grr. argh.

Been thinking for a while about what to post.  Mostly because the vast majority of today was just mind-numbingly boring.  I suppose I can cast about for a couple of minor things that have been happening.

Michal has a gum-chewing habit.  It’s bad enough that she runs out and comes looking for gum in other bays.  In the past I’ve had some gum, and I don’t mind sharing it with her.  When I have gum, it’s usually the product of a moment of weakness and/or a moment of madness, and I thought it would be a good idea.

I mean, it’s nice and all, to be able to chew gum and keep your breath smelling fresh and minty, but I drink enough water that I’m usually completely unconcerned with the fragrance of my breath.  Chewing gum makes my jaw ache, sometimes makes my teeth feel shifty, and it often seems to culminate in a headache.  So I don’t mind getting rid of it when the opportunity arises.

I didn’t have any the other day, though, and Michal looked equal parts sheepish and crestfallen.  “Oh, okay,” she said, sadly, but then perked up: “if I brought some gum in, would you keep it for me?”

“Uhhh,” I said.

“I’ll eat it slower because I’ll be too embarrassed to come here for it more than once or twice a day!” she insisted.  So I agreed, and she has since brought some gum in that we keep on my desk.  I dated it today, so that we’d know how long it lasted, and she showed up three times.  The third time, she looked terribly sheepish and said, “today’s an exception!  I’m having a hard day!”  Of course I didn’t mind – it wasn’t my gum.

Today there was also a speaker, another faculty candidate who hailed from Boston.  He is and has been affiliated with the top tier institutions, but one never knows how that will manifest itself in the talk.  We filed in with our cookies and coffee, and he began.

Now that, my friends, was a fantastic talk.  Almost exactly 50 minutes long, no irritating nervous ticks, clearly impeccably prepared, clear speaking voice, impressive science.  I figure if Yale doesn’t give him an offer, they’re crazy.  I also figure he’s interviewing at all the top tier institutions, so it’s hard to say where he’ll end up.  But he gave a great talk and handled questions beautifully.  I suspect he was the candidate who had a recommendation from Andy.

We got back to the office after the talk, and I was still feeling really impressed.  I had focused almost the entire time, even though I didn’t understand a lot of it.  Sometimes seminar is like sitting on the beach and letting the tide come in.  You just get absolutely bashed upside the head with waves of SCIENCE.

Denise turned around and looked at me.  “I did not like that guy,” she said.

WHAT.  “Really?” I asked.  “I thought he was great.”

She wrinkled her nose and said, “I don’t think he’d be a good fit here.  He seemed too snobbish to me.”

I basically let the conversation drop there, not wanting to tell her that I thought that she was conflating snobbery with access to tons of jaw-dropping scientific institutions, instruments and technology and that the fact that he gave a professional-level talk that didn’t sound at all like a job talk didn’t make him uppity.

What’s the point arguing, though, really.  So I just told Kate how I’d felt (she didn’t go).  I hope Denise doesn’t mention her feelings to Andy.  Ha ha.