Banner Sponsors
For artists and collectors sponsored by Intercal...your mohair supplier and Johnna's Mohair Store
Danni, you are forgiven, honey! :hug:
Helena, i love your new avatar!!!!!
Beary hugs,
Sophie.
I wasn't expecting to meet so many biologists on this board!!! Very interesting... so in germany too, this is getting hard to find a scientific job... Oh dear! It is really getting tricky! Actually, I am keeping an eye on UK too in my job hunting. but the situation in UK seems to be the same as in France!!!
Well, I am not desperate yet. i will try to open new doors and investigates other areas.
Oh, by the way, the first time I worked at the SHOM, it was not the same kind of work as I will do if I can work with my dad. the first time, I was entering orders for marine books and maps into the computer. I guess that with my dad, I may have to help classifying books and journals; maybe searching key words, etc... What is pleasant too in the SHOM is to see people in navy uniform 
:whistle:. My dad is civilian.
Beary hugs,
Sophie.
Yes, shelli, our PhD are equivalent.
Having a PhD is good, but finding a job after obtaining a PhD is better. I should have done a PhD in teddy bear making. I would have been talented enough to earn my life just with my teddy bears!!!!
I don't feel more clever than other pleople. why would I? After all, I just specialized in a very very specific area. Not even enough to find a job easily... 
But at least, I have been working on very interesting research subjects for a few years, performed my English and discovered the magic word of teddy bear collectors! so I cannot say i have lost my time, can I?
Teddy bear making addiction can happen to every single person whatever his/her education and diploma!
Beary hugs,
Sophie.
Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear! you've done clons of Judi's bears!!!!! terrific! fantastic! It means that judi must be an extraordinary teacher!
Judi, honey, why are you soooo far from my home! If I had a private jet, I would be able to cross the ocean to go to your workshop. I need a fairy and a wizzard to help me get a private jet and a pilot and everything! Unless I find a treasure! hey, I never tried to dig in the garden!!! Maybe there is a treasure hidden!
Beary hugs,
Sophie.
Yesss, WHAT DOES GOLLY MEANS?????
WE WANT TO KNOW!!!!
Dilu, honey, it is time to tell us...
Beary hugs,
Sophie.
Here, it's cold and me had a very little snow falling, but it was slush... So no white mantle on the ground yet.
Beary hugs,
Sophie.
Helena, i have to confess i would not like to run my own lab... I don't feel like I could be a boss and I prefer to have a boss to help me!!!! and honnestly, I don't have enough experience to be able to run a lab!!!!!! If I am given more opportunities to work as a scientist, I may get enough experimented to run a team myself, but not before long!!!
Dear friends, today brought me another hope! My dad phoned me to tell me he will need some help at his work for a couple of weeks from the 5th of December. He is working as a librarian/archivist in our French Hydrographic and Oceanographic Service of Marine (SHOM). He asked me to apply for the job. A 15 day period is very short, but still better than nothing!!! I just hope that my application won't be refused as my dad's daughter, if you see what I mean!!! I say that because I have already worked once in his working place and the rules are: every employee can have his children working ONCE in the SHOM. My dad said me that this may not be a problem due to the emergency of his need of help.... I may have the answer on monday. So finger crossed. Working at SHOM is pleasant. My dad used to work as an informatician at the SHOM before he got librarian: he was computing programs to make marine maps for boats. He changed to librarian about ten years ago as there was not enough work. By chance, at the same period, the actual librarian was about to get retired so he just asked to replace her and got the job...
At the SHOM, there is a good restaurant with good food... for all the staff. The only negative thing is that I will have to wake up early :(, because my dad prefer to arrive at work early so he can leave at 4:15 pm.
Oups :o, I may get a bit ennoying, so I should stop here... :P.
Beary hugs,
Sophie.
You're all so great friends for me!
I am back from the test: 6,5/9 was my mark... I think I could have done a little bit better with more concentration...: there are some questions I haven't read well :/... But, well, not so bad. Even in French, I use to have similar kind of problem!!!
This was just a written test: question with answers to browse and choose the right one, words to put in correct order and form to build sentences, etc...
I may try later the TOIC.
Helena: Concerning my job hunting, I have never really been attracted by human and animal biology... and it is generally difficult to move from plant biology to animal biology. With a PhD, you are supposed to apply for responsability positions, so you are supposed to be well experimented in the concerned area... If you see what I mean...
Thank you for the fairy, Estelle. She is charming!
And Dilu, you can uncross your fingers to tape!
Lots of love to all of you,
Beary hugs,
Sophie.
Great! I am delighted to read you did it!!!! Hey guys, she sold her first bear!
:clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap:
Beary hugs,
Sophie.
Thanks to all of you for your support!
I will let you know...
Beary hugs,
Sophie.
