So how is everyone?
I wanted to write a post yesterday, but I was busy wrapping books to send and running around. Then, once I got home, I had this major headache... Ugh. Hurt soooo much. Hopefully, I won't have another one anytime soon. However, I'm all better now :D Speaking of all better, the dry patch of skin on my eyelid is gone!! Yay!! I did have to bring out the big guns though to get rid of it: cortisone. Unfortunately, I started having an eczema spot behind my left knee... Ah well. It is better than in the face...
I didn't do much this week-end. Just the usual: read, ate and slept. I read Twisted Creek by Jodi Thomas (review to come), Pitch Black by Susan Crandall and Dancing with Fire by Susan Kearney. I loved Twisted Creek!!! Thank you Dev so much for reading and reviewing it!! As for the other two, they were meh/okay reads. I've also finished Tribute by Nora Roberts last week... anyone interested in buddy reviews? LOL, yeah, I know... I do sound a bit desperate about buddy reviews ^_^;
I didn't eat much goodies during the week-end except for last Friday night. I went out for sushi with some friends at my favorite Japanese place... and my friend went crazy with her sushi order... and I've discovered the unagi sushi: tuna and eel. Yummy!!! The eel was sooo soft! And I had white tuna for sashimi... the white tuna just melt in my mouth :) Gosh, just talking about it makes me hungry.
Last week, I couldn't wait for Tribute to arrive (I pre-ordered it) so I bought another copy in-store. My plan is to go to the bookstore later today and return one of the copy. Then, I went to the manga store last Saturday and bought Full Metal Alchemist volume 17... which turns out, I already had :( So now, I have two books to return :( I hate returning stuff...
Okay, enough blablabla... So last week, I told you guys that my contract wasn't going to be renewed. I got an official letter yesterday saying that it wasn't because of my work, just the company didn't have enough funds. Whatever, like I care for the reason. Anyway, turns out that all the other contract people in the lab also got a letter ^_^; So that's what? 5 other persons in a lab of 20-25. Definitively sucks...
Last week, I also mentioned job opportunity no.1 and said that if I got an interview, I would tell you more... well I'm having my interview this Friday at 2pm!!! :) So here is the deal... during the BBQ, my good friend S who has just finished his master and going for his Ph.D said that the research assistant in his lab just got fired (he was stalking a woman). So when I heard that my contract wasn't going to be renewed, I contacted S and asked if his professor was still looking for someone. The prof is still looking, so S put in a good word for me and I sent my CV... Result: intereview this Friday :D Yay! I'm probably taking the easy way out, not looking around too much and just applying for this research assistant position, but I think the job is perfect for me. Why?
Reason no.1: Change of working environment/atmopshere. I'm going from the industry to academics. There is more flexibility in an academic lab, you are more independent. The research is also more interesting. At my current work, I'm doing routine screening... so I'm doing the same thing over and over with different compounds... and at the end, the only thing that matter is the value. Meanwhile, in an academic lab, depending on the project I'm assigned, I'm going to do stuff on my own, start the research from scratch... do different things depending on the results. Yeah, definitively more interesting :) and frankly? When I did my master degree, I really enjoyed the lab... while here. No comment.
Reason no.2: Better co-workers. Seriously, I like my current co-workers... individually and in small dose. On their own, they are very nice... others more stubborn and direct than others, but it's okay. Put together, not so much. Lots of whispering behind one's back. Lots of negative attitudes, petty fights and so on. At the other job, well it's a very small lab... mainly the prof and my friend... I've known my friend for 8 years now... and sure, you'll tell me that knowing someone and seeing someone everyday is different... but then, I did my bachelor with my friend... same major, same class. We just get along really well.
Reason no.3: Stability. Okay, so the biotech/pharmaceuticals industry isn't going well lately and I've heard more companies are laying-off employees than hiring. However, I've never heard of an academic lab closing or laying off personal. Also, S has warned me... the professor wants someone for longer than a year. For someone that's been on short contract (the longest being 6 months), longer than a year sounds good :)
So yeah, I think the job fits what I want. My only concern really is the salary. It's well-known that the industry pays better... and I don't really know what to expect from an academic lab. So I'm expecting a decrease in salary, which I don't mind so much. Better to have a job that pays than no job at all right? and then, if I like the place more than here, then I'll be a winner. At the same time, I can't help but hope that the salary will be equivalent since I'm not making as much as I should presently.
Okay, I guess I've written enough for now :) I'm probably boring you guys to tears (which you'll deny because you're such good buddies!)... It's just I'm just so excited... and scared... and I can only rant/vent with you guys!
