I am no longer an unemployed college grad!!!!

I got an RA job with a pediatric cardiologist, Heather Bartlett, at the University. I think I may have to kill tadpoles. Maybe I can keep one as a pet.

I can't decide if it's a good or bad thing that I am not feeling well. I don't have to worry about not feeling well at work or in class, but I also want to be able to take advantage of having time off to do some fun and relaxing things. Not that taking a nap from 1:30 until 4:30 is not relaxing, but I wanted to get stuff done today. My headache hasn't been helpful either.

I am not sure what to think. Dr. Smith can only give me a temporary appointment that would last until about June, and as much as I want to keep working there, mostly because I am comfortable, I don't want to have to find another job in June. I would pretty much have to keep job hunting now to have another job by then. The thing is, I know I want to leave Iowa City in about a year, and I would feel guilty leaving a job after a year. I know people do it all the time, but I would still feel guilty. I wouldn't feel bad leaving the Smith lab because I have already worked there for more than 3 years.

Josh is hoping I can go on a trip with him in late February. He has to take a week of vacation by April or he is going to lose vacation time. He is hoping I will be able to go with him and so am I. Working in a lab is pretty flexible and I may not even be able to start for at least a month after being hired, but I am still worried that I may not be able to go with him. I don't want to jeapordize my 'career' just so I can go on vacation with my boyfriend, but I really want to go on vacation with him.

Is it weird that I keep forgetting about my birthday? I am gonna go clean my closet.

So yeah...

I don't have a job. It's kinda weird. I will probably not have a job for at least the nest two weeks if not for a month. I am really hoping for an RA job at the university or a job doing what I have been doing in 'my lab' since that may once again be a possibility.

First Dr. Smith didn't want to hire me since he thought I was leaving in May then later he thought I already had a job so he didn't offer me a job doing what I am already doing. The woman I am working with and the lab manager are pretty upset with him for not hiring me. Especially since he has been talking about hiring a full-time techinician to do exactly what I am doing. Even if they do offer me a job it will probably take at least a month to get all through all the paperwork and through all the HR departments.

I think I have a pretty good chance for an RA job in the Department of Dentistry. Plus I already know someone in the department, Kristen's aunt Barb! It was funny when we figured out how we knew each other during the interview.

I know I will get a job, it's just a matter of time. I would feel better working in 'my lab' since if I end up leaving in a year I wouldn't feel so guilty becuase I have worked there for over 3 years already. If I start another job and leave after a year I would feel kinda bad about it. I can see myself leaving Iowa City just to leave or go to school somewhere else.

I am thinking about nursing school. Josh doesn't see me as a nurse at all and I am not sure if I do. It interests me because it is still sort of related to what I went to school for and it isn't research. Doing biological research does not interest me all that much at this point. I am still not sure why I picked biology as my major. I find it interesting, but I don't want to study it. I like knowing how the body works and how to fix it, but I don't want to be a doctor. Ergo, I am thinking about going into a professional masters nursing program.

I have also thought about going into industry such as
IDT in Coralville. They pay well, but the work can't be that interesting. There would be less creative freedom, but I am not all that creative, so it may work for me.

I know I will figure it out, but I want to figure it out now!

I just bought two books from Barnes & Noble with a gift card I received as a graduation gift. I bought two books I have really wanted, but I could have gotten them a lot cheaper at Amazon.com and even Barnes & Noble.com was cheaper. I would save $12 at Amazon and$7 at Barnes & Noble.com, which is almost another book!

It's pretty frustrating knowing that I won't have a job in a week. I probably won't have a job until sometime in February if I get offered one at all. I have applied for 17 jobs at the University and have had interviews for 3 of them, but have yet to hear anything from any of them. Granted one interview was only Thursday so I won't hear until mid February at the earliest, but the others were during finals week. My current PI offered to be a reference for me, and after talking to one of my prospective employers he said she was very interested in hiring me. I was all excited after he told me about their conversation. That was about 3 weeks ago now. I hope to hear from her next week at the latest.

I would also love to work for the department I interviewed with on Thursday. It sounded like an interesting project that could use my expertise in genetics and computers and I already know one of their RAs. She is Kristens aunt Barb! The rest of the people were extremely nice as well. The position is only guaranteed for a year since they don't have the funding for the next year yet, but I am fine with that since I may go back to school anyway.

I hate having everything so up in the air and out of my control. Not only will I not have a job, but I have to present an article at lab meeting next week. I think they are trying to punish me before I leave. I hate public speaking.

I got a digital camera for Christmas.

Look at my beautiful sister.

Isn't she just the sweetest thing you have ever seen?

My mom for those of you who haven't met her.

You don't need to tell me how much I look like her.

My cousins Bailey and Jordan, along with Jordan's bearded lizard Buddy.

Yeah, I know, I look like Bailey too.

Josh and Tacia being themselves.

Oh The Cheeeat, bring me some cookies!!!

I made cookies last night.

Josh and I decorated them with some icing I made.

We didn't make a big mess.

Then Josh ate them!

2006 has arrived

I kept forgetting it was New Year's Eve. I guess since I had no plans I had no reason to remember what day it was or it may be due to the fact that I have had no idea what day it is since finals week. Christmas didn't feel like Christmas either. It was just another day that happened to include lunch at Granny's house. I don't think I have been in the holiday spirit this year.

I am drinking sparkling wine right now. That has to count for something. Josh and I thought about going downtown, but decided to decorate cookies instead. I had never done it before, so I had a lot of fun. I am not very good. I think Josh did better than I did. I even taught him how to flood the cookies with frosting and he was better at that than me. I only new how to do it because I watch the Food Network all the time. I have it on right now.

I am going to get another glass of wine and start writing my thank you cards. Tomorrow, I am reorganizing my closet!