After some reflection and meditation on topics like "what do I want out of my career" and "how do I want to influence my world", I found a few recurring themes which all come back to the idea of personal inspiration and motivation. It's not just having the great idea, but being motivated to get up and do it. To stick with it. And to follow through. The question is, how do you do that?
For me, it takes the form of inspirational people. You know the people who say something which sticks with you even months afterward, whose encouragement or advice plays in your head at just the right moment, or whose energy and personality boost your creative energy by merely thinking about them. This is my current list of people who inspire me to action:
1. Simon Sinek, Start With Why (www.startwithwhy.com)
2. Jean-Luc Dumont, Making the most of your presentation (www.treesmapsandtheorems.com)
3. Dan Meyer, math teacher (blog.mrmeyer.com)
4. David Zyla, author, The Color of Style
5. Jillian Michaels, The Biggest Loser (TV show, personal trainer)
6. Morgann Wagner, my first spin instructor
7. Julz Arney and Jay Blahnik, Schwinn master instructors (my spin certification teachers)
Who are your inspirations?
18 October 2010
04 October 2010
Procrastination
So you may think that writing this entry is the inspiration for the title. But you would be wrong. It actually came from this interesting New Yorker article: http://www.newyorker.com/arts/critics/books/2010/10/11/101011crbo_books_surowiecki?currentPage=all
I actually *aspire* to write a blog entry much more often than I actually sit down and put virtual pen to virtual paper. Somehow the act of creating an entry has a huge activation energy - partly because I still wonder if anything written here is worthwhile, or whether it just fills the ever-expanding digital universe with more virtual space junk. Or whether my random ramblings will sound self-absorbed, trivial or inane. Maybe by just thinking about these things I find reasons enough to keep from writing.
But, often I feel that I think I am communicating a lot more than I really am. So I find reason to keep trying to write here. Enough introspection.
So yesterday I started in on refinishing a new, old chair. A few of you may have heard or seen my rose chair from the first year here in Atlanta. It was a fun project, but it didn't turn out all that comfortable, so it found a new home during the Great Compromise of moving in together last summer. This one is more comfortable - at least right now - so I am giving this thing another shot. Old carved wooden armchair with a grandmotherly, light blue jacquard that sports a nice rip across the front of the seat. It's getting a metallic (pewter, maybe?) paint update, with a retro mod fabric covering. Pictures to come!
I actually *aspire* to write a blog entry much more often than I actually sit down and put virtual pen to virtual paper. Somehow the act of creating an entry has a huge activation energy - partly because I still wonder if anything written here is worthwhile, or whether it just fills the ever-expanding digital universe with more virtual space junk. Or whether my random ramblings will sound self-absorbed, trivial or inane. Maybe by just thinking about these things I find reasons enough to keep from writing.
But, often I feel that I think I am communicating a lot more than I really am. So I find reason to keep trying to write here. Enough introspection.
So yesterday I started in on refinishing a new, old chair. A few of you may have heard or seen my rose chair from the first year here in Atlanta. It was a fun project, but it didn't turn out all that comfortable, so it found a new home during the Great Compromise of moving in together last summer. This one is more comfortable - at least right now - so I am giving this thing another shot. Old carved wooden armchair with a grandmotherly, light blue jacquard that sports a nice rip across the front of the seat. It's getting a metallic (pewter, maybe?) paint update, with a retro mod fabric covering. Pictures to come!
01 October 2010
Where to go next
Having completed my thesis proposal last month I now have a nicely laid out plan to complete my thesis research that should see me graduating by next August or December at the latest. I am thrilled to have finally set up the steps toward a solid project, and even more thrilled that I will graduate. Soon. Yes, graduating and getting a "real job" is exciting in itself, but even more so since it involves another person.
Most of you reading this know my boyfriend, J. Besides the fact that I think he's hot stuff (intellectually and otherwise :-)), scientifically he is also pretty stellar. When we started dating, 3 and something years ago, he was on track to have a high impact publication. Right out of the starting gate in grad school. Amazing. So it may not be such a surprise that he is almost done with his thesis project, and has secured a job offer with one the most renowned labs in our field. But...it gets better. He most likely will have another, stellar, job offer by the end of this month. Just wow.
So, that brings us to the idea of graduating. He will graduate a few months before me, so his decision on where to post-doc obviously affects where I will search for jobs. This has not been a one-sided discussion either. Unlike some men, who would do what was best for them and worry about anyone else later, the availability of jobs for me has been one of his concerns in discussing which job to take (love that man of mine!). Luckily, both of his job offers have ample Biotech industry in the area, so finding my job should be no problem. That means that - at this point - we will be either in Boston or San Francisco area for the coming few years! More to come on that soon!
Most of you reading this know my boyfriend, J. Besides the fact that I think he's hot stuff (intellectually and otherwise :-)), scientifically he is also pretty stellar. When we started dating, 3 and something years ago, he was on track to have a high impact publication. Right out of the starting gate in grad school. Amazing. So it may not be such a surprise that he is almost done with his thesis project, and has secured a job offer with one the most renowned labs in our field. But...it gets better. He most likely will have another, stellar, job offer by the end of this month. Just wow.
So, that brings us to the idea of graduating. He will graduate a few months before me, so his decision on where to post-doc obviously affects where I will search for jobs. This has not been a one-sided discussion either. Unlike some men, who would do what was best for them and worry about anyone else later, the availability of jobs for me has been one of his concerns in discussing which job to take (love that man of mine!). Luckily, both of his job offers have ample Biotech industry in the area, so finding my job should be no problem. That means that - at this point - we will be either in Boston or San Francisco area for the coming few years! More to come on that soon!
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