People around me told me that was probably not a good idea to do a PhD in biology, because there was already a lack of jobs in this area, but I wanted soooo much to please myself doing something I like. During my PhD, i have studied a bacterial disease of grapevine and in Oxford I have studied microbial populations of crop rhizosphere under different knid of treatments against dumping off disease. These were very inreresting research subjects and I had such great times. When I was about to leave England, they were already getting short of founds to pay researchers. At CEH Oxford, researchers had many negative answers for founds for there projects. Once back in France, it just became a nightmare. Almost no job available in my speciality. So unfair. But this is life.
Beary hugs,
Sophie.
Hi, dear friends!
Tomorrow, I will pass a small test to estimate my English level. Then, i may prepare the TOEIC.
I decided it would be useful for me to now how terrific genius i am in English :angel:.
So I can have an idea about how I can take profit from my knowledge in English.
It is getting so hard to find a job. Of course, the best thing for me would be to find a job as a Scientist, but opportunities are so rare. I just found one to apply for in the same lab as for my PhD, but I am not sure I will be chosen as the research project is a bit different from what i have done in the past... But i will try. I just need a lot of luck. Finger crossed... I have learnt not to be too optimistic, so now I am vere realistic and know perfectly that my cahnces are small eventhough people do appreciate me a lot in that lab. They have to give good reason to explain their choice to the people who give the money for the project. I am not sure that they can say only "We chose her because we rely on her". That could be ONE good reason, but not enough. I am sure there will be candidates with a better knowledge on the experimental procedures than i have... Anyway, just wait and see.
The english test is not required to help me to get that job. They already know that i have spent one year in Oxford so they know my English is good enough for the job.
Beary hugs,
Sophie.
Oh, Dilu! :redface:
So kind of you... Théophile has now a great vest, a beautiful necklace and is waiting for me to finish his hat (long to make, as I use French knitting) and another necklace with his name, plus a foot tag... I have a lot of inspiration for Théophile. He is such a surprising bear!
My poor Ann will have to be patient to have her swap bear... but she won't be disappointed...
Beary hugs,
Sophie.
I could not live without chocolate...
chocolate is good for health: it contains a lot of magnesium. Magnesium is good for your brain and helps you sleeping better as it has relaxing properties.
So eat chocolate!
Beary hugs,
Sophie.
I would be too frustrated to let my ted go without me!!!! :P
Beary hugs,
Sophie.
Gourmande!
I have never tried these chocolates...
My only advice is to avoid eating too much of these chocolates the same day: it would be a shame to be ill because of your favourite chocolates!!!!
Enjoy them, but do not abuse, my dear Dilu!
Oh, hide them well to avoid your Gollies to eat them before you!!!
Beary hugs,
Sophie.
Dear all,
Sophie's speaking... I hope that Malko's advice can be helpful...
The more ideas we get, the more chances you dear shari can get a chance to be helped by your Doctor. both Malko and I were horrified to read that doctors in your country prefer to avoid such diagnosis because of insurance problems... Isn't health more important than everything else in Canada? This is so unfair.
Well, Shari and Deb, I whish you find good ways to feel better.
Never forget we'll always be there for you. If you need any kind of help, just ask.
Take care girls,
Beary hugs,
Sophie. 
Hi Shari,
I'm Malko, Sophie's boyfriend...
Sophie told me about you, and I read the post concerning your pain problem.
The fibromyalgia-like symptoms you described associated with your many allergies made me think about an auto-immune disease... Some of them have symptoms that can be easily confused with fibromyalgia.
I was particularly thinking about rheumatoid arthritis, certain forms of systemic lupus erythematosus, and maybe some forms of systemic sclerosis.
Your doctor can diagnose such diseases, and their effects can be greatly softened by medical treatments. You could talk her about the auto-immune hypothesis, and see what she says...
I hope you'll find the cause of your pain, and a way to cure it.
Friendly,
Malko.
Funny bunny, my dear Dilu! 
So glad you share all your experiences with us!
Beary hugs,
Sophie.
Lovely cute bear judi!
I won't be able to give her a hug because she has been sold!!!! what a shame!!!!
The fabric you used looks so soft...
Beary hugs,
Sophie.
Well Jenny, you're not the only one with sleeping troubles. I usually have big difficulties to get asleep... Often takes me hours before I finally sleep. My brain just cannot stop working when i am in bed. I think, think, think so much about every kind of thing... But i never managed to find an issue of such a problem and never found the button on/off of my brain :mad:. i have deduced such a button just did not exist, so I gave up!!! :/
I hope your problem will be easier to solve!
Beary hugs,
Sophie.
Your granny is beautiful on this photo. She has the sweetesst bear ever!!!
Oh, by the way, i am very pleased that you have finally put a picture of you in the users' gallery. We can finally know what you look like!!! :)
Beary hugs,
Sophie.
Oh dear Shari.... I whish I had a magic wand to use with a good formula to use to make your problem disappear. It must be very painful. I agree with Marie that you should try to get as much help as you can from your doctor. after all, isn't she paid for helping her patients???
I am sorry not to be able to help. I have no idea about how to help. The only thing I can do is giving you some support... I hope you will get good advices from Internet and that Dilu and Judi's help will be useful for you.
:hug: :hug: :hug:
I cross my fingers for you.
Take care,
Beary hugs,
Sophie.
