And I'm back

As a wise man once said about me and my blog today, "If you have time to write 'I don't have time to write' then you have time to write." So true, wise man. So true.

So here I am writing, even though really, I have no time to write. You might think since I had midterms last week, I'd be free and clear for awhile. But you'd be wrong. With this quarter system, I have finals and final papers due in two weeks. But, then, then... I'm on vacation for a month. Yay for school!

I started my job today. The woman I'm working for is in Dakar (where else would she be?) so, I'm doing work that I wouldn't otherwise be doing. But it's actually a good thing. Until my new boss gets back, I'm doing research on malaria, rather than working on multimedia projects about the program. You see, I know next to nothing about malaria, just as I know next to nothing about most diseases that I'm learning how to prevent through awareness, promotion, education, blah blah blah. The school of public health teaches how to create programs and campaigns around various diseases, but doesn't actually teach us about diseases. So, malaria is my disease du jour thanks to my new job and I'm happy to have it aboard. Welcome, malaria, to my knowledge base.

There were several things I've been meaning to write about when I had no time to write, but now I can't remember them. Oh yes, one thing I've discovered is that I'm pretty certain I want to continue to do something creative when I'm done with school. I have to remember that. It's not easy when JHSPH is so focused on research and community health programs and evaluation, because honestly, that's not what I want to do when I graduate. I still miss certain things about TV, like working with creative people, like entertaining people, like making money, like not worrying about grants or grant proposals or evaluation research. I know they all come hand in hand... but that is what I've been thinking about lately.

The other thing I realized today at my three hours back in an office is that sitting at a desk in an office is not as easy I remember it. In fact, it's hard. I know it takes getting used to and once one is comfortable at a new office, it's easier. But today was kind of shocking being back at work. I kind of see why people never leave school... because starting work kind of sucks. But thanks to my former freelance lifestyle, how many times have I started new jobs? Many. Too many to count. So I won't count. I'll just remember that the first few days and hard and then it gets easier. And then the paycheck comes.

Excuse the abrupt ending, but I'm out of time for now.