When Worlds Collide...
My parents just stopped by the lab to take me out for lunch. Don and Eva are driving back from Newfoundland, where they had many an adventure, as it'were. They loved St. John's. And, they found me a place to live. This seems to be their new hobby: anytime they go somewhere that has a university, they go house hunting for me on the off chance that I might actually get a job one day.
Most people's parents want them to move closer to home. Mine hope that I'll move as far away as possible. I like to think its because they want the excuse to travel, but I recognize this is likely not their logic.
They came down to the lab because both of them are going to be psychophysical subjects in a couple of weeks. Dad because he's 60 now, and can participate in an aging study that Claudine is running: Mom because she has migraines and can do some work for Fran's lab. I can imagine that they are going to walk out of their respective testing rooms and wonder what the fuck it is that their daughter does (likely formulated in the question "She went to school for 10 years to do THAT?".
The best moment came when Hugh came by and I introduced him to my parents. Eva (who as most of you know has absolutely no inhibitions), said "Oh Yes! Hi Hugh! I recognize you from your picture! Nicole made me bookmark you on my computer!" Which:
a) I didn't, and
b) makes me look even crazier/psychotic in Hugh's eyes. Good God that man must think I'm a nutcase.
Meanwhile, Don is just standing there, excited because he's going to make $15 an hour as a subject. He actually cheered (yes, he literally whooped with joy) when he found out he was getting paid to participate. Up until 2 months ago he was an Engineer, and he made a damned good living at it. Now he's excited because he's getting 30 bucks for testing AND a free eye exam.
Yep, retirement is treating them well.
Most people's parents want them to move closer to home. Mine hope that I'll move as far away as possible. I like to think its because they want the excuse to travel, but I recognize this is likely not their logic.
They came down to the lab because both of them are going to be psychophysical subjects in a couple of weeks. Dad because he's 60 now, and can participate in an aging study that Claudine is running: Mom because she has migraines and can do some work for Fran's lab. I can imagine that they are going to walk out of their respective testing rooms and wonder what the fuck it is that their daughter does (likely formulated in the question "She went to school for 10 years to do THAT?".
The best moment came when Hugh came by and I introduced him to my parents. Eva (who as most of you know has absolutely no inhibitions), said "Oh Yes! Hi Hugh! I recognize you from your picture! Nicole made me bookmark you on my computer!" Which:
a) I didn't, and
b) makes me look even crazier/psychotic in Hugh's eyes. Good God that man must think I'm a nutcase.
Meanwhile, Don is just standing there, excited because he's going to make $15 an hour as a subject. He actually cheered (yes, he literally whooped with joy) when he found out he was getting paid to participate. Up until 2 months ago he was an Engineer, and he made a damned good living at it. Now he's excited because he's getting 30 bucks for testing AND a free eye exam.
Yep, retirement is treating them well.
posted by Anderson at 12:14 PM
5 Comments:
Random hateful blog comment: Remember the time your Mom embarrassed you in front of your god? That must have sucked. Cheers.
But seriously. Can I just point out to you, for one very brief second, that you are a visionary scientist: by definition a bit of a nut job. I mean, really, have you met your type of people? Bonkers. Do you think that Hugh, a visionary among visionaries, expects anything less?
Let the flaming begin......
(PS: Say hey to your folks. I love those people.)
I have seen no evidence to refute Lynne's "Nut Job" comment. That said, the pot and kettle are both black.
Yeah! Hey, wait....
I seem to remember a certain someone that dabbled in spatial frequencies, the epitome of visionary research... so you may want to throw a frying pan into the mix...
WTF? So now there are spam commenters?
The world is crazy.
Just about to hop on a jet-plane. See you all soon!!!!!! ;-)
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