I’ve spent the last 2 days on site at a pharmaceutical company in Molndal, Sweden. I now realize if I die I should try and be reincarnated as a research chemist. Reasons in no particular order:
- Really good facilities. You’ve probably seen cosmetic/drug ads on TV that show bright, spotless labs filled with gleaming equipment and attractive, hardworking, happy scientists. This is reality in the industry. Even as a guest, they found me an office (normally shared by up to 2 people) with a door that closed, individual temperature and lighting controls, natural light, excellent ergonomics… Either this company makes far too much money, or management realizes how much more productive workers are when freed from workplace distractions.
- Female:male ratio that’s significantly better than most other high tech industries.
- If you get bored, you can make your own psychedelics.
In unrelated news, I will not be attending the AES conference this weekend in Paris. While I am in the right corner of the world yet again, I have done very little with FireWire since ~Christmas apart from performing a few kernel merges and recording a rock concert badly.. so I wouldn’t really gain or contribute much. Oh well, see you in October.
AES
I think if truth be told pretty much the same will happen this time round in the working group meetings as last time – eg, not a lot. Seems that OGT in particular may not pass through the next stage in the standardizaton process this time round due to a technicality to do with the process.
I think I’d find it somewhat hard to put a business case for me going this time round, but for some reason (much to my amazement) I am! Not really complaining though :)
Re: AES
Sigh, yeah, I suspected as much. Which means even more reason for manufacturers to continue to produce non-standardized, mutually incompatible interfaces. Oh well, I can’t complain too much.. what have I done to help the situation in the past 6 months?
Hopefully the next 6 months will be more productive for me…
Mmmmmm
Psychotropic drugs on demand!
As a university student, I endorse whole heartedly!
Re: Mmmmmm
Indeed. Too bad you decided you didn’t like chemistry :)
Re: Mmmmmm
No, but I’m studying Psychology, which involves studying the effects of psychotropics on people. As opposed to Chemistry, which involves coming up with new exciting psychotropics!
Seriously, though, I really do love Psychology and Religious Studies way better.