I'm finally sitting down to update everyone on how our first interview for a REAL job went last weekend. I hope you all weren't holding your breath for a great report! Unfortunately, I don't think Job #1 is the place for us. Everyone was extremely kind and they actually offered Jeff a very generous contract on the spot, but it just didn't feel right for us. Here are some reasons why:
- the hospital is trying to build an orthopaedic surgery department and it seems like they have a steep hill to climb (this isn't something I want Jeff to be burdened with his 1st year out of fellowship!)
- they only have 1 other Ortho guy on staff right now and he is much older (and a little...different...from the types of personalities Jeff is used to working with)
- the nearest college I could teach at is a 45 min drive down the interstate, which would get quite old doing that twice a day
- the town is TINY (we could live in a nearby cuter town but that would put me even farther away from the college)
Yes, it's close to the beach, but I'm just not sure that's enough to make up for all the other things that are bad about it. So, the job hunt continues. I'm just glad Jeff got to "practice" and will hopefully be more relaxed and confident for future interviews.
But first, we'll be celebrating my graduation this weekend! It will be a whirlwind couple of days with family in town and multiple ceremonies to attend. I hope everyone else has a great weekend!
Thursday, May 16, 2013
Monday, May 13, 2013
Mother's Day
Jeff and I decided to cut our visit to the location of Job #1 short due to inclement weather- so we didn't get any time to relax at the beach. But we did make it back in time to see my mom and cousin for Mother's Day!
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| Me and Mom |
We went out to lunch and had too many just enough mimosas.
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| With my cousin and her two girls |
To all the mothers and grandmothers out there: I hope you had a wonderful day, were able to celebrate with family, and know just how important you are in our lives.
To new and expectant moms: I hope you enjoyed your first Mother's Day and wish you many more special days to come!
To women struggling with infertility: I hope you were able to find peace in this day instead of sadness; I wish you luck and success in your journey.
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| Me with my cousin's two girls :) |
Thursday, May 9, 2013
This is not in my job description
We're leaving tonight to drive to Jeff's first interview location. I had planned to spend today finishing up a lecture, going to spin class, and leisurely packing my suitcase. Instead, I'm running around the city trying to get maintenance done on Jeff's car so it doesn't break down on the road. My car needs a new tire, so we thought we would take his instead. Wrong.
Dropped Jeff's car off last night so it would be there first thing this morning to get the tires rotated. The service guy calls me this morning- there's 2 nails in one of the tires that can't be patched. Do I want to replace the tire? Of course they don't have a matching tire in stock.
I call a different place where we originally bought the tires. They have a matching one in stock. The guy says I'd better come now before it's busy. I decide Jeff would probably want me to get a matching tire.
I call back Place #1. They need at least 30 minutes to get the car put back together.
Luckily, we have an extra car this week because my Dad left his at our apartment on his way out of town for a golf trip. So I drive to Place 1, leave Dad's car there. Take Jeff's car to Place 2 and hope it doesn't take all day. I get there too late. It will be a 2.5 hour wait. The only lucky thing to happen to me all day is that there's a coffee shop next door. So here I sit, waiting on it. I get to put a new tire on our credit card (joy), and then drive back to Place 1 and leave Jeff's car there. Drive Dad's car back to our house because it's way nicer than Jeff's car and I don't want it sitting in a parking lot.
Of course today is a surgery day and Jeff can't leave the hospital. Oh, and did I mention that the weather forecast predicts scattered thunderstorms at the place we're interviewing this weekend? You remember, Job #1 at the beach location? The hospital gave us all day Saturday to enjoy the beaches by ourselves. We're getting off to a great start!
Dropped Jeff's car off last night so it would be there first thing this morning to get the tires rotated. The service guy calls me this morning- there's 2 nails in one of the tires that can't be patched. Do I want to replace the tire? Of course they don't have a matching tire in stock.
I call a different place where we originally bought the tires. They have a matching one in stock. The guy says I'd better come now before it's busy. I decide Jeff would probably want me to get a matching tire.
I call back Place #1. They need at least 30 minutes to get the car put back together.
