New Year Brings Change -OR- More Ramblings

It has been a loooong time since I last posted, but I'm back. I'd like to keep this up to date but keep in mind that this is not a high priority for me. With that said, on to updates....

Thesis:
Not much to report here. It's slowly coming together. I did offically 'apply to graduate' today! WooHoo!

Job:

This has been surprisingly going well. Murray & Trettel, Inc. of WeatherCommand is hiring a weather forecaster! I was shocked when I saw the job post on the AMS website. I've known about this private firm for several years-well, about 3, since Ian moved to Chicago-because they are one of the only firms in the Chicago area right now. I had been keeping an eye on any hirings going on there and this is the first I've seen since I started watching for it. The timing could not be better. Am I crazy about shift work? No, but it should be a good first job. The firm is actually in Palatine, a NW suburb, but that is completely fine. Also, I've been able to get a few names at Argonne Labs and at UIUC to contact for potential job openings. It seems that this aspect is going well, but now it's time for some job interviews! That's scary to think about! Worry about when it comes to that.

Unrelated notes:
1) I just got my new iPod Nano in the mail, and I love it! My very first iPod! A great new toy to get me through to graduation.

2) Presidential Primaries/Caucuses - - I was shocked but excited that Obama led the democratic Iowa Caucuses last week. Although, this excitement is somewhat cautionary for tomorrow's NH primaries because even though Obama beat Hillary, he only won one more delgate than she did. That really is not much. But the press is making a deal of his 9 point lead over her. His speech that night was absolutely incredible, too! It was inspiring, hopeful, and 'presidential'. So far, Obama has a 9-10 point lead in NH, but NH has a way of surprising you. So, I won't hold my breath.
(Sidenote- If Huckabee wins the Republican nomination, that will be the best thing that could ever happen to the democratic nominee. BUT that's looking doubtful.)

3) Tornaodes in January?!?! Is this global warming?!?!

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!


But it sure is exciting. It's funny cause I was just commenting today on La Nina and how that may or may not affect the storm chase season. Here we are in early January with a tornado outbreak. It doesn't necessarily mean that it'll be a great season, but it sure does give you hope.

4) Juno really is one of the best movies of the year. If you need a good laugh, see this movie. I also want to see, There Will be Blood, Charlie Wilson's War, No Country for Old Men, Atonement, 27 Dresses (lol), Sweeney Todd, ... to bad I won't get to all of them.

5) I'm not sure how many of you have been following the missing hiker story of Meredith Emerson, but I have been. And it's sad that they have found her body tonight in the Dawson Forest in Georgia in an area where she was last seen hiking. Amazingly, many, many people were observant New Years morning on that trail and saw her talking with an older man. This has led to his arrest and to finding her bloody clothes and wallet in a dumpster close to where her dog was found. I really am just hashing out what's already on the news, but I just wanted to say how sad it is that these horrible things go on all the time and for what? $300?

6) Dr. Phil, even though you're probably right, Britney does not deserve to be exploited!

7) WGA strike needs to end! But at least Jon Stewart and Colbert are back on in time for the primaries. I'm upset that the WGA strike has forced the LOST producers to cut their promised 16 back to back episodes to only 8! I agree with why they have to strike, but I miss my shows!

Ok, I think my ramblings for the day are over, oh except I forgot one...

8) BCS is a joke and OSU better lose but whatever cause I'm not even watching the game.

that is it. I promise. On to closing with

phdcomics:

Until next time...

Fa la la la

I'm leaving tomorrow for Nebraska via a South Dakota stop for Christmas, and I'm not sure when I'll be posting next. Here's a quick update for now:

THESIS:
Writing is about to begin! I am way behind my goals in writing, but this statistics table that is finally done has taken me way longer than I had anticipated. Over break, I'll have some journals read and a good chunk of the paper written.

JOB:
Aaron has been finding more potential jobs for me than I have myself. My problem is that I'm limiting myself to the normal websites such as USAjobs and NWA Job Corner. I need to broaden my horizons and think outside the box if I'm ever going to find a job in Chicago.

I finally got my transcripts faxed in for the NWS job in Green Bay. I went to the Union to fax them and the person working used the wrong number! One was labeled "Fax" and the other "Phone", and any smart person would realize you use the "Fax" number to FAX paper. No, she thought it was a brilliant idea to use the "Phone" one. Geez.

