I posted over on wordpress.
Because I don't have time when I am at school.
Ultimate Movie Series
1 day ago
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
You are gonna hate me...
Ok. I am NOT abandoning this blog.
I cannot access Blogger from my house. I can only update this blog from school. And I really need what limited time I have at school. So it doesn't get updated.
Also... my laptop now lives at home. So pictures aren't getting posted here, since it would take remembering to save the pics to a thumbdrive. Which is a lot of work.
However...
I recently learned that Wordpress isn't blocked at my house.
Wordpress and I never really got along all that well. But we are trying to make it work again.
So... I am posting over there for now. Whenever I am at school I will post here as well. But if you really care, you might swing by there if you want to see what I am up to.
Yeah.
So... yet another blog switch. Sorta.
Bag of Snakes
I know you all hate me.
=P
<3
I cannot access Blogger from my house. I can only update this blog from school. And I really need what limited time I have at school. So it doesn't get updated.
Also... my laptop now lives at home. So pictures aren't getting posted here, since it would take remembering to save the pics to a thumbdrive. Which is a lot of work.
However...
I recently learned that Wordpress isn't blocked at my house.
Wordpress and I never really got along all that well. But we are trying to make it work again.
So... I am posting over there for now. Whenever I am at school I will post here as well. But if you really care, you might swing by there if you want to see what I am up to.
Yeah.
So... yet another blog switch. Sorta.
Bag of Snakes
I know you all hate me.
=P
<3
Friday, November 7, 2008
First President-Elect Press Conference...
I hope that Obama gets a mutt.
In his press conference today they did report that they would be getting a dog, and it would have to be hypoallergenic, but that Obama wanted to get a shelter dog that was a "mutt like me".
=)
In his press conference today they did report that they would be getting a dog, and it would have to be hypoallergenic, but that Obama wanted to get a shelter dog that was a "mutt like me".
=)
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
More election day goodness... Liveblogging the CNN election, while entering data in the lab...
8:40
CNN just called Ohio. For Obama.
WoOtz.
=D
8:44
Florida is showing Obama ahead by 2%. Not called yet, but ZOMG!!!
9:12
Amazing post on homeless voters.
9:36
I just had an almost-heart-attack...
I switched CNN back on and heard "...and so we can safely say that the projected winner is John McCain..."
OMG. I felt weak in the knees.
It turns out that they were talking about Mississippi. =P
CNN just called Ohio. For Obama.
WoOtz.
=D
8:44
Florida is showing Obama ahead by 2%. Not called yet, but ZOMG!!!
9:12
Amazing post on homeless voters.
9:36
I just had an almost-heart-attack...
I switched CNN back on and heard "...and so we can safely say that the projected winner is John McCain..."
OMG. I felt weak in the knees.
It turns out that they were talking about Mississippi. =P
More election day posting...
I keep getting teared up when I think abou the fact that Barack Obama could be our President-Elect in less than 24 hours.
My entire adult life, since the first year of high school, we have had a Republican in power. We have stood by, screaming and waving signs and writing letters while our name has been destroyed. We stood by in horror while our government has killed a hundred thousand Iraqi civillians. Women's rights and gay rights have been erroded under the guise of morality.
Now we stand on the cusp of change. If the voice of America is allowed to triumph... we will have Barack Obama as President.
How could you not shed a few tears?
My entire adult life, since the first year of high school, we have had a Republican in power. We have stood by, screaming and waving signs and writing letters while our name has been destroyed. We stood by in horror while our government has killed a hundred thousand Iraqi civillians. Women's rights and gay rights have been erroded under the guise of morality.
Now we stand on the cusp of change. If the voice of America is allowed to triumph... we will have Barack Obama as President.
How could you not shed a few tears?
Election day update...
I cannot stop checking Google News.
I think it may be an addiction.
I voted last night. Now I just have to wait for everyone else to get their acts together. =)
I think it may be an addiction.
I voted last night. Now I just have to wait for everyone else to get their acts together. =)
Friday, October 31, 2008
Milk...
