Jennifer Polk
@fromphdtolife.com
I live in Toronto and, since 2013, have helped professors, postdocs, & other PhDs who are ready to leave academia get meaningful, fulfilling jobs elsewhere. Ask me about my PhD Career Clarity Program!
Find me elsewhere online at https://fromphdtolife.com.
Find me elsewhere online at https://fromphdtolife.com.
This is the person, and the party, I'm supposed to vote for again and again to avoid a worse outcome? When the Liberals lose the next federal election, it will be 100% their own fault, and not that of the folks who decline to support such a craven, bigoted party.
October 6, 2025 at 4:01 PM
This is the person, and the party, I'm supposed to vote for again and again to avoid a worse outcome? When the Liberals lose the next federal election, it will be 100% their own fault, and not that of the folks who decline to support such a craven, bigoted party.
Finished (re)hanging my art today! Wall colour is Golden Fleece by Sherwin-Williams.
October 5, 2025 at 12:11 AM
Finished (re)hanging my art today! Wall colour is Golden Fleece by Sherwin-Williams.
Gallery wall project is underway! This time I decided to raise the whole thing a few inches - not ideal visually but better for not hitting them inadvertently. Also decided to space them out more than before. Think it'll turn out okay. Hope so!
September 29, 2025 at 9:06 PM
Gallery wall project is underway! This time I decided to raise the whole thing a few inches - not ideal visually but better for not hitting them inadvertently. Also decided to space them out more than before. Think it'll turn out okay. Hope so!
I love my chindi! It isn't a kitchen rug per se but works for me.
September 23, 2025 at 12:52 AM
I love my chindi! It isn't a kitchen rug per se but works for me.
And the evening view. Featuring Star Trek on TV 🖖🏻
September 23, 2025 at 12:27 AM
And the evening view. Featuring Star Trek on TV 🖖🏻
I finished painting the living area walls! Art has to go back up, but that will be a project for another week. Don't mind the unfinished blue door - that's next. My apartment is a lot more colourful than it was at the start of this year.
September 22, 2025 at 7:44 PM
I finished painting the living area walls! Art has to go back up, but that will be a project for another week. Don't mind the unfinished blue door - that's next. My apartment is a lot more colourful than it was at the start of this year.
So when I primed two weeks ago, the old plaster failed ("blistered") and I had to cut it out in a couple spots and repair it. Plus do a lot of touchups otherwise to smooth out the edges of the "paint islands." My first time using joint compound, and I did my best! Finally primed again today.
September 21, 2025 at 1:18 AM
So when I primed two weeks ago, the old plaster failed ("blistered") and I had to cut it out in a couple spots and repair it. Plus do a lot of touchups otherwise to smooth out the edges of the "paint islands." My first time using joint compound, and I did my best! Finally primed again today.
Updated my program to better organize all the workshop recordings - 21 of them now! These new "courses" - each containing 3+ workshop recordings - should help folks find what they need without wading through a list that confuses even me.
September 16, 2025 at 8:21 PM
Updated my program to better organize all the workshop recordings - 21 of them now! These new "courses" - each containing 3+ workshop recordings - should help folks find what they need without wading through a list that confuses even me.
Did a photoshoot (!!) today, will explain later, but here's the look, selfie version.
September 9, 2025 at 10:04 PM
Did a photoshoot (!!) today, will explain later, but here's the look, selfie version.
Got most of the paint off (wasn't trying to strip it completely, just remove the stuff that wasn't adhering well). And I've now done a coat of primer. A couple problem areas emerged, which I gather isn't unusual in these situations. I'll fix those and do a second coat of primer tmrw hopefully. Bah.
September 7, 2025 at 11:51 PM
Got most of the paint off (wasn't trying to strip it completely, just remove the stuff that wasn't adhering well). And I've now done a coat of primer. A couple problem areas emerged, which I gather isn't unusual in these situations. I'll fix those and do a second coat of primer tmrw hopefully. Bah.
I had hoped to paint this weekend but instead I'm dealing with a major old paint adhesion issue. Most of this wall is going to end up being bare plaster before I can do anything else. RIP gallery wall (you will be resurrected eventually). Concrete wall under the plaster so I used adhesive hooks.
