Two significant things this past week: was appointed associate professor of the Uni of Gothenburg (with focus on emergent technology and AI) and, more importantly we just got the latest member to the PETRA-research group, Otis!
I have been alone in my family for many years. Alone in the struggle against buying a dog, but lately I have been severely outmaneuvered with a tally of five against one. With a combination of threats (If we wont get a dog you'll get no more hugs!), carrots (IF we get a dog we'll go with you freely on your boring walks in the forest) and precision sharp persuasion (look at all the advantages to family wellbeing that a dog contributes with, according to research).
How exactly this will work out I am not sure, ppl tend to laugh when I tell them we're getting a dog. "With 4 kids and work, how will you have time?". When I tell them what kind it is they tend to laugh harder. "It's a BIG dog!". I have more or less changed my mind since we made the decision and told the kids, wanting to take it back but being unable to. Cause it's not intelligent to do it, it is certainly not good strategy.
But the kids really wanted it. They fought hard and won, so we went to Stockholm this weekend to pick him up. And I am the happiest looser.
Will be a lot of fun also to introduce Otis to the whole PETRA-team. Our group has grown from 0 members 4 years ago to currently 12. Working with this incredible team, and with our external collaborators, has been the greatest joy of my professional life. The one thing we have missed so far is a mascot. Now we are complete.