Is that grasshopper looking at me?

Tester the new

2011-09-16T21:22:00.003-04:00

We officially opened our new building today. It's part of the new department I work in and is completely amazing. Our senator missed his plane and couldn't do a speech or grand tour. Not that it's that big of a deal. The students were awesome and everything went really well without our esteemed senator.

It's been a week of tests for me. I finally received corrections for my thesis, right in time for every faculty and staff meeting. Right in time for the big dedication ceremony. Right in time for the return of the students. Right in time for the start of my new project.

Not to be bitter mind you.

But it is a time of testing. Testing my patience (how many more meetings?!). Testing my knowledge (can I design a upper level class?). Testing my training (new experiments, new project). Testing my relationships (working with students, working with other faculty). Testing my organizational skills!!

So our building didn't get Testered, but I certainly got tested.

dinner on a boat

2011-07-25T19:13:00.002-04:00

This weekend was an interesting one. I attended a fund-raiser dinner for a local basketball team, the Polson Pirates. Since I don't know anyone here yet, I bought a single ticket and went alone. You know, it's kind of scary to put yourself in a situation where everyone knows everyone and you're the odd man (or woman) out. It's a small town so almost everyone there have known each other since birth.

I almost didn't get on the boat. But as I sat there watching the dock load up with chatty people, all as couples or groups, I swallowed that loneliness bubble in my throat and got on the damn boat. I found a table up top and, with a deep breath and smile, I introduced myself to a couple sitting at one of the tables and asked if it would be OK if I could share their table. They were cool. Another couple, much older, sat at our table too. Three of the four were teachers and the older gentleman was a coach. We all chatted, entered into the raffle, (we all won something, lucky table), and had a couple drinks and laughs together. Later, after dinner and the lake tour, we all assembled for more raffle stuff and karaoke. I stayed for awhile and met a good chunk of the town.

You know, I almost didn't get on that boat. I'm really glad I did.

Running 4.5 mi tonight, but have to wait for it to cool down a bit.....

Clubs

2011-07-21T18:27:00.002-04:00

I finally got my golf clubs up here (thanks mom and dad) and for good reason. There's a golf course practically on campus. Well, it may even be on campus, I'm not sure if they consider themselves part of our college or not. Doesn't really matter though, does it? The point of the matter is that I can step out the door, pick up my clubs and walk over to the driving range. For $2 I get a small bucket of balls and consequently spend my lunch alternately frustrated and elated.

On a constantly frustrated note, I'm trying to find a place to rent. There are advertisements for places, but no-one answers their phones. Out of five companies only one answered today and gave me some vague directions to a house for rent so I could drive by and check it out. Needless to say I didn't get to golf today. Rather I spent my time driving in circles on the west lake shore. But I did meet some locals in a bar this past weekend and one girl had a place going up for rent soon. I guess that means I'll have to go back to the bar to pick up the information she was going to leave for me. Darn, a beer after work. Well, we all do what we have to do in dire situations.

2-a-day

2011-07-15T16:12:00.003-04:00

So yesterday I ran twice, once in the morning and once in the evening. I mostly did this because I was trying to make up for my lack of runs earlier. Still, it felt pretty good. I only did about 2 in the morning and about 4 in the evening. Today I'm thinking one about 5 mile run in the evening. But it's hot today so I'll definitely have to wait till later.

Finally got itunes up and running, note to everyone, their system is linked to UPS to verify your address. UPS does EVERYTHING IN CAPS, which is stupid and annoying. Whoever wrote the itunes script made it case sensitive so you HAVE TO WRITE YOUR ADDRESS IN CAPS ALL THE TIME. Which of course means you're literally screaming your address to everyone. Either that or you're trying to text or e-mail and you're over the age of 50. OK, that was mean, not everyone over the age of 50 has yet to figure out how to type on a computer, but it's a fair generalization. I like reading the comment section on our local newspaper (online) and you can always tell the older folks by their constant use of capital letters. Maybe they just get the button stuck? On the other hand at least they're online. One has to applaud that.

Another fun fact for the day, if you happen to be running an agarose gel and your mA are off the scale but your volts are low, your student probably made the running buffer too concentrated.

itunes is pissing me off

2011-07-12T20:06:00.002-04:00

To run, I like great music.

It's a hell of a motivator to think you've got some tunes hot off the press to trot down the road to.

But itunes is being a bitch.

In my payment information, the system can't seem to come to grips with my address. It can't verify the address. I had this problem when setting it up for my Dad on his computer.

Apparently, the state of Montana may or may not actually be in the USA. There's a glitch that, after two weeks, they finally fixed. It's been a week for me and I'm starting to fume. This is stupid. I told them exactly what the problem is, but they can't seem to wrap their heads around it.

I'm going to keep sending e-mails until someone responds. At this point I've received only one e-mail back from them. It's now been two days. Their help center sucks. This is making me not want to run.

What a cruel, cruel virtual world it is.

Do weekends count?

2011-07-11T20:35:00.002-04:00

Only a few days into this exercise and already I've fallen off the wagon. Weekends are hard! My parents came up to visit and I just 'didn't get around' to running.

