Tell me sweet little lies

My life rotates around computer labs now. I spent from 9am to 8pm in computer labs yesterday, with a 1 hour break to see my supervisor. I went home and ate a frozen pepperoni pizza (which I doctored up by adding sliced chestnut mushrooms, leaves of fresh basil from my still-living basil plant, and mature Cheddar cheese). Then I worked on my job applications until bed time. I put down the new Head of my department as a reference because that's how you do it here, even though I've only spoken to him once. If they are contacted then they go around and get input from people in the department who do know you.

This morning was spent in the lab, working on job applications. Those people who say that looking for a job is a full-time job are so very right. Also, cover letters are hard. Would it be so wrong for me to just flat-out tell the City Library in Salt Lake that I would give a limb to work there? Because that's what I want to do, just so they know I'm committed. Or, you know, should be committed.

I took a lunch break upstairs in my department lobby to get away from the glowing screens, and while I was munching away on a Twix bar (no, that was not my lunch) the Head of the Department strolled by wearing possibly the craziest tie ever. I did that "Hi my mouth is full so I can't say hello but I'm waving, see me wave?" greeting. He stopped, possibly to figure out if I needed help.

He asked how the dissertation is coming, and when I'll be heading back to the States, and why it was that I chose to come to England for my masters, and we continued talking. I was thinking about how he probably has to make small talk with students now that he's Department Head and all.

But then he asked if I'd considered doing a Ph.D., which is when my jaw dropped a little bit. Good thing the Twix was gone. I said I'd thought about it because I'd really enjoyed being back in academia this year, but that I hadn't given it any serious thought yet. He said they would be happy to have me. Then he added that I was "very well liked" in the department and that he hoped I would think about it.

Which, just, yeah. That made my day. I am not even going to think about how it could just be a ploy to bring in international tuition money. I am just going to accept the compliment and be happy.

Posted in: England