Well, well, well, it has been a long time indeed. I've been crazy, unbelievably busy, but I thought I'd take a few minutes to recap where I've been over the past 6 weeks.
1. My students--
# of emails I get on the daily telling me that a student missed my class and asking whether they "missed anything": 2-3
# of emails I get on the daily asking me whether I can send the student my slides (they are on Bb): 2-3
# of emails I get on the daily telling me that a student is going to be out of town on date of exam X, and can he or she take the test early, despite my extremely clear no make-up exams policy: 3-4
# of students who come up to me after every class with questions that would have been REALLY good questions to ask during class so everyone else could hear them: 10
# of times I've been asked whether something I've talked about in class will be on the exam: 10,000
# of ulcers all of this is going to give me: TBA
2. My research--
Slow and steady wins the, oh FUCK no, it doesn't. Slow and steady gives Erica an aneurysm. Can't start data collection, don't have space or equipment. Can't train RAs on data cleaning, don't have computers for them to use. Can't apply for certain grants, don't have pilot data. Can't get pilot data, can't start data collection. FML.
Seriously, though, I knew there would be delays, but this is killing me a little inside. I've been told not to let the lack of pilot data slow me down, and to just use JT's data as pilot data, but at the same time, I'm no fool. I know that I also need to establish myself as an independent scientist and show that I can recruit participants here. And besides that, I was *nearly* scooped on my most brilliant idea yet. The "scooping" is in someways a blessing and a curse. It means that this method has already been used in a population similar to mine, so I can cite them and get less heat about "but what if it doesn't work", and besides, my method actually improves on theirs in a number of ways and addresses a whole bunch of limits to their design, but now, I probably shouldn't apply for an R21 because I don't think I can convince NIMH that my study is *that* innovative...SIGH, FINE! I'll make due with what I've got, but man, frustrating! On the brighter side of things, I'm also talking with some folks here about possible collaborations and projects, so that's rad.
3. My home--
# of actual critters I've found living inside my house: 3 (2 lizards and now a toad).
# of "palmetto bugs" I've found inside my house: 2
# of times I've been to Target to get something because I didn't bring it along in the move: at least 2 billion
4. My neighborhood--
I was meeting with my boss last week, and he asked the normal oh-you-just-moved-here questions. He gets to what part of town I'm living in. I tell him my exact address. His jaw hits the flippin' floor. He squeaks out, "I know how much you get paid, how can you afford to live there?" He follows that up with, "Isn't that where LeBron lives?!" Turns out he is not wrong. I live in the same neighborhood as LeBron James (AKA King James). Apparently, Madonna and Rosie O'Donnell and a few other peeps have big-ass mansions in my neighborhood, too. Either my landlord is an idiot or my house is actually so filled with asbestos that they'd have to tear it down if they remodeled because I should be paying about 2 times what I am in rent. Lucky me!
5. My OKC account--
Has been dead. Like silent. I'm not complaining, I've been hanging with a pretty rad dude, and I'm not looking for additional dudes at this time. But I do miss the comedy. Maybe I'm getting fewer messages because I'm not signing in very often now? Maybe I'm getting fewer messages because I haven't updated anything in a while, so I'm not falling in anyone's feed? Maybe all the dudes in Miami who could have possibly had any interest in a lady with a PhD have already messaged me and now the pool is officially empty? Anyway, again, not really upset about the lack of meeting peeps, but it is seriously affecting the HNTPUAW series in big way, so something's gotta change quick-like.
6. My friends--
Like I said, I've been hanging with new dude, and I've met some of his friends, and they are truly lovely. I'm lucky...again. Note: something terrible is obviously on its way, given the number of good things that have been going on recently. They've been very welcoming, even though, I don't want to hug any of them. Ever.
That said, I miss *my* friends. I miss my Ida and my Daney and my Paul & Michael and my Cara & Krista and my Lab Ladies and my Fellow Interns and my Eugene friends and my Portland friends and my Rochester and PA friends. In some ways, it is starting to feel like all of those years spent in all of those places are a mixed blur from a dream. I keep saying "Rochester" when I mean "Portland". I keep forgetting who I did certain things with and where.
It is starting to hit me that Miami is my new reality.
I don't dislike it nearly as much as I thought I would, but I'm still not convinced that I actually like it. More to come as I figure that part out. <3
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