Wednesday, October 31, 2007
If there's a fire tonight...
10 pm on Hallow's Eve
70 envelopes stuffed and sealed. 50 (or so) stuffed but yet to be sealed.
L, on the floor sealing and checking addresses; S, at the table, stuffing large manila envelopes and signing cover letters.
L (counting envelopes): "So, if there's a fire tonight, you grab this box of applications, I'll grab the baby."
S: "Can I grab my computer, too?"
L: "No, you've got that backed up, and we've got insurance, but we can't replace THESE."
[The job searching process is, well... quite the process. Tomorrow the applications are mailed. And my CA friends, despite the fact that two years ago S said he'd rather live most anywhere BUT Southern CA -- well, it seems he's changed his mind. If his applications have anything to say about it, it looks like he's DYING to live in Southern CA. He's got at least a dozen going your direction. I questioned him about this and he said, "Well, there are a lot of schools in Southern CA. And it occurred to me that I'd rather have many of these jobs in CA than some of the jobs in the rest of the country, irregardless of location." So beware, we may be coming your way.]
Happy Halloween, y'all. And Happy Birthday Kate!
70 envelopes stuffed and sealed. 50 (or so) stuffed but yet to be sealed.
L, on the floor sealing and checking addresses; S, at the table, stuffing large manila envelopes and signing cover letters.
L (counting envelopes): "So, if there's a fire tonight, you grab this box of applications, I'll grab the baby."
S: "Can I grab my computer, too?"
L: "No, you've got that backed up, and we've got insurance, but we can't replace THESE."
[The job searching process is, well... quite the process. Tomorrow the applications are mailed. And my CA friends, despite the fact that two years ago S said he'd rather live most anywhere BUT Southern CA -- well, it seems he's changed his mind. If his applications have anything to say about it, it looks like he's DYING to live in Southern CA. He's got at least a dozen going your direction. I questioned him about this and he said, "Well, there are a lot of schools in Southern CA. And it occurred to me that I'd rather have many of these jobs in CA than some of the jobs in the rest of the country, irregardless of location." So beware, we may be coming your way.]
Happy Halloween, y'all. And Happy Birthday Kate!
Saturday, October 27, 2007
Why he's finishing grad school so quickly
The director of graduate studies in my husband's department asked him how it was possible that he was getting out in four years, and what she should tell all those folks that were in their sixth or eighth year of studies and hadn't finished.
This comic (appropriately published a week after E was born) says it all.
Actually, it says most of it. Really, around this same time, S discovered he must defend by last May to secure his advisor (who is leaving the department). Then, he discovered that if he worked all summer (and I took baby duty all summer) he stood a chance of having a job market paper. Now he's realized that he DOES have a job market paper, and thus, perhaps, will have a dissertation (note, I did not say "GOOD" dissertation, just dissertation) done by the spring.
So, for those who don't yet know, we're done in May. I don't know how he did it. I'm a bit unnerved by the fact we'll be moving again soon, but the job applications are going out next week. I think this next year is going to be crazy. Long nights, here we come. (Erm, here we are, rather!!)
This comic (appropriately published a week after E was born) says it all.
Actually, it says most of it. Really, around this same time, S discovered he must defend by last May to secure his advisor (who is leaving the department). Then, he discovered that if he worked all summer (and I took baby duty all summer) he stood a chance of having a job market paper. Now he's realized that he DOES have a job market paper, and thus, perhaps, will have a dissertation (note, I did not say "GOOD" dissertation, just dissertation) done by the spring.
So, for those who don't yet know, we're done in May. I don't know how he did it. I'm a bit unnerved by the fact we'll be moving again soon, but the job applications are going out next week. I think this next year is going to be crazy. Long nights, here we come. (Erm, here we are, rather!!)
E and the newly dangerous purple chair
So, the popular baby seat, shown in the video below, has been the cause of death for some children (whose parents thought it was okay to use the seat as a booster chair or put it on a high table, something the packaging said was NOT an okay use of the product). Someone in my family reminded me not to use it in such a way. Not a problem, as my babe can now sit by herself and is no longer interested in the chair. That is, not USUALLY interested in the chair.
A couple of weekends ago, a friend (whose name shall ever remain in internet shadow) had family over, and asked us to sit for them for a couple of hours. So a four month old was in our house. Great times! Four month old used said purple chair (on the floor, of course!) and E was intrigued. E decided purple chair was important and a fun toy. Since she showed interested in purple chair, I put her back in it. Below is her videotaped reaction (and the telepathic thoughts she was sending me while she was there)
E's comments: Wow. This chair is okay, but not as cool as it looked. I can bounce but I ... can't... seem... to... get... out.... stupid purple thing in the middle keeps stopping me. Yep. Definately the purple thing. Is there a release mechanism on it? [pause, wait for the head to tilt] okay, so this is boring. Let's try again.... can't ... get... out...
Eventually I felt sorry for the poor doll and took her out. She is destined to be an engineer. The first thing she wanted to figure out after being released was how to fix the chair, make it more to her liking. See next video.
E's thoughts: okay, so the problem is this purple thing in the middle... doesn't seem to come off easily... let me get a closer look, examine it more... okay, now time for some serious thinking. Sorry, mom, can't talk right now. Must think. What better way to think seriously than to have all the blood in my body rush to my head... Like so... Okay. Now, great ideas have come to me. I will fix the chair... Again, I have deduced that the problem is this purple thing in the middle. It traps me somehow. I must chew it off in the middle of the night when the folks aren't looking. Or, could I remove these arm rests? That might do it. Yes, that's all it will take.
A couple of weekends ago, a friend (whose name shall ever remain in internet shadow) had family over, and asked us to sit for them for a couple of hours. So a four month old was in our house. Great times! Four month old used said purple chair (on the floor, of course!) and E was intrigued. E decided purple chair was important and a fun toy. Since she showed interested in purple chair, I put her back in it. Below is her videotaped reaction (and the telepathic thoughts she was sending me while she was there)
E's comments: Wow. This chair is okay, but not as cool as it looked. I can bounce but I ... can't... seem... to... get... out.... stupid purple thing in the middle keeps stopping me. Yep. Definately the purple thing. Is there a release mechanism on it? [pause, wait for the head to tilt] okay, so this is boring. Let's try again.... can't ... get... out...
Eventually I felt sorry for the poor doll and took her out. She is destined to be an engineer. The first thing she wanted to figure out after being released was how to fix the chair, make it more to her liking. See next video.
E's thoughts: okay, so the problem is this purple thing in the middle... doesn't seem to come off easily... let me get a closer look, examine it more... okay, now time for some serious thinking. Sorry, mom, can't talk right now. Must think. What better way to think seriously than to have all the blood in my body rush to my head... Like so... Okay. Now, great ideas have come to me. I will fix the chair... Again, I have deduced that the problem is this purple thing in the middle. It traps me somehow. I must chew it off in the middle of the night when the folks aren't looking. Or, could I remove these arm rests? That might do it. Yes, that's all it will take.
Friday, October 12, 2007
How she's grown!
As she's almost eight months old, I thought it'd be worth showing y'all how she's doing.
First, now she can stand! She's proud.
Also, a video of her floor movement and "chatting." You can't hear the chatting because our video has no sound. Here is a shot of her going for her favorite toy -- my cell phone. (The little silver box that dad's voice comes out of.)
