Hans, answer your phone!!!

I am bubbling over! I grabbed my old team lead in the hallway. Tom put me on a project a year and a half ago. Initially, I hated it. I have grown to love it. It is my favorite project, my shiny, happy project. With people who are nice and friendly. It is an 1831 project, meaning non-govermental work. Which is supposed to be done in my "free time". I make sure I have a lot of "free time" now.

We have recently gotten some really spectacular results on this project. The project is in its third year here at the lab. It was set up for three years, each year renewable depending on the success of the year before, up to three years. After three years the company would make a decision whether or not to pick this lab up as their R&D lab. Things so far, look good.

So I snaked Tom into my office to show him my latest telecon that the client went nuts for on Wednesday. Man was he thrilled! He was beaming! He stated that not only had I most likely made Rick happy, but that our client now had great stuff to take to her boss! I am not sure I have seen Tom beam so much EVER! He was thrilled. I told him also that the client indicated that even though she wants to demo this to a client by July (!!!!) that there will be PLENTY of stuff for me to do on a return to bench scale next year. (!!!!) This actually had been one of my concerns... was I just going to fade away once my project is completed. It scared me actually.

So all indications were there, they are going to path forward to year four with us as their R&D lab, the client is happy not only with my project, but with me. And then Tom added in the kicker, "[She] is so happy with you on this project, don't be surprised if they offered you a job."

!!!!

Hans and I have kicked around the pipe dream of *if* this project went really well for me what could happen. Well I already bought stock in the company just in case I happen to revolutionalize the way computer chips are made or something like that... I own a whole 3.2 shares. (That's big for a government scientist.) Hans had mentioned before "well what if they offered you a job". My response was always "well they would never offer me a job", they will keep me working here. Well apparently Tom doesn't think that is what is going to happen. So maybe there has been some real talk of this... Tom always has the inside scoop...

Would we move to Fremont, CA? Would we become Bay Area-ites? Might we get to fall in the ocean with all the other Bay Area-ites when the big one hits? Might we actually get to eat good food out on a regular basis? Could we afford to live in the Bay Area?

OR, if this lab becomes the R&D lab, would I just become their offsite employee? Would I work here in podunk-ville and visit the Bay area regularly? (IDEAL) How much would I get paid? Would it be competitive with my job now? I would so jump at the opportunity to do this aspect - stay here and work for the client. I could always get hired back on here later.

I am so psyched up I can hardly sit still.