I realized today in class how disgusting I actually find dairy to be now.
An undergraduate in a class I am a TA for brought in doughnuts, orange juice, and a gallon of 1% milk.
I watched, basically horrified, as half the class eagerly sipped the bodily fluid of another being intended to support the other creatures young.
Yuck.
An undergraduate in a class I am a TA for brought in doughnuts, orange juice, and a gallon of 1% milk.
I watched, basically horrified, as half the class eagerly sipped the bodily fluid of another being intended to support the other creatures young.
Yuck.
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Tonight...
I am writing a portion of a book chapter on missing children.
I am reading about abductions, kidnappings, and other crazy depressing shit.
And I am sitting alone in a dark building. With only the random door down the ROTC wing to send echos through the halls.
Good thing I am so tough. And never get scared.
**Shifty Eyes**
I am reading about abductions, kidnappings, and other crazy depressing shit.
And I am sitting alone in a dark building. With only the random door down the ROTC wing to send echos through the halls.
Good thing I am so tough. And never get scared.
**Shifty Eyes**
You know what is awesome?
When things you forgot you ordered arrive in the mail.
Like coats.
Warm amazing vegan leather coats.
I already have my Obama button carefully pinned to the lapel!!!
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
One of those hard conversations...
My grandfather called this evening.
I love my grandfather very much. He is an amazing man. He has pulled himself up from nothing. He was born blocks from the local stockyards, the son of an alcoholic mechanic and a garmet seamstress. He is now a millionaire who owns a sliver of land on Clearwater Bay in Florida.
He is also the most racist man I have ever had any extended contact with.
This evening we finally started discussing what I was spending all this time working on.
"It is called the Other Race Effect. It refers to the way that people of one race are able to remember faces of their own race better compared to faces of another race."
The response I get is a longwinded talk about how the cells in the brains of asians are closer together than the cells in the brains of the caucasians, which are closer than the cells in the brains of blacks. And that, you see, is why asians are better at math. He read it once. But people stopped talking about it because it became taboo.
I was basically speechless. I tried to explain synaptic branching, but it is hard without bringing up rat research. And everyone knows animal research doesn't matter, since we are God's Children, not "glorified apes".
It is stunning to be working on research on prejudice (explicit or implicit, neuronal or cognitive) and realize that your own flesh and blood embodies exactly what you are fighting.
Not that this is really a fresh realization. But it still hurts.
I love you, Grandpa.
I love my grandfather very much. He is an amazing man. He has pulled himself up from nothing. He was born blocks from the local stockyards, the son of an alcoholic mechanic and a garmet seamstress. He is now a millionaire who owns a sliver of land on Clearwater Bay in Florida.
He is also the most racist man I have ever had any extended contact with.
This evening we finally started discussing what I was spending all this time working on.
"It is called the Other Race Effect. It refers to the way that people of one race are able to remember faces of their own race better compared to faces of another race."The response I get is a longwinded talk about how the cells in the brains of asians are closer together than the cells in the brains of the caucasians, which are closer than the cells in the brains of blacks. And that, you see, is why asians are better at math. He read it once. But people stopped talking about it because it became taboo.
I was basically speechless. I tried to explain synaptic branching, but it is hard without bringing up rat research. And everyone knows animal research doesn't matter, since we are God's Children, not "glorified apes".
It is stunning to be working on research on prejudice (explicit or implicit, neuronal or cognitive) and realize that your own flesh and blood embodies exactly what you are fighting.
Not that this is really a fresh realization. But it still hurts.
I love you, Grandpa.
WHY??????????????
This morning I am sitting in the lab at school. In the same chair I am sitting in now. And I am checking my email and my blog roll.
PZ Myers linked to a post over on about Chuck Norris' new book. In the book Norris complains that his nephew, a "strong young Christian man", received an F on a biology paper recently.
He received the F because instead of writing about biology he wrote a nice essay about a common creation myth.
