Just a few months after I wrote my bio and attended my big reunion in Portland, major aspects of my life changed dramatically ...

• I found a (relatively) inexpensive tour to Ghana through BET-Jazz.
• The "blacksuits" of Elsevier (who had purchased Harcourt) came from the U.K.

         Their message delivered in a cramped conference room was loud and clear:
         Our Academic Press major reference works department was closing.

• I did go on the Ghana Heritage and Jazz tour and it was incredible!
• Then came outplacement services and changing gears with a brand new resume.

         No more ed. of big encyclopedias like stress, brain, endocrine diseases, etc.
         But maybe I could get into the high-paying biotech or pharma area ...

• Altogether I applied for 82 -- count them -- jobs and interviewed on a few.
• Finally connected as Exec Assistant to Endocrinology Section Chief at the VA Hospital.

         Nice guy, job to involve editing grants and papers -- plus answering his phone (urgh)!

• Then arthritis diagnosed, bone-on-bone pain, an "assistive device" (omg, a cane!)
• Hip replacement the end result.

Now please stay tuned for what came next.

Positively,
Carolan