Sometimes it's just too much. The long hours, the stress. This week was just crazy. I have worked hard and long, and I still cannot say if I've got exactly what I want or not. This upcoming week should not be much different, it will be as crazy as the previous, with synthesis, measurements, and more.
We have witnessed the crooked ways of the American health system this week. The hospital where we are to give birth has invited 75 pregnant couples to a "Meet the Docs" event. 10 doctors sit in front of the invitees and answer questions, trying to hook the costumers. Even though The MRS. and I do not have a choice of hospitals, most people here can choose from different places. The hospitals earn money by the number of people who check in so they try to get as many people to come over to their institutions. It is really different than the system in Israel, since here if you have a good insurance you will be treated like a king and be courted endlessly (where as in Israel you will always be treated like a nag and there will never be an opening for you) but I cannot say that the system here is good.
I've also went to a Tax Session for foreign scholars. The tax system here is really strange. You will have to submit the tax report by yourself - when there is a tax treaty with foreign countries it means you need to fill several forms and send them to different government agencies (federal, state and more) just to tell them "Hey, I don't need to pay anything". And after 2 years my employer will start taking tax out of my paycheck and only in the middle of the following year I can ask for the money back.
They do not have the system where an employer takes the right amount of tax and that's it. Here the employer will usually take more tax than needed, and you HAVE to ask for money back.
Getting used to living here still requires more work!
The MRS. celebrated her birthday this weekend, and I would like to wish her a very happy birthday, may all her wishes come true. I love her.
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Monday, February 22, 2010
Oops - forgot again
It's already a Monday, I just totally forgot to post in the blog yesterday.
It's been a busy week, as usual. Work has kept me busy throughout most of the week and We had a visit from Dani and Maayan that allowed me to take a breather and site-see Boston a bit.
Time is moving so fast I can't even keep up. I work long hours, which typically includes lab work, paper work, meetings and seminars. And it seems like the week is way too short.
Dani and Maayan spent 2 nights in Boston, and we went around the city to see different sites, including historical sites, Harvard and MIT. Luckily for us the weather was nice and warm (at 6 degrees) after a short snow episode.
CJ seems to be growing fast. You can even see him moving from time to time inside the MRS. It's a good thing he is due in the springtime when it will not be too cold to take him outside.
Other than that I have nothing to tell. It's becoming pretty routine, working and resting cycles everyday.
It's been a busy week, as usual. Work has kept me busy throughout most of the week and We had a visit from Dani and Maayan that allowed me to take a breather and site-see Boston a bit.
Time is moving so fast I can't even keep up. I work long hours, which typically includes lab work, paper work, meetings and seminars. And it seems like the week is way too short.
Dani and Maayan spent 2 nights in Boston, and we went around the city to see different sites, including historical sites, Harvard and MIT. Luckily for us the weather was nice and warm (at 6 degrees) after a short snow episode.
CJ seems to be growing fast. You can even see him moving from time to time inside the MRS. It's a good thing he is due in the springtime when it will not be too cold to take him outside.
Other than that I have nothing to tell. It's becoming pretty routine, working and resting cycles everyday.
Sunday, February 14, 2010
NYC, music and more
Coming up this week : NYC, music and visits...
So THE Mrs. went to New York for a couple of days, just to see the Big Apple. She claims that the whole city is megalomaniac, and I guess she is right. I really don't like New York, but she didn't find it as annoying as I do.
While she was spending time in NYC I have bought a guitar. Since we have a federal vacation almost every week (This week is Presidents Day), the stores have sales events every so often. This time I have decided to use one of those events to save up to 80% on guitars and accessories. I didn't want a classic guitar, but I wanted to upgrade to an acoustic guitar. I bought a beautiful black guitar with all the needed accessories for not very much!
Then on Saturday I had a friend come over with his guitar and we played together for a couple of hours. Just music and beer. How juvenile!
I am anxiously waiting for the middle of next week, when Dani and Maayan will come and visit us in Boston. We are slowly starting to fill our visits' calendar. Luckily for us we have a high-tech inflatable bed that is very comfortable.
The science is moving forward as usual. Last week was five full days of work, all science, with a better understanding of the system I've been working on. Let's wait and see if this week will be as productive, if so then I'm really on the right track.
For all of you who forgot - Sunday was both Valentines Day (internationally) and Family day (ex-Mother's day) (in Israel), so if you forgot make sure to wish your parents a happy delayed family day and make sure you buy your loved one something nice. Just because.
and on this mushy note, I'll end this post.
So THE Mrs. went to New York for a couple of days, just to see the Big Apple. She claims that the whole city is megalomaniac, and I guess she is right. I really don't like New York, but she didn't find it as annoying as I do.
While she was spending time in NYC I have bought a guitar. Since we have a federal vacation almost every week (This week is Presidents Day), the stores have sales events every so often. This time I have decided to use one of those events to save up to 80% on guitars and accessories. I didn't want a classic guitar, but I wanted to upgrade to an acoustic guitar. I bought a beautiful black guitar with all the needed accessories for not very much!
