Grinding my face off with a belt-sander.

[willowroot]

Okay, okay, maybe not that bloody, but reading grant applications ranks right up there on my list of "decidedly unenjoyable past-times", just above "grinding body parts with belt-sanders" (but probably right below "depilating my head with a strigil").

But, when it's your lab's own grant application, and this charming grad-student truly loves his stipend, there is a certain heft added to the importance of actually slogging through the beast. No, no mid-read snoozes for me, I had to stay awake, and somehow, I pulled it off. My job was to find the typos and logical errors, and I did locate a few questionable statements, to boot.

However, there is a certain good feeling engendered by your boss looking up from your red-inked copy of the manuscript to say "I missed what? I can't believe that..." and she gives a hearty thanks at the end.

Y'see, reading the dern things is almost as painful as writing the blasted documents. That one's way up there on that list.

Comments

[georgmi.livejournal.com]

I've always preferred an orbital sander--there's less play in the bearing surface, which allows for a more precise grind.

[blue-lucy.livejournal.com]

I don't suppose that means she has a bit of a break from the grant writing? My reference is due on Saturday and I've sent her several reminders, but she hasn't started it yet or replied to me. But I'm sure she knows, and I know she's busy. I wouldn't care so much if another one of my references also hadn't finished the reference... *sighs*

[flinx.livejournal.com]

Boss has been asked. Boss nodded and went "Yup, I know... but I've been writing this grant!"

She's promised to have it sent to you today.

;-)

[blue-lucy.livejournal.com]

Oops, didn't mean to have that reply to georgmi's comment!

[georgmi.livejournal.com]

No worries; if this is the worst thing that happens to me today, I think I'll survive. :)

[flinx.livejournal.com]

Yeah, yeah, getting responses from pretty girls is such and arduous burden. I hear ya man. Right there for ya.

[georgmi.livejournal.com]

You might be surprised. :)

[flinx.livejournal.com]

*scribbles notes*
*ponders the best grit to use for face-grinding*

[georgmi.livejournal.com]

Heh, you'll want to start with a fairly rough grit, because the soft tissues will tend to clog up a finer one. Once you get down to bone, you can start with the 200-300 range stuff.

[jenintheclouds.livejournal.com]

I think if you'll recall...you're supposed to keep your nose to the grindstone. Not your whole darn face. And probably only 'til you have that nice sheen, no need to buff the whole thing off. Elsewise, where would you keep your brains?

[flinx.livejournal.com]

So I'm actually supposed to use the floor-buffer? Hunh. Yeah, I imagine that'd make a good bit of difference, there...

And at this point, one really must consider the question of "If this is what he's using his brains for... he really should take them in to the shop for an overhaul."

[tlatoani.livejournal.com]

BTW, serious points for even mentioning a strigil.

[flinx.livejournal.com]

Some of us have had a classical education.

Now, of course the true cognoscenti would recognize that the Romans actually used tweezers, but the strigil's mode d'emploi sounded more painful.

[tlatoani.livejournal.com]

Well, the strigil wasn't actually used for depilation, which is why I figured you chose it.