Writing
I think I'd like to write a lot more than I normally do. I even read an article today about doing it for a living http://www.pharmaceutical-journal.com/career/career-feature/a-career-in-science-technology-and-medical-publishing-is-it-for-you/11137150.article since I've been kind of going through a bit of a career crisis recently. Of course, that has also been leading me to consider getting in to the pharmaceutical industry, trying a switch to hospital pharmacy or even going back and doing graduate Medicine (something I've thought about before). Alas any of those would most likely mean going back to entry level meaning a big drop in salary for starters which isn't really an option with a young family and Uli unable to work and all. The same thing that has been putting me off Medicine for years hasn't changed any. Years of Uni, more years in junior training posts, shitty hours, moving around all over the place and so on. There are plenty of other things that might put me off and it's entirely possible I wouldn't even particularly want to be a Doctor anyway but it is an option that always tends to come up.
Of course, I did locum days in three different pharmacies last week and that was collectively the best, most rewarding professional experience I've had for a long time. So maybe I won't give up completely on the current line of work for now. Made me wish I hadn't stupidly agreed to stick around where I am until the end of January but there you go. Something to be said for another month of steady work. To be honest, I've been struggling a little to pinpoint exactly what makes the situation quite so toxic but that it most certainly is. I'm mostly switched off and counting down at this point. The difference in my behaviour was astonishing, not to mention my subsequent mood and demeanour. I am in no way foolish enough to think that the problems I've been having will all disappear on walking out the door on the 31st of January but I do think I desperately need a fresh start. I am really hoping that I can manage to learn some of the lessons from the last couple of years. I just need to work out what they are first.
I have about 11 days work as a locum booked for February so far I think. They're all through agencies and all but one with a company I've done some work with before. I'm pretty sure I wouldn't want to work for them as a permanent employee but they're easier to deal with on a temporary basis. To be honest, I was panicking a bit about relying on locum work and how it would go and so on a month or so ago. That's part of why I agreed to stay on where I am for yet another month. Those three days last week going so well along with seeing that locuming actually looks like a viable option even at the least busy time of year have made me a bit calmer about the whole prospect. Now I'm kind of looking forward to some more variety, some less managerial responsibility and a few other differences.
In the spirit of trying to actually write more in both quantity and frequency I'm just going to post this now and go to bed. Whereas I would like to spend a lot more time putting down all the other stuff I've been thinking about I'm going to do what I seem to remember being recommended by people who do it for a living. I'm going to write what I can, when I can. I'm not going to worry too much about quality right now (as far as I am able) and just focus on the process and let the rest hopefully follow.
P.S. I am deliberately ignoring current events and I don't really think that makes me callous or insensitive. There is always a massive amount of commentary on any big news story and I've never really felt the need to express my own views too much. Maybe I will use current affairs as something to write about another time but not today.
Of course, I did locum days in three different pharmacies last week and that was collectively the best, most rewarding professional experience I've had for a long time. So maybe I won't give up completely on the current line of work for now. Made me wish I hadn't stupidly agreed to stick around where I am until the end of January but there you go. Something to be said for another month of steady work. To be honest, I've been struggling a little to pinpoint exactly what makes the situation quite so toxic but that it most certainly is. I'm mostly switched off and counting down at this point. The difference in my behaviour was astonishing, not to mention my subsequent mood and demeanour. I am in no way foolish enough to think that the problems I've been having will all disappear on walking out the door on the 31st of January but I do think I desperately need a fresh start. I am really hoping that I can manage to learn some of the lessons from the last couple of years. I just need to work out what they are first.
I have about 11 days work as a locum booked for February so far I think. They're all through agencies and all but one with a company I've done some work with before. I'm pretty sure I wouldn't want to work for them as a permanent employee but they're easier to deal with on a temporary basis. To be honest, I was panicking a bit about relying on locum work and how it would go and so on a month or so ago. That's part of why I agreed to stay on where I am for yet another month. Those three days last week going so well along with seeing that locuming actually looks like a viable option even at the least busy time of year have made me a bit calmer about the whole prospect. Now I'm kind of looking forward to some more variety, some less managerial responsibility and a few other differences.
In the spirit of trying to actually write more in both quantity and frequency I'm just going to post this now and go to bed. Whereas I would like to spend a lot more time putting down all the other stuff I've been thinking about I'm going to do what I seem to remember being recommended by people who do it for a living. I'm going to write what I can, when I can. I'm not going to worry too much about quality right now (as far as I am able) and just focus on the process and let the rest hopefully follow.
P.S. I am deliberately ignoring current events and I don't really think that makes me callous or insensitive. There is always a massive amount of commentary on any big news story and I've never really felt the need to express my own views too much. Maybe I will use current affairs as something to write about another time but not today.