Then on Saturday I had a friend come over with his guitar and we played together for a couple of hours. Just music and beer. How juvenile!
I am anxiously waiting for the middle of next week, when Dani and Maayan will come and visit us in Boston. We are slowly starting to fill our visits' calendar. Luckily for us we have a high-tech inflatable bed that is very comfortable.
The science is moving forward as usual. Last week was five full days of work, all science, with a better understanding of the system I've been working on. Let's wait and see if this week will be as productive, if so then I'm really on the right track.
For all of you who forgot - Sunday was both Valentines Day (internationally) and Family day (ex-Mother's day) (in Israel), so if you forgot make sure to wish your parents a happy delayed family day and make sure you buy your loved one something nice. Just because.
and on this mushy note, I'll end this post.
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Toes and the Super Bowl
So another week has passed, and one of the most important days of the year for Americans has arrived. Super Bowl 44 just ended with a win of the New Orleans Saints. The streets emptied out around 18:00 this evening and just a few people roamed the streets in a frenzy to get some more beers or snacks for the game. Quiet was all around as the Saints pounded the Indianapolis Colts.
And now for something completely different - I have been conducting my own small private research in the last several weeks. Riding the T every day for long periods of time has made me observant of a very special thing. This special thing had me watching the feet of people riding the T. Not ALL the feet on the train, and I am not talking about legs(!), I have been watching the feet of people who have to ride the train standing up. It's really amazing to see how EVERYONE uses their toes the exact same manner. Apparently, toes exist to keep us in balance. People falling forward will instinctively push down with their toes and people falling back will try to wiggle their toes to keep balance. This has been observed for people of both sexes, all ages and all races. I now believe that toes are the most useful body organs for people riding the T. Therefore, the results of my small research - You don't have to use your arms to stay standing, only toes.
So remember that when you lay in bed and ponder on the origin and role of TOES.
Now for the weekly update - things have been going well this week. It just WOOSHED by as I worked on my samples, ending all of a sudden. Yes, weeks are getting shorter as my science progresses. But I must admit that it's pretty fun.
I think that THE Mrs. has settled in nicely. She is very independent in getting around Boston and in scheduling different activities for herself. This makes me happy to see her trying to find her niche.
So, your "take home" lesson here should be - Keep your toes in good condition, you never know when some strange guy will check them out on the train!
And now for something completely different - I have been conducting my own small private research in the last several weeks. Riding the T every day for long periods of time has made me observant of a very special thing. This special thing had me watching the feet of people riding the T. Not ALL the feet on the train, and I am not talking about legs(!), I have been watching the feet of people who have to ride the train standing up. It's really amazing to see how EVERYONE uses their toes the exact same manner. Apparently, toes exist to keep us in balance. People falling forward will instinctively push down with their toes and people falling back will try to wiggle their toes to keep balance. This has been observed for people of both sexes, all ages and all races. I now believe that toes are the most useful body organs for people riding the T. Therefore, the results of my small research - You don't have to use your arms to stay standing, only toes.
So remember that when you lay in bed and ponder on the origin and role of TOES.
Now for the weekly update - things have been going well this week. It just WOOSHED by as I worked on my samples, ending all of a sudden. Yes, weeks are getting shorter as my science progresses. But I must admit that it's pretty fun.
I think that THE Mrs. has settled in nicely. She is very independent in getting around Boston and in scheduling different activities for herself. This makes me happy to see her trying to find her niche.
So, your "take home" lesson here should be - Keep your toes in good condition, you never know when some strange guy will check them out on the train!
Monday, February 1, 2010
Yes, I know I'm late...
Unbelievable, me, late! Yes, I know it is a Monday and I should have updated the blog yesterday, but the movie we were watching (Inglorious Bastards) ended at midnight and I was too tired to write, so... only a few hours late.
This week we have experienced crazy weather, it plummeted from a nice and warm 12 degrees to an extremely cold -25 degrees (counting in the wind chill) withing two days! I guess I can now understand this strange Fahrenheit scale. If 0 Celsius means water freezing than 0 Fahrenheit means that humans are the most uncomfortable they can get and they should not be outside.
THE Mrs. and myself even went grocery shopping at -17 degrees and it was a harsh experience. Luckily our winter coats we bought here do a great job in keeping the cold away from our torsos.
We celebrated TU BESHVAT with friends at our place last Saturday, it was the first time we had friends over for dinner and it worked out nicely. We had dry fruits and ice-cream for dessert and we really enjoyed the evening.
As for work, it progresses nicely. I spent 3 days last week making 18(!) different samples so I'll be able to use them this week in my collaboration. I really felt like a robot in a manufacturing plant, repeating the same actions over and over again, but now it's over (or should I say - for now) and I can use these samples for research.
Dani is in the States (and Maayan will join soon) and will visit us in a couple of weeks, which will be great to have house-guests. I just hope we will have good weather and can show them around the place.
This week we have experienced crazy weather, it plummeted from a nice and warm 12 degrees to an extremely cold -25 degrees (counting in the wind chill) withing two days! I guess I can now understand this strange Fahrenheit scale. If 0 Celsius means water freezing than 0 Fahrenheit means that humans are the most uncomfortable they can get and they should not be outside.
