My challenge

My big challenge lately - aside from finding appropriate Easter-ware for my son (are polos really my only choice?) - is switching gears.

Work has absorbed me in a big way. Things are going really well, which is great. But when 5pm comes, turning off the work button and turning on the mommy button is hard. It doesn't take long once I walk into Skadi's daycare and see her smiling face, but walking away from my computer when I have a 21 page statement of work in progress is tough. Not long ago I would have stayed until I had done what I needed.

Life is different now. Shifting gears is necessary because my 3.5 year old doesn't want to hear about cost sheets on the drive home.

Being a mom is my favorite aspect of course. But right now I am finding what I am doing at work very rewarding too, which is a nice change from recent.

I am getting "trial by fire" according to one of the PI's on the project I am managing. He called the other day to apologize "a little, but not much" that my first project I am managing that was scheduled to start on April 1 was increased in size and scope to over a million for Phase One. We are presently scrambling to rewrite our statement of work to reflect the pile of money waiting for us on the other side. Imagine the horror the business office might have when they go to pick up a check and instead find one for three times that amount.

He mostly called to congratulate me (and to receive return congrats on his successful funding) that my title on this project was changed to "program manager" by the sector lead.

Wow I better not screw this up.

My first project management opportunity has morphed into a program management opportunity with multi-millions of dollars and projects scoped out for the next 5 years.

While it amps me, and psyches me up to be taking on something so big - to be given an opportunity of this magnitude. It also scares me substantially. AB reminds me that I probably can't fail too bad, because at the first sign of things looking grim, I will be snatched out of that position. I am watching and double checking every step I take.

So far I really like my role. I like the sector lead I am working under. I kind of like that he canned the girl who was supposed to mentor me and said he would do it instead. I like organizing the teams. I like that Sean Connery's look alike was asked to join the project and when the cranky old man asked who was managing it, he said he was in when he heard it was me. (Of course though I adore the codger, I am not sure I want to manage him on this project.)

This position has become all encompassing for me and thankfully comes with a so far endless pot of PDM (program development money) until the check arrives. I have other projects too, and a proposal that went external this afternoon. I will be moving offices towards the end of this month to beginning of next month and a lab of my own will come into my possession in a few months.

I will need to start deciding a career path here soon. I always envisioned myself a scientist, analyzing data. But lately I am wondering if I should request a mentor who will help my move into program management permanently.