May Baby
Continuing on as a post-doc beyond June isn't a bad thing for the time being, if it: 1) pays, and 2) buys me more time to ride out the bad economy, and 3) buys me more time here, and 4) in doing the above things, it also lets me keep a close eye on possibilities both local and in other locations of potential interest, and 5) allows me to continue growing and applying what I know and 6) lets me keep learning more. It's also not a bad thing to try to line up a couple of paid consulting gigs on the side. In fact I really really like this. The key, though, is *cautious optimism*, and that's all I'll say about these things for now. Things will work out.
And the reason I think so is that today was my birthday. It was lovely, and actually just relaxing and low-key, just the way I wanted it to be. It's always nice when my birthday falls on a weekend, meaning I don't have to work that day. Shhh...here's a confession: I'm tempted to skip out of work tomorrow to go get a massage or acupuncture or a pedicure session and then go for an indulgent mid-afternoon lap swim.
Today was actually birthday celebration Part 2. I already celebrated with my parents a little bit early last weekend when I went to see my mom & dad for Mother's Day. Today I celebrated with friends, who took me to dinner this evening at an Italian restaurant. Part 3 of my birthday celebration will really lead into my graduation celebration this coming weekend when my sister and parents all come into town.
About graduation, it's true, I finished school and officially was granted my degree in August. And I celebrated at the time. But because there's no summer or winter graduation, August and December graduates get to participate in the following May graduation ceremony if they wish. So next weekend will be graduation celebration part II. Although it has been nine months since I finished, I'm still super excited to officially get hooded by my advisor and then to walk. I think the ceremony/ceremonies this weekend (and the celebrations) will bring closure to my time as a doctoral student. As my friend Cindy (who finished her Ph.D. last summer too) was saying over dinner tonight, graduating in summer was happy and all that, but anticlimactic. So in the name of tradition, she, too, is also attending graduation and hooding, and will be there next weekend as well. It should be fun!
I can't really believe I'm 37 today, but there you have it. There are many things I have accomplished in 37 years that I might not have thought possible and I'm proud of those things. There are also some things I have yet to do, so I hope some of those things become reality, or they at least come closer to becoming reality in the coming year. 37 is one of my "lucky numbers", or more aptly, one of my favorite and personally significant numbers. And so I'm convinced this year will be my best yet. I don't know about others, but for me, my 30's have definitely been the "new 20's". I've enjoyed my 30's a lot more than my 20's in many ways and and with good personal reason. So bring it!
I stand ready to enjoy my later 30's with the grace and poise of a proper Taurus woman.
