robots and jerbs and a comment on Zoya

This week was loooong.  (This update is long.)  My paper, getting yelled at, my video card catching fire,* getting up early at 8:30 to go to an all-day language workshop, spending all day downtown meeting with a company... but a lot of it was jerbs.  Researching and negotiating, but also worrying.  I put a lot of energy into worrying this week!  A lot.

Well:

• Paper's in.  And I think it's pretty good.
• I (still) hate getting yelled at.
• New video card ordered.  (Thank you, adviser L.)
• Language workshop (annual regional thing, maybe 100 people?) was awesome.**  Mostly because of the research/social catchup, but at least two really good talks.
• Company is a startup working on elder care robots, which coincidentally is what I do!  (It's not a coincidence.  They've gotten my name from a number of people.)  I see future collaborations there.

And jerbs.  Ah, jerbs.

I now have an offer from my second choice (henceforth "U") and a possibly-soon-offer from my first choice (henceforth "G").  U called this morning to offer me everything I asked for, pretty much; I said I'd answer them Thursday.  I'm not going to wait/keep them waiting forever on a maybe, and y'know... if it's a mistake, I'll try again.  There are very few irrevocable decisions in life.

I'm exhausted. I need to clarify about Zoya but... tomorrow.

I put a cushion in my usual pix spot, and now it is a kitty/sunbeam spot that,
as it happens, is close enough for skritches.  It is possible all subsequent
natural light photos will be fashionably framed against a background of
white fur.  In this case I can absolutely guarantee it is cruelty-free.

Oh and this weekend I am going to try to move to Wordpress.  Bulletins as events warrant.

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* Okay, it only scorched and let out the Magic Smoke, but once the smoke's out the magic is gone, so that's enough really.

** At the workshop, I ran into the director of the one and only company (not school) I applied to (they didn't call me).   He asked how it was going; I told him where I'd gone and what offers I had.   He was skeptical ("Wait... in, like, Iowa?"), then shocked ("That's not normal.  Is it?  Is that normal in this market?").  So, in the general spirit of managing my job search with maturity and grace, neener neener should've called me back, ppthblth. ^_^

Redux

Grad school. v__v

Yesterday was super bad. DF really gave me a hard time... I was going to say "earful," but it was mostly about how disappointed he is and how unhappy he is with where we are and how he really thought I could do better; it's not like he actually yelled at me.

What are you supposed to say to stuff like that? "You should have done this" is an engage-able statement, even if my response is "I know, I'm sorry." (Or, you know, "Here's why.")  But "I am disappointed" is inarguable, non-discussible.  I don't even know how to apologize to that. I don't know what to do, except mope around feeling like I should withdraw all my job applications and go make jewellery and sell it on Etsy except I'd probably suck at that too.

So... rough day.

(oh also I got my AAAI camera-ready in and it's good but whatever because of how much of a disappointment I am.)

Furthermore, Mr. Fix-It was supposed to fly in last night, but Delta decided he needed to spend another day in Austin and take another workday off for flying. *Deltaaaa* (shakes fist on top of hill, backlit against a darkening sky)

Rrrgh bitch bitch bitch.  But now I am going to stop.

Dr. P said she found blue lips, well, hard to reconcile.  But I've decided they're actually a pretty good color on me, and fairly flattering.  Know what makes me say so?  This:

OCC lip tar in Traffic.  Special FX hair dye has a shade
called "Yellow as F@#!" (I'm not censoring, that's the
name), which would be more appropriate I think.

Now that is goofy and hard to reconcile.  This stuff makes me feel like I could wear the blue to work!