THE Mrs. and myself even went grocery shopping at -17 degrees and it was a harsh experience. Luckily our winter coats we bought here do a great job in keeping the cold away from our torsos.
We celebrated TU BESHVAT with friends at our place last Saturday, it was the first time we had friends over for dinner and it worked out nicely. We had dry fruits and ice-cream for dessert and we really enjoyed the evening.
As for work, it progresses nicely. I spent 3 days last week making 18(!) different samples so I'll be able to use them this week in my collaboration. I really felt like a robot in a manufacturing plant, repeating the same actions over and over again, but now it's over (or should I say - for now) and I can use these samples for research.
Dani is in the States (and Maayan will join soon) and will visit us in a couple of weeks, which will be great to have house-guests. I just hope we will have good weather and can show them around the place.
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Just cruising along
Another week has gone by, and time really flies. I have started to organize a collaboration with another lab at MIT and hopefully this will speed up my research. I have taken a two-day course in powder X-ray diffraction (after I did not take a course for ages!). I measured some samples and participated in lab clean up. This was my professional week in a few lines. But this week just disappeared! I mean, it started last Monday and... woosh... it is over. I know time flies when you are busy, but this is ridiculous, it goes by too fast and it's hard to keep in pace. Well... I guess this is the routine now, and time will just zoom by.
I finally received the official approval on my PhD. Yes, it took quite a long time but at last I have my PhD.
THE Mrs. is getting settled in pretty nicely. The house is fully furnished (or so I think) and she is starting to join different activities.
So, since time went by so quickly, I didn't have a chance to collect fun/interesting/nice/strange or other stories to tell you and I will hold it off for next week's post. That's all for now.
I finally received the official approval on my PhD. Yes, it took quite a long time but at last I have my PhD.
THE Mrs. is getting settled in pretty nicely. The house is fully furnished (or so I think) and she is starting to join different activities.
So, since time went by so quickly, I didn't have a chance to collect fun/interesting/nice/strange or other stories to tell you and I will hold it off for next week's post. That's all for now.
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Megalomaniac furniture (or each one alone)
What a week... Or finally arrived to Boston and I took a couple of days off to get her organized. Yes, I know, I could have let her rest a bit before starting all the orientation and official stuff, but what can I do, if it can be done today I cannot postpone it to later times. So we made sure she visited the bank, the health care facility, the stores around the house and more.
I got back to work on Wednesday and learned some more life lessons - the prerequisite of being a professor is being megalomaniac and egomaniac. The real question is how is your interaction with the people you meet, and even more important the people you work with. Some professors have crappy manners with their students, postdocs and workers - they will always be badmouthed and on the long run their science will be hurt. The smart thing is to have great relations with your workers, this way you can reach the status of a scientific god. At MIT, as everywhere, professors divide into these different categories. I currently work for a professor of the second type, a professor with the biggest ego I have ever seen, but loved by his students. I guess that is the reason for his success and fame.
This weekend THE Mrs. decided that we need furniture. Apparently a sofa, a bed, a chair, TV and a dining table are not enough. So we went and bought a desk, an office chair, a coffee table and two end tables, a rug, two nightstands, a mirror and a dresser. All the furniture arrived with a need to put them together, most of them arrived in a flatbox and required a long time to build them. It got pretty late, but as I said in the beginning "if it can be done today..." I had to finish building all of them. By the time we went to bed the house was newly furnished, with a totally new look with all the furniture built to perfection.
Now (try to follow my way of thinking)... If I can build furniture well (and I can), you may refer to me as a carpenter... which will make my son the son of a carpenter... The son of...ME!!!
Yes, I can also be a megalomaniac egomaniac!
:)
I got back to work on Wednesday and learned some more life lessons - the prerequisite of being a professor is being megalomaniac and egomaniac. The real question is how is your interaction with the people you meet, and even more important the people you work with. Some professors have crappy manners with their students, postdocs and workers - they will always be badmouthed and on the long run their science will be hurt. The smart thing is to have great relations with your workers, this way you can reach the status of a scientific god. At MIT, as everywhere, professors divide into these different categories. I currently work for a professor of the second type, a professor with the biggest ego I have ever seen, but loved by his students. I guess that is the reason for his success and fame.
This weekend THE Mrs. decided that we need furniture. Apparently a sofa, a bed, a chair, TV and a dining table are not enough. So we went and bought a desk, an office chair, a coffee table and two end tables, a rug, two nightstands, a mirror and a dresser. All the furniture arrived with a need to put them together, most of them arrived in a flatbox and required a long time to build them. It got pretty late, but as I said in the beginning "if it can be done today..." I had to finish building all of them. By the time we went to bed the house was newly furnished, with a totally new look with all the furniture built to perfection.
Now (try to follow my way of thinking)... If I can build furniture well (and I can), you may refer to me as a carpenter... which will make my son the son of a carpenter... The son of...ME!!!
Yes, I can also be a megalomaniac egomaniac!
:)
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