New Job: Moving Up & Teaching While Still Doing Research

[Moonbear]

I've got a new job! I'm moving up...to an office almost directly above the one I'm currently in. Contract isn't signed yet, but I have the verbal offer and permission to start moving into my new office...one with a window finally! Actually, even better than a window, it's newly renovated and in the part of the building that has the new, and actually functioning HVAC system, so I'll have AC in summer and heat in winter, not the other way around. Who knows, maybe I'll even have my own thermostat in my office.

This is actually a slight shift in career direction for me. This is primarily an education position. I'll still be doing some research, but it'll be the more minor aspect of my time commitment. Writing research grants went from being a challenge to beating my head against the wall...people far more senior than me are losing funding left and right. At the same time, as you all can probably tell from my interaction with folks here, I LOVE teaching, so why keep bashing my head against the wall going nowhere when I can be content collaborating with other people on their research projects, and focusing my energy on teaching? So, I'm quite ecstatic today that I was offered this new position.

 

[lisab]

Wonderful! Congrats, Moonie !

Will you be teaching anything different from what you do now?

 

[Evo]

WOOHOO!
http://img440.imageshack.us/img440/7555/flowerdancepleaseal7.gif

 

[Cyrus]

Congratulations!

Now when you tell your co-workers you look down on them, you can mean it in more ways than one!

 

[Moonbear]

Wonderful! Congrats, Moonie !

Will you be teaching anything different from what you do now?

Not a lot different, just a lot more classes and students. I've already been teaching in the medical anatomy course, and this summer am teaching occupational therapy and exercise physiology students. This new position will add on teaching nursing and dental students too. And, without trying to juggle full-time research with teaching, I will be able to start learning the medical neuroanatomy course to pick up teaching that. I could teach parts of it already, but that's a course that I really want to learn and teach a lot more of. I tried to sit in on it a couple years ago, but their schedule is so intense, I couldn't get out of my research obligations enough to make it meaningful. Now I'll have time to dedicate to that class too.

The department also teaches the histology courses, but I don't think they need much help there. It's usually pretty easy to find people who can teach portions of histology. Though, if they need me to help there, I can come up to speed pretty quickly on that course.

Evo, I love those smilies. Woo hoo! One even has sparklers (I think that's what those are).

 

[russ_watters]

Congrats - after months of heavy drinking, it's finally over!

 

[yeeyee]

At least MoonBear doesn't have to do so many projects at the same time. I'm not sure if MoonBear wants to

 

[wolram]

We will have to change your handle to Starbear.

 

[Moonbear]

Congrats - after months of heavy drinking, it's finally over!

No kidding! I'm glad I had you to do some of the drinking for me. I didn't even realize how tense I was getting about it until I suddenly unwound after getting the news today (maybe that's why I bounced so high). At first, it was easy to just stay calm and patient, but I thought they were making decisions much earlier than they finally did, and when those dates passed, I thought I was passed over, then I'd run into someone who would let me know that decisions weren't made yet, maybe next week, then another week would pass, and still no news, etc. But, the wait is over! Phew!

 

[Moonbear]

We will have to change your handle to Starbear.

LOL! Hmm...I will get to see more of that big yellow star that's out in the day time.

 

[turbo]

Moonie, I am so happy for you! Congrats!

 

[Math Is Hard]

That's great news! I'm excited for you!

 

[scorpa]

That is great news Moonbear! I'm sure you will love your new position, and the students will love it I am sure to, it is a rare treat to find a prof who really loves to teach! Having a window is exciting, windowless offices are so depressing. Some of the labs I work in have no windows and I hate it.

 

[GeorginaS]

Kudos to you, Moonbear. I can't think of anyone I know who's worked as hard as you have to accomplish what you have. I'm beyond happy for you!

 

[binzing]

Is Nice! (Borat...)

 

[~christina~]

Evo took the original dance smiley I posted so I have to come up with a new one.
http://img70.imageshack.us/img70/6785/pyrodancepleaseft2.gif

The original smiley is dancing with flowers.

 

[Lisa!]

Congrats!

 

[hypatia]

Thats wonderful news. And you get a window!

 

[Andre]

Congrats. Moonbear, Now, about that window, are there three colored dots in the upper left corner? or is there an X in a red box in the upper right corner?

 

[George Jones]

Great news for you, and great news for your school! You're a natural.

 

[Borek]

I LOVE teaching, so why keep bashing my head against the wall going nowhere when I can be content (...) focusing my energy on teaching?

I always tought that teaching means just that - bashing your head against the wall. But I am known to be ocassionally wrong

Congratulations!

