TGIF!

I so deserve the upcoming weekend. Going back to work today was a good thing, Leif is looking better and I got caught up on a lot. Still lots more to do on Monday and then here’s hoping that I stay busy next week. Scrambling for work on Tuesday will not be pleasant. But I am ready for a weekend.

I got my big proposal off to my product line manager. I am not sure what to expect now. It is just the technical proposal. No talk of funds or anything. I hate, hate, hate trying to figure out how much it will cost me to do work. I put that off as long as humanly possible.

My Co-PI is my former “team lead” and now fellow group member. He is a super guy, a few levels my senior. I have worked with him on a different project that he handed off to me completely. I have obviously proven myself as capable to him and he was “honored” to be my Co-PI on this proposal. What is KILLING me though is that he has had very little to say on this proposal. On formal reports he is king of the red pen. (Which I truly appreciate.) But on this proposal his editing was limited to a quick review last night where he changed a few words around. He did make a suggestion that I delve more into the proposed chemistry, which gave me a chance… ok three chances, to cite myself. And it really brought the proposal full circle.

So in typical analytical style I am trying my best to read into his lack of comments, other than “looks good”.

1. He thinks it is a goofy, off the wall idea and just doesn’t even know what to make of it. If he ignores it, it will go away.
2. He is great friends with my mentor and they could be playing a “just step back and let her do it herself” thing.
3. Or it just really is a great idea and proposal that needs very little added. (ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha)

Ok, in all honesty, I think it is #2. He is a great guy and I think he sees the importance to me doing it all myself. Or he just thinks it is stupid idea…

AB is thrilled with the concept (read: the potential for IP) and my excitement for it. He thinks it is nice too that I have been paid to develop the proposal (a rarity here), because in the end, if we don’t stay here it would be nice to have at least one proposal in hand say if, oh I don’t know, if I decided to try for an academic position or something crazy like that.

When I graduated I had zero ideas for proposals. The one thing that working here has REALLY given me is a window to real world problems, what needs work in various industries but no one is apparently tackling. I have a stack of nearly 30 proposals (mostly 1-2 page concept papers) now that I have thrown out to various funding agencies. Sure they take further developing to turn into a real proposal. But the ideas are there, where they weren’t four years ago.

We have a lot of yard work planned for the weekend. I need to get the back yard in shape. I am hosting a book club meeting on May 9^th and am hoping we can sit outside. That way AB and Leif can have the run of the house without interrupting. I am going with a Mexican theme, sangria, chips and salsa and guacamole, and some (non-flan) Mexican dessert. Ideas? Let me know.

I also have a ton of stuff to haul to Goodwill in preparation for my mom and stepdad arriving on the 10^th. I got the guest room looking amazingly nice yesterday. Nicer than it has looked since we moved in.

Aside from that? A trip to the mall to return clothes that I bought while I had Leif in tow – therefore stayed out of the changing room – and of course NONE of them fit. A trip to Target and to the grocery store.

Everyone have a super weekend!