2007-11-15 - 5:52 p.m.

...a small rant yesterday, action and results today...

After putting words to my frustration yesterday, I sent out a couple of emails to talk with the head of one of the muckety muck admin offices at Mountain. She has always been an effective person - one who is quick to find solutions to problems. I framed my email so that she knows that I am unhappy, but also so that I'm hoping to come up with some constructive suggestions (ones that I'm happy to put in writing). Then I cc'ed my department head so that it didn't look as though I am going over anyone's head - he promptly replied that it would probably be more efficient if he were present at the mtg. Today I got another email from the muckety muck suggesting that she invite someone who knows more about the topic - one email has turned into a pow-wow in less than a day (which is why I should always email this woman at the beginning of problem - she gets things done.). That gave me a definite sense that these problems will be looked at from a new angle, which is clearly what I needed.

Fortunately the day followed on with several successes - a new script sent from Deutschland to help me process data, a box of samples that are finally processed and can be mailed to my collaborator, two sets of interesting results from my students in the lab, a demonstration that the proposal lady whom I thought was ignoring me before actually accepted my last input on the proposal, an invitation to co-convene a conference next summer, a thank-you from my ex-boss for providing her with a talk (and a further invitation to collaborate with her...yeah, right). So - these were all signs that I HAVE actually accomplished things - signs that I AM being productive even if I do not feel like it. sigh. relief.

Of course, this morning started with Baby's head resting firmly on my sciatic nerve - joy. I hobbled down the drive to the skytrain and performed some strange machinations on the floor of my office to coerce her head off the nerve. It kind of worked...for a while.

Now I am home. We just had pasta and bacon-wrapped dates for dinner. GOD did I ever want bacon-wrapped dates today. Now I will finish my lecture and fall into bed.