Oh, iPad, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways…

Last Friday afternoon, as I explained to a colleague my vivacious love for my iPad, I was struck by how much of my affection had to do with my minimal paper consumption of late.

This industry consumes an incredible amount of paper, a single study could range from using 100 sheets of paper to an entire ream- and that’s just on the day of research, the amount of paper wasted on a single project is incalculable… Or at least it used to be.

Don’t get me wrong, I am one of those people who love to hand write notes to people and still love sending snail mail to folks, but I do detest contributing paper waste, more so when the contents of my paper waste are filled with trivial, pedestrian ideas.

Nowadays, I prefer sending myself quick email reminders through my phone, or take notes with my iPad, or compose and refine my work through my laptop- saving paper for stuff that really matters.

I know that a lot of people say that these new technologies are the downfall of the publishing companies, I simply see it as the hopeful beginning of the demise of mediocrity.

I have all my current magazine subscriptions through my iPad without being encumbered by the decision of throwing the edition out or saving it for some unforeseeable reason in the future. Now, all I have to do is back the editions up on my hard drive and I could revisit them in the future.  I have my favorite books stored here as well, all books of which I have beautiful copies of at home, but are either a. Too heavy/bulky to carry around b. Not sure when I’m in the mood to read again and therefore always leave at home.

Now, if I ever feel like I need to read Jane Austen or Jared Diamond, I could simply pull up my favorite books on this little device and just as easily switch back to the article I was reading on National Geographic magazine.

I would still pay a visit to my favorite old bookstore in Evanston, IL, whenever I’m in town- still salivate over signed first editions, and will probably continue to buy books for the rest of my life- but this time, I only buy the stuff that I want to keep forever- that is the books I want to eventually pass on to my children and, etc…

And in the end, no more reams of paper wasted on my grocery list, or printing out that one page document that I need to read over without having to pull out my gigantic laptop, or what have you.

I love books, and I know there are many people who refuse to give up their alliance with their paper companions because of nostalgic reasons, but as much as I love the texture and the scent of old books, which was a dilemma I faced as well upon contemplating purchase of the IPad, I absorb the book and it’s content in a more convenient, and efficient medium this way- and hey, who am I not to jump on the gravy train?

Balance

It’s been month and a half since my last blog update.  It seems to be a pattern with all blogs I start- I begin with grand ambitions of updating every other day- maybe at least once a week, but after a blog entry or two (which is the case here, yet again)- I struggle with the content, or time or both.  It also doesn’t help that it is the end of the year hustle for this industry.  At this time of the year, most projects roll to a close with glaring intensity, not to mention we have to start lining up business for the beginning of the New Year.   Needless to say, I’ve been busy.

It is a question of balance in the end.  I have yet to master this aspect in my business/personal/social life; especially since my business/personal/social life are dependent on each other.   The dividing line of when you leave the work environment when your office is in the living room is tough.   Here’s hoping I find it somehow.

Note-taking 101

All elements necessary to get through a 10 to 12-hour research, taking notes in the backroom, are present in the following sketches.  Passing out is likely to occur at the end of the day.  Enjoy!

A Little Introduction

I mused about starting this blog for a while, if, for no other reason but to confess my abject ineptitude with an industry I joined about 8 months ago.  Ineptitude may be a little too strong a word— I worked in the research industry for several years, with a background in BioChem Engineering and Journalism.  But as I discovered, quite quickly, the Pharmaceutical Market Research (PMR) industry was something utterly different.

I helped start a Market Research firm with my fiancé, who worked in this industry for quite awhile.  This being our own company, we log about 80-100 hours a week.  Both of us being equally passionate about work, we don’t mind the long hours, but I admit it took me a while to adjust to the routine.

The travel, a gruelingly wonderful component of the job, feed my appetite for great food and help bolster frequent flier miles.  Within these past 8 months,  I became a Star Alliance Gold Preferred Member- a feat that require about 50,000 miles to accomplish, spending approximately 24-48 hours in each city before heading to the next.

I absorb an enormous amount of information everyday.  I recognize that I have a steep learning curve— but am fully willing to put in the time, acknowledging that it takes years to fully grasp all the nuances involved in this work and several more to truly learn a single therapy area.

So, what can you expect from this neophyte’s blog?  Oh, I don’t know— posts on exciting new cities, great restaurants, the unfolding of my perspective of the pharmaceutical market research industry, which I am sure you’ll find to be a uniquely stimulating, and my own (hopeful) successful evolution into an expert PM researcher.

Enjoy!

-KE