falling beyond shadows

So.  We have a firm date for the lab to close.  I will be out of a job come October 1st, which totally sucks.  The administration here is not at all supportive--I fully believe they hate the fact that Kate is leaving science to be an astronaut and we're caught in the crossfire. 

Good news is, I'm wanted.  One possible plan is for me to transfer over to our collaborator's lab at Harvard... maybe.  Very much dependent on if the grant funding is transferable, which would be a major hassle, but most likely doable.  And, one of the faculty members here has spoken to me about an opening in his lab that would become a lab manager position once the current lab manager retires next year.

I'm feeling a bit conflicted, though.  If I move to Harvard, I can continue working on the same research I love.  If I stay here, I would transition over to yeast genetics (not my favorite, to be honest), but my career development is set.  This isn't even taking into account the possibility of me leaving academia and going into industry--there's a job opening at Novartis that seems to be tailor-made for me. Argh.

Of course, all this could be moot if the funds don't transfer over and/or the faculty member decides to hire someone else.  Probably shouldn't count my chickens before they hatch... :P

...you start dreaming about work.

FUCK.

Had some downtime during work today, so I began plotting out my novel for Nanowrimo.  I had a semi-brilliant idea about a month back, but as I went over it today, it seemed a bit too much like a knock-off of a Star Trek episode (in fact, that may have been where my semi-brilliant idea originated from).  So rather than outlining the story, I sat down and restructured the entire thing.  Very glad I did as the idea is turning out to be pretty exciting, if I do say so myself. 

I am a bit worried, though--I tend to plan these great, big, grandiose storylines that fall apart when I start the actual writing.  (One thing I definitely need to keep in mind: no deus ex machina, EVAR!!!)  And added to all this is the fact that this story will be featuring physics and the military, one of which I absolutely hate and the other of which I know nothing about (I'll let you decide which is which).  So that means lots and lots of research before I start writing.  Can it really be the end of October already???  Sheesh.

Upside is, I have a pretty firm grasp on my main character, and I think my supporting cast is coming together nicely also.  Now all I have to do (other than put together a fitting playlist) is actually figure out what happens in this story...  Zoinks.

Stolen from jessybxx :

1) Have your music library ready.
2) Choose one song from your music library whose title starts with the first letter (or number) of your screen name.
3) Repeat this process with each successive letter (or number) in your screen name until you run out of letters (or numbers).
4) Post up your results.
5) BONUS POINTS: Upload your mix (whether it's individual songs or a .zip of all the songs) and include the mix in your post.
6) MORE BONUS POINTS: Add the line around the 1:10 mark of at least five songs.

No reason why I picked these, just that they were the first songs I clicked on after reaching the right letter.  And boy, am I glad I have a bunch of songs starting with "A".  :)

(J) Journey to the Past - Aaliyah (Anastasia Soundtrack)
(A) All Fall Down - OneRepublic
(L) Lonely Soldier Boy - Michael Bradley (Robotech Soundtrack)
(A) As Long As You're Mine - Idina Menzel & Norbert Leo Butz(Wicked Musical)
(N) Never Ending Story - Limahl
(A) Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do) - Christopher Cross

And since I had time, I did the line at 1:10 of each of the songs also:

(J) Arms will open wide...
(A) Take a breath, take a step, meet me down below.
(L) You're out here on your own, lonely soldier boy.
(A) I'll make every last moment last, as long as you're mine.
(N) Dream a dream, and what you see will be.
(A) Best that you can do is fall in love.

They came out rather coherently... almost like telling a little story.  How intriguing!  :)

Anyway, here's the zip file of the songs if anyone is interested.  Enjoy!

Stolen from jessybxx :

Your result for The Sexual HELL Test...

HELL LEVEL 1

Raw score: 48%

Take The Sexual HELL Test at HelloQuizzy

Overheard conversation between a couple of European post-docs:  "This US election is just too important to be voted on!"

Um... wow.  Just... wow.

If anyone is in the Boston area and don't have anything planned for Halloween, check out the Post-Meridian Radio Players' annual Tomes of Terror production. PMRP produces radio dramas (think A Prairie Home Companion), and this Halloween, we will be performing three exciting plays for you! I'll just post our official spiel here--come check us out!

What was that? The squeak of a book cart behind you? The hint of a laugh at your expense? No, it couldn't be...

Nor can that be the smell of old tomes being shelved and stacked for you. BUT IT IS! Three tales of terror and woe are shaking off their cobwebs and wish to return to the world of the living. Your world...

Huddle there in your false safety. For when October draws to an end Tomes of Terror III arrives!

First you will see the horrific Halloween jokes and pranks of Baby Snooks!
Then you will see the gothic terror as a simple fox hunt destroys lives in Reynardine!
Finally you will witness the vicious slaughter and uncontrollable terror of The Tell-Tale Heart!

The scares return, this year, for four performances, only! Wednesday, October 29th, Thursday, October 30th, Friday, October 31st and Saturday, November 1st at the Unity Church of God in Somerville, MA.

Find out more at http://www.pmrp.org

PMRP Tomes of Terror III: October 29 - November 1, 7:30 PM

Title: Snapshots (1/3?)
Inspiration: Doctor Who, Pete Tyler, Jackie Tyler, Rose Tyler
Disclaimer: I own nothing, which is so very sad.
Rating: PG
Author's Note: I came up with the idea for this on my way back from Taiwan. Kept thinking about family and relationships, and this part just kind of wrote itself. Currently set to be three short chapters, but that could change. Set shortly before the events in Norway, during Doomsday (season 2). Unbeta'ed, so all mistakes are mine.
Summary: It is much easier to become a father than to be one. --Kent Nerburn


( Snapshot 1 )

Title: Nightmares
Inspiration: Torchwood, Jack, Gray
Disclaimer: I own nothing, which is so very sad.
Rating: PG
Summary: A little ficlet I wrote on the plane.  Spoilers from 2x05 and 2x13.

( Yet it is in our idleness, in our dreams, that the submerged truth sometimes comes to the top. --Virginia Woolf )