I completed my time with Physical Sciences Inc this past week. I am no longer an employee there as I transition to working more at Northeastern on robotic surfaces and 3D printed foams. A colleague of mine and I at Northeastern were awarded the NU Spark Fund to develop durable 3D printed foams for use in orthotics and related consumer products. I believe that the future of digital manufacturing is the customization of more things. To achieve this, we need flexible tooling that can mold, cast, or print weird and variable shapes. I am getting out of one part in my career and getting into another.
The way I see it, there are about 10 chunks of time in one's working career. Each chunk is about 5 years long. If one starts working as a teenager, mowing lawns or tutoring or in the service economy, and finishes their working career in their sixties, that's 50 years. As of Jan '24, the median employee tenure in the US was 3.9 years. This dropped from 4.1 years in Jan '22. Tenure varies a lot by industry, but 5 years is close to a "chunk" as I define it, a little more than average for a job. The average job tenure in the US used to be much higher for what it's worth. There is a lot to write about this change and others have done so.
I have completed the first two chunks of my working life. The first chunk occurred between high school and college. The second chunk was my time at PSI and start of graduate school.
I have about 80% of the way to go. This is intimidating! But I feel that I am in control and I have agency over what I do. That helps me feel content and happy.
There is a change of pace going on in my life and I welcome it. We all naturally shift our focus in life, this is a period when I shift mine. I think I will get out into the city a bit more as I spend less time around the 'north shore' area of Massachusetts.
My friend Brett took the photo of Bova's in the North End. I like the range of dark and light and I enjoy the warmth. Plus, I have been to this bakery a few times late at night. I enjoy Bova's and places like it because of the character of the locale. The place is unique and it has a sense of whimsy about it. I have been thinking about how much I like genuine new places and experiences.
Some of my friends and I visited a cabin in February. We made a snow princess, had hot cocoa, and played some party games. It restored the soul.
View of Boston Harbor from Eastie
I went to Stowe, VT, a couple weekends ago to go skiing.
View of Mt Mansfield in VT from the ski lift that day.
Foam testing!
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