Seemingly radom oscillations

I started putting together my job apps today (yes, later than I expected, but getting those papers out will surely be worth it when it comes to interview time).  Anyway. I have been oscillating all day between "I can so do this. They'd be silly not to interview me" to "What the fuck am I thinking?  There is no way anyone will consider hiring, let alone interviewing, me." 

I cannot tell you what triggers these manic swings of emotions, only that the low end of the oscillation seems to be directly proportional to the lack of hot coffee in my mug.  Maybe there is a postive correlation between caffeeine consumption and the improvement of ones self-image.  Hmmm.  I wonder if I could put that in my research proposal.  I could then justifiy buying a fancy-smancy espresso maker and the super good coffee.  Maybe even some poop coffee. 

Things I hate...

Well, OK, right  now let's change that to the thing I hate.  Writing progress reports.  I hate writing progress reports.  I have added the pub list, I have the "sections" and now need to fill in all the "blah-blah" space fillers with honest to god text.  Argh.

And, after just checking my e-mail, I will be able to add another thing to the things I hate.  I hate collaborators who know nothing, but think they do.  I hate collaborators who talk to you like you are the stupid one, who can't, after a year of discussion, understand what the basic underlying concept is and refuses to acknowledge that this is out of his realm because, really, he isn't all that smart.

And now, I feel better.  After the last e-mail, I can now tackle the progress report.  In hindsight, the word hate for the report was a little strong.  There are things I hate so much more. 

Website Woes

I spent all day yesterday looking at university websites, trying to find the links for faculty job positions and get organized for the big "job application marathon" I'm planning to start today.  Once I found the actual job posting and requirements, I then hit all the research areas in my division to get a "feel" for the department.

27 universities and 8 hours later, all I can say is that I wish universities would spend more time and effort in making their websites a little easier to navigate.  Really? I have to click 8 (yes, I counted) 8 different links to get to a single job listing?  I wonder if this is how they weed out the applicants.  Only those who truly want to work at this university are going to go through all this bullshit to find the job listing.  Damn. 

Damn you reviewer...wait no reviewer three?

So, the reviews of my two majorly huge papers came back late yesterday afternoon (after only 5 weeks from the date of submission).  There were only two reviewers for each manuscript, and they also had access to the other manuscripts (since we are proposing to publish them back-to-back) so (a) there is no reviewer three to get pissed off at and (b) the reviews are a mish-mash of comments on both papers.  In essence, then, there really are four reviewers? Argh.  It's confusing in my mind.

But the good news.  No, the fantastic news-- accepted with minor revisions.  And those revisions are minor.  In fact, they are more well why didn't you talk about this more.  Talk more (we are already at a 49-pg double-spaced manuscript people) about this. 

In fact, the reviews were the huge ego boost I needed right before I started working on my job app packages.  When total strangers tell you that the papers are well-written and the science is "impeccably done" and "well-executed" and even complained that because there was so much data some of it didn't get the "attention this type of work and data warrants", well that my lovelies was cause for a margarita last night. 

I know, it's only a paper (well, two) getting published, it's not like I landed a job or an R01 or something along those lines.  Still, there is something satisfying about seeing the work you have put your heart and soul into, work you are proud of, work that you think, while it may not revolutionize the field, has totally advanced some of the thinking, be well received.