Venting Thread- Vent about anything.

[Danger_Zone]

5 minutes ago, Need Coffee in an IV said:

@Danger_Zone I'm finishing up undergrad so there is things I need to do and I'm just ignoring them at the moment . My BS is in geology and I would like to specialize in community outreach and dealing with how museums could/can they have the same impact as popular culture does on the public regarding the image and conception of science. Supppper rough idea but I'm hoping it can actually be a good one

That sounds like a really cool idea actually. I probably should have applied right out of undergrad so I wouldn't have all this spare time to worry and obsess over applications.  

[Need Coffee in an IV]

19 minutes ago, Danger_Zone said:

That sounds like a really cool idea actually. I probably should have applied right out of undergrad so I wouldn't have all this spare time to worry and obsess over applications.  

Thanks! I'm feeling only a little nervous but also excited. I was scrambling researching schools since my professors didn't know much about this field. This year feels like a blur, yet I still think I spent about a week total of lost sleep over this process.

[Danger_Zone]

43 minutes ago, Need Coffee in an IV said:

Thanks! I'm feeling only a little nervous but also excited. I was scrambling researching schools since my professors didn't know much about this field. This year feels like a blur, yet I still think I spent about a week total of lost sleep over this process.

It's very weird to me to remember that I sent my first application over 5 months ago. I've been so preoccupied with this whole process! And now it's all over. I wish I could tell former me to stop freaking out so much. Anyway I think as long as you are passionate about your topic you will make it work. It's also nice to go into grad school having a solid idea for a topic.

(I also love your pic! I spent a lot of time watching Seinfeld and Curb to help pass the time and relax. )

[hippyscientist]

Alright I gotta vent. My discipline - I love it - but it's such an amalgamation of many other fields. One of the closest linked (in terms of methodological stuff) is filmmaking. We use similar motion capture methods and with my current research I'm using animation software and having to learn the intricacies of different video formats, I've got video editing software on my laptop. This is such a head-bender! My head is totally spinning about converting one video format to another - I've resorted to asking reddit for help! It would be made 5 million times easier if my university would let me install 1 free-trial software onto my PC on campus. But no - I'm not allowed to do that and will be told off by the administration team (i.e. not allowed to graduate) if I do that. So instead I'm trying to work around Mac and Windows formatting differences and it's just a total headache. If someone has a PC and is near me and will let me install Adobe After-Effects CC on it and let me process 9 videos (it'll take like 10 mins all the hard work is done) I'd love them forever. 

[magnetite]

3 minutes ago, hippyscientist said:

Alright I gotta vent. My discipline - I love it - but it's such an amalgamation of many other fields. One of the closest linked (in terms of methodological stuff) is filmmaking. We use similar motion capture methods and with my current research I'm using animation software and having to learn the intricacies of different video formats, I've got video editing software on my laptop. This is such a head-bender! My head is totally spinning about converting one video format to another - I've resorted to asking reddit for help! It would be made 5 million times easier if my university would let me install 1 free-trial software onto my PC on campus. But no - I'm not allowed to do that and will be told off by the administration team (i.e. not allowed to graduate) if I do that. So instead I'm trying to work around Mac and Windows formatting differences and it's just a total headache. If someone has a PC and is near me and will let me install Adobe After-Effects CC on it and let me process 9 videos (it'll take like 10 mins all the hard work is done) I'd love them forever. 

Just a thought, and sorry if this suggestion increases the complexity, but you could install Windows on your Mac with Boot Camp:

http://www.apple.com/support/bootcamp/

I have experience partitioning a hard drive in Windows and Linux, but no experience with Macs. I could try helping if you run into any trouble, though.

[hippyscientist]

1 minute ago, magnetite said:

Just a thought, and sorry if this suggestion increases the complexity, but you could install Windows on your Mac with Boot Camp:

http://www.apple.com/support/bootcamp/

I have experience partitioning a hard drive in Windows and Linux, but no experience with Macs. I could try helping if you run into any trouble, though.

Aww thank you for the suggestion. My Mac is my only "computer" at the minute and I don't want to mess anything up with it. So no fiddling around with partitioning hard drives for me at the moment. I think on Monday I will ask my supervisor if we can install the free software under his account if  I don't figure something out tomorrow. It's just so frustrating seeing as I'm used to working in a medical field - this sort of stuff, I just have no experience of using! Oh well, more tools to add to my toolbox I suppose.

[Cheshire_Cat]

Ok, confession time:  I am a certified professional accountant and I just filed an extension on my taxes.  I HATE taxes!!  Also, too much to do!   There is a little bit about my healthcare savings account that I have to sort out.  I'm a CPA, I should be able to figure it out in six months...

[Neist]

So, my job keeps giving high priority, rush tasks. I wish someone would realize that if everything you give me is rush, nothing is. Really. 

On 4/21/2016 at 1:44 PM, mbf said:

Flashforward to today, and I CHIPPED MY TOOTH ON MY COFFEE MUG. Honestly about to cry.

I'm sorry about your bad day.  You know, one time I chipped my tooth eating some corn. Corn. I still have no clue how that happened.

[Cheshire_Cat]

I have three papers due this week.  I've finally started on all three.  Unfortunately, I've only finished one.  Also, the one I finished is only 9 pages long.  The limit is 10, but I feel like a slacker not getting it right up to the limit.  My brain is so tired of writing!!  When I was in my undergrad and masters, I had maybe one paper the entire time which was longer than five pages.  Now I have three 10 page term papers due the same week.  I don't know how to handle it.

