Tuesday, December 21, 2010

End of Semester Frenzy

Everyone goes crazy at the end of the semester. Now it's my turn.

My husband has strep, my son has an ear infection, and I've got a proposal due tomorrow. I'm running a mini-hospital at home, and all the exertion has caused my joints to flare up. It's a day like today where I just want to give up. But, I know I'll muscle through it, turn the grant in, the family will get well, and I can take a week or two off.

I don't have kleenex in my office to wipe away the tears, but I guess I could tear open a maxi pad - they're pretty absorbent.

Monday, December 13, 2010

Does a disabled person have a shortened career?

Last week I heard a rumor about goings-on during my hiring at Big State U. The rumor goes like this:

I have a colleague at Big State U in my field, but not in my department. Let's call him Dr.M. When I was on the fence about switching universities last spring, I dined with him at a conference. He asked why I was wanting to move. I responded that I had a two-body problem and RA, so I needed to simplify my life.

Recently, I heard a rumor that during my hiring process Dr. M. had made inappropriate comments to members of my present department. He allegedly remarked that I shouldn't be hired because I have RA -therefore, my career would be shortened.

Upon hearing the rumor, I immediately sought out the head of the committee that hired me. The head told me that yes, Dr. M had told everyone that I had RA. But no, he did not remark on a shortened a career, nor did he say anything similarly inappropriate. The committee head went through all his emails and documents from Dr. M on the topic, and everything came out clean.

Dr. M is the same person who said inappropriate things you can read about here.

Rumors are rumors and can get out of hand. But in no way do I think my career would be shortened. To have twisted the rumor that direction, someone must have thought that way... I don't need to waste my time identifying the person. I just plug away and let my success speak for itself.

Sunday, December 12, 2010

Welcome Back, Sort Of

OK, I guess I'm back in some limited capacity. I'll post sometimes, just not a whole lot because my workload has exploded :)

@ the last person who commented - you sent me a website for a blog for someone with RA, but I accidentally deleted your comment! Please resend.

This semester has been full of proposal writing, travel, and setting up my lab from the move from Ivy League U to Big State School. I've never been happier. I wrote 8 proposals in 6 months, and got my NSF CAREER (unofficially). I gave a seminar at a top 10 school, and went to two conferences. I was elected to a leadership position in my area, and I was invited to write a review on my field in a respectable journal. I was invited by the founder of my field to give a talk at an invitation-only conference. I hired on another post-doc and two graduate students, bringing my lab up to 5 members. My lab was up and running within 4 months of the move.

I finally have the support network I've been needing. I'm living within 3 hours of my parents, 5 min of one cousin, and 90 min of my BFF cousin. My BFF labmate from graduate school also teaches at Big State School. There are many junior faculty to hang out with, and I can finally have a social life.

It's great here, and moving was one of the best decisions we ever made.