Alright, I guess that's it for now. If I don't post before this, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!

PhD Comic:


Until next time...

It's a start

Since it's:

a) Monday
b) first day of break
and c) most of the grad students are gone

I didn't get much work done today. I did get my new parking permit for the year which is always a pleasant experience. *sarcasm* The day sorta slipped away, and by the time 4 rolled around, I figured I wasn't going to get much done today anyway. So, I switched gears to job hunting. Usually, it takes me all of ten minutes to breeze through my usual websites: NWA job corner, PSU job listing, AMS listing, USAjobs, and my new favorite--Argonne Labs. As I was scrolling through my last stop at USAjobs, I saw that the NWS has an intern spot at Green Bay, WI. That's not that far from Chicago...only 4 hours. So, I thought, to hell with it, I'll apply.

I definitely 'exaggerated' on some of my answers to the questions. (Anyone who has experience applying for an NWS job, knows these questions are absurd to begin with.) Everyone agrees that the only way to even make the short list, not even an interview, is to exaggerate on the questionnaire. I've had people -within- the NWS encourage me to 'exaggerate' on my answers. So, I did. We'll see where it takes me, but most likely nowhere. There's also an intern spot at Louisville, KY. I don't know why, but the idea of living in KY seems funny to me.

PhD comic of the day: Another one about the wonderful world of job searching.


P.S. Christmas Eve is only a week away! *eeeeeee* as Rona would say.

First Post

Finally, the ever important first post. There's a lot of pressure created in writing the first post. It sets the pace and mood for your entire blog. But I'll do my best...

So why did I decide to start a blog? Well, there are several reasons. I'm about to go through a major change in my life. I'll soon no longer be a student and will have to start my career. It's like any other major milestone in one's life like starting kindergarten or the first kiss or graduating high school...Life as you know it will never be the same again.

Transitioning from high school to college is the classic example. You go from being told when you have to be in school from 8-3 everyday, what classes you have to take, and when you have to be home on a weekend night to all those decisions in college having to be made on your own. You can choose to have all your classes in the afternoon so you can sleep in late everyday and stay out all night and not come home til the next morning. New friends, new town, new responsibilities, new freedoms, and new choices. It all comes rushing at you at once. And this new chapter I'm about to start is just the same...new friends, new town, new responsibilities, new freedoms, and new choices. Only, now I go back to being told when I have to work and how long I have to work and what I have to work on. So, I'd like to share my 'adventure' with you as I fumble through to graduation and also give myself an opportunity to reflect upon these major changes and obstacles that will arise during the next few months. And there will be obstacles. (Bring 'em on!) Oh, and who doesn't need a little distraction every now and then from their work. :)

Now, for a discussion of the format of my blogs as I see them right now. I will try to include an update on my thesis progress and an update on my job outlook at the end of every blog. That reminds me...you have no idea what my thesis is about or where I'm looking for a job. Very important.

THESIS TOPIC: Tracking Asian Dust Events Using Surface, Satellite, and DC-8 Measurements.
Exciting, huh? This explains the blogspot address, I hope. I have immersed myself in Asian dust over the past year. I know just about anything you could ever want to know about it. So, if you have a question about Asian dust, feel free to post in the comments. I'm sure I'll provide you with more details of my research in upcoming blogs.

JOB HUNTING: I am looking for a job in the Chicago area in either researching or forecasting weather. I'd prefer a research job, but I am not going to be picky. I am already limiting myself in job options by only looking in Chicago. Why Chicago? Well, my boyfriend of seven years is a grad student himself at the University of Chicago working on his PhD in Political Science, and we have lived apart for almost the entire seven years (minus only a few months spent together). So, it's time. Is this going to be a major mistake in getting my career off to a great start? I certainly hope not. I think in time I'll find a great job, but at the moment, it isn't looking very promising in Chicago. Plus, living in Chicago should be a temporary thing since he only has two or three years left in his program.

PhD comic of the day: Here I will post an image of classic PhD comic. If you have never read or heard of these comics and you're grad student, then you must look at their website. So many times these comics are on the money that it's hilariously frightening. And they summarize so perfectly what grad school life is like. Clike HERE for their website.

A comic about job hunting:

This comic is great! Plus, my mom is a firm believer in Myers-Brigg testing so that's just an added bonus.

Until next time...