Run on for a Long Time

Song of the Hour: Song of the hour: God's Gonna Cut You Down by Johnny Cash

I tried to write a post a couple weeks ago, but I never finished it. At the time, I'd been thinking heavily about the de-contextualization of the individual through global media; the saturation of post-modernism in the superstructure; and general issues of governmentality… basically things I crammed into my head for my cultural studies final exam in December that were just then really starting to take hold on my paradigm. But I never finished it and my mind shifted to full time research stuff, and I fear it's lost in the annals of yesterthought. Maybe I'll get back to it later.

I applied to about 20 research assistant positions over the course of December and January. Eventually, with Sara's help on my resumes and cover letters, I started getting past the HR desk. Finally, a little over a week ago, a man called me from Duke about a job I hadn't even applied for, we set up an interview. I bought a pinstripe suit, tried not to say anything stupid, and 4 agonizing days later he called and offered me the position.

Next Friday I start working as a research co-coordinator in Duke Hospital's Geriatric Psychiatry center. Basically, I'll be scheduling participants, running them through memory and cognition tests, assessing depression with some kind of standardized measurements, and making sure they get to their MRI's and get their blood work done. The study itself looks at factors of depression (and if it's like his other studies, that includes looking at small lesions on the white matter in the pre-frontal cortex). In other words, super exciting stuff. Some of the department's studies overlap, so I'll be doing other stuff for different studies, but I'll mostly be working with this one. (Most importantly, YAYYYYYYYY!!!!! I got a job!!!!!)

During the interview, Dr. Taylor said something that didn't really hit me until I accepted the job. He said that in their studies, they always have more data than they know what to do with, and that I was welcome to use it. In other words, write my own paper. I was on the phone with Dr. Algoe (the researcher I volunteer for at UNC) and I mentioned this to her and she really put this amazing opportunity in perspective. For graduate school, this position is fantastic-- if I'm actually able to pull a paper together, a good one, then getting into a PhD program will be far easier.

Over the course of my illustrious unemployment, I've been spending about 20 hours a week working on UNC research stuff, most of it on campus. (BTW, we're doing a paid study using couples, so if any of you couples in the area feel like making an extra $80, let me know J).  It's an interesting study—this group at UNC studies the role of positive emotions (admiration, gratitude, elation, etc.) which is a refreshing and interesting break from the usual psychopathology. I'm going to keep volunteering there as long as it seems feasible, nights and weekends and stuff. Dr. Algoe is awesome, and the things I'm learning there are really useful. When did I become such a research monkey? I can't believe I'm actually running experiments on people—attaching electrodes and pulse monitors and videotaping conversations. Isn't that awesome?

In other news, my father returned from China, indeed, as a married man. Bit of a cradle robber, marrying a lady some 15 years his junior, but hey, that's how my pops rolls. It's unclear as to when I'll get to meet my new step-mom, but hopefully within the year. He had a good time for the most part, though he was freezing most of the time. Apparently indoor heating is rare in non-tourist China. He wouldn't go ever the types of things he wound up eating, but he still won't go near a bowl of rice. The most amazing thing was hearing my dad use the word "poverty", I think his worldview was effected in a way he can't really articulate. Regardless, I'm really happy he got a chance to spend a month on the other side of the world—I want so much for him, you know? Anyway, I'll try to post pics when I get them uploaded.

Otherwise, I'm obsessively watching The Wire (as should you), and reading whichever books Amanda puts in my hand. I'd just as soon be reading her blog… but as you know she's still on hiatus (no pressure)J. The rest of you have been doing a much better job with your updates, I appreciate that. I just saw a pic of a preggers Sara on her brother's blog, and it made my day.

Eh, this is long and dull. Andy sent me his budding novel to read, my time is better spent there. The monkey's doing ok, I finally have a job, and I miss you people. What else is there to say?

Love.

 

 

 

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[Amanda]

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