Luckily, we have an extra car this week because my Dad left his at our apartment on his way out of town for a golf trip. So I drive to Place 1, leave Dad's car there. Take Jeff's car to Place 2 and hope it doesn't take all day. I get there too late. It will be a 2.5 hour wait. The only lucky thing to happen to me all day is that there's a coffee shop next door. So here I sit, waiting on it. I get to put a new tire on our credit card (joy), and then drive back to Place 1 and leave Jeff's car there. Drive Dad's car back to our house because it's way nicer than Jeff's car and I don't want it sitting in a parking lot.
Of course today is a surgery day and Jeff can't leave the hospital. Oh, and did I mention that the weather forecast predicts scattered thunderstorms at the place we're interviewing this weekend? You remember, Job #1 at the beach location? The hospital gave us all day Saturday to enjoy the beaches by ourselves. We're getting off to a great start!
Monday, May 6, 2013
Medical Mondays- The REAL Job Interview
Happy Medical Mondays to everyone who is visiting from the linkup today!
I can't believe I'm going to have to change my blog byline in a matter of weeks. I'm not technically a grad student anymore since I defended my PhD in early April. I figure I can get away with it a little longer though because I don't start my new position til August. As for the resident part, my husband will be finished by the end of June. Can I get an Amen!? "Tales of Life as a Fellow and a Post-Doc" just doesn't have the same ring to it. As many of you know, nothing is permanent when you're married to a doctor. I'll be changing our description again after only 1 short year!
Speaking of after Fellowship, a real job is just around the corner. We've been combing through job postings for a few months now and trying to figure out where we want to land after all of this training is over. It's not an easy task. If you don't have a specific city in mind, how do you narrow things down? Trying to find something in a town that also has a college (so I would have job opportunities) does immediately throw out about half of the listings, so that helps. Of course we'd love to come back to New Orleans, but I'm not holding my breath. I just don't want to let myself get my hopes up only to be disappointed. It's strange that for the first time in our adult lives we'll move somewhere that WE choose, not somewhere we were told to go by a computer match program. That in and of itself is a very exciting thing.
Unlike in med school where students find out where they're moving for residency only a few months before starting, orthopaedic residents match for a fellowship over a year before residency ends. Similarly, the job hunt for many Ortho residents begins before they even start their fellowship, or soon after fellowship begins. Since contract negotiations can take months and licensing and credentialing can take half a year, we need to start thinking now about where we want to end up after fellowship.
So, drumroll please, Jeff has his first REAL job interview next weekend! We'll call it Job #1 since, duh, it's the first place we're interviewing. Hopefully in the near future we'll have many more to compare. And yes, I did say we're interviewing. It seems to be understood that significant others tag along on these interview trips. These people are smart- they know they need to woo the wife if they have any chance of Jeff seriously considering the position ;) What we like: Job #1 is in the south, near a beach, and somewhat close to our families. What we don't like: It would be about 45 min - 1 hr commute if I wanted to teach at the nearest college. Hopefully we will both gain clarity after spending a couple of days there and will have a better idea if this is somewhere we could see ourselves living and working.
So here's to the beginning of the next stage in our lives- dipping our toes, so to speak, into the pool that is a real job after fellowship! I hope the water's warm...and that there aren't any sharks.
I can't believe I'm going to have to change my blog byline in a matter of weeks. I'm not technically a grad student anymore since I defended my PhD in early April. I figure I can get away with it a little longer though because I don't start my new position til August. As for the resident part, my husband will be finished by the end of June. Can I get an Amen!? "Tales of Life as a Fellow and a Post-Doc" just doesn't have the same ring to it. As many of you know, nothing is permanent when you're married to a doctor. I'll be changing our description again after only 1 short year!
