Senior researcher = d00d - a follow-up

In this forum I usually complain about shit and then forget to provide you with the outcome (even though some of you sometimes specifically ask for it). But today I will make an exception to the rule. As Cath suggested in a comment to my previous post, I sent an email appr. like the one below. I fought a hard fight with a strong urge to be a bitch, since I rather want allies than enemies of the cause [and I don't really like conflicts, but don't tell anyone].

Dear FemaleScientist,

I’m writing regarding the advertisement for a job at Governmental Research Institute that you posted on EmailList yesterday. I’m not interested in the position per se, but I’m very interested to know the reason why the position is open to men only (I assume that is the case since the text specifically states that the researcher Governmental Research Institute will hire will “define HIS [emphasis mine] own topic....”).

I’m partly joking here, and I realize it’s probably just a result of  unfortunate wording, but if I were a some kind of -ologist, and wanted to apply for the job, I would probably find the advertisment pretty disscouraging. Anyway, I wish you good luck in finding the best candidate for the job.

Best regards,

HGG

I didn't really expect a reply, but my inbox today produced the following:

Yes, it’s a mistake,

Best regards,

FemaleScientist

Is that a standard response sent to all complainers? Or just a "WTF, leave me alone, you're pathetic"? Hopfully someone will think a little more before posting another ad, but I'm not sure I secured a supporter.

Senior researcher = d00d

Catching up on emails through a slow wireless (but wifi!) on board MS Baltic Queen. Celebrating 'yys'ovd's TdF victory nothing could impair my mood this evening. Or so I thought. 'Cause look what one of the professional email lists I subscribe to sent out today. Details changed to protect the...ahem...innocent.

Potential position at Government Research Institute in Western Town, Eurocountry

We propose a position during a few years. The candidate must be a senior researcher in a permanent position or not. The candidate will define his [emphasis mine] own topic on smaller and bigger issues of some kind of -ology. The candidate will supervise a Phd and a post doc at some point. Net salary quite a few euros per month. The person who is interested with this proposition should send an e-mail with CV to female.scientist@westtown.governmentinstitute.eucountry before the end of one of the months this year

At least they're honest about the bias.

What about...

...releasing the complete album discography on vinyl again? I'll purchase everything until 1982?

hgg's real self...

...has been on phasebook for about a week. Yes she caved in and kind of likes it. Already connected with 50 something people from past and present.

That's why she's been ignoring her blogs since it has turned all her thoughts and statements into third person style. And she knows that's really silly.

Anyway, she will be very happy if you'll seek her out on FB if you know who she is IRL. She also tried Twitter but hasn't really got the grip on that yet, probably 'cause she's too old*.


*even though the "real age" test on FB told her she really 19. FTW!

Eeeh....ok

Get Your Cyborg Name

What's your addiction?

Ecogeofemme wrote yesterday on how she fights sleepy eyes at work. Not coffee, but jumping jacks* and going for a stroll.

When I'm in Scotland I usually have coffee twice a day. First some time between 6 and 7 In the morning when hgd wakes me up and brings me a cup of about a decilitre of super strong espresso**. Sometimes I'm too sleepy to even drink it before it's cold. My second cup of coffee I get on campus - usually between 10 and 11 in the morning. I walk the few hundred metres from the office to the centre of campus to one of the coffee shops and get a latte. If it's rainy I can walk indoors, if it doesn't I venture outdoors. Recently I've brought my own mug because I hate all the waste a takeaway coffee produces.

At my Swedish uni we have a coffee machine that makes various varieties of coffee, hot chocolate and blends of the two. Even if the quality of the coffee is not great, I tend to fill my mug much more frequently than I need to. And I get the caffeine-withdrawal headaches if I some day forget to have coffee. Since I have very little patience with other people's addictions, I will suffer through an afternoon of pain and grump and decide to stay caffeine free for a week or so.  Then I go through the same process all over again. And again.

*Clearly she hasn't given birth to any babies yet and is happily unexposed to the costs of reproduction to a woman's nether regions. Just the thought of doing jumping jacks - in the office or anywhere else - almost makes my wet my pant. And the flying spaghetti monster forbid that I sneeze without crossing my legs first.

**No, that's not the only reason I adore him

A lolcat for the dude [and his missus]

WTF happened to Sweden; part deux

So, not only am I (still) without social security, I have also apparently been illegally driving my new car for a month. For some reason the registration didn't happen properly when I picked it up.

Partly my fault - maybe. I asked to pick it up on a Saturday whereas the dealer usually only sell cars Mo-Fr. So the paperwork routine may have been messed up because of that. I also probably should have questioned it earlier since no new papers arrived in the mail, but I got shit to do besides checking up on paperwork that someone said should be taken care of.

Anyhow, I finally checked the registration status on the Swedish Transport Agency website and freaked out when I saw that it's been unregistered since a year back. Called the car dealer on Saturday morning [suspect I woke him up cause he sounded really tired]. He called back today and told me that whoever should've finalized the paperwork he had started apparently had reverted it.

Was also very apologetic and relieved that nothing had happened to me. Like a roadside police control for instance. My guts cramp just thinking about it. Not so much because I think I would've been unable to get out of the trouble, just because of all the work and energy it would've taken to get out of that trouble. Fuckinghell.

WTF happened to Sweden while I was away?

Tried to order my European health insurance card online today and got a message I couldn't do it. Called Försäkringskassan (social security office) to ask why the hell not.

Well, apparently I'm not registered. ??+?++??. I sent the papers in October dammit. Seems like this is how long time it takes these days. They would speed up the process since I said that I'm travelling a lot and really need this card [it would of course be nice to have my social security in place in case I get ill while in the country as well, eh?].

While it freaks me out to think I've travelled so much recently without being properly insured I can't help but laugh at the thought that we're turning into France when it comes to speed of bureaucracy. If I hadn't made the call, my registration would've just remained in the pile of unregistered cases. But akshully, that's not entirely fair to France. At least in there I got a letter (within only a few weeks!) with a temporary social security number. Here in Sweden they've given me fuckall in six months. They were extremely quick to un-register me when I left three years ago, but getting back in seems pretty darn difficult.

(belated) Sunday sounds: Post-grant-submission-booty-shake edition

After submitting grant @ 23.45 last night I needed to let off some steam. YouTubed my favourite track to get up from my office chair to shake my - ahem - phenotype, but then look what I stumbled upon. As much as I adore the original, I argue that this is even awesomer. Yeah.



Repeated almost ad nauseam. At high volume. I thought no-one would be around at work at that time of night. I was wrong. Ah well.