haven't gotten to that reading yet

[kareina]

Just over two hours ago I posted here that I was going to go read 1000 words of geologic literature. This hasn't happened, nor has progress on my thesis. Why? Because after posting here I looked in my e-mail and saw a note from the University of Milano asking me to document the fact that I did no research between the completion of my Master's Degree, and the start of my PhD project. This is because this particular post is aimed at people who are early in their career, which, if you count time spent doing research, I am. However, the better part of decade slipped by between degrees whilst I was busy doing other things, so now he and I need to prove to the administrators that I didn't do research during that period, and so am still early in my career. I don't happen to have any records from the first year and a half after completing my Master's because that paperwork is all in storage in a friend's basement in Alaska. However, I did just scan and e-mail the certificate for my Massage Therapy course, my business licences, permits, and police clearance needed to run a Massage Therapy business in Mountainview California, proof of insurance and membership in the International Massage Association, along with the comment that, as a small business owner, there was clearly no time for research during that period. I also found a wonderful letter of recommendation from my Park Ranger from when I was a volunteer at the park in Hatcher Pass the summer of 1999. Hopefully, all of that data will be sufficent, for if it isn't I will need to get letters from employers or other witnesses stating that I wasn't doing science or research during that period. Wish me luck!

Sometimes, it is amazing just how long it can take to get stuff out of a file folder, scan it, type up a letter, and send it off...