Eric gets promoted...sort of...

After a 2 year contract as a Research Associate - Academic at McMaster, I was recently promoted to a staff position called Research Scientist. Aside from being the first job title that I have ever had that actually made sense, it isn't much of a promotion.  A significant pay cut, being put into a union, and getting only a 1 year contract isn't much to get excited about. Maybe when I renegotiate next year, things will be different...

Pie, anyone?

Every year the Bachelor of Health Sciences program raises money for charity with a "pie in the face" of the associate dean. I usually keep well back from the carnage (they do it during the class that I teach) but the associate dean had other ideas this year.  He offered to match donations if myself and Chari (who teaches with me) would agree to become targets.

We agreed, and the rest is history...

Check out the YouTube video of the event.

Manitoba Trip 2013

Here are some pictures from the trip that Parker and I took to my parent's place in Manitoba this summer. Many family members came out at the same time to have an unofficial reunion.  We also were able to help my parents pack their house, as they were moving in mid-August into a home in Portage la Prairie.

https://plus.google.com/photos/+EricSeidlitz/albums/5914549791265089873?authkey=CKPKk5nlg9WiVA

Kitchen renovation 2013

We are finally finished renovating our kitchen!!! After almost 18 years of living with a 1964 kitchen, we finally ripped it out.

If you want to see all the photos from this renovation project, click on this link:

https://plus.google.com/photos/+EricSeidlitz/albums/5870150223261738609

To see a blog that Wendy created during this project (with text and photos), check out this link:

http://seidlitzseasons.blogspot.ca/

Eric gets a new office

After the lab moved down to McMaster, office space became a critical important issue.  I had been sitting in a temporary desk for almost a year prior to the move, but my boss (Gurmit) and I needed a place to sit now that we were at the main campus full time.  Although not many places were available, it was decided that we could temporarily set up show in the Michael G. DeGroote Institute for Pain Research and Care (in the Michael G. DeGroote Centre for Learning and Discover - MDCL).

There isn't anyone sitting at the front desk, but maybe in the future...

My desk is on the right, close to the microwave

This works out well for us, as it is a nice office space with a kitchenette, and we are basic science pain researchers.

No more basketball

It had never fallen over before...

There was this big wind and rain storm that hit our area last night - we were prepared and put everything away that we could.  All was fine until late in the evening when we hear a huge crash out at the front of our house.

This is what we found.

It took both Adam and I to remove the basketball net from my car but were surprised that the ONLY thing that got damaged was the windshield!  There was already a stone chip from the week after I bought the car (repaired, but always irritatingly visible), so I latched onto the bright side of the situation in that I would likely have to get a new windshield.

Perfect aim

In the morning, we checked it out more closely.  No question, a new windshield was needed. We did find one tiny area of paint on the edge of the hood that needed a touch up (~3 mm long paint chip), but that was the extent of the damage.

Yes, I think it is broken.

Will be selling the basketball net in the near future...

Commuting

Finally!  After a long and drawn out process, the lab I was working in at the Juravinski Cancer Centre has now moved down to the main campus at McMaster. I now work in the same hospital building as Wendy!

If you want to check it out, the lab website that I manage is singhlab.ca.

The best part of the move (aside from the more exciting academic environment) is that Wendy and I can now commute to work together.  Instead of the 25 minute drive up the mountain, Wendy and I have a WHOLE 6 minute commute to work! I am also now unable to get away with not bringing my lunch to work. :(