Science Funk

I'm in a funk at work. I just don't feel like doing it anymore right now.

Does this happen to you? I know that writers get "writer's block" and artists sometimes struggle for inspiration...can I describe my science funk as similar to those phenomena?

Maybe I just need a vacation to release me. I think I'm over-worked and the pay-off is missing yet.

I worked a lot last week trying to collect the data from my first real experiment (that concluded two months of work) at my new lab/job - until midnight last Wednesday (over 13hrs), until 8pm on Thursday (11hrs) and until 7pm on Friday (9hrs). My analysis resulted in either an intermediate or no effect. The experimental design had some flaws, too, so it needs to be repeated. However, a collaborating lab got positive results using different cells indicating that I'm basically barking up the wrong tree. But I still have to repeat my experiment to get a definitive negative result (unless it isn't negative and then that would be more complex).

Not only that. But then there's just this constant feeling of swimming upstream lately. My boss - who I like - keeps telling me how I could be doing things better - which I know is her job but it feels crummy because I feel like I've already been changing things to make them better but I get no kudos for that because she didn't know me before and my old boss who did know me doesn't see my improvements and even if he did he isn't the type to give kudos (one of the reasons I was less fond of him).

I want to go to the beach and lie down under the blue sky. I want to feel the fine, white sand between my toes. I want to walk into the crystal-clear, still Caribean Sea until it reaches my chest and turn in circles, feeling the warm water gently ripple around me. I want to breathe in the warm, salt air. I'm tired. I want to be invigorated again.