I mentioned that I have been playing computer games a little more. Something I hardly have the time to do. The reason is that a few weeks ago our desktop computer gave up the ghost and having no money for repairs I broke out the OLD Toshiba laptop. This is the computer which my parents bought for me in 2000 and saw me through my year in Germany, the last year of my degree and most of my PhD before the screen got so loose that I couldn't open it for fear of it falling off. The spec of this "beast" are as follow:
Pentium 3 500 MHz processor
128 Mb RAM
56.6 kb modem
DVD ROM drive
10 GB Hard Drive
Floppy Drive
D-Link 660+ Ethernet card
Well, thankfully it has a USB and PS2 port on the back so I was able to connect a mouse and keyboard as well as the monitor from the desktop. To the untrained eye it looks like I am at the desktop, especially as the laptop is on top of the box of the now dead desktop, however, I am running windows 98 and waiting patiently now and then whilst the computer "thinks" about my commands. I am extremely grateful however to have this and I marvel at the fact that it still works - Thank you Toshiba, thanks Mum and Dad and, I guess, thanks Bill Gates. So I return to my point - Starcraft. For those who know, just nod. Those who don't, well it is a game which was released in 1997/8 and is probably one of the greatest RTS (real time strategy) games ever released. It is basically building up a little force of men/aliens and kicking the other guys band of men/aliens into oblivion. Anyway it runs on like even the oldest machines (my current OLD laptop) and for nostalgia reasons I couldn't keep from playing it. Anyway I think I am weaning myself off of it and returning to normal life, however, I feel it is good to revisit the past sometimes (provided it is nothing too dangerous).
Stay tuned for more adventures soon!
Friday, 25 July 2008
Where have you been??
I want to apologise for not posting for over a week, just in case you have been checking. Well I have had plenty of thoughts, but little chance to put them up here. My wife was ill last week and so I was looking after the three kiddies, which was tiring. I think it gave me an insight into what it is like to be a single parent - I am glad that it isn't on a full time basis. It got to the point where I was just glad to make it through the day with just a few fights and tantrums. I found myself just taking the chance to relax when their nap hour came, which meant playing on the computer or watching rubbish TV to have a little 'me time'. This meant that things like housework went out the window. It gave me an insight into how life must have been when I was working and I came home to find dishes in the sink and the vacuuming not done etc. I wondered how my wife had been slacking with only the kids to look after... boy was I wrong. I won't say she is completely better yet but she has been able to help a little more, for which I am very thankful. I have also been playing a little on the computer in the evenings, rather than logging on here.... possibly to wind down, but also just out of pure addiction.
Wednesday, 16 July 2008
Why are we here?
So how on earth do I come to be in this situation?
Doctorate from respected university - check.
Experience in polymer chemistry, with a years international industrial placement - check
Four years experience working with electron microscopes, two of those performing cryo-TEM unaided - check.
Yes in fact two weeks after my graduation my contract at the University of Warwick finished. I left with hope in my heart of beginning life as a supply teacher, having not found another post doc or job in industry. I wasn't panicked and there were murmurings of a possible job back in the University and so I figured I would bide my time. I was reliably informed and assured by a former friend that he could find me work as a supply teacher.
"It won't be a problem with a PhD in Chemistry and the fact that you speak German and French - those are the two most demanded subject areas" said this guy. So I stupidly trusted him and with the prospect of a job at Warwick sometime in the future figured supply was flexible and well paid. Needless to say this never came to be and I was given a list of excuses and finally just stopped calling his mobile to chase him. So I faced the prospect of no money coming in, bills to pay and don't forget the kids and wife to feed!
Thankfully the government has help for people like this, its called job seekers allowance, housing benefit and council tax benefit. After going through the process, which took 90 minutes on the phone and an interview a few days later we finally received some help (money) after a week or so to get us through and I have to say it does make me grateful to live in this country. My wife is from the US and as far as I know this is not the case - if your unemployed you are on your own so thank you Britain!
Doctorate from respected university - check.
Experience in polymer chemistry, with a years international industrial placement - check
Four years experience working with electron microscopes, two of those performing cryo-TEM unaided - check.
Yes in fact two weeks after my graduation my contract at the University of Warwick finished. I left with hope in my heart of beginning life as a supply teacher, having not found another post doc or job in industry. I wasn't panicked and there were murmurings of a possible job back in the University and so I figured I would bide my time. I was reliably informed and assured by a former friend that he could find me work as a supply teacher.
"It won't be a problem with a PhD in Chemistry and the fact that you speak German and French - those are the two most demanded subject areas" said this guy. So I stupidly trusted him and with the prospect of a job at Warwick sometime in the future figured supply was flexible and well paid. Needless to say this never came to be and I was given a list of excuses and finally just stopped calling his mobile to chase him. So I faced the prospect of no money coming in, bills to pay and don't forget the kids and wife to feed!
Thankfully the government has help for people like this, its called job seekers allowance, housing benefit and council tax benefit. After going through the process, which took 90 minutes on the phone and an interview a few days later we finally received some help (money) after a week or so to get us through and I have to say it does make me grateful to live in this country. My wife is from the US and as far as I know this is not the case - if your unemployed you are on your own so thank you Britain!
What's the point?
So, this is it, my first proper attempt at a "blog". To be honest I did have one before, which was supposed to document the trials of writing my doctoral thesis whilst being father to two small children and a husband to my understanding wife (thesis widow).
Anyway I didn't write more than a first post, choosing rather to write my thesis over a blog about my thesis - sorry it just didn't make sense.
However, with my thesis submitted, defended and graduation having taken place this January that wouldn't have been a terribly good blog. Now we have a slightly more real situation on our hands, namely unemployment!
This blog is for friends, family and also potential employers to give them a view into my world and me as I strive to get back to work and contribute to a company or institution, the nation to give back some of the welfare I have received and to science in general - a field I have been preparing and training in my whole life. I hope that you as the reader will enjoy this journey. I'll try to make it amusing and not just a boring list of what I did today and complaints about my life on the dole.
Thank you, now must be off!
Polymer Parmenter
Anyway I didn't write more than a first post, choosing rather to write my thesis over a blog about my thesis - sorry it just didn't make sense.
However, with my thesis submitted, defended and graduation having taken place this January that wouldn't have been a terribly good blog. Now we have a slightly more real situation on our hands, namely unemployment!
This blog is for friends, family and also potential employers to give them a view into my world and me as I strive to get back to work and contribute to a company or institution, the nation to give back some of the welfare I have received and to science in general - a field I have been preparing and training in my whole life. I hope that you as the reader will enjoy this journey. I'll try to make it amusing and not just a boring list of what I did today and complaints about my life on the dole.
Thank you, now must be off!
Polymer Parmenter
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