• Who am I?

    I am Qrystal; or at least, that's my dot-name! Har har. (My name is really Crystal, but that's not as internet-searchable; hence, switching the C for the little-used letter Q.)

    I am here because I enjoy writing. I do this mostly for myself, but I also have a passion for helping others learn things from the things I write. Now that I am done my Ph.D. in Physics, I am stepping away from academic research so that I can indulge in some creative ways to share my knowledge and inspire the appreciation of scientific thinking in others. I am also working as a tutor, which is one of the jobs I've most enjoyed doing in my life so far.


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    • The Economic Meltdown to a PhD Candidate

    Posted by Qrystal on October 1, 2008 at 19:01.
    Category: Life. Tags: .

    I guess I have been wondering if I should be concerned about the economic meltdown. Good thing I found this handy decision chart!   Here is the transcript of the interaction I had with the chart:

    [From the decision chart] Are you a grad student?
    [Me] Yes, yes I am.
    [Chart] You have nothing to worry about.
    [Me] Why do I not believe that?
    [Chart] Let’s check anyway.
    [Me] Aha, much better. *rubs hands together*
    [Chart] Do you own stocks?
    [Me] No, I don’t, thank goodness. I’ve been worried about our money market investments though..
    [Chart] Do you own a home?
    [Me] Yes.
    [Chart] Did you get an adjustable, fixed rate, or balloon mortgage?
    [Me] It’s fixed rate, but it’s up for renewal next August. I suppose I can hope that everything will be smoothed over by then, right? RIGHT?
    [Chart] Never mind. Do you plan to graduate any time soon?
    [Me] Yes. As soon as humanly possible.
    [Chart] Really?
    [Me] Seriously, I even have a Thesis outline and everything. Although, I suppose I am not so good at putting forth all available effort, so maybe it will only be as soon as it’s possible for me… so I probably won’t actually graduate anytime *really* soon, so .. hmm …. I’ll change my answer to, “OK, not really.”
    [Chart] THE VERDICT: Remain in the protective cocoon of Academia. The Economy is only for real people!
    [Me] *whimper* But I wanna get out of here…! : (
    [Chart] OK. Do you have a Postdoc lined up?
    [Me] No, because I think that whole business of academia and its stupid “Go This Way Now” path is crazy! I was looking forward to being done my PhD until I found out that it only gets worse after that! A Postdoc is just a glorified PhD! And then there’s waiting for tenure, because nobody does anything other than PhD -> Postdoc -> Try to get Tenure. And the only way of judging me will be on my research? No wonder the word Tenure reminds me of the word Tenuous. Ahhhh I’ve gotta get OUT OF HERE! >CRASH!<
    [Chart] Fortunately, you’re used to disappointment.
    [Me] …..

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