September 6, 2025 at 6:13 PM
I had hoped to paint this weekend but instead I'm dealing with a major old paint adhesion issue. Most of this wall is going to end up being bare plaster before I can do anything else. RIP gallery wall (you will be resurrected eventually). Concrete wall under the plaster so I used adhesive hooks.
Saw this yesterday (digitally erased the license plate)
September 6, 2025 at 5:02 PM
Saw this yesterday (digitally erased the license plate)
Ugh. I just wanted to fix one area but then it keeps going and... accepting advice. At very least I will prime over the bare surface before doing anything else!
September 5, 2025 at 11:03 PM
Ugh. I just wanted to fix one area but then it keeps going and... accepting advice. At very least I will prime over the bare surface before doing anything else!
I decided that the lighter one (Dakota Wheat) is just not my vibe, but added an even darker one to the mix. Now I have these two for you, Golden Fleece (that's the darker one from last night) and Vintage Gold. First photo shows the bold colours I have nearby already; second is wall to be changed.
September 2, 2025 at 8:14 PM
I decided that the lighter one (Dakota Wheat) is just not my vibe, but added an even darker one to the mix. Now I have these two for you, Golden Fleece (that's the darker one from last night) and Vintage Gold. First photo shows the bold colours I have nearby already; second is wall to be changed.
Yes! Same darker colour on this wall in daytime (don't mind blue doors in progress hahah)
September 2, 2025 at 2:25 AM
Yes! Same darker colour on this wall in daytime (don't mind blue doors in progress hahah)
Thank you! Here's the daytime version of the darker colour 😁
September 2, 2025 at 1:59 AM
Thank you! Here's the daytime version of the darker colour 😁
Do you like the darker or lighter tan/gold wall paint option? (I know I'm not showing you enough to judge whether these colours work beyond this specific area; I'm just curious about what you think between these two.)
September 2, 2025 at 1:22 AM
Do you like the darker or lighter tan/gold wall paint option? (I know I'm not showing you enough to judge whether these colours work beyond this specific area; I'm just curious about what you think between these two.)
My Sunday project was painting over the awful yellow paint with much more pleasant light mauve! On the wall above the small backsplash. (You can see the original glossy light yellow on the wall above the cabinets & ceiling - the whole room was the same colour, including doors, trim, baseboards.
September 1, 2025 at 1:33 PM
My Sunday project was painting over the awful yellow paint with much more pleasant light mauve! On the wall above the small backsplash. (You can see the original glossy light yellow on the wall above the cabinets & ceiling - the whole room was the same colour, including doors, trim, baseboards.
Hmm! Painted the right wall a new colour ($10 sample size) and I now think it needs to be darker! It is better than the original, though.
August 30, 2025 at 8:42 PM
Hmm! Painted the right wall a new colour ($10 sample size) and I now think it needs to be darker! It is better than the original, though.
This is the workshop I facilitated today for folks in my program! Also invited program alum; it was nice to have a few of them there too. Folks left the session feeling better about incorporating networking (broadly defined, meaningful interactions) into their job search and careers more generally.
August 28, 2025 at 7:13 PM
This is the workshop I facilitated today for folks in my program! Also invited program alum; it was nice to have a few of them there too. Folks left the session feeling better about incorporating networking (broadly defined, meaningful interactions) into their job search and careers more generally.
VIA Rail doesn't care that their CO2 levels continue to vastly exceed indoor air quality recommendations for non-industrial settings.
August 25, 2025 at 7:36 PM
VIA Rail doesn't care that their CO2 levels continue to vastly exceed indoor air quality recommendations for non-industrial settings.
View isn't terrible, at least
August 14, 2025 at 11:35 PM
View isn't terrible, at least
I want to like the train but it's not a safe environment, air-wise. It makes me so angry. This is unacceptable! I'm on a *brand new train car*. And an older person near me is completely going up a lung, unmasked (obviously). I'm disgusted and disappointed. *screams*
August 14, 2025 at 6:54 PM
I want to like the train but it's not a safe environment, air-wise. It makes me so angry. This is unacceptable! I'm on a *brand new train car*. And an older person near me is completely going up a lung, unmasked (obviously). I'm disgusted and disappointed. *screams*
Cute eh? Well, I think so 😁
August 12, 2025 at 7:12 PM
Cute eh? Well, I think so 😁