September 18, 2010

post-quals celebration ideas

1) An actual party (which will, in fact, occur. or so I am told)
2) Re-pierce nose
3) Dye hair pink
4) Re-watch the entirety of the West Wing
5) Re-read The Brothers Karamazov
6) Finish the complete works of Flannery O'Connor

Votes?

September 13, 2010

new semester

Gosh, not actually taking classes is awesome. I'm just sitting in on one as a refresher. So, 2x/week + 0 tests = good life choice. Except that one of the major reasons I'm doing this is because I take my qualifying exam this semester. In about a week and a half. 2 days + 4 exams + 4 hours for each = *whimper* That's more equations than usual for around here. And a few weeks after that is the oral follow-up (which does not involve a dentist, more scary profs). Also, coping with quals stress via the Avett Brothers was a good choice. It seems to be very effective
I start teaching lab again tomorrow. At last check, 17 of 20 available slots are filled. It seems that a lot of people dropped because the giant waiting list (for a senior-level lab, at least) is empty and more than my section has extra space. None of the exercises have changed from last year, so this should be pretty easy.
Tomorrow's lecture will consist of:
1) Quick run-down of anatomical structures that they have to look for on slides
2) Biophysics review
3) Please don't be afraid of the electronics
3b) Troubleshooting the electronics
4) Please don't break the electronics
4b) How to not break the electronics
It's going to be a good day. And I do not mean that sarcastically.


Peace.