Ramblings of a Scientist Mother

Okay, so its been God knows how long since I last posted. Well actually thats not true. I attempted to post last week from my iphone, but the app ate it. Its been a crazy semester so far, what with the 2 courses I'm TAing, the family wedding and the regular grad student committments. Thankfully the family wedding is over. It was full of the usual dramas and family politics (ie my MIL forgot to invite my sister to an important function), but overall it was fun. My awesome BIL is married to a most wonderful person and I am so happy to have her as part of our family. One of the courses I'm TAing is almost over and it wasn't as time-consuming as I thought it would. Yes it sucked having 2 of my 5 afternoons taken over, but the prep wasn't too hard taking only about 1-2 hours per week. The second course is half over, only one more assignment to mark but there are not alot of students.

Whats really been keeping me away from the blogosphere has been my science (other than the child). I am finally getting some cool and totally unexpected results. My images are publication quality and I finally feel like I can participate in scientific discussion as my knowledge base as expanded, mostly because my lab mates have been so awesome in helping me learn with journal club.

Life is good. I get hugely frustrated with Mr.SM, but its only because he's a workaholic. I think its a pretty good sign if the biggest problem we have in our marriage is my desire to spend more time with him. I would be a bit more worried if I didn't mind that he wasn't around. Too be honest my frustration probably is partly due to my workaholic tendencies. If he wasn't working so much, then I would be able to work more. I also find that when I am around my family to much, I get more frustrated because they have such regular lives, working 9-5 and weekends free. Yet when I spend time with my academic friends, people with spouses in academia who are also career driven I realize my life is not un-normal. We have chosen this life, both Mr.SM and I. My father thinks that if I wasn't doing my PhD, that if I was only working I wouldn't be this busy, but its not true. I would be trying to achieve and excel at my job, because that is what I am doing now. They just don't understand that I am ambitious. Eh, what can you do.

I apologize for the rambling, unfocused post, but I just needed to get random thoughts out. I've been keeping up with reading blog posts, just not commenting :(. Eventually I will get back to a more engaged level of participation. Right now I feel like one of the slacker journal club attendees, you know the ones that semi-read the paper but never participate in the conversation.