Kind of meh

Edit: Don't ever treat anything in here too seriously.

Not "meh," just "kind of 'meh,'" which is kind of like waiting just to get into Purgatory. I feel like we are in some kind of holding pattern; something is going to happen soon, I just don't know what it will be. It's just my luck to be awaiting my first child while I am getting close to graduation and looking for jobs at the onset of the Next Great Depression. It'd be nice to be in Canada right now, aside from the freezing weather.


I am 100% sure I could get legal status in 2 minutes, since their immigration policy is (get this!) not insanely retarded like the U.S.'s - Ariane actually had to jump through a flaming hoop to get her final Green Card, I don't know why I haven't mentioned this. Canada: Making even the sane parts of the U.S. look stupid since whenever it was they kind of decided to just be friends with the UK.

I think I am looking at fairly poor options for the next couple of years, at least.

1.) Stay in school until December.
Pros: Economy may begin to get better, perhaps more jobs available? Get an extra publication or two (which doesn't really help). Better chance of staying here, which gives Ariane a better chance to graduate whenever she may get to it. Get some time to work in a relatively low-stress environment while learning how to be a dad.
Cons: Duh, still don't actually have a real job, and no guarantee of improvement. Paid in beans. In the red every month.

2.) Look for jobs with oil companies
Pros: Pays insanely well
Cons: Live in Houston, sell my soul. Really, why does it have to be that the only companies that seem to be hiring are the only companies I have ethical problems with working for? I'm still not even going to look. Luckily I have a wife who is supporting this decision.

3.) Look for a postdoc
Pros: Umm..... uh..... available? Actually, I think if it's not a university postdoc it would pay well, plus it would be incredibly awesome science. (I read yesterday that they melted diamond and found an all new phase of carbon. Excuse me sir? Your badassery is showing.) My advisor may be able to help me get something at Sandia in Albuquerque, since he did a sabbatical there in '07.

Example of badass science

Cons: Not happening in Austin, probably have to work long hours, don't know where I'd go from there



The other options are applying for jobs for which I am unqualified (which I will be doing, and happily accepting rejection notices), look for research positions with the military, and collecting cans and bottles for scrap prices. Seriously, $0.25 per pound of plastic is looking mighty fine right about now...

My baby is taking after me in this regard already: She is a master of poor timing. Maybe one day she'll make her ol' dad proud by picking the wrong check-out line at the grocery store every. single. time.