Oops

I missed the first birthday of the Quirky Muffin. How unforgivable! Henceforth the blathering about 'Pavane' will be the birthday post and this will be the first post of the new year.

It's really quite fitting that the QM's birthday coincide with the end of my first job. It kind of ties everything together neatly. For (almost) every end there is a new beginning, and who knows what challenges and wonders will follow? Well, I don't and am really quite miserable but there must be fake positivity before true positivity kicks into action! Fake positivity for the win!

Being temporarily unemployed will have little to no negative repercussions on the Quirky Muffin. In fact it will become ever more necessary and fulfilling. Now that I've worked I can see a few things I didn't see before:

1> In research the spark of interest is essential.
2> Always eat in the Arts Centre.
3> Stick to your plan and read a lot first. Always read a lot first.
4> Don't be pressured into premature calculations.
5> Remember: Flexibility is key in brain-intensive work.

It's interesting to note that what happens to a Maths research when they're out of employment is often that they continue working if only to keep things moving and hopefully generate some publications. So you do if for free, hope you have enough papers to read and stay vaguely up to date, and look for jobs in the mean-time. I've actually worked far more effectively for free than I have while paid, which is a terrible indictment and affirmation of my contrariness, but does show some encouragement.

So, job goes and Quirky Muffin stays. There will be more Quirky Muffins, more Film Bins, and more jobs in the future. They'll have to drag me away from Aberystwyth with a steam locomotive. Come and get me, coppers!

O.