Boss

Nearly two weeks down as boss. I'm really enjoying having a fuller staff (and especially knowing that I just may add another one or two employees before the end of the year). It feels so good to be creating jobs, and seeing my employees motivated and inspired by the work.

I'm getting more settled into delegating tasks, and welcoming the benefits and delights of bringing out the talents of others. I've been marinated in administrivia for what seems like the past year, getting ready for these two contracts. And now, they are upon me.

There's still a transition going on. But I'm getting back into the research more and more, which is such a delight! I realize, as I train and explain, that there is a reason I'm in charge.

I didn't go about it the traditional way. I seemed patently incapable of landing a tenure-track faculty post. Yet, today, I've got my grad students and post-docs. I've got cutting edge, challenging, and extraordinarily rewarding research. And I've got what looks to be two to three years of stability.

What an absolute joy to be here!