Secret

I'm not suppose to share this information with anyone so I thought I'd blab it on my blog where people don't really know me.

My husband had "lab" time from 8am Friday until 8am Monday, this holiday week-end. He came home Saturday night around 7pm so he could sleep during the night. He said he got his first experiment done and that was the important one. The work he was doing needed to be baby sat and constantly adjusted.

He hadn't done this type of research for a while and I think it put him over the edge in terms of deciding that this not the type of work he wants to do anymore. He had been leaning that way for a few months now. He doesn't like the competition in his research area and he feels the work he does is not really important, with no broad social implications. And he hates living here in the Midwest. He said if this job was near friends and family and in a warm climate he may have a different opinion of the position. Also, he does not want to go into academics.

Last night he told me that he wants to move back to the West Coast within a few hours drive of where we went to college and where we consider home. He didn't choose anywhere specific just some where near home. He wants to do this even if he doesn't get a job offer*. He doesn't want his Post-Doc to be renewed.

WOW I say. I also say sure. We have about 10 months of a graduate students salary saved in the bank. My salary has been paying for all the bills, he salary has been for fluff and fun (and to save). We also have money in an off shore account. NO Just kidding but we have some money in a money market and another account with money left over from his college fund (from grandma). So we can afford to not work for a couple of months (although there goes our savings to buy a house soon).
So that's it. We are moving. His appointment is up the first week in July. So by August 1st we should be in a warm state, near our good friends and family. I'm hoping to get a one month or 1/2 month extension on our current lease so we have time to be relaxed about packing and getting rid of some stuff (unlike our last move).
I told him, though, that he has to apply for more jobs. That we have to be more active in our search. He found a few others online to apply for and I'm going to send some follow up e-mails to the applications I sent for consulting positions in that area. It feels good for me to know where we will be living so I can actively search for a job.

We are not telling this information about us moving to our family and friends. Maybe so we can opt out and decide to stay here one more year for the money. Maybe so people don't get excited, so we don't get exciting talking and thinking about it. I mean, I still have to graduate. I have a conference to attend the last week in June (in dissertation state). We need to find a place to live. Hopefully we can find jobs.

It's scary and exciting at the same time.
I'm happy we made the choice that where we live is more important than what we do. It will be nice to finally be "home."
But first I must graduate!!!!!!!

*the company e-mailed that they wanted his transcripts so it sounds like he made the first cut. Hopefully he will get an interview.