 

[Moonbear]

Thanks again everyone. Christina, that's a really nifty dancing smiley! (Yes, Evo's been known to steal smilies...she hoards them.)

Congrats. Moonbear, Now, about that window, are there three colored dots in the upper left corner? or is there an X in a red box in the upper right corner?

I'll move up my X in the corner windows with me, but maybe if I'm good, they'll let me buy a new one with colored dots in the corner.

But now I have to find a new Disney paper to cover the window on my door. My current office has a square window, and the new one has a long, skinny window, so I can't take my paper with me. (Since I wear scrubs for the classes, I need to be able to cover the windows to change into clean clothes in my office...oh, I better get blinds for the window too!)

 

[BobG]

Congratulations! A window is great!

But now I have to find a new Disney paper to cover the window on my door. My current office has a square window, and the new one has a long, skinny window, so I can't take my paper with me. (Since I wear scrubs for the classes, I need to be able to cover the windows to change into clean clothes in my office...oh, I better get blinds for the window too!)

Cover your window with this. That way you'll have a mirror to check your appearance before leaving your office.

 

[Evo]

Evo took the original dance smiley I posted so I have to come up with a new one.
[PLAIN]http://img70.imageshack.us/img70/6785/pyrodancepleaseft2.gif

The original smiley is dancing with flowers.

<steals christina's new smiley>

[PLAIN]http://img70.imageshack.us/img70/6785/pyrodancepleaseft2.gif

and adds one

http://img137.imageshack.us/img137/766/cheerdx6.gif

 

[BobG]

<steals christina's new smiley>

http://img70.imageshack.us/img70/6785/pyrodancepleaseft2.gif

What is that thing, anyway - a flaming frog?

 

[Moonbear]

Cover your window with this. That way you'll have a mirror to check your appearance before leaving your office.

Yikes, that's expensive stuff! I'm not sure I want a mirror to know what my appearance is on the days I'm headed to lab. Better make sure I put it on the right side of the window too (though, that would be nifty to have a one-way mirror on the door so I could see out and the students pacing in the hall wouldn't know I could watch them when they couldn't see in...would also mean I'd have privacy inside the office without having to block the window completely.

The paper I have over the window in the door now is perfect though. It's somewhat translucent, kind of like waxed paper, so it provides privacy, but still let's the light show through so people know if I'm around or not.

 

[Kurdt]

Congrats Moonbear! Hope you'll be a lot happier.

 

[lisab]

Yikes, that's expensive stuff! I'm not sure I want a mirror to know what my appearance is on the days I'm headed to lab. Better make sure I put it on the right side of the window too (though, that would be nifty to have a one-way mirror on the door so I could see out and the students pacing in the hall wouldn't know I could watch them when they couldn't see in...would also mean I'd have privacy inside the office without having to block the window completely.

The paper I have over the window in the door now is perfect though. It's somewhat translucent, kind of like waxed paper, so it provides privacy, but still let's the light show through so people know if I'm around or not.

When you get your new office set up, post a picture!

 

[rewebster]

Thanks again everyone. Christina, that's a really nifty dancing smiley! (Yes, Evo's been known to steal smilies...she hoards them.)



I'll move up my X in the corner windows with me, but maybe if I'm good, they'll let me buy a new one with colored dots in the corner.

But now I have to find a new Disney paper to cover the window on my door. My current office has a square window, and the new one has a long, skinny window, so I can't take my paper with me. (Since I wear scrubs for the classes, I need to be able to cover the windows to change into clean clothes in my office...oh, I better get blinds for the window too!)

congrats!

now your (avatar) cat has a window

 

[brewnog]

Woop!

 

[Moonbear]

When you get your new office set up, post a picture!

I'll try. It's still a small office, but it's mine, has a window, and isn't shared! That's actually a very fortunate thing in that department. MANY of the faculty are packed like sardines into larger shared offices there, so I'm among the privileged there. (And maybe once some of the new buildings on campus are completed, some larger offices will open up for everyone, but I'd probably be back at the end of the line waiting behind all the people with shared offices.)

I'm still contemplating the furniture arrangement. I think it might seem bigger if I move a few pieces of furniture around. I remember my current office seeming somewhat like a broom closet when I first moved in, and then after a month of shuffling furniture around every week, I finally found a configuration that worked.

 

[Jimmy Snyder]

I'm moving up...to an office almost directly above the one I'm currently in.

I'm glad to hear you got a raise. Have fun with your new job.

 

[Moonbear]

I'm glad to hear you got a raise. Have fun with your new job.

