July 1, 2008
On a plane again flying from DC to Albany for my site in Bennington, VT. On the flight read an article that a Dad wrote his son regarding why are we here and it made me think…why am I on this damn plane. I don’t want to sound like a lame country western song but really for all of us monitors, married with kids and especially if we are 40 or older why do we do this grind?
Yes I know I am the primary bread winner and have a wife, two kids and a Saint Bernard who count on me but there has to be a better way. Don’t know what that way is right now but if you do feel free to let me know.
I have applied for a Doctorate program so think a good thought for me and hopefully I’ll get in, finish and then get a job as a college teacher. That would sure alleviate the 9:20 pm flight from DCA to ALB. And people will have to call me Doctor, how cool is that.
Does anyone think the Presidential election is going to mean anything for the Pharmaceutical industry? Talk about every extreme, White Black, Young Old, Highly experienced lightly experienced. But the question always is does it matter. Does the President of the United States really have power. Or are we going to be stuck with each lunatic fringe of our parties screaming about individual things that really doesn’t address high gas prices (speculators or India/China or a vast conspiracy), the crazy war in Iraq (Fanatical Islam or again a vast conspiracy), health care prices (my firm pays $800 a month for two employees one with children and one without and the insurance really isn’t’ that great) and the mortgage crisis (the MBA in me says kick them out of their houses because they should have never been in them in the first place but the Catholic in me thinks you can’t kick 2 million people out of their homes…again a gigantic conspiracy to make some people wealth or just American greed that got out hand?).
Back to Pharmaceuticals, does anyone think that if Barack Obama is elected President that the Pharma industry is going to change? I mean right now we are in a bear market, okay the Dow is down 19.9% not 20% but please, and as usual I have clinical research jobs galore. Maybe if the economy stays this way the jobs will be less but it has been my experience that in an up market it is fat city and in a down market Pharmaceutical’s is a defensive play. There will always be a need for our industry. I think the one thing that could radically change clinical research is individual tailoring of drugs. So I go see my GP for my hypertension (damn I’ve got to loss those 20 extra pounds I’ve gained sitting my ass on USAir flights and eating Biscoff cookies like I am right now) and she draws a bit of blood and then make up a drug cocktail for me right there. Sounds like Star Trek but people a lot smarter then me are working on that. Then the question is how do we “test” a drug. Wow it will be a hell of a ride.
Last thought before the captain makes we turn off the lap top. I married a friend of mine last weekend. I really enjoyed it. It wasn’t either of their first marriages so instead of having someone they don’t know they asked me. I said yes, got ordained (not as hard as I had thought…maybe I’ll rant about that some more later) and did the service. I was nervous and thought I could have done better but for my first one not too bad. They really seem to be in love so all my thoughts and prayers to them!
Well one really final thought and this has nothing to do with pharmaceuticals. I have XM and love it and have been listening to Rabbi Shmuley’s radio show. I am hooked. I think he has great wisdom and I really like how he ends each call with God Bless You. It makes me feel good so to everyone who is reading this I hope this makes you feel good too…God Bless You.