Holy Orange Cows, Batman!

It seems like I owe you all an explanation.

If you haven’t heard from my mother, or myself (which I haven’t told anywhere near as many people as she has) then you have no idea why I haven’t had a spare moment to jot down anything to tell you. Well, GOOD NEWS to all!

I got a job!!!

Yes, you saw that correctly. Gillian has earned her first “big kid” job. Get excited because the news gets even better. The job is in the field I actually studied in college. What? What college grad do you know can actually say that? Wait…there’s more! I will be working as a research assistant at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, TN. I was also offered up to 70% of my tuition for grad school paid for by my new job! So, I get a job and basically accepted to get my Masters and/or Ph.D!

So, get this straight…In the past two weeks I have interviewed three times for a position, been offered said position under the table and then ON the table, after that I put in my two weeks notice at 3 jobs here in Seattle, I found a place to live in Nashville, I planned out a fun week-long trip back to that side of the US and I have packed up my entire room and sold all my furniture. I’m currently looking for a roommate to fill my room here and we’ve had a few really great candidates, while two more are coming any minute now. This is my down time - that moment between finishing up one project and beginning another. Hence, why I have not had one spare moment to write anyone as to what is going on in my life.

I won’t lie; this is a little daunting. I’m about to move cross-country twice within 8 months. That’s right, a full year has passed and I have moved from Orlando to Tampa, Tampa to Seattle and Seattle to Nashville. Wow. Even I’m amazed. I’m a whole mess of emotions right now. I’m trying to subdue the excitement to deal with every other emotion that’s been running through my brain! Apprehension, Sadness, Happiness, Anxiety, I’m just a roller coaster right now. I’m sure you all understand.

I think most of my excitement is for the projects I will be working on. My time will be delegated between two physician scientists, Dr. Ware and Dr. Girard. My research includes Acute Lung Injuries and Delirium in ICU patients. Apparently Dr. Girard already has projects planned for me outside of my bench work at the lab, and yes, my job is bedside to bench work. I get to actually discuss and collect samples from patients and do the lab work I’ve been dreaming about since I was in kindergarten. Yes, kindergarten was the first time I wrote down that I wanted to be a scientist, so this is literally my dream come true!