It Could Be a Headline in the Washington Post

So today I continued sorting my stuff, throwing lots away. Weird, much of what was in my file cabinet was reference copies of old journal articles - don't need these, everything is on the Web now. Heck, I even pitched author copies of my own reports - again, they're all on the Web. Science moves on anyway. There's something philosopical about publishing science in a fluid medium like the Web instead of a static medium like paper, something that reinforces that you need to continually go back and recheck, rethink, revalidate, refine your theory. And I deleted hundreds of old emails and shredded documents like 10-year-old travel vouchers and statements from my gov't credit card. AND pushed the "send" button on my 9-090 (the electronic exit paperwork).

I can see the headline in the Washington Post: Scandal at USGS! Employee Shreds Hundreds of Documents, Days Before Leaving Job! What Was She Hiding?

Whoever used the shredder before me had shredded cds (the machine is meant to be able to do this) and they fractured into tiny pieces. Every time I fluffed the shredder bag it sprayed rainbow holographic glitter all over me.

The Only Present I Want Is Your Presence

I don't like surprise gifts, because I hate asking anyone to read my mind. Its like setting them up for failure - an expected surprise is an oxymoron - and the best they can do is meet expectations, by definition its impossible to exceed expectations. Therefore, Dan is relieved not to try to get a gift for me and hope it works. Instead he asked me what I wanted for my birthday yesterday.

I told him what I really wanted was not to have to start the day by saying goodbye to him. So, he came to Washington with me! He had absolutely nothing to do there, he brought a goofy novel, hung out at a park bench, read, peoplewatched while I was in a meeting, met me for lunch. Then I went back to my meeting and he went back to hanging out. After work, he was there, sitting in the car with the top down, to whisk me away to meet Karen and go to Jaleo for happy hour tapas.

What an unbelieveably rich full perfect day - and what an incredible I love you gift - he spent the whole day doing nothing .... except making me feel like the most special important person in his world!

environmental depression (the other kind)

I've been interviewing candidates to replace me ... its a very creepy feeling. This is a person who will be doing my job - their way - starting next month. And interacting with my colleagues - their way. I'm visualizing this person sitting at my desk, sending notes to my secretary.

After I provide a brief period of training, I'm out of the country and out of touch and it won't matter to me how my successor does his/her job, gets along with the others, or anything else. That's another part of the creepiness. People shouldn't be allowed to make decisions about things where they have no stake in the outcome.