be involved with no fewer than three different research projects before finishing my PhD

Did I mention that this is very hard to do and makes you very tired?

How is it that research into meditation, a subject so closely aligned with spiritual peace and kindness, seems to lead so often to vicious fighting and animosity? I just can’t figure it. I only got involved with this as a lark, working in my spare time since it was just for fun.

I guess that everything that is “just for fun” does not turn out to be as successful as Linux. :-(

Spent some time today learning EEG. Have to write a fMRI stimulus presentation program this weekend. Need to get some analysis software running pronto. Need to get new data collection software running soonest. Need to write a paper that is pretty much ready to be written and get started on another.

I do not want to talk about it. :-(

Research is hard. Not from the work, just from the paperwork and crap that gets in the way.

My lab is slow. But I am in another research group as well that will be heavy in work in September. Need more! More!

In my main lab I am currently looking to get the bulk of the work done on no fewer than four (4!) projects, not including the initial data collection on my (so-called) thesis project. Still, I need two different projects outside of my primary lab to count this one as done.

This may be harder than I thought as the two different things I started may be merging! :-) So looking for another.

This goal is related to four of my other (perhaps less specific) goals to:

(1) “find work I’m passionate about”
(2) “meet interesting people”
(3) “be more creative”
(4) “determine which activities to prioritize and which to eliminate”

I am currently well on my way to advancing to candidacy on one research project, which will be my primary one for graduation. Once I get it up and running, data collection will be slow but steady. Since I don’t have more classes to take, I’m looking for other projects.

I am specifically interested in adding a second project on memory research, and I am currently taking a class with the person doing that work. One of my committee members may have a third project that I can contribute to, as well. I have also recently joined a research group doing some consciousness work, too.

Hopefully this will give me some more ideas about where to focus in the job hunt looming just over the horizon.