the craziness

I promised an explanation of the craziness, so let's start from the start...

I have a degree in microbiology and am currently working in my field, in a research lab at a university near home.  I've been there 10 years!

I have been taking classes toward getting certified as a med tech, but stalled out about a year ago when I needed to do an internship.  (Med techs are the people who do all the "lab" testing for doctors.)  Getting time off was not going to happen, not being paid was not an option.

But things have changed.

My hubby works hard and it's finally paid off.  The higher-ups at his work are looking favorably on him.  It seems a matter of time before he'll be moving up.  That likely means moving states.  Just a few weeks ago, a situation arose where we thought that might be very soon.  It still may be soon, but not for this particular situation.

So I went back and met with my academic advisor.  I wanted to see what employment options might be like if I quit my job to do the internship.  With our tax return sitting in the bank, quitting became an option.  And the certification will help a TON in getting me a job in a new city (or where we currently live).

But I never expected what happened.

On March 15th, my advisor told me there might be one spot still open.  On March 18th I was officially offered and accepted the spot.

I thought I'd be signed up for a 2012 internship.

Since the 15th, it's been a whirlwind of preparations.  There have been so many details to work through and I'm coming into this a few months later than the rest of the students who will also be doing internships this summer.  It seems every detail solved leads to three more unsolved.

I'm making lots of phone calls, asking lots of questions and filling out lots of forms.

A word to you moms out there: keep track of your kids immunizations!  My records of them are sketchy and it's added another bit of fun to this whole process.

I will continue to work full-time until just before my start date: Friday, June 3rd.  A final date at work hasn't been set, but my boss knows.  I don't want to leave, but I know this is the right choice for me.

The first few days following my decision, being voluntarily unemployed in this economy had me scared.  Now there are so many other details coming at me, I hardly have time to think about it.  (But it's still scary.)  And my advisor assures me that I will be able to find a job without much trouble. 

But I'm not sleeping well.  Every night I have more, new things on my mind and though I try to put them out of my head before bed, they still seem to find me in my dreams.

I'm distracted.  My attention span is short.  And quilting has taken a back seat while I get everything put in place that needs to be.

Soon I hope most of the details will be dealt with and I'll be able to relax a little more and focus better.  Maybe quilt a little before the internship starts and my free time is nil.

The internship is only 6 weeks.  Most students go through a 6-month internship, but I am only doing the microbiology portion of the program, so I'm thankful for that.

I'll be driving about an hour to the hospital every day (double what I drive now to work), but I like the facility and I can do anything for 6 weeks.  (Employment after would not be frowned upon either!)

Once the internship is over, I still have to take a certification exam, so study, study, study!  (That exam is probably #2 on my scary list.)

There is so much to think about, I have to remind myself to step back and realize this is only 6 weeks.  It seems like this much preparation should lead to something that lasts much longer, but by the time our trees are bare again, it will all be over and hopefully I will be gainfully employed again.

But I am excited.  Twice I have tried and failed to complete this path, thanks to a feeling of duty to other commitments.  This time I AM going to finish.

The next few months you might not be hearing as much from me (particularly the time I'll be at the hospital interning), but I'll be out there, reading and being inspired by your blocks and trying to find time for a little sewing myself.

Happy quilting,
Katie

PS I took all these photos myself of stuff I do in the lab.  Pretty colorful, no?