Right as I am reading this one of my colleagues walks into the lab, and asks what I am laughing about. And I responded that I was reading about Chuck Norris.
"His nephew apparently got an F in biology because he refused to write a paper about evolution in a public biology classroom. You would think Chuck Norris could afford to send his kid to a Christian school."
The colleague who just walked into the room stops, turns to me, and says "Yeah, but he shouldn't have to."
WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH THIS COUNTRY???
I am enrolled in a PHD program. In EXPERIMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY. We should not be pandering to mythological fairytales in our public schools.
Our science classes should teach science. I would understand if a burger flipper or a taxi driver didn't get the concept of teaching science in the science classrooms. But this guy IS a teacher. He is teaching introductory psychology courses THIS SEMESTER!!
Arghsz.
PZ Myers linked to a post over on about Chuck Norris' new book. In the book Norris complains that his nephew, a "strong young Christian man", received an F on a biology paper recently.
He received the F because instead of writing about biology he wrote a nice essay about a common creation myth.
Right as I am reading this one of my colleagues walks into the lab, and asks what I am laughing about. And I responded that I was reading about Chuck Norris.
"His nephew apparently got an F in biology because he refused to write a paper about evolution in a public biology classroom. You would think Chuck Norris could afford to send his kid to a Christian school."
The colleague who just walked into the room stops, turns to me, and says "Yeah, but he shouldn't have to."
WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH THIS COUNTRY???
I am enrolled in a PHD program. In EXPERIMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY. We should not be pandering to mythological fairytales in our public schools.
Our science classes should teach science. I would understand if a burger flipper or a taxi driver didn't get the concept of teaching science in the science classrooms. But this guy IS a teacher. He is teaching introductory psychology courses THIS SEMESTER!!
Arghsz.
Monday, October 27, 2008
University of Central Arkansas shooting...
There was a shooting last night on the University of Central Arkansas campus.
This, geographically and academically, is close to where I am. A lot of students have friends that attend here, and many of the professors have strong academic links with this campus.
My thoughts and atheist prayers are with those in Conway, and those in surrounding academic institutions dealing with the effects of this event.
This, geographically and academically, is close to where I am. A lot of students have friends that attend here, and many of the professors have strong academic links with this campus.
My thoughts and atheist prayers are with those in Conway, and those in surrounding academic institutions dealing with the effects of this event.
I...
... just had a beautiful 26 hours.
From 1:30 Sunday morning until 3:30 Monday morning.
The sort of hours that leave you rejuvenated, feeling good about life.
Hours filled with amazing food, a long walk in the park, sleepy warm sunshine naps, and comfortable conversations.
In this crazy world we call graduate school we prioritize differently. Your days are filled with mundane grading, hours spent down in the research lab, and hours staring at a computer screen. And suddenly those few hours where you get to laugh and play become so much more valuable.
And you learn to cherish them so much more.
From 1:30 Sunday morning until 3:30 Monday morning.
The sort of hours that leave you rejuvenated, feeling good about life.
Hours filled with amazing food, a long walk in the park, sleepy warm sunshine naps, and comfortable conversations.
In this crazy world we call graduate school we prioritize differently. Your days are filled with mundane grading, hours spent down in the research lab, and hours staring at a computer screen. And suddenly those few hours where you get to laugh and play become so much more valuable.
And you learn to cherish them so much more.
Saturday, October 25, 2008
Palin versus Drosophila
New post over on Teh Juggernauts. Ranting about Sarah Palin.
I don't know who that "Amber" girl is, but she really echos my sentiments. Exactly.
=P
I don't know who that "Amber" girl is, but she really echos my sentiments. Exactly.
=P
Friday, October 24, 2008
And I am driving her to the airport tomorrow morning...
My light-load day, which should be spent on research, has been focused on the highly-hyped visit of a prestigious professor from another university to our department.
I am really interested in what she has to say, but I still wish that she could come on a day I could skip classes to meet with her for breakfast, sit in on an hour lunch discussion with her, and then sit through two hours of lectures this afternoon. Instead of skipping working on my research.
