I’ve started working with my research assistant. This is going to be very cool. I have so much going on research-wise right now that I really need this help. And I’m not giving the RA any stupid busywork assignments where he will have to languish for hours by the copier. The copier will not be involved at all*. I only give out intellectual assignments that are professionally enriching to the RA. And helpful to me.
I remember when I first got hired as an RA, I kept persecuting the professors (I was hired by two people at the same time) to give me more and more assignments. I think I got them to the point of having nervous palpitations whenever they saw me. I was a very responsible student with OCD tendencies.
For people who are about to start unraveling as a result of the news about my RA: it’s OK, this doesn’t mean the big bad wolf is about to devour your “taxpayer money.” Everything is fine. You can breathe now.
* I have just realized that the copier, a machine that used to be so central to my research, has now stopped being part of my scholarly activities altogether. It’s still huge in my teaching, though.
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