Research Thwarted

It's spring, clearly. And as it is spring, it's warm enough to turn on the building's air conditioning. I've also finally gotten my tissue sections to be clean and pretty (aka: usable). So I'm all set to start doing reconstructions. Too bad there's an unbalanced fan on the roof that is shaking the building at an unperceivable level and shaking the microscope such that I can't do the reconstruction.
Back to reading articles until we get the fan fixed or a fancy vibration-isolation table.

contradiction(s)

It appears that lot of ideas/ideals/values that I hold come into conflict more often than I wish they would. Example: I both value free speech and abhor exploitation of people. So when it comes to, say, pornography, what do I do? Less seriously: I believe that there is great value in a broad base of education, possibly to the point of the classical liberal arts education. But when I had to take those classes, it was rather annoying. Important, but annoying.
Gosh, it's hard for those of us who aren't ideologues.


Peace.

shocker

I am continually astounded by just how tasteless certain subsets of the population are. And yet, somehow, not surprised.

weekend

A few thoughts as the weekend (Holy Weekend) begins:
1) Grad Pub is kind of silly. Sitting outside with friends is lovely. Especially when you end up sitting on the curb with cheap beer and free tortilla-wrapped food-things.
2) I am making some kind of dessert thing for Easter with Roommate's family. As of now I'm not quite sure what exactly it will be. Suggestions welcome
3) Sara Watkins = Spectacular
4) I would like my thunderstorm now. I've been watching forecasts on AccuWeather and NOAA all day and the radar too. It'll probably be just rain though. . . like it's been all spring.
5) We got an air filter to take care of the downstairs neighbor's smoke that sometimes infiltrates our apartment. I might love that air filter more than is reasonable.
6) Holy Week services are always really lovely.

Papers, Paperwork, Passport

So I have to get a passport. Having only been to Canada when there was no need for a passport, I have to apply for one. This means special photos and Dad mailing my birth certificate (Dear USPS, don't fail me now).
Apparently, I read a lot more papers than most of my colleagues. Not all, but most. Example: today I did a brief literature search. It took me about 10, maybe 15 minutes. There is now a new 2-3 inch stack of articles on my desk. In addition to all the journal articles, I've read all of the relevant parts of The Reptile Ear, which has these fantastic anatomical drawings form the '50s and '60s. They are really quite beautiful. Also, I'm working through herpetology, evolution, and neuroanatomy textbooks. And then there's reading for class and not-class.
Now I know why I took a speed reading seminar.
In case you didn't know, I really hate paperwork. REALLY hate it. There's a fair bit of it to apply to this course in Denmark. Sheesh.
But all is well, because I just watched THE OFFICE.


Peace.

Post-Spring Break Awesomeness

I've gotten pretty darn good at whatever syndicated crossword the UMD paper publishes. Aren't you proud? Now, I know exactly what/when I'm doing this summer. Hooray. Cape Cod in late June/early July and Denmark in August, here the rest of the time. Research stuff is going well. I'm reading about 100-150 papers/week between class and research. Tomorrow I have to give a brief (8 minute) presentation, so I am clearly avoiding putting finishing touches on the power point. The yoga class I'm taing started tonight. That was fun. It's the kind that you do in a hot room, so that's new.
That's about all I've got.


Peace.

Books I've Read Lately

I've found that I really like narrow histories. This for example:Yep, it really is about salt. It's quite interesting. Kurlansky places salt into the foreground of history. Very foreground if possible. I've read other books like this before, and I have trouble believing that the subject is as integral as the author claims. Still, engrossing. Also, there are recipes. For ancient methods of salting fish. Neat

I read this for class (research ethics):
The idea is a nice one: dramatize research and difficult ethical questions. The execution sucks. The writing is just painful. I've heard that Djerassi's plays are pretty good. It seems like this would be a better play. But still, pretty awful. The ethical issues aren't really that well developed. And Djerassi gives some silly, random shout-outs to The Pill (which he developed). The characters are pretty pitiful as well. Stick to the science, sir.

I should be reading journal articles, not writing this. But, alas, a certain university's online library access is unneccesarily complex. Can't get to half the articles I need. Most of them are in fairly high-impact journals too. Oh well


Peace.

Dear NPR

Dear NPR,
I thought you were the love of my life (no offense to everyone who thinks they may be the love of my life). I thought that I was cool. I thought you were cool. Like the good white chick that I am, I have a radio crush on someone named Ira (Flatow, not Glass) who works for NPR. I listen to Morning Edition or All Things considered during my commute. I know the local station schedule all too well.
But today, NPR, you failed me. These years that I have relied on you for sweet concert streams and quality music reviews, and now THIS!?
Really?
I just wasted 3 minutes of my life listening to the sound of a radiator slowed down. All because I trusted you to provide me with the right combination of quality and obscurity to find the perfect music.
This, though, is just trash. Hipster trash. I like my irony as much as the next person. But I prefer it without the suck.
Let's try harder next time. And don't let the intern do a 45-minute segment.


Sorry to publicly humiliate you like this,

Katie

thoughts, random

It is really terrifying going to the grocery store on super bowl Sunday. Especially when you realize, only once you get in the store, that it's super bowl Sunday. Even though you were going to get food for a super bowl party. 25 minutes in line, mostly because people do not understand that self-checkout is only a good idea if you have (a) few items and (b) the ability to use the kiosk. You should file this away.

I have been given a task. It is to find the most ridiculous Obama paraphernalia in the District and photograph it. So here is the long-awaited ITEM 1:

Yeah. Awesome. I came so close to buying them, but they did not look very tasty. Actually, they looked rather gross.

1st week of class was good. Due to snow/ice, I missed my Tuesday afternoon class and the Wednesday meeting of my MW class. Class updated coming after they have all been attended.

Also, it is really irritating that I can't see more than my homepage on the facebook. How will I know anything about my friends' lives now?

Peace.