Speaking of after Fellowship, a real job is just around the corner. We've been combing through job postings for a few months now and trying to figure out where we want to land after all of this training is over. It's not an easy task. If you don't have a specific city in mind, how do you narrow things down? Trying to find something in a town that also has a college (so I would have job opportunities) does immediately throw out about half of the listings, so that helps. Of course we'd love to come back to New Orleans, but I'm not holding my breath. I just don't want to let myself get my hopes up only to be disappointed. It's strange that for the first time in our adult lives we'll move somewhere that WE choose, not somewhere we were told to go by a computer match program. That in and of itself is a very exciting thing.
Unlike in med school where students find out where they're moving for residency only a few months before starting, orthopaedic residents match for a fellowship over a year before residency ends. Similarly, the job hunt for many Ortho residents begins before they even start their fellowship, or soon after fellowship begins. Since contract negotiations can take months and licensing and credentialing can take half a year, we need to start thinking now about where we want to end up after fellowship.
So, drumroll please, Jeff has his first REAL job interview next weekend! We'll call it Job #1 since, duh, it's the first place we're interviewing. Hopefully in the near future we'll have many more to compare. And yes, I did say we're interviewing. It seems to be understood that significant others tag along on these interview trips. These people are smart- they know they need to woo the wife if they have any chance of Jeff seriously considering the position ;) What we like: Job #1 is in the south, near a beach, and somewhat close to our families. What we don't like: It would be about 45 min - 1 hr commute if I wanted to teach at the nearest college. Hopefully we will both gain clarity after spending a couple of days there and will have a better idea if this is somewhere we could see ourselves living and working.
So here's to the beginning of the next stage in our lives- dipping our toes, so to speak, into the pool that is a real job after fellowship! I hope the water's warm...and that there aren't any sharks.
Friday, April 26, 2013
This week
- I just want to say that everyone who commented on my last post earlier this week is awesome. I'm glad to hear other people get annoyed when asked about babymaking.
- I've barely seen Jeff. He's back at the main University/Charity hospital now through the end of residency which = trauma call. There seems to be more shootings in Nola when the weather gets warmer, so yay for that.
- I had high hopes of getting at least 2 lectures done for the class I'm teaching this summer. I just finished ONE today. So I'm realizing this is going to take a bit longer than expected. But I also finished my syllabus, so that counts for something, right?
- I had even higher hopes of having a spotless apartment since I have SO much free time now, but I can't seem to find it in me to get motivated. I did swiffer mop all of our floors today though so I'm going to give myself a little pat on the back for that one. Also- EW- the floors in our bedroom were disgusting since the only places I regularly clean are the rooms people see when they come over. Does anyone else do that?
- I'm forcing Jeff to take me out to dinner tonight even though I know he's probably super tired and we have about a bajillion dollars in credit card debt from paying for his board review course. No job = I'm going stir crazy sitting inside all day!
- Jeff is off all weekend. I'm off (obviously). It's a miracle!
- And THIS video:
Happy Weekend!
Monday, April 22, 2013
Nunya Bizness
What makes people thinks it's ok to ask someone when they're thinking about having a baby? I've been asked this twice in two days. This past weekend, I was at a friend's baby shower, so babies were obviously on everyone's mind. I can understand how the question could come up in this situation. But to have an acquaintance ask me this in front of a room full of girls, none of which I am close to, seemed inappropriate and really bothered me. Especially when I wasn't the only childless, married person there- why me? People must think that now that I'm done with school I must have nothing better to do. Granted, I've been married longer than the other girls at the shower...at a whopping 1.5 years. Why do people expect you to start popping out babies as soon as you say 'I do'? And more importantly, why do they think it's any of their business? I think I answered with something snarky and slightly rude. I always think of something better to say later in the day. I've decided the next time this happens to respond with, "I'm not sure, when are YOU having a baby?" or "I don't know, but I'll be sure to let you know as soon as we start trying!" regardless of their marital status. Or maybe I'll just say I hate kids. I don't, but that should shut them up.
The reality is we won't be telling ANYONE when we decide to start a family. It doesn't matter whether we started trying months ago, decided to wait until we're settled with the move, or want to hold off another couple of years. The point is, it's none of anyone's business. It is such a hugely personal decision, and I would never think to ask anyone unless I felt very close to them and the topic came up naturally.