How utterly pathetic am I?

Well, I suppose I should have put in place some stricter rules. I am having knee trouble so I suppose it's OK to take weekends off as long as I run the other 5 days a week and don't count them in my 100 runs.

But I should sign up for some races ASAP. Those are always on the weekend and then I'll have to run. I have a feeling the weekend coming up will also be an issue. There's a parade and big powwow nearby that I really want to go to.

And good luck getting me up on a Sat. early enough to run before heading out to the fun!!!

Well, 4 miles tonight for sure. Just as soon as it cools down a little......

97 to go

2011-07-09T19:26:00.002-04:00

Joke's on me.

The winds picked up and they canceled the event last night. It's a big lake, so I understand why they don't want some giant waves to pick up their guests to join the Flathead lake monster in those green depths. They already have our money, though, so I guess they wouldn't have been too heart-broken.

Well, in any case, the event was rescheduled for another weekend. And anyway, I got to run in the nice cool of the evening, 4.6 miles. I worked late to make up for coming in late too, just in case you were wondering.

I was craving some green Thai curry last night. Something nice and spicy, but I worked too long and then ran too long and the place was closed by the time I got there, sigh. So I made my own version. Chicken, vegetables, lots of green curry paste, a little coconut milk and some vanilla yogurt to sweeten it up. All and all not bad. But I still had to cook for myself. Which is annoying.

I'm not sure how far I'll run tonight, my knee is giving me a little trouble, so I'm thinking just a couple miles, easy. Then maybe something more substantial tomorrow.

My parents are driving up tomorrow. I'm starting to reconsider my original idea that three hours drive away is the perfect distance from home. I'm still in Montana, and close enough to drive home for a weekend, but far enough away so that the family isn't always at the door. Of course where I've moved too is a vacation haven.

Beautiful and on the lake. So they're coming up to see the campus and to camp in the area. Of course I want to see them, but I'm starting to wonder if this is going to be a more consistent thing, in summers at least.

They are retired. Just wait until I find a house on the lake, I'm thinking summers may be pretty full of people coming up from Helena. Well, actually that may not be such a bad thing. A house full of family and friends is a good house to come home to. I could get a boat by next summer, start a gas-for-the-boat-fund so when people come up we're all pitching in a little.

And maybe they'll do the cooking..... hmmm this could work.

98 more to go?

2011-07-08T13:36:00.002-04:00

It's Friday, which means I'm feeling even lazier than usual. I don't think that is abnormal, most people find the end of the week a bump in the road to the weekend.

Still, it's nice and cool out, I don't have stressful work to do (just read some papers and attend a pizza party seminar), so I should be rearing to go for my run after work.

I'm a little down, though.

Sleepy, and a little sad that I don't get to actually eat the pizza at lunch. I mean, if I'm going to go on a 100 day run, I might as well tackle my diet as well. So, it's low fat yogurt for me. Don't get me wrong, I actually like low fat yogurt it's just going to be a struggle watching everyone suck down the yummy grease. Well, if I think of it that way, maybe not so hard.

Anyway, here's the main problem: I bought a ticket yesterday to a fundraiser for a local basketball team. It includes a nice lake cruise and dinner (hopefully not pizza), and some (probably very bad) karaoke on the lawn afterwards. The whole thing starts at 6pm, and I don't usually leave work much before 8pm. Well, it's OK to leave work around 5pm on a Friday in the summer, surely.

Only that's not my problem.

The problem is there isn't enough time to run before the lake cruise. I don't want to miss it, I mean, I'm going alone so I'm kinda thinking it could be a bust since I won't know anyone. But people in Montana are really nice, especially from small towns, so I'm sure I'll find someone to talk to. And if not, I guess I'll skip the karaoke and be home by 9pm to run.

So there it is, my problem.

I have to run tonight no matter what I eat, drink, or how long I stay up.

Now, some of you might protest, why didn't you just run in the morning?

Because when I woke up at 7am (out of a really great dream by the way) and saw the sun streaming in, I moaned and put a pillow over my head for the next three hours.

Ah, so you over slept, you then chastise.

Yes, you sarcastic jerk, I overslept.

So, you got into work late and your leaving early? Your tongue clucks as you shake your head.

Well done, you've hit the nail on the head, and you're still a jerk. But in my defense, the college is closed on Fridays in the summer, so I'm really just here out of the goodness of my heart. And I really like my job. So there, my job is awesome, yours probably isn't as cool as mine, (I'm now childishly pointing out.)

You just shake your head at my behavior.

Yeah, yeah, well I've got my punishment lined up all right. A run tonight after all the fun.

Day 2: Run 2

2011-07-07T17:58:00.003-04:00

Only did 3.5 mi yesterday. It's awfully hot and sticky here so I decided to wait until it cooled down to run. About 9pm I headed out. The bugs got the best of me and I turned around a little early. Although the air felt great, I was a little fed up with, well feeding on gnats.

I understand that in the whole circle of life thing, mosquito's and flies and gnats are food for birds, frogs, fish. And, for the most part, I like birds, frogs, and fish.

