, since I’m moving within a week or so. I have since found a reasonable mover, but I now need to figure out how to move my cats. Airlines won’t let me fly with three cats or buy seats or anything like that. I’m not sure why, but that’s what I found out from customer service tonight. Anyone have any advice?

That’s where my life stands. My big relaxing stuff today (and part of yesterday when I wasn’t freaking out about my move) was eating malai kofta from my favorite Indian restaurant, playing Sims 3, and sitting around in my PJs.

 

Defense, defense!

Tomorrow is my defense. My advisor, the kid who defends Wednesday, and I did a dry run, along with two others.

Remarkably, my dry run was painless. I have to make some corrections tonight, but beyond that- it went well for my first, last, and only dry run. I have to admit I was nervous- I respected everyone’s opinion in the room, and I don’t have that much time to make major corrections. Also, being questioned is not fun at all. I was particularly scared when M, the guy going on Wednesday, was asked a series of difficult questions. My questions weren’t easy, either, and my advisor has one mean poker face (I couldn’t tell until I finished answering if I was on the right track or I was completely wrong). Thank goodness, I was right with my answers.

Around this time tomorrow, I will most likely have an answer of whether I have successfully defended my thesis. Please send happy, good vibes my way.

 

So close to the end

So my thesis has gone to committee. Scary, huh? I spent yesterday scrambling to get myself together; Mathematica crashed on me 5 times. While that sounds unfortunate but not too bad, Mathematica chose to crash when I finished loading all 6 sets of data. Those six sets take about an hour to load.

I’m right now saving video and putting together my talk. I look forward to it on some level. I like talking , but I’m also a little nervous. I’m only getting one dry run through it on Monday with my advisor.

I’m also a bit sad. A few people who I would have loved to have show up will not be. Oh well. I plan on doing what a former grad student did after he got through the grilling: sleeping. I sleep terribly right now. I don’t want to do poorly. I don’t want to be stuck in huge rewrites (I learned today that a former grad student had 40 pages to add onto his). I expect some revisions, but I don’t want to get swamped. Right now, I’m simply too busy. I’m thesising, working on getting a job, TAing, and trying to plan a move. A lot for one person to get done in a short amount of time.

I defend on Tuesday. Wish me luck!