Good news, bad news

My heart skipped a beat yesterday when Craig came home saying he had good news and bad news. I knew it was the news we had been waiting for and it was. The bad news first: the grant his lab was hoping for did not get funded. The good news: 2 other Dr.'s in the department are going to pay Craig's salary for about another year. So we are relieved that Craig still has a job, for the time being; this of course is VERY good news. But we are disappointed that the grant did not get funded since that would have guaranteed his position for much longer than one year.

As I understand it, Craig will still be working for his current boss Julie. She still has enough money from earlier funding to continue her research for a while. I asked Craig why the other guys are willing to pay his salary, why does it benefit them? And he said that it will allow them to be co-authors on any papers that come out of the work Craig is doing. Okay, whatever as long as they can actually pay him!
The only other gal that was left working for Julie is out of a job at the end of March. That could have very easily been Craig so we are counting our blessings. Craig talked with Julie and the 2 Dr.'s that will be paying him yesterday and feels they are being very honest with him. He kept asking everyone "so I don't need to be looking for a job?" and they said no, they prefer he did not.

Of course Craig will still be looking out for positions that give him better job security and the same or more pay scale, as he has done for the past year. But since there have been so few opportunities for him we are thrilled that the job hunt is not yet dire. I am surprised that I don't feel more relieved than I do, it is good news but we all know how fast a year goes by. The job market could very well be worse in a year. It does give Julie more time to try and get funding which is what we are hoping for. It also gives me time to re-enter the work force.

Craig continues to work only 2 shifts at Widmer which is so nice. He is home 6 nights a week and only works one double day of lab and Widmer. Thanks for all the prayers, for now they have been answered!