Yummy.

But frankly, those critters aren't doing their fair share of the circle bit as they are well outnumbered by little things that bite and clog up noses and fly straight into the back of the throat. Those buggers have got an uncanny ability to make a suicide run right into the uvula. Ick.

I'm not sure how far I'll run tonight. I think I'll try for 4 mi, but I didn't get much sleep last night so I'm pretty tired. Spent most of the night reading a book about Henrietta Lacks. She's the lady from whom the HeLa cell line came from. It's pretty wretched what happened to her family after her untimely death and the shock of finding out two decades later her cells had been taken and cultured for all kinds of experiments.

They weren't scientists. They didn't understand exactly what was happening, and it was pretty frightening for them. It makes me wonder how the lay-person sees the scientific community. I mean, I take it for granted and throw terms like 'clone' and 'DNA sequencing' all the time. But those terms could be pretty scary for someone who imagines a world where people are cloned for spare parts (The Island) or engineered to be the perfect person and not allowed to officially exist otherwise (Gattica).

I've seen the movies, I mean Ewan McGregor and Ethan Hawke are hot. The plots are pretty silly, but fun drama and action. I don't take them seriously. I know that we're not cloning people in the lab. I know that having an entire human genome sequenced is a far cry from understanding the entire code. I know that stem cells aren't going to grant immortality or the cure to every ailment, but they may just make a bladder or maybe one day a heart valve eliminating maybe just a little pressure on finding organ donors. I'm not afraid of the lab, I'm at home in the lab.

But those stories, those words, even the chemical smells I'm somewhat fond of could scare the living daylights out of someone utterly unfamiliar with the world I live in. Really, I never thought about it that way before. Sorry if I scared you guys, we're really not Frankensteins, you know. We're just doing a job that seems to find its way into the most terrifying of your imaginations.

Anyway, this was a great book, I recommend it. You can find information on the book and Henrietta Lacks at this site: http://henriettalacksfoundation.org/

4 mi tonight and looking cloudy out...maybe a nice rain to chase away the bugs?

100 days, 100 runs

2011-07-06T18:34:00.003-04:00

I've just moved to Pablo, Montana, a little town just south of the southern-most tip of Flathead lake. It's a beautiful area to explore, but I just moved here and don't know where to go yet.

Worse, I can't seem to find any sort of running group around here.

I'd thought that coming back to the States from Scotland would be my ticket back into running.

It's not as though Scotland doesn't have running groups, in fact there was one just three miles (uphill mostly) from where I lived. But the problem arose that they met at 6pm twice a week and I was lucky to be able to get out of the lab by 8pm. I thought that maybe I could jog over there and then back, but that just added another hour to my workout, or so. And by the time I got up all those hills to do a run, I wasn't much in the mood for a hill-run.

You'd think I could've just hopped a bus, they have those in Scotland too. But the buses in Dundee run on a peculiarly designed schedule and one that most outsiders and even most locals haven't nailed down just yet. Anyway, at rush-hour, it'd be faster to run up those damn hills.

I also didn't have a car, left it in my parents garage in Montana. So, I did my best to train on my own and even ran the Edinburgh marathon last year. But, let's face it, it's hard to run 20 miles alone. It can be hard on some days to run 1 mile alone. Motivation is key, and at the moment severely lacking.

But I'm back in Montana, although the car didn't quite make it up here to Pablo, I have a replacement vehicle so I can drive anywhere to run. I could drive up into the mountains for a bear chase or curve halfway around the lake for a lake-view jog. So far I've barely managed to get out my front door and a mere 5 miles down a somewhat infrequently used road. It's a nice little run, but not enough motivation to keep me at it. But today is the day to turn it all around. I'm tired of my own excuses and have decided to use this somewhat cobwebbed blog to do it.

Day One....4.68 miles after work down that somewhat infrequently used road.

I'll let you know how it goes.

Thesis writing: Day One

2010-07-01T11:19:00.004-04:00

I'm optimistic, even smiling, sort-of.

I sit here with a blank paper and a cursor blinking at me in hopeful little winks. Soon now, I will dig through the papers printed, read, forgotten, filed, found, re-read, highlighted, scribbled on, lost for a time, filed incorrectly, found again in a state of mis-guided panic and now piled half on my lap waiting.

Waiting for the first words.

Day one of thesis writing, days to go? Unknown. That is a dark, dark path I will try not to walk on just yet. But I know that at one point in the days ahead I will find myself in a very scary place, crippled by carpal-tunnel, scarred by paper cuts, and in a mental fetal position.

Still, I'm optimistic...

Gone awhile

2010-05-10T15:00:00.002-04:00

I've sort of let this blog fester for awhile now. Mostly because I know that my boss, ahem, sorry 'mentor' reads it from time to time as well as old bosses and even older enemies. I toyed with the idea of just creating a brand spanking new blog, but that seems like too much work. I mean, just choosing another color palate gives me the shudders. So, I'm just going to start here with my new me on the old palate.