LOL, though yes, there is a raise with this (and not just a few more feet above sea level). How much is still to be negotiated before a final contract is signed. I suppose I'll have a lot more leverage since classes will already be starting by the time that's done, and it's too late to find someone else on the list to teach all those classes.

 

[turbo]

LOL, though yes, there is a raise with this (and not just a few more feet above sea level). How much is still to be negotiated before a final contract is signed. I suppose I'll have a lot more leverage since classes will already be starting by the time that's done, and it's too late to find someone else on the list to teach all those classes.

Ooh! Great timing! That's a wonderful extortion (er... bargaining) chip.

 

[Andre]

Careful Moonbear, be aware of limits, a little generousity on the longer terms here may outweight a short term profit .

Also, if in the window, there are upper right colored dots or a red boxed X upper right, there is a chance that this window is merely artificial.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

Congratulations Moonbear! That is great news.

 

[Tsu]

WOOHOO!
http://img440.imageshack.us/img440/7555/flowerdancepleaseal7.gif

[PLAIN]http://img145.imageshack.us/img145/228/woohoo7usih7.gif[/QUOTE][/URL]

WOW!1111 DITTO! That is just SO wonderful, Moonbear! You'll be the best teacher EVER! You make us proud.

 

[Moonbear]

Thanks. I found out that the office next to mine, which I think whoever the second person hired gets whenever they arrive (not in time for this term), is a bit bigger, but NO WINDOW. I got the primo office!

I spent today moving files and books and stuff into my new office. I'm going to go in this weekend to hang all my pictures and move most of the rest of the stuff...mostly so I don't drive the grad students next to me crazy with hammering when they're in their office trying to work. Then I just have to wait for them to get me a phone. Yeah, they set up the whole office and furnish it, and it seems it didn't occur to anyone to put a phone in there. Once that's in, I can get IT to transfer my number, and give me internet access. In the meantime, I think I'll use one office as the one where I have my phone and computer, and the other for getting work done in a quiet room free from distractions.

I feel like I'm one of the professors in PhD Comics now, with two offices to hide in so nobody ever knows where to find me.

And the best part is that as I'm getting course schedules, it looks like they'll all be done in time to join Zz in Disney in December!

 

[Evo]

Moonbear, you have to make sure you actually take some time to "look out of the window".

 

[Moonbear]

Moonbear, you have to make sure you actually take some time to "look out of the window".

I definitely will, and have. It's horrible. I've been deprived of a window for so long, every time I'm in the new office moving things in, I have to stop to look out the window. The scene doesn't change, but it's just so nice to know it's sunny out. I haven't even had to turn on the lights in the room during the day...plenty of light from the window. Perfect!

Oh, and since the little window on my door is a different size from the one on my old office, I had to go out and get new paper to cover it. Some gold vellum-like paper (semi-transparent...lets light through but I can change in my office without anyone seeing in), and Mickey Mouse paper that I'll put cut-outs of onto the gold background. I know Zz will expect a picture of the final result.

 

[turbo]

Moonie, can you manage to put a bird-feeder outside of that window? You don't look at new trees, etc, but the birds are enough change and variety to break up your day. I love my birds!

 

[Moonbear]

Moonie, can you manage to put a bird-feeder outside of that window? You don't look at new trees, etc, but the birds are enough change and variety to break up your day. I love my birds!

No, I'm sure maintenance would frown on a bird feeder. We already have bird feeders...they're called floodlights at night. The lights are so bright around the building and so many bugs attracted to them, the birds will be up all night feasting!

 

[Desiree]

I've got a new job! I'm moving up...

Good for you, on the same day you posted this, I was turned down an offer! so I guess I'm moving down

 

[turbo]

Good for you, on the same day you posted this, I was turned down an offer! so I guess I'm moving down

Hang in there! This is not a zero-sum game!

 

[Kurdt]

Good for you, on the same day you posted this, I was turned down an offer! so I guess I'm moving down

Have comfort in the fact that you can't get lower than me.

 

[Desiree]

Have comfort in the fact that you can't get lower than me.

The "temperature version" of me would be "absolute Zero -1", So are you still lower than me?

Thanks for the comforting post!

 

[Hurkyl]

The "temperature version" of me would be "absolute Zero -1", So are you still lower than me?

Thanks for the comforting post!

Actually, that's even hotter than being infinitely hot.

 

[ehrenfest]

Moonbear you should try to get a second appointment in the English Department. Judging by the amazing quality of your posts here, you could teach them a thing or two about writing. Seriously, have you thought about teaching a essay-writing class for first year undergraduates or something?

 

[Moonbear]

Thanks for the compliment, ehrenfest, but I have no desire to teach English.