[Need Coffee in an IV]

OMG you would think a small 1-3 bedroom house with laundry under a 1000 would be a reasonable goal......I've literally called 50 places. They either already have an application, don't have the washer/dryer, or they lie about their prices. I swear if buying a house is anything similar to this, I think I know understand the angst in all of those HGTV shows.

[hippyscientist]

Ugh over the past two days we've had bright sunshine, gale force winds, hail, snow, and rain. It's ridiculous! Just make it nice already. 

@Need Coffee in an IV HGTV shows are amazing and I can't wait to be able to watch them all and house-hunting sucks. I keep a list of "will not budge" items, "willing to compromise" items, and "would be amazing but a bit of a pipe dream" items when I'm looking for places. It helps me sort my criteria out. 

[UrbanMidwest]

socjobrumors.com

What a nasty, nasty bunch.

[Danger_Zone]

I am currently waiting for my F-1 visa documents to arrive in the mail. I checked on the website where I filled out the initial information and find that it says that my visa will last for the next 4 years.... but my program is 5 years. I contacted them and told them this and was told that "if I need another year" that I can file for an extension. But I know it will take more than 4 years because it's a 5 year program. I just don't want to have to deal with that in a few years. Why wouldn't I just get a visa valid for the duration of my program? I still feel like they've screwed up but I did e-mail them to tell them it's a 5 year program. So I don't know if I'm supposed to e-mail about this again or if this is normal.

Edited May 1, 2016 by Danger_Zone

[hippyscientist]

5 hours ago, Danger_Zone said:

I am currently waiting for my F-1 visa documents to arrive in the mail. I checked on the website where I filled out the initial information and find that it says that my visa will last for the next 4 years.... but my program is 5 years. I contacted them and told them this and was told that "if I need another year" that I can file for an extension. But I know it will take more than 4 years because it's a 5 year program. I just don't want to have to deal with that in a few years. Why wouldn't I just get a visa valid for the duration of my program? I still feel like they've screwed up but I did e-mail them to tell them it's a 5 year program. So I don't know if I'm supposed to e-mail about this again or if this is normal.

Um I'd email (can you call at all?) again and put my foot down. You don't want to be stressing about that! 

[Danger_Zone]

9 hours ago, hippyscientist said:

Um I'd email (can you call at all?) again and put my foot down. You don't want to be stressing about that! 

Yeah, I decided to e-mail them again. I'm hoping it's just a mistake, I definitely don't want to be dealing with visa issues during the last couple years of my program!

[PoliticalOrder]

Renewing a F1 visa if you maintain your student status is a very simple process. You are overthinking this.

[Danger_Zone]

1 hour ago, PoliticalOrder said:

Renewing a F1 visa if you maintain your student status is a very simple process. You are overthinking this.

Thanks for the input. I definitely don't know a lot about the process, I just thought that you would be given a visa for the duration of your program, then if you need more time you can renew it.

[PoliticalOrder]

Not really. I don't know exactly why they didn't give a date of program for 5 years...but the process of extending this is very straightforward, all you would have to do is meet with your DSO at your institution and they will give you a new I-20 if you are still maintaining student status.

In fact, this process would probably be less complicated than getting a new I-20 now with a 5 year end program date would be. 

[Quantum Buckyball]

Apparently about 2/3 of the jobs for chemists on LinkedIn are short-term contract jobs.....and the 1/3 of them want you to have over +10 years of experience 

[spectastic]

On 5/1/2016 at 5:40 PM, Quantum Buckyball said:

Apparently about 2/3 of the jobs for chemists on LinkedIn are short-term contract jobs.....and the 1/3 of them want you to have over +10 years of experience 

PhD chemists? I thought you get a PhD to avoid being a chemist. What industry are you looking at?

[Quantum Buckyball]

7 hours ago, spectastic said:

PhD chemists? I thought you get a PhD to avoid being a chemist. What industry are you looking at?

That is correct, but for most entry level PhD chemists you will be a bench scientist. I know a couple of people graduated recently ended up being an adjunct instructor.... 

[spectastic]

6 hours ago, Quantum Buckyball said:

That is correct, but for most entry level PhD chemists you will be a bench scientist. I know a couple of people graduated recently ended up being an adjunct instructor.... 

this is across the board or specific to certain areas of study? there has to be some research that's more valuable than others..

[RCtheSS]

I've filed a complaint with the U.S. Postal Investigator because none of my first class mail has been delivered for the last month. My family sent four birthday cards (one with a check inserted) postmarked April 11-13, and not a one was ever delivered. I also ordered gift cards to send to my letter writers that same week, and they've yet to arrive... 

Not too sure about what the ultimate recourse could be, but I don't like people fucking with my mail!

[Quantum Buckyball]

43 minutes ago, spectastic said:

this is across the board or specific to certain areas of study? there has to be some research that's more valuable than others..

for chemistry at least and it's pretty board. Don't get me wrong, I also know a couple of people were able to get professorship right after PhD at small liberal art schools in the middle of no where. 

If you absolutely have to go into science, go get a degree in engineering, stay away from bio medical fields 

Edited May 3, 2016 by Quantum Buckyball

[spectastic]

1 minute ago, Quantum Buckyball said:

for chemistry at least. Don't get me wrong, I also know a couple of people were able to get professorship right after PhD at small liberal art schools in the middle of no where. 

i mean for certain areas of chemistry, or all of chemistry across the board? Are most people in your institution aiming for academia or industry? If industry, what areas are they aiming towards?