Up

Up since 4:54... well, actually since 4:23 when The Painter came in "to snuggle". That's his euphemism for:

I woke up because I have to pee, but I don't want to admit it, so I'll just crawl in bed with you and wiggle a lot until you get fed up and suggest I simply use the toilet, then put me back in my bed.

But after the near-nightly ritual... I couldn't fall back asleep. I was thinking about research.

I got an email back yesterday from the director of the the Institute for [Field 1] and [Interdisciplinary Field] at the tough commute school. As I explained, she's in a different field. I've met her at conferences of the Society for Innovative Interdisciplinarity. I wasn't sure she'd remember me, but I wrote her nonetheless, to apprise her of my new research website, and to inquire as to the status of the [Field 1] department on her campus, where the job posting is.

Her response was encouraging. Here are some excerpts:

The web site looks interesting! What funding do you have for the various projects?

The [Field 1] department at [ToughCommute University] is in a state of flux right now, but is moving in the direction of [interdisciplinary approach to subject]. ...You might find it to be an interesting place to spend a year.

Sounds good, as I suspected. Her first question lingers though. What funding do you have? Uh... me? Um... yeah, I'm working on that.

It's more of that coasting I guess (though I'll take B*'s comment to heart: I have been through a lot of living lately). Nonetheless, I guess it's time for me to put my grant applications where my mouth is. These are good projects, and deserve at least my effort to draft up the grant applications, if not the funding and resources and recognition that ideally comes with them.

That's what got me up early. Dawn is beginning to appear outside. I see a mild blue-gray with hints of pink, in the sparse altocumulus clouds above the ocean, as I look southwest from my living room. I can't see the ocean from here, but it's not too far. Perhaps I'll curl up in bed with my wife for another few minutes of rest before the day begins in earnest.