Last weekend I was all bummed because I had lost hope of meeting one of my goals. Not a big deal, but it put a small dent in my motivation. I didn't mention that one of the things prohibiting me from making the goal was a field trip scheduled for next week. Happily, today I learned that the trip has been cancelled!
With that news, I reworked my plans for the next week or so. I have two small grant applications, the latest round of manuscript revisions, and 24 more Crummy Tedious samples to finish before my (arbitrary) deadline of October 15.
With helpful comments from EGM, I think I have just finished the first grant proposal. It's not due until Monday, but I'm going to go ahead and turn it in tomorrow because I really don't want to spend any more time on it. The second one is a shorter version of the first and I have a draft, so I should be able to wrap that up in a half a day (being realistic about the time to do the supporting document crap*). I'll do that tomorrow morning so I can give Research Advisor time to read it if she wants, then I'll turn my attention to the manuscript. I have to revisit some calculations; depending on how onerous they are it might take me as little as half a day or as much as two days to finish the revisions. The Crummy Tedious samples will take 4-6 days, but I think I might be able to get some help from that international student. Although tight, it still might be possible to get it all done in a week.
Sorry to give you such a boring post but this is how I obsess about things sometimes. I'm ecstatic that I might make my goal after all, which is of course my primary source of self worth, just like all scientists, right?
*Mercifully, the supporting crap for these is nothing at all compared to big time grants.
8 comments:
Yay! I know all about wanting to make arbitrary deadlines (and being disappointed when I can't make them). I also know something about obsessing about random things (especially science-y type things) and can sympathize (and take comfort in that I'm not the only one). So, yay for being able to meet your goal!
(I hope this makes sense... it's a bit early for me.)
You seem so up to at least pragmatical all the time (in your posts); sorry you got bummed - I hate being bummed! Glad it all worked out. I'd probably, though, be happier to go on the field trip - but of course it would depend on what else I was trying to get accomplished.
Yeah, it's still early, and I'm rambling...
I mean, the time of the above comment is *supposed* to read 5:59 AM, in the detachment-land time zone I come from! ;)
good luck! i know you can do it! :)
Good luck getting it all done!
yay for the first one done and good luck with the rest!
Thanks, All. I almost didn't publish this post because it was dull but then I figured other people probably go through the same thought processes as me and I might like to commiserate. I'm glad I did.
BFF, I was sure you'd make fun of me for this and tell me to chill the hell out. :)
I'm happy to report that I got grant #1 submitted (well, I gave it to the admin person who will actually submit it), grant #2 is ready to submit next week (giving RA some time to read it), the onerous data is worked up, and the revisions are partly done. The best news of all is that I will have TWO people helping me with the Crummy Tedious samples tomorow. Yee-haw!
I'm just impressed that you got a grant in days before the deadline. It's all that supporting documentation crap that always gets me; that and my PI never reading the application until the last minute.
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