No more Fermi

Well, Friday marked my last day at Fermilab (other than the day I go in to clean out the office and, probably, the nerd Halloween party). To mark the occasion, we did one last run around the accelerator ring. For those of you who aren't familiar, Fermilab sports the world's most powerful particle collider, smashing together protons and antiprotons, creating energies not seen since minutes after the Big Bang. For these reasons, we've always though it kind of cool that we were able to run with the protons.

But, probably not anymore. I'm starting my new job tomorrow downtown, leaving the physics world for the finance/banking world. It's exciting stuff, to be sure, but sad all the same. Physics has been a part of my life for parts of the last ten years and it has defined the way I think. But more importantly, I've worked side-by-side with Leah for parts of the last eight years, and pretty intensely for the last five. We've struggled through grad school together and made it out to the other side and it's been everything...everything from fun to frustrating, challenging to elating. I would never trade in the last five years with Leah for anything. Everyone's always been shocked that we work together and live together, but to me it seems the most natural thing in the world. She's my best friend, why wouldn't I want to work with her?

So, yes, I'm going to miss that. But it'll be an exciting new world as well. We'll actually get to miss each other and then share our day with each other, which'll be a nice treat. Plus, we won't be everyone's broke-ass friends who have to duck out of any commitment that costs more than about 10 bucks. That'll be quite nice. So, in summary, it's sad to have to move on, but it'll be good in the end, especially since it eventually means condos and kids and all that.

Anyway, as I said, we did one lap around the ring. We were supposed to do strides as well, but we were caught in a surprise rainstorm, so we decided against it. And it was really more of a walk-run anyway, with an emphasis on "walk." Here's one last look at the ring:

Then Saturday we were supposed to do an 8-15k race. So, we decided to do 5 miles and maybe do them kind of fast...which we did until we decided to walk. Lots of walking in the last couple of days. So, that run was probably a fast 3 miles and then a 2 mile walk-run. Whatev. We wanted to get out and buy my new school work clothes. I'm going to be Mr. Business Casual. Really, my new place of employment puts the emphasis on the casual part of business casual, but I don't want to be on the low end of the dress spectrum. So, I've got lots of nifty button-down shirts, new jeans (my old ones were being held together with safety-pins), and some khakis. Look at me! I'm not a grad student anymore! Whee!

And then tomorrow starts my first day at a real job in over 5 years. Am I nervous?

Yes.

Cubs play today at 12:35. Am I nervous?

Yes.

Bears play at San Diego at 3. Am I nervous?

Nah. They've got Urlacher.

Go Cubs. Go Bears.