=/
(She is actually really smart, and I am lucky to have a chance to interact with her on a somewhat personal level. I am just bitching.)
I am really interested in what she has to say, but I still wish that she could come on a day I could skip classes to meet with her for breakfast, sit in on an hour lunch discussion with her, and then sit through two hours of lectures this afternoon. Instead of skipping working on my research.
=/
(She is actually really smart, and I am lucky to have a chance to interact with her on a somewhat personal level. I am just bitching.)
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
In practicum today...
... we were talking about love.
Specifically about long term relationships. And how they play out in academia. And their tendency to be stressful and pull people out of successful positions.
It turns out that at least three faculty members here have significant others who live far far away. One professor's wife lives in Oklahoma where she has a teaching position. One professor has a wife living in Maine.
The professor I was talking to has a serious girlfriend living in Pennsylvania.
Do you know how daunting it is to be basically apprenticing for a job that may make it impossible for you to form meaningful romantic relationships with any sort of stability for the next ten years?
=(
... not that I exactly have boys beating down my door to even take me out to dinner...
=P
Specifically about long term relationships. And how they play out in academia. And their tendency to be stressful and pull people out of successful positions.
It turns out that at least three faculty members here have significant others who live far far away. One professor's wife lives in Oklahoma where she has a teaching position. One professor has a wife living in Maine.
The professor I was talking to has a serious girlfriend living in Pennsylvania.
Do you know how daunting it is to be basically apprenticing for a job that may make it impossible for you to form meaningful romantic relationships with any sort of stability for the next ten years?
=(
... not that I exactly have boys beating down my door to even take me out to dinner...
=P
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
PhD Comics for the lose...
Just when you think the daily gritty nothingness cannot get any worse, you can always count on PhD Comics to bring you down a notch. (Click on the image to see the graph in all of it's crisp glory!!!)
Oh? You are spending the next five years staring at computer screens and jumping when the big boys say jump? You don't get enough sleep, and you do it all for a barely-living-wage?
You also are never going to be appreciated as much as the dumb jocks, and you ovaries will still drag you down.
Sunday, October 19, 2008
How long do you think it would take to throw something that elaborate up?
Pickles...
Good news and bad news...
Good news... I bought a mini-fridge for my office this weekend. I went in halvsies with another girl in the office, so it only cost me thirty-five bucks. I think it will help my pocket book and my stomach/body enough to quickly recoup the expense.
Bad news... As I was bringing a case of Diet Coke and a bag of groceries... (vegan sandwhich fixins, pickles, bread, chips)... up to my office, I realized that this basically means that I live in my office. I now go home to sleep and walk the dog. Besides that... I have no reason to leave.
Grad school is an interesting experience. =/
Good news... I bought a mini-fridge for my office this weekend. I went in halvsies with another girl in the office, so it only cost me thirty-five bucks. I think it will help my pocket book and my stomach/body enough to quickly recoup the expense.
Bad news... As I was bringing a case of Diet Coke and a bag of groceries... (vegan sandwhich fixins, pickles, bread, chips)... up to my office, I realized that this basically means that I live in my office. I now go home to sleep and walk the dog. Besides that... I have no reason to leave.
Grad school is an interesting experience. =/
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
I live in a box....
It is actually a series of boxes. I move from one to another.
I leave my sleeping and cooking box around seven or eight each morning. Sometimes it is still dark, and I don't even get to see the sky as I walk between boxes.
I arrive at my sitting box, leave my food and other supplies for the day, and go to my computer box.
Sometimes I have meetings in the other boxes. They are brief, only an hour or so. After the meeting I return to my other box.
Once in a while I get to go to the book box. You get to walk under the sky to get to it. But you have to be careful, because the book box steals your time. You go inside when you can still see the sky, and when you come out it is dark again.
That means it is time to walk back to the sleep box. And sit under a small light reading until the sleep catches up to you.
All day... sitting in boxes.
