Wednesday, April 08, 2009

Whew

Well, I did it. I passed my defense. It went well, with none of the awkwardness of my original proposal talk. I got a certificate that says I have completed all requirements for the PhD, and will be awarded a degree in June. Don't ask me the difference between a degree and a certificate that says I have completed all requirements...

As far as jobs go, I have been incredibly, unjustifiably lucky, especially considering the economy. I applied for 33 positions (I kept count, in an excel file) and then the same company that hired Ken ended up hiring me. That makes everything a thousand times easier, relocation-wise, and it is a very good job. Not a post-doc job, no built-in expiration date.

We have been house-hunting, because after more than a decade of higher education for each of us, and the associated temporary living arrangements, we are ready to move in somewhere indefinitely.

It seems like such a natural happily-ever-after point, after all my infinite anxiety, that it almost demands I end the blog, at least in this incarnation. I wouldn't put it past me to start up another one later. Probably not here, but I'll leave this up, indefinitely, and maybe come back and put in a link, if I start writing somewhere else.

My head's in a million different places, with the stress of finishing things up here, and starting new projects from way behind, and moving, and everything. But I would be a pretty lousy person if I didn't take a moment to count my blessing, and appreciate what I've got. I'm married to the best man I know and I get to work with him every day at doing the kind of work I choose. Life has been more generous to me than I deserve, and I will try, really try, to remember that.

4 comments:

Simon said...

CONGRATULATIONS!!! (on just about everything).

Keep in touch, whether on a blog or not :-)

Successful Researcher said...

Congratulations!

kenzfazzer said...

We'd say, "justifiably lucky". You earned it all. Retiring from blogging? Again? Just like Michael Jordan, another wizard at what he does. Physics Hall of Fame, get ready for Dr. S.

Anonymous said...

woo hoo!

You could blog about buying a house in the current economic climate - that might be fun (fcvo).

Julie paradox