6 years of Wednesday evenings

I had my last Secret Meeting a month ago. It was very exciting. I realized I've been going to them for six years. Six years of Wednesday evenings is a lot of time, because it wasn't just the seminar. It was also all the transportation and baby wrangling. For that matter, six years seems like it should be a long time no matter what and yet it has zipped right by.

The meetings were for my program. Over six years, they've gotten a lot better so that by the end, at least I was learning about other people in my program. And knitting. There were other ways I wanted to spend my time, but I figure the program pays for medical school and all they want is for me to sit through an hour seminar once a week. I can sit through an hour seminar once a week.

Because I'm not technically in the program next year, I won't have to go. And then I'll be doing clinical rotations, when I will not be expected to go. Woo!

Next year, I've got a 50% postdoctoral position lined up and I'm going to teach two classes in the spring. Two classes seems a bit excessive, some days, but my fear is a good motivator to find some people to come in and give talks for some of the lectures. Ha. And the postdoc gives me time to clean up a bunch of manuscripts and send them out into the world. The idea of trying to finish up my dissertation and finalize a bunch of projects and try to apply for jobs and think about moving all at the same time seems like it would be totally overwhelming. While my program is long and and my opportunities to do research will be very limited in the next few years, certain portions will definitely be easier than the regular academic route.

Charmed life, indeed.