Wednesday, June 11, 2014

DrugMonkey's doing it, so maybe I should too?

DrugMonkey, who I read regularly, is trying to unearth his lurkers and/or stalkers. I would also like to learn more about the people who look at my blog so that I can give you more of what you want, beyond my occasional outburst.


1) Tell me about yourself. Who are you? Do you have a background in science? If so, what draws you here as opposed to meatier, more academic fare? And if not, what brought you here and why have you stayed?


2) Have you told anyone else about this blog? Why? Were they folks who are not a scientist?. Ever sent anything to family members or groups of friends who don't understand your career?


3) How did you find me and how do you regularly follow me? To my knowledge, I'm not on Twitter or Facebook. Should I be?




I'll start.
1. I'm at TT at a school that is aspiring to be an R1. My degrees are engineering based and I'm inching ever closer to submitting my tenure package. I'm still not convinced this is the most awesome job ever, but it is way better now than in year 1.


2. I've told a few very close friends about this blog, although no one in my city or at my institution. I don't know if they read it, but it's a way for them to see what I'm up to. I've told some colleagues and perspective TT folks about other blogs to help them with issues that they are facing.


3. I started by searching the googles for blogs when I was first starting out. I found some really great blogs and advice, but also no one with my background. So I started one, to help other shy engineers like me, but mostly to help me vent and feel connected to a community that I still don't have at work or in my town. I don't have my pseudonym on the Twitter or Facebook, mostly because I'm not sure that it would reach any additional peoples. If I hear otherwise, I might set those up.

3 comments:

  1. I came across your blot through blogroll of some other academic blogs I follow. I am a postdoctoral in physics at a top tier R1 and may soon (if faith and luck survive till then) enter tenure track a few years down the line. I visit your blog semi-regularly to check for new posts.

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    1. I hare typing on touch screen devices... sorry about the errors!

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  2. Hi,

    1) I follow pretty regularly, usually comment too. Not sure how I found you, I think you might have commented at my place. I have degrees in physics and an engineering discipline, and am tenured at an R1. Why do I read? I always appreciate an honest rant from a fellow physical scientist/STEMist. And I feel for anyone on the tenure track, and try to help if I can.

    2) I don't discuss blogging with folks IRL, nobody in my circles knows I blog (or at least haven't confronted me about it), except my husband, who barely cares about my blog and couldn't care less about any others (unless they happen to piss his wife off, which does affect him).

    3) I don't do Twitter or Facebook, they seem like a huge time drain. Plus there is always all this drama on Twitter, I don't have the emotional bandwidth (or time) for it.

    Keep up the good work!

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