What if you asked someone and they had been trying unsuccessfully to get pregnant for a long time? Wouldn't you feel like an asshole? And why are people so innately curious about other people's reproduction anyway? It's bizarre. Do people really expect Jeff and I to tell them, "Oh, we're ready now!" and then look forward to having them ask us every single month, "Are you pregnant yet?!" No thanks. So mind ya own bizness people!
The reality is we won't be telling ANYONE when we decide to start a family. It doesn't matter whether we started trying months ago, decided to wait until we're settled with the move, or want to hold off another couple of years. The point is, it's none of anyone's business. It is such a hugely personal decision, and I would never think to ask anyone unless I felt very close to them and the topic came up naturally.
What if you asked someone and they had been trying unsuccessfully to get pregnant for a long time? Wouldn't you feel like an asshole? And why are people so innately curious about other people's reproduction anyway? It's bizarre. Do people really expect Jeff and I to tell them, "Oh, we're ready now!" and then look forward to having them ask us every single month, "Are you pregnant yet?!" No thanks. So mind ya own bizness people!
Friday, April 19, 2013
Our hearts are with Boston
I woke up this morning to news that the two Boston bombing suspects had been identified as brothers and that one had already died in a shootout with police. Being married to Jeff, I have developed into a sort of news junkie (his love for all things patriotic extends to a love for politics). So I've been glued to the TV screen this morning as events continue to develop. There are even reports that the younger brother may be studying for a career in medicine and that both of them have taken advantage of some of the finest schools the US has to offer. It's unbelievable to me that such educated, privileged young men could be capable of committing such evil against a country that has given them so much.
I did a lot of complaining about the possibility of moving to Jackson when Jeff and I were looking at fellowship programs. I was hoping he would fall in love with a program in a more exciting city. But lately, events like this one (and the crazy threats from North Korea- even though I know the US would smoke this nut job before anything happened) make me thankful we are moving to a small Southern town where not much happens. The day the Boston bombings happened, I was on a flight headed back to Nola. New York actually had a marathon the weekend I was there too, the day before the Boston bombings. We saw several runners post-marathon walking around the city. It could have happened there.
Jackson may not be a mecca of exciting events, but the possibility of a terrorist attack never crosses my mind when I'm there. The older I get and the more crazy shit that happens in this country, the more I value small towns like Jackson. Don't get me wrong- I've loved every big US city I've visited. I'm pretty much obsessed with San Francisco and spent waaaay too much money shopping when I visited Chicago. Atlanta is a must-visit city for me at least every couple of years. I've never been to Boston, but I'm sure I would love it. I hope the people of Boston can move on with their lives as if this never happened. If we begin to live our lives in fear, then the crazies will have won. But for now, I'll stop complaining about Jackson (or I'll try to do it way less), because sometimes living in a town where nothing ever happens is a good thing.
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| Source |
I did a lot of complaining about the possibility of moving to Jackson when Jeff and I were looking at fellowship programs. I was hoping he would fall in love with a program in a more exciting city. But lately, events like this one (and the crazy threats from North Korea- even though I know the US would smoke this nut job before anything happened) make me thankful we are moving to a small Southern town where not much happens. The day the Boston bombings happened, I was on a flight headed back to Nola. New York actually had a marathon the weekend I was there too, the day before the Boston bombings. We saw several runners post-marathon walking around the city. It could have happened there.
Jackson may not be a mecca of exciting events, but the possibility of a terrorist attack never crosses my mind when I'm there. The older I get and the more crazy shit that happens in this country, the more I value small towns like Jackson. Don't get me wrong- I've loved every big US city I've visited. I'm pretty much obsessed with San Francisco and spent waaaay too much money shopping when I visited Chicago. Atlanta is a must-visit city for me at least every couple of years. I've never been to Boston, but I'm sure I would love it. I hope the people of Boston can move on with their lives as if this never happened. If we begin to live our lives in fear, then the crazies will have won. But for now, I'll stop complaining about Jackson (or I'll try to do it way less), because sometimes living in a town where nothing ever happens is a good thing.
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