First born kid came out on December 4. He spent a week in the NICU before finally going home. So after not sleeping and taking care of him and my wife during that whole episode, I made it 4 more days before I finally slept and my mom came down for 3 days to help us out. Took another week till Christmas before finally my mother-in-law arrived from China for the next 6 months to help my wife and the baby out. Returned to work after a month off (yeah, I have a job with great benefits but just ok in the pay department, most university positions are like that). So just rounding back into form, soon to be harassing, and quoting things to death to make you all hate me again.
Top it off, professionally I'm wondering if I want to go into more bioinformatics/genomics as opposed to straight lab bench research. So I'm looking and applying at other positions to see what they say I need in terms of any more training, and if I get any offers weighing jumping ship in Iowa City and dragging my family with me to who knows where (all over the country).
I was reading Southzen's post in the Off-Topic section about leaving the hobby. I'm sort of there too. I have seen a diminishing list of things that I want, and definitely don't feel the need to chase it down. I mean, I already wasn't chasing and using the internet primarily (unusre if that is really the greener way to do things, but definitely saves me on time, gas and vehicle wear and tear). I still enjoy the occasional new thing, opening it, posing it, comparing it to other things, but I definitely don't want or need much of anything else.
I miss having space to do custom work, but the kid needs his space and the twin bed we got for the mother-in-law have a priority over what I would like to do.
So I'm back, very skeptical/cynical on the need for more Dukes/SE/SS/CCs etc, wanting to see how long the ROC wave of support lasts/crests, and what happens next.
for everyone, one post at a time.