In two weeks I run my very first marathon, 26.2 miles in and around Edinburgh. I'm mostly trained up, although there have been long days in the lab that have impaired my running slightly. Still, I've done some long runs up the coast and I'm looking forward to the challenge.

A challenge I'm not looking forward to is writing my thesis.

That's sort of why I've re-started this blog. I thought, that a great way to procrastinate, would be to document the self-inflicted torture of a Ph.D. in its last throws.

Here begins the pain of writing, the torture of last results, the nightmare that will be my viva, and all the days of sweating over finding a job in-between.

At the end of the next 6 months my goal is to leave Scotland with published papers, bound thesis, degree, and a post-doctorate position lined up somewhere.

I'm optimistic, but reality is breathing down my neck. I've only got one paper submitted (just), I'm going to be working full time while writing for most of these 6 months, there is a robot laughing at me in France that destroyed my last experiment. Viva? yeah, right. Someone to hire me? you can stop giggling now. Leaving Scotland? well, I guess I can see just how far £200 actually will take me. I'm a strong swimmer, but it's looking grim right now.

6 months to go. It's going to be a long summer.

24 hours

2009-07-26T22:42:00.002-04:00

18 hours into a 24 hour experiment and counting.....

I've got a little time in between jobs so I thought I'd jot a little bit about the Celtic festival I was lucky enough to get to last weekend. Of course it rained, but it truly wouldn't have been the same if the sun had been shining.

Well, it was shining on Friday, but that hardly counts as we spent Friday night in the tent dancing our hearts out. We had after party wrist bands and stayed out late with a stag party and chatting with the band members.

Then the rain came. Oh, the rain.

There were highland games on Saturday, along with the rain and the kilts and the throwing of heavy objects over poles. There was also a great BBQ with burgers for just over a £. After wolfing one down we proceeded to take part in the adult 60 meter foot race. Well, I at least tied for 3rd with some teenager, although only the first two got prize money. Another friend and I tried out the women's shot put and she got second. So no wins for me, although I consider pipes and rain and men in kilts a win any day. More great music that night then we packed up our sodden tents and caught the very first ferry to sail on a Sunday from the isle of Lewis.

I suppose I prefer rain to midges anyway.

I'm too tired to be writing this now.

Phaser is slow.

I got a new computer.

Only a few more hours to go...............

Blue skies

2009-06-01T21:54:00.002-04:00

For months in Scotland, the sky is covered in a grey fog, or on a clear day, plastered with a sudden black.

And then the summer arrives.

Now the sun may not shine so much, and a sunburn is a badge of pride, not any sort of misery. The sun just simply doesn't hurt so far above the warm waves of the equator.

But after the dark, the long, long dark when the days just begin at 9am and retire at 3pm, the summer months begin.

And they may not be the warmest, but they are blue. All night long, the skies are blue. The sun never truly leaves, perhaps guilty for the previous indiscretions of December. And so they are blue, all night every night. The star hovers, sharing just a bit of light all through the night. The stars regress for a few months, and this northern island turns a shade.

Family vacation

2009-05-29T08:53:00.002-04:00

You know the saying that you can never go home again? Well, I'd like to add to that a little, you can never go home and you can never vacation with your parents again.

Of course people go home all the time, have a nice meal and do their best to leave before anything provokes the inevitable argument.

And people do travel with their parents well past the acceptable parent/child vacation age.

For some reason, you think, well, the last time we had a family trip was 10 years ago and it wasn't that bad....really. Then you think, I'm a grown up, I'm officially out of my 20's so this should be just swell.

The problem is that your parents seem to still believe you are, most of the time, an irate teenager, which is exactly who you seem to revert to after approximately 12 hours in constant company with Mom and Dad. So you pout, they scold. Everyone puts aside the attitude to see the Eifel tower lit up on the Senne, or shuffle through Notre Dame, or stroll the gardens at Versailes. You even manage to have a wonderful time on the bike tour through Munich and really, really enjoy your beer at the Haufbrough house.

But innevitably, arguments pop up at meals, no-one gets much sleep, and someone (not me) looses their passport at the airport.

So yes you can vacation again with your parents, just make sure to plan ahead of time a couple of afternoons where everyone does their own thing. Bring earplugs in case your ipod dies, remember to walk really, really slowly so as not to loose a parent, look both ways before they cross the road and cherish the beer garden.

Saddle sore

2009-04-03T11:19:00.002-04:00

The first bike ride of the spring season went down pretty well considering. Considering I borrowed my bike from my roommate who has at least 6 inches on me, and her road bike is actually a guys bike.

So it was heavy and I had to hop a lot to get from the ground to a perched position on the seat and that stupid bar in the middle tried to maim me in delicate places a couple of times. I don't really understand why boy's bikes have that bar across the middle, shouldn't they be more worried about possible bike-bar related injury than a girl?

We took a train up to Montrose then road up the coast, some on road, some off to Stonehaven about 30 miles away. The bikes were a little bit of a pain on the train, and the conductor was almost a jerk about them even though there was plenty of bike storage space. But otherwise the ride was smooth, the train ride that is.

