bintlog v2.0
Monday, October 24, 2005
 
It's a tough job, but...
I'm on a mission: To acquire 15 Hershey candy bar wrappers by the end of the month, so I can send in for a free t-shirt. I hadn't realized just how much work it is, eating 15 candy bars (to those who suggest I could just buy them, unwrap them, and store them for later, I just roll my eyes). I think I have around 10 now, with a couple more uneaten in the drawer. On the plus side, I've tried some new varieties, though I can't say I understand why the S'Mores bar has to have "graham cracker bits" embedded in what looks like old peanut butter, instead of, you know, actual graham cracker. On the minus side, I found mealy worms in a Symphony bar and was mildly grossed out. I shipped it off to the mother ship this morning with a polite note. Funny, Hershey's does not publish an address for customer service. It's by phone or you're SOL. I sent it to corporate HQ and I'm sure my worm-ridden bar will find its proper home.

Have been too busy or stressy lately to update. I'm applying, maybe, for an NSF fellowship, which is scary and I keep putting it off. We are giving an exam in History of Life next week for which I am completely unprepared, and I'd better turn it around before the review session. Jazz came home from the kennel with an injury, and he fell and reinjured it, so we've been carrying him up and down stairs and dosing him with antibiotics; Libby had what might have been a flare-up of the pancreatitis, and I had to endure her resentful, hungry glares all weekend. I *hate* when the dogs are sick :(

Ended up playing Sims most of the weekend because I was too aggravated to think about anything work-related. So now I'm panicking as deadlines loom. I kind of wish I had those two days back...

Oh, and we went to Curacao for a week. I have pictures but haven't put them together yet. My sunburn is almost done peeling.
Thursday, October 20, 2005
 
Seen on the street today
A young black man with large silver hoop earrings in each ear. Impaled on each hoop was a white athletic sock. On one sock, in black marker: SOX. On the other: WON.

Did I mention that the White Sox are in the World Series? Did I mention that I'm ambivalent about it? I'd rather see them win than the Astros, but if I hear one Sox fan gloating that as long as the Cubs didn't make it, they're happy, my benevolent feelings will be dashed away.
Monday, October 03, 2005
 
New leaf
I am *so* glad last week is over. I had a really really terrible week, although I suppose most of it was fine; it just ended badly. I won't go into details in case those involved will see this, but will just say that I was cramming my foot in my mouth every time I opened it, utterly incapable of anything resembling tact or subtlety. Also, it was my turn to lead journal club, and I felt I made a monumental cock-up of that as well. Being in grad school sometimes makes me feel so hopelessly stupid and the thought of quitting wandered through my mind a few times this weekend. So, I took the weekend off from anything resembling thought, and resolved to do better. At least the journal club monkey is off my back for the rest of the semester. Now I just have to buckle down and attempt to learn something. I'm not bad at learning things on my own, but it really seems that I keep trying to learn the *wrong* things. My previous lack of biology experience or a biology degree is really hurting me, regardless of the attempts by my colleagues to reassure me that it's not. Even the first-years are far beyond me in experience and knowledge. I thought being in my second year, and having a project, would make me feel like I belong in this program, but I'm not there yet. And I can't talk to anyone about it because I'm so frustrated and upset that I'm not rational enough to discuss it without crying like big stupid moron. ANYWAY.

Weekend: Saw Serenity on opening night - liked it, loved it, but WHY did they have to kill off [name withheld to prevent spoilers]? Too much love story stuff, lots of violence, cool effects, snappy dialog. Main storyline from the show was wrapped up very neatly, so... if they make another movie, I guess they're free to go in whatever direction they want now.

Also: Went to Edward's for our annual high-calorie field trip. The place was hopping, even at 10 a.m. They double-fenced the petting zoo, and required that feed be slid into PVC chutes into a food dish the goats could reach. Did someone get bitten last year? Anyway, very disappointing. The goats are my favorite part. Well. Second favorite.

Astros won the wild card because the Cubs couldn't manage to beat them for the Phillies. Cubs finished two games under 500, but they didn't deserve to win anything this year with the way they were playing much of the season. The White Sox are in the playoffs, and I quietly wish them well but I am not really rooting for them because I know that if they win, the fans' attitudes will not be "Yay! We won!" but rather "HA! Take that, Northside scum!" or sentiments along those lines. Their victory will be symbolically over the Cubs regardless of who they actually beat. But no matter; I don't see them advancing beyond the series with the Red Sox. I could be wrong. And I don't see anyone beating the Cardinals, although I thought that last year, too.

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