Saturday, February 4, 2012

Time to rise

Although I in no way feel oppressed as a postdoc, I do wish I had a little more say in things. Or control of my future....

So what am I gonna do about it?

Sit at my desk and complain?

Hell no! I'm working my butt off to generate data and struggling through the hardest manuscript I've ever had to write. I'm networking like a fiend, carpet-bombing my application wherever I can. Ignoring rejection and hoping my reach exceeds my grasp.

When one of the top five labs in my field asks if I'm planning to work on a project similar to theirs, I say "yes, yes I am. Why do you ask?" and go back to pipetting. If they want to compete, fine. I can use the validation and exposure. Because at the end of the day I know I can't compete with their speed or resources. But I can put together a more complete story and come up with ideas that would blow away the average researcher. And if the want to collaborate, even better. 

But when I get asked if I want to give up.... Do I cave under the pressure? Fold up the tents and head home with my tail between my legs?

Or do I prove once again how I can be a tenacious S.O.B. that refuses to give up? That finds the inner strength to kick some scientific ass? That not only survives under pressure, but strives in ways that no one thought possible?

Do I really need to answer?

Instead I'll post some old school inspiration.

Yes it's heavy. It keeps me moving. Striving. Hoping. And I don't care what anyone thinks as I headbang while pipetting. I'm getting data, and that's all I need to do right now.

3 comments:

  1. eff YEAH, when I get crazy about other scholars doing similar work I realize that it only amplifies the impact of mine. Humanities is a little different than science, but still I always figure other people working on the same stuff means I must be working on a good topic!

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  2. PLEASE tell me you headbanged around your bench wearing leather pants and with a flying-V pipette!

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  3. Unfortunately my budget doesn't allow for leather pants, so I had to settle on crushed velvet.

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