I leave my sleeping and cooking box around seven or eight each morning. Sometimes it is still dark, and I don't even get to see the sky as I walk between boxes.
I arrive at my sitting box, leave my food and other supplies for the day, and go to my computer box.
Sometimes I have meetings in the other boxes. They are brief, only an hour or so. After the meeting I return to my other box.
Once in a while I get to go to the book box. You get to walk under the sky to get to it. But you have to be careful, because the book box steals your time. You go inside when you can still see the sky, and when you come out it is dark again.
That means it is time to walk back to the sleep box. And sit under a small light reading until the sleep catches up to you.
All day... sitting in boxes.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Thursday, October 2, 2008
leeching internetz is teh suck.
Just FYI...
I am leeching internet from the high school across the street. And the high school hates Blogger.
So my blog is only being updated when I am at work. And I don't have time to update it when I am at work.
So it isn't being updated.
I am leeching internet from the high school across the street. And the high school hates Blogger.
So my blog is only being updated when I am at work. And I don't have time to update it when I am at work.
So it isn't being updated.
Monday, September 29, 2008
<, >, +, =...
My tummy hurts.
And the chaos of statistics is swimming around in my head.
But now I am done with statistics. And will go study theories of learning.
While eating a mango.
And the chaos of statistics is swimming around in my head.
But now I am done with statistics. And will go study theories of learning.
While eating a mango.
Thursday, September 25, 2008
My exciting Wednesday night...
New photos...
Every week I write a paper for this course... the course is at 8:00 am... and the day before is one of my busiest days.
I always end up writing the paper at about 8:30 the night before... On my breaks I always end up amusing myself with my camera...
At least I have my wall near the kitchen table to make me smile. My roommate calls it our "protest wall"... I have a feeling it will be growing. =)
Every week I write a paper for this course... the course is at 8:00 am... and the day before is one of my busiest days.
I always end up writing the paper at about 8:30 the night before... On my breaks I always end up amusing myself with my camera...
At least I have my wall near the kitchen table to make me smile. My roommate calls it our "protest wall"... I have a feeling it will be growing. =)
Why the new blog?
So... new blog.
I have several reasons for this, with the largest being the transparency of my life right now.
Last week I started grading papers for students. And it occurred to me that they need to see me as some sort of authority figure, if only to create an aura of respect of the theories I am helping to teach. We live in a world where everyone I come in contact with has Google at their fingertips. I don't want those students to read my late night posts bitching about homework, or discussing random sexual theories.
I believe heartily in the need for every American to speak their mind and stand behind their beliefs in the political and religious spheres. I am not going to stop posting on the main religious/political forums where I use my full name. However, I don't want to worry every time I hit the "publish post" button what a future student may see. I am eager to stand behind my religious and political views, but I think it is time to make another blog for my personal rantings and penis jokes.
I don't mind my friends and family reading this. Knowing what I am writing and thinking and experiencing. That is half the reason things are posted here... to share my life with the people I am miles and miles away from.
I hope you all keep reading. And... the 2,717 hits from my last location... I hope they keep rolling in here.
I have several reasons for this, with the largest being the transparency of my life right now.
Last week I started grading papers for students. And it occurred to me that they need to see me as some sort of authority figure, if only to create an aura of respect of the theories I am helping to teach. We live in a world where everyone I come in contact with has Google at their fingertips. I don't want those students to read my late night posts bitching about homework, or discussing random sexual theories.
I believe heartily in the need for every American to speak their mind and stand behind their beliefs in the political and religious spheres. I am not going to stop posting on the main religious/political forums where I use my full name. However, I don't want to worry every time I hit the "publish post" button what a future student may see. I am eager to stand behind my religious and political views, but I think it is time to make another blog for my personal rantings and penis jokes.
I don't mind my friends and family reading this. Knowing what I am writing and thinking and experiencing. That is half the reason things are posted here... to share my life with the people I am miles and miles away from.
I hope you all keep reading. And... the 2,717 hits from my last location... I hope they keep rolling in here.
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