A big week...

So Nico had kind of a big week, which culminated with a trip to campus today for a center brownbag presentation. He hung out with Kim down on the fifth floor while I gave my talk, which didn't go as well as my proposal defense last week. Part of the problem is that the presentation was one I gave back in April at PAA- and in the time leading up to the presentation back then, I lived, breathed and ate my talk. I was so deeply wrapped up in it, that I didn't realize how bad it was... I went to give the talk today and turns out the two tables I included could have been labeled better than I had them, which led to confusion. I didnt realize it, because I was focused more on the script than the presentation- since the talking part is always a weakness of mine. But, I got some terrific feedback- some ideas that will strengthen the paper when I get it back from PR squared- and also when I give the talk at the end of the month.

Its funny- I don't feel like I am "there" yet, wherever "there" is. Largely, its due to confidence, I think. When someone asks me a question about my research, I freak out a little inside, assuming that they know more than I do and that they are actually just testing me, to see if I know my stuff. I think I will be "there" when I can talk much more comfortably about my research, in more general terms. I also have a hard time judging how much my audience knows about my topic. So today, I jumped right into the data and the methods without really setting up the project... because I assumed they all knew what I knew. I guess its a learning process. How I get there, I don't know. But I guess that is part of the process.

In other news, Ike gave me his blessing to go on the job market... traditionally, you go on the job market once you've defended your proposal, the idea being that you get your materials together and your applications out, work on your dissertation, go on job talks and interviews in the spring, get offered, accept, finish dissertation, defend in the summer and start your fabulous new job in the fall. Theoretically.

Ike suggested that I cast my net far and wide- dont apply anywhere that I would turn down due to location. So I have been compiling a list of job posts that I am interested in. So far, I have four or five, specifically I am interested in... generally there are about a dozen state and federal jobs I am intrigued with. I am not sure this bodes well for getting hired this year- but you miss 100% of the shots you don't make, right? Its funny, there are some jobs I see and think, "Holy shit- I could so totally do this job. Right now. And do it really well!" And there are some jobs that I am grossly underqualified for. Like an assistant professor position at Harvard. The whole, "missing 100% of the shots" mantra goes out the window when I think of applying at Harvard. Like, really Jessi? Really? Harvard? Did the job post ask for academically schizophrenic stressed out new moms? NO? Don't you think that might be a waste of time to apply? Exactly!

So back to Nico's big week. We went to the "First Friday" thing in Railroad Square... for non Tallahasseers, First Friday is when all the galleries and shops open up at night down at Railroad Square. There are street noms, beer and wine, music, and art. Its pretty cool. Nico slept the whole time, which was pretty cool. Man! That kid can not resist the power of the baby Bjorn. You put him in it the count down goes sometime like: 10...9....8... ASLEEP. Its pretty sweet.

We went to the Leon County Public Library yesterday. We got two books, one on baby games and one called "How to teach your baby to read". I first became intrigued with this during a late-night feeding, cruising through the 800 channels we have when I found a paid advertisement for "Your baby can read". I think it was based on the work by Glen Doman. Check it out:



Obviously my plans for Nico to rule the world with his superior intellect (and his bow hunting skillz), could be dramatically improved if he could start reading at an early age. So I got this book, "Teach your baby to read" from the library. Its an easy read- filled with lots of anecdotes on how "tiny children" want to read and have the capabilities to do it, so long as you accomodate them on some issues... like their eyesight. Because the eyes aren't fully developed, the author says that you start with BIG letters.

This is actually pretty cool, because when Dave's mom was up here after Nico was born, she told me that when Dave was born, she decorated his nursery with large cutout letters (the size of construction paper sheets). Result: Dave Royse actively reading the newspaper on his own, by first grade. Operation Nico Reads: Launch!!!