paperwork, part 3: paranoia pays off

Just another quick note about stupid paperwork: You might remember me grousing (in what I hope came across as at least a slightly amused tone) about the ton of paper I turned in as my revised IRB application. The last page -- page 17 -- of the application includes a line for the applicant's signature.

For the past few weeks, I've been haunted by dreams that, in my desperation to correctly collate 14 copies of a 90-page document, I forgot to sign the damn thing.

Now, the last thing I want to do is give the IRB even the faintest reason to grumble. I had heard from one of my wanna-be-informants (meaning I want him to be an informant; I don't know what he wants) that the woman who had been handling my application back in January of last year (and from whom I haven't heard since) was back in the office. This morning, I sent her an email explaining my concern.

She emailed back, saying that yes, I had indeed neglected to sign the form, but that I was welcome to turn in fourteen more copies of that particular page bearing my signature. These signed pages would be distributed among the committee members when they meet at the end of the month.

So, off I toddled again to my local business centre, where I printed the form, made 13 photocopies of it, and signed them all. I stuck these in an envelope, and delivered them to the government office to which they belong.

This all goes to show that a little health paranoia can come in awfully handy sometimes. I know, I know... Just because I relish my paranoia, it doesn't meant they're not out to get me.