From Montrose we curved off toward the coast and onto a path by the beach. Absolutely beautiful, though a little tough going for a heavy road bike. Still, the view made up for any hardships. Large black rocks dotted the white sand and cloud mottled sunlight turned the sea various shades of dark to turquoise blue. We hiked up the end trail to the top of the cliffs overlooking the sea and the wildflowers and headed back inland.

Our next off road started with a steep and winding road down through a coastal village. The views weren't as pleasant. No beach just rocks to the seaside and pastureland to the inland side. Along with a dodgy looking caravan park. No matter, we persevered on back up to the road.

Finally, after many, many hills up and down, mostly up, and many, many muttered swear words directed mostly at the heavy bike and soreness, we reached Dunnottar castle. A 13th century fortress on a cliff overlooking two small, clear bays. The ruins were tipped in green algae and held a ragged, haunted court with the oncoming gray clouds.

I'm definitely going back there for a longer and less sore investigation. We ended in Stonehaven only a few miles later and feasted on hot fish and chips before dozing on the train back to Dundee.

I am out to buy my own, used mountain bike soon. There's so much more of Scotland to see on the saddle.

Stupid spending and gambling isn't very smart

2009-02-24T09:02:00.003-05:00

I read this article yesterday: http://www.helenair.com/articles/2009/02/23/top/75na_090222_fasttrain.txt

And while I typically keep politics to another site, I couldn't help but want to rant a little bit here.

Obama wants to build a train from Los Angeles to Vegas.

Why? How is that a good investment? I agree that the west could use some rail lines. But lets be practical here. If you are going to build a fast rail, why on earth would you connect the two most useless cities in the union? What about rail lines from Seattle down the coast hitting Portland, then into Berkley, Oakland, San Fran and Sacramento then down to Los Angeles? Or connect Chicago to Denver and Salt Lake City or whatever.

It's just that if massive ammounts of money are going to be poured into a project don't be so completely transparent. It's obvious someone just wanted to take the train to gamble instead of having to fly.

I choked on a candy heart

2009-02-14T10:57:00.003-05:00

Ah Valentine's Day. A day of love and, as my Mom says, it's about celebrating love and not just the romantic kind and I shouldn't become a cynic.

This week started out great, I ran around a squash court with a friend and then went to play another game managing to hit myself in the face with a basketball (also made two baskets in 15 minutes). My work was going well, the experiments looking up and a paper in the works.

Tuesday started out with a little sore throat, no big deal. I ignored it and threw myself into the day. I was looking forward to a party on Thursday night, an old movie night on Friday and another big party on Saturday, which would easily make me forget any lingering sullen thoughts of Valentines.

Then, sitting in front of an experiment I started to realize my face felt very much as it did when I'd been drinking red wine. All flushed and hot. Hmmmmm. Around 5 it turned into a headache plus fever and by 6pm my skin hurt from the fever and I knew I had to get home now. So I sluggishly dragged myself to my apartment arriving exhausted even though the way home is mostly downhill.

The next three days I spent in bed. I tried to get up for work on Thurs, but after it took me an hour to get to the shower and another to feebly wash and stumble back to bed I had to give up.

On the bright side I'm much better today. I have to rest after every flight of stairs and I'm wearing three layers of pants, shirts, socks seeing as my fever thinks it's funny to actually make my skin feel hot while the inside of me is freezing! But I'm at work, so good I'll get something useful done.

But there's no way I'll make the party tonight, so yet another Valentines day will go by in a fairly pathetic manner. On the bright side I'll probably be in bed by 9 at the latest and I didn't struggle out of bed till 2, so there you go, a nice short (very non-cynical) day.

See it's non-cynical cos I said on the bright side. Clever of me, I know.

Recovery

2009-01-20T11:51:00.002-05:00

I'm only just recovering from my Christmas holiday.

While it was really great to be in Montana and to see my family and friends, that just made it harder to leave.

I cried when I got off the plane, cried at least twice at my birthday, and for almost the entire way to Salt Lake on the way back.

Of course, one can't cry for a full 14 hours of flying, 8 hours of layover, and 2 hours of train rides. So my eyes had dried up and I was looking forward to getting back to see my friends.

One phone-call later and I was all a mess again.

Somewhere over the Atlantic, my Grandpa was rushed to the hospital and the surgeon couldn't save him. I keep thinking if it'd happened just a few hours earlier I could've flown from Salt Lake out to my family. Or, a little earlier than that and I would've gone with my parents from Montana. But I didn't find out until I made my way to Dundee.

I guess if either of the first options had happened, I may have just not bothered coming back here at all. On the one hand the living overseas thing is a great experience. I've met a lot of people and learned a lot. The science is good too.

But it's terribly difficult to be so far from home. As I flew out over those Rocky mountains I couldn't help but think I was leaving one of the most beautiful places on earth. And I was lucky enough to grow up there. And I've been lucky enough to globe trot for the past 9 years. But I've missed out on two funerals now. I've missed some births too.

It's getting harder each time to leave, and harder to stay so far away.

sledding at Glen Shee

2008-12-09T07:23:00.010-05:00

it's snowing

2008-12-02T11:53:00.002-05:00

Snow! Dundee is full of snow and more is coming down right now.

