- Although the others have something from high school which hinted at where they are now...I can't say that anything in particular stands out for me. I have always liked math class and been pretty good at it--I guess that was sort of a start for statgirl (even though statistics were never part of my high school curriculum)
- Getting a scholarship to go to college and then being the first person in my family to get a 4 year degree.
- Taking my first research methods course and realizing that I was one of the few that actually enjoyed that class. I thought all those pieces coming together and thinking about threats to validity was kind of cool.
- Entering data into SPSS the first time--yes, I thought it was cool. I know this is a little thing--but it is significant for me.
- Seeing my name in print as 2nd author.
- Earning a 3 year fellowship.
- My first paper presentation at a conference.
- Earning a dissertation fellowship.
- Getting a tenure-track job.
- Getting my first paper accepted as first author (with the added bonus of being a top journal).
- Defending my dissertation.
- Being hooded by DA.
I have been on a very productive path and I hope my pattern continues. It's good to take a look back sometimes.
2 comments:
Congrats on your many accomplishments! I don't have any cat-in-car advice - sorry. I don't actually own a cat - just enjoy cat sitting for a friend. I won't be able to get one until after g-school (so a couple years).
I read your blog semi-regularly - I just added you to my links.
Hello! And congrats from me too on your list of achievements. I hope to be able to have some of these things by the time I'm done next year :o)
As for traveling with cats, since we both have siamese, we know that they can be a bit more challenging (and fabulous) in some ways than other cats. Mine has been riding in a car periodically since she was about 2 years old (she's 4 now). Usually, I have her hang out in her kennel (which I put in the front seat facing me in the driver's seat) for a while until we get going, then I let her out to roam around. She usually just perches herself in my back window and hangs out. I put a blanket or purr pad back there for her, as well as one of her beds on the back seat. I also keep her litterbox on the floor of the backseat and she will sometimes go in there if she gets overwhelmed. Lots fo familiar stuff. This has worked well for my last several car trips with her which were about 7 hours.
My trip to my new place, however, was a 12-hour drive and was a bit more challenging. She was very stressed out for the whole trip (probably because of all the stress that occurred before the actual trip, with the packing and boxes and movers and such). So a few hours into the trip, when she would not get settled anywhere in the car (just kept walking all around and trying to get under my feet) I just put her back in her kennel and she slept for a number of hours and seemed content in there for a good part of the trip - familiarity and limits perhaps.
Unfortunately this may not be very helpful to you since my cat has ridden in a car before. You just have to be careful that she doesn't get under your feet or up in the engine (my car has a small opening way back by the pedals that goes somewhere like that...it's kind of a mystery but I figure it can't be anywhere good :o) Also some cats will panic. But mine never had any panicky episodes. More stressed than anything the first time b/c she didn't know what was going on and just wanted to find an elevated place to sit and check things out. I'd say, if you have time to take a short trip with your cat in the car where you let her out of the kennel, you could at least get some idea. If she/he is going to freak out, you'll know it pretty quick.
Feel free to come and visit the blog again anytime. I have become a regular visitor to yours I think :o)
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