Spawning and Job Hunting - Part 3

Well, despite my misgivings, I've managed to land a second round interview in a couple of weeks. I still feel ambivalent about the job (good career move with more interesting responsibilities and possibility for advancement; definitely more inconvenient personally - especially since it's in the opposite direction from The Breadwinner's commute AND his job situation is tenuous). I actually kind of enjoy being ambivalent (unlike my decision over the teaching position, which was torturous) - it makes me more confident.

Turns out they want me to give a scientific talk (which I used to be able to do in my sleep, but I'm a little removed from at this point). We'll see how it goes - it might actually be fun to get back into the nitty gritty of my research again. I've been responding to requests to help people replicate my work and really going through my old files and data lately. It's intoxicating, and I worry that the old life is going to draw me back in against my will. I'm a natural problem solver, and an open question is just tantalizing. Yet I have to be practical as well, and 90 hour weeks for minimal money doesn't exactly put me in good stead as a parent. The only worry is that when I'm finally personally ready to go back, nobody's going to want me anymore.

But enough dreaming about science. I'm even larger now that at my last interview (nearly a month ago), and I've decided to bring up my spawning situation if there's any discussion at all about timing. I guess ideally if I'm offered and decide to accept the job, I could start AFTER my maternity leave, but that seems like a pretty big stretch. But first things first - time to prepare that talk!