I have a job!!

It feels like I haven't written on this in a while... I guess it has been less than a week, but a lot has happened since then. I've been in...nine different states (GA, TN, KY, IL, MO, IA, NE, SD, and KS for those keeping score at home), and I've spent time with a wide variety of people. Anyway, I'm finally somewhat settled in at home, and I'm pretty okay with spending the summer here.

I finally got a job today, and that's pretty exciting. I'm working in a lab at KU, doing basic lab tech stuff. I don't know exactly what I'm doing yet, but from what the professor told me today, it should be ineresting. I guess I'll probably be working with these mice who have all been genetically "programmed" to have diabetes, and they basically use genetic therapy to determine when the diabetes will develop. Then, they watch the nervous system degrade over time, and record how different genetic scenarios impact the nervous system's response to stimuli. I guess they're getting a new device to test with pretty soon, and they weren't sure how they were going to get it all set up... the hope is that my "engineering background" will come in handy, and I might end up developing the protocol for this new system.

That probably sounds like a lot of nerd jargon, but I'm pretty pumped. The pay is okay (read: better than Pet World =)), and I should be able to get some good experience. Also, he wants me to work at least 40 hours a week, which is good - it'll keep me busy. Part of what makes this cool is that, for the first time, I'm going to be useful BECAUSE of some experience. When I worked in Maryland, I was useful just as a set of hands that could do what I was told. Now, I'm "the engineer" for the lab, and that's sort of cool. Also, just because of paperwork and stuff, I will have at least the end of this week and probably some of next week to hang out and enjoy summer. Spend time relaxing, sleeping in, and do all the things I like to do in Lawrence.

Tomorrow is my final road trip for a little while... picking up my best friend from school in Missouri. It shouldn't be too bad... 2.5 hours each way isn't very far, and it's definitely worth it to spend some time with a friend (and get my newt back!). It'll be good.

Time to go read some more... I love reading, and Jodi Picoult's novels are so easy to get caught up in. I've definitely missed this during the school year.