No time for cynicism...

In other words, I finished up my PhD, graduated from university, got myself a job and embraced the adult way of life. That, in a nutshell, is my explanation/excuse for neglecting this blog during the last one and half years.

Well, almost! The first half was mostly spent on wrapping up what was long and seemingly never-ending research spanning four years, summarizing it in what turned out to be approximately 250 pages of text (double spaced, 10pt Times New Roman font) and figures, and about 50 minutes worth of Powerpoint presentation. Reminded me of that PhD comics strip. Then came the task of finding a job, which by a combination of my laziness, ill-luck and ineptitude(?) turned out extremely suspenseful. Once I got the job, life just went ahead and made itself too busy to even contemplate anything else; and before I knew it, it was one and half years... the blog languished, gathering dust and cobwebs.

Of course, it must be mentioned that during this period, I realized that the friend that I was good friends with, was much more than a friend. This realization necessitated me to undergo the age-old romance ritual which I have jeered all through my life. Oh! how the mighty fall. This downfall caused much mirth and celebration amongst my friends. Luckily for me, the girl I fell in love with is as lazy and sociopath-ical as I am. So we are quite cozy in our own little world.

Things that have transpired since I last wrote up a blog entry:

1. Finished up my PhD thesis. Reason: department ran out of funding and had to let me graduate.
   


2. Successfully defended aforementioned thesis.


3. Landed myself an adult job... as a postdoc. Net pay increase: $100 per month :( Bottom-line: poorer than I was since I last blogged. Reason: no more student discounts on things.


4. The adult job required me to know a lot of things that had nothing in relation to my PhD topic, thereby necessitating a crash course of most stuff that computer science majors and code monkeys learn in the first year of undergraduate course.


5. Quickly developed a sense of cynicism about the new job, and realized that the work place is not as great as it is touted to be, especially if you are only paid a 100 bucks more each month, but are expected to work more than you did for your PhD. Promptly started missing the PhD life.


6. Now this is important... so pay attention! Found the love of my life. Bottom-line: now have to learn how to be romantic and realize that the voice in the background is not my roommate watching TV at a high volume, but my girlfriend saying something. So I've to actually pay attention and not continue to stare at the bright monitor in the dark room.


7. Moved to a new house with my girlfriend. Standard of living improved drastically.


8. Married the aforementioned love of my life. Sounds like a fairy tale almost. Quite a recent development and one that I'm truly happy about. No complaints here. No really! Really really!


9. Proud father of two fat and lazy cats. Bottom-line: Nothing in our house is safe anymore. If you treasure something, lock it away... or else risk curious cats scratching all over it.

As you can see, things happened one after another in a quick succession, and I was left with no time to be cynical about things... until now...