I found a part time receptionist job that I really want to apply for, its only 12 hours a week and since it is mostly mornings I could still work in winemark too! I know its not a graduate job but at least it would be more money until I figure out what I want to do. I can’t apply for much until I know if I will be moving away or not, and I kind of want to take a year out from doing anything big and stressful. 18 consecutive years in education is a long time without a break!

New York Times

As part of our Innovation Issue, we asked some of the biggest brains we know to tell us what the future holds.

Tim Wu, Author of “The Master Switch: The Rise and Fall of Information Empires”

What are your two best million-dollar ideas?

The first is permanent sunblock. No one likes putting the stuff on, so there should be a one-time treatment that embeds the skin with a permanent level of S.P.F. 30, akin to having Lasik eye surgery once and then forgetting about it. Sunburn vanquished like smallpox. The other is the “brain map” — a technology that maps out every neural connection in your mind and then, effectively, stores your brain on your hard drive. That information — more than your DNA even — is you.

Peter Schwartz, Futurist and film consultant

What technology that you wanted to put into a film were you not able to because it seemed too far-fetched?

In “Minority Report,” Tom Cruise gets into a car that drives itself. We considered giving him neural control of that car, but we deliberately held back on how far biology could go. It would have overwhelmed the story. And here we are today with real neurological control of machines. It’s transformative technology. In 50 years, you’ll be able to drive cars with your mind.

Jonathan Zittrain, Harvard professor of law and computer science

What innovation scares you the most these days?

The Internet is not merely connecting computers together for the benefit of humans; it’s connecting humans together to reinvent labor. This opens terrific opportunities along with real worries. Soon we’ll have to question whether an earnest-looking group of protesters with hand-lettered signs is genuine or simply rapidly convened as a paid flash mob: a crowdsourced crowd. We’ll be able to one-click shop for cheering throngs or protests at a particular location on a moment’s notice, indistinguishable from genuine collective sentiment. A house can be surveilled and a spouse tailed because an online bounty has been put out for anyone nearby to take a photo of the building at a particular address, or to “follow that car.”

David Pogue, New York Times tech columnist

What tech problem needs to be addressed most urgently?

That we’re heading for a bandwidth crunch. We’re saddling the Internet with amazing new features — movies on demand, streaming TV, Siri voice recognition, whole-house backup — but they’re starting to overwhelm the existing Internet’s capacity, especially on cellular networks. The Internet and phone companies respond by imposing monthly limits, and the F.C.C. is trying to make more wireless frequencies available. But unless something gives, “high-speed Internet” will soon become an oxymoron. You’ll just have to get used to pauses in your streaming video.

Jacqueline Barton, 2010 National Medal of Science winner

What innovation are you clamoring for?

What I’d really love to see is full genomic sequencing at moderate costs that individuals can do at home. When taking a given drug or even deciding what to eat or how much to exercise, wouldn’t it be good to know what you really need to be concerned about and what you don’t? If you had high cholesterol, you could know if you should really be taking a statin, which, based on your particular genomics, could have limited benefit and some associated risk.

Margaret Atwood, Novelist

Is there any invention you find particularly sinister?

A smaller, even stealthier drone — something called the Cyberbug Drone, currently under development. In this model, a microsystem is embedded in an insect larva, and when the adult emerges — whether bee, butterfly or ant — a “bug” really will be a bug, and the proverbial fly on the wall will be actual. Tiny winged avengers can hunt down invasive beetles, cabbage whites can snoop on destructive raccoons and six-legged nanospies can insert themselves into the air-conditioning systems of even the most impenetrable buildings. As for bedbugs, they’ll wedge themselves under mattresses to snoop on errant spouses. The hive mind really will be the hive mind! Coming soon to a crevice near you
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I was browsing through university websites for possible options for a master’s degree in the next two years or so. Initially, I have considered those graduate programs which were related to my bachelor’s degree - political science, international relations, public administration and development policy. But it’s different now, given my situation in job hunting.

I’ve applied for two positions in a government agency: writer and trade analyst. I initially applied as a trade analyst but the HR staff also considered me for the writer position, given my extra-curricular experiences in journalism. Both of my final interviews for the two fared well - in fact, I’m already pitched for a psychological assessment next week. Well, there’s no confirmation yet or any job offer, but you know, I have good feels about it.

Both the heads of the divisions of those two positions I’m applying for seemed impressed by me. Hell, they LOVE me, hahahaha. But I have this gut feeling that I will be considered more for the writer position. No, I don’t have any problems with it. I love writing. It has been my life, along with photography and reading. Actually,  a degree program related to writing was my initial choice for college.

But I’ll be pretty much fucked up when I get that writer stint: diplomacy/foreign affairs/international relations graduate who ends up as a measly writer in a government organization. Of course I understand that destiny and fate and shit intervene in our decisions or something, but I’m just confused about what I’m getting myself into.

Hence, it leads me to my choice of a master’s degree here in the Philippines (I’m also planning to pursue graduate studies abroad, though in the far future): take up something which is related to my undergraduate degree, or take up something that is related to my possible career path, i.e. creative writing or journalism? I have plans of getting a career which is related to diplomacy/foreign affairs/international relations, particularly getting into the Asian Development Bank or any United Nations agency. But this first step to my professional life, this writer job at a government agency (IF I get accepted), seems to dictate my whole life. I know it seems wrong of me to think like this, but you know. Intuition.

But in spite of all the confusion I’m getting through, I have good feels about being a measly writer in a government agency. It seems… right. 

Twisted, I know. But whatever will turn out of me, I’m pretty sure the Almighty Father knows that he’s doing the best for me. Here’s to my mega-confusing future! Cheers, everyone!