Everyone says it'll melt off really quickly but it has stayed for 24hrs so far. Of course you all must know what this means...yes, skiing.

Well, I would rather snowboard.

I have been skiing for over 20 years, so I'm not too thrilled about gentle slopes and icey snow. Boarding, on the other hand, I've only been at that since this century and only have gone a handful of times.

It's much more fun to board when I'm around ski-beginners and hills that my mom would feel comfortable on.

We've already planned a trip for this Saturday. With more snow in the forecast for Thursday, we may have a nicely covered hill to slide on.

Granted, the snow will probably be pretty chalk full of ice and there are rocks under that. And, as I can't quite manage to always stay on my feet on a board, I'm sure I'll be black and blue by the evening.

But why bother at any sport if you aren't going to come home with battle scars!

Is it possible?

2008-11-25T11:35:00.002-05:00

I'm holding my breath and my stomach is doing flips over my recent work here at the lab.

Preliminary results are good, we have a solid hypothesis..the next few weeks are critical.

If this works, and I stress if I may just finally be on the upside of a fairly rotten few years.

If the experiments work,

if the career smooths out,

if I can show results..

well then I suppose I'll finally be able to breathe.

BBall

2008-11-04T09:51:00.007-05:00

I was stopped in the hallway by an exlaimation the other day, "Hey, you're American!"

"Why yes." I believe I am.

"So you play basketball!" The enthusiasm continued.

"Sure." Why not?

I don't think I've played a basketball game since I was about 13...yup it's been that long. I can't really count the lightning basketball game my friends and I played as a drinking game a couple summers ago.

So on that note, I happily joined a team on Monday! I tackled a girl, one guy drew blood, you know a friendly game all around.

Actually, it was a blast and no one was seriously injured. Although the lack of rules kind of led to a lot of laughed off fouls. I can't wait for the next game. But I am sore, my shoulders (apparently basketballs are heavy) my legs, (there is an awful lot of running in that game despite the short half court thing), my injured hand (that's where the blood came from).

Election day!

2008-11-04T09:47:00.003-05:00

I don't think anyone else is as excited as I am about this event. One guy said staying up all night to watch the race won't change the results.

Well, silly, I know that but it's exciting! That's why it's called a race! Just like watching a close game, or a tight Olympic marathon.

Although the results will have a profound effect either way on American lives. So that bit adds to the pressure. I mean, it's not like the All State Football game is going to change millions of lives.

Still, I guess that should make it exciting as there is something definitely riding on this game!

Via txt

2008-10-28T14:37:00.002-04:00

I received a text just yesterday, not a good one, one of the bad ones. I got dumped. Well, that's not exactly accurate seeing as we weren't officially seeing each other, but really there isn't quite the word I'm looking for.. Hmm, I suppose it's more like I got "ditched" as in left by the side of the road, out in the cold. The guy decided I was not girlfriend material and chose to convey those words via text message.

Joy of joys. So I finally meet someone that actually is relatively fun to be around and I screw it up by my over-eager sense of "jee wiz, a guy who gets me." I'm sure I'm not the first to make that mistake. But for crying out loud, this is the first time, in a very long time I even let my guard down enough to be the crazy, out there, just well, me.

I'm the first to admit I talk too much. I feel too much. I live my life because that's what I'm here to do. I mean, seriously, what good is living if you hide yourself away from it all the time? But, honestly, I've done my fair share of hiding as well.

I've hid from the fact that I am lonely.

I travel, I work on my career. I have great friends. But, ultimately, I do these things alone.

Events in my life pass only through my eyes.

I share these events second hand through the phone, through talking. But that isn't really sharing, that's explaining.

Sharing is being there with someone else.

Recently, very, very recently, I've come to the realization that I am tired of being alone. I see wonderful things that are mine alone. And no-one elses. I'd rather those moments belong to two rather than one.

"We are born into this world alone and we die alone." I have no idea who said that. But how true.

And in this interim, we are more and more in our society alone. Every day is becoming a wasted day. Because it's important to have those times alone and discover who you are, but also, too much time and you forget that there is so precious little time to really know another human being. To belong to and be with.

So quickly life will pass and again you will be solitary on a road no other can follow.

Howling

2008-10-20T10:58:00.002-04:00

We recently moved labs from the first floor to the third. While I'm sure most people are inclined to move upwards in their career, I'm not sure how I feel about taking that literally.

Other's in the lab are pleased to find they have a new workout regime, I am happy with my running and do not particularly enjoy hiking stairs repeatedly in search of ice, oligos, more ice, etc...

When people enter our new little domain, they gasp and squeal at the 'wonderful views.' I'm not terribly thrilled with bright shafts of sunlight blaring onto my computer screen. Of course, this is Scotland so the sun doesn't last long. Fortunately it's replaced regularly by dreary rain streaking the windows and gusts of wind loud enough to elicit swearing as the poorly built windows rattle and howl.

And I can't find anything. (place loud sigh here)

say no to techno

2008-10-13T08:50:00.002-04:00

Cradled by a hot pillow and coughing into my bed sheet, I tried to ignore the repetitive thumping below. Boom -shriz, shriz, boom boom, and repeat. Finally I gave up on the Sunday afternoon nap my flu infused body could've used and went into lab for a little piece and quiet.

Techno is not music. I accept that this form of unimaginative thumping is passable at a nightclub surrounded by strobing lights, too short skirts, and adequate alcohol. Even if there is no discernible tune, the pounding beat is useful in drowning out unwanted conversation or the shrieks of those in the too short shirts.

But, there is no way in any possible form that this "music" is acceptable for pumping out on a quiet Sunday afternoon! There are people with colds out there just asking for a little time to nap! There are people out there with a 'gasp' taste in music that avoid said nightclubs due to the obnoxious beat. There are people out there who suffer miserable head-aches either from the repetitive thump of the blaring stereo downstairs or their head against the wall.

If you are a techno lover, all I can say is there are a lot of forms of music out there, just give one a try. And please, please leave my Sunday alone.

Moving politics

2008-10-02T11:40:00.002-04:00

As some of you might possibly be aware, there is an election looming in the U.S. As you are most likely not aware, I am moving to a new flat. Actually, I've already moved out of the old one and am currently camping out on the floor of a friend's place until the move in date a week or so from now.

Since I know the importance of election time, and of being a conscientious voter, I've been actively following the lead up to the election. Dutifully reading every article on every event. Researching each candidate.

However, as I'm sleeping on a floor, I have to wonder if I will retain any useful information come election time. You see, although I know I've read quite a bit on the presidential candidates' positions on the whole wall street fiasco, I remember very little. However, the frantic dreams I had last night of chasing a hamster down the street seem to stick with me. Clearly, I am not focusing on the more important issues of the moment. Although it was a very odd dream.

Sorry for the delay!

2008-09-08T17:43:00.005-04:00

The toilets were those fancy paperless ones with heated seats, so I had to get a photo! I was in Japan for work, and I went to an awful lot of science talks, but I did some other cool things too.

I met some really nice people at a tiny restaurant where everything was in Japanese but they helped me translate. I had Japanese pizza there, washed down with sake. Of course, the pizza is not at all like western style. It was a rice pancake with some cheese and cabbage on top and another pancake with a bit of a BBQ like sauce on top. Very light and really good!

On the last day of the trip I went on an all day tour organized by the conference. In the morning we went to a Shinto shrine and in the afternoon we went to a Shogun castle and the golden pavilion all in Kyoto, just about an hour and a half outside of the conference city, Osaka.

As to the castle, look up "nightingale floors." The floors whistled to prevent an invasion by ninjas!

There, of course, was an evening with Karaoke, but alas no pictures survived.

Anyway, I highly recommend Japan as a destination. It's a very clean place and the people are fantastic. Of course it's extremely modern and the language barrier is not really a problem as most signs are in English and the people are very helpful. Plus, the noodles are worth the trip!

Japan

2008-08-23T01:37:00.002-04:00

so sorry I never finished the Story of Spain. It was great. I just sat on a beack for a week and drank beer and went to football games with locals and danced the flamingo dance at some random place where there were real live TV dancers hanging out. I'll post some pictures later.

Anyway, where does the summer go? It seems that the second I post, I turn around and months have gone by!

My excuse this time is that I was preparing for this crystallography conference in Japan. And keeping up with my lab work.

I'm here now, newly arrived and running on about 4hrs of sleep from about oh...lets see check that watch...52hrs. I'm a bit delierious and my head seems to be lifting a bit off my neck. It's an odd sensation. But no sleep yet! Some talks to attend, then I finally get to check into the hotel and I'll be crashing later, hard core.

I'll post pictures later, got a great one of the toilets....

Day 1 continued

2008-08-03T19:09:00.002-04:00

"boom" I jumped and froze in my path.. but the sound was quickly followed by a familiar crackling. Fireworks!! As I was to learn later, Spain had won a football game to put them in the final, that night. And so I found myself in the mist of a celebration I couldn't understand, but really enjoyed.

I walked along the main road full of people. Kids running and cars honking. Older people scattered about on patios.
I stopped to ask directions and mostly understood the general waving and pointing.

I wandered around off the main road enjoying the festive nature of the place.
Finally, I decided I should get to the hotel and meandered in the general direction of the previous indications. Naturally, when I reached the ocean I panicked, slightly, had I missed the place, was I to sleep on the beach (not that it would be such a trouble).

After about that few minutes of upset, I happened to turn around and there it stood, wrapped against white plaster..."'Al Sur de Chipiona." the hotel.

Chipiona Day 1

2008-07-26T16:40:00.002-04:00

"Getting there is half the fun." This statement was uttered by either a sadist or an idiot.

I left work to repack for about the thirtieth time, went for a run, showered, repacked and headed to the train station. Flying from Dundee is impractical for the simple reason that it's nearly twice as expensive as from other places, and the planes only go to one other airport.

So, I took the train to Edinburgh arriving around 11pm and crashed on a friend's couch an hour later.

I count all of this as "Day 1" seeing as it was all part of the enjoyment that is "getting there."

At 5am, having barely slept due to my habit of nightmares about crashing planes every night before flying, I found myself half-awake waiting for the bus to the airport alongside other half awake people all shivering slightly in the morning rain. Eventually, the late bus rolled up and we departed. I arrived at the airport in time and said a soft, heart-felt farewell to my luggage before stripping for the experience that is now routine airport security.

Three nerve-wracking flights and seven hours of layovers and I had arrived. Typically my luggage did not make the flight. But, I've experienced this before and had packed the essentials in my backpack. This is survival after three days of washing the same pair of underwear in France. Always bring a prepared bag on the flight with you.

Next, I preceded to the car rental. Of course the security of my credit card had put up a wall. Again. Apparently, the chatty lady on the other end of the line a day earlier had assumed I just wanted to discuss travel plans rather than alert my paranoid card company that I would be traveling and using the card out of the country.

So, expensive cab ride to the bus. Or rather the autobus estation. My Spanish is pretty much nill so it can be a real adventure to find the right bus when exhausted, lost, and irritable.

Still, I boarded the correct bus, somehow, and made for the coast.

Arriving at the city I hoped to, I stood at the bus station for a few minutes wondering exactly what to do next. No taxis, nothing on the edge of the town. So, I randomly picked a direction that looked like it should lead to the ocean, and walked.

The first blast startled me.....

Back!

2008-07-15T12:07:00.002-04:00

I survived Spain!

It was a wonderful trip. I'm afraid I've been gone from the blog-sphere a little longer than I'd hoped. But with a huge report and presentation due before I left, then the travels, then getting back to work, I just seem to have not had the time.

Anyway, I did have the time to jot down notes of my travels in a notebook while I was away. I also took a few pictures. I'd put them up now, but I'm not at my home computer.

Needless to say, you guys are in for a few stories in the next week or two.

I'll get to posting this week since I know my two devoted readers are anxious to hear all about it!

Abla Espainol?

2008-06-13T18:42:00.003-04:00

I have no idea how to speak Spanish. That said, I am heading off to Spain for a 10 day holiday to the Costa De la Luz. On the southern end of Spain, and on the Atlantic coast, I have been promised that I will see beaches, wind surfing, and a bull fight.

Also, I hear the men are hot.

I am so looking forward to some time just spent having fun. I've got a little hotel booked in a small seaside town known for its beaches. And I'm renting a car later in the week to visit Granada, St. Maria, Cadiz, Gibraltar and a quick hop to Morocco. How cool!

The main point of this holiday is to get a tan, flirt with hot Spanish boys, and hang out with the locals.

According to some friends from Spain, they have assured me that I am staying in a very Spanish place, no Englais there!! They seemed worried at first thinking that I would be uncomfortable in a place where I was surrounded by people that didn't speak the same language. I told them that I simply didn't want to pay for a vacation to a place that reminded me of the pub next door. I was out for adventure.

It was then that my friend suggested a bull fight. She is going to book a ticket for me. Ahhhhh! I'm so excited!

So, there is much work to be done in the next week in a half before I leave.

Then the adventure will begin and I will definitely take notes since I know my two or so readers are seething with anticipation of what will happen on a beach, with a bull, and a wave, far away.....

Vote

2008-06-06T10:46:00.002-04:00

The primaries hit Montana this past Tuesday. It was the most exciting vote in years for our little state. Obama v Clinton in the running for the Democratic nomination. My state pulled it in for Obama.

It's great how even living in Scotland I still get to vote. I'm only here on a temporary basis and am still a U.S. citizen, so I was sent a ballot which I returned in time for the count.

So according to my personal ldbug rules, I voted, I get to talk about the politics. Of course, I don't think I will at this point. It's a Friday afternoon, I have a sore throat and a fever and a lot of work left to finish up here at the lab.

Instead I think I'll just bask for a little while longer in the fact that my state was mentioned in newspapers and reports around the world. I can't tell you how cool it is to see your state on the front page of a paper in Scotland, well, just the name under large heading of Obama and Clinton.

Still, it was there.

I mean, we have less than a million people in a state nearly the size of Britain. There are more cows than people there. And yet we mattered.

Ouch

2008-05-25T15:21:00.002-04:00

So in between bouts of brilliance in the lab, I spend a good amount of time outdoors running. I have this irresistible urge to run a marathon before I turn thirty. As some people do, I have goals that I wanted to reach by a certain time. And I've reached a few. Living overseas, seeing a puffin, you know, really important things.

I've been really training now since the beginning of March. Since I was so out of shape before that, it's been a little tough getting back into the swing. But now I'm at thirty miles a week, five six mile runs a week. Whoo-hoo!

I have to admit, however, that although I can run a lot, I don't always do it well.

Take Friday for instance.

I was on around mile four. The sun was shining, the sea breeze was whisking past my head, the birds were singing. In full throttle, I was enjoying the evening and the scenery as I passed by.

It was about then that I saw a plane coming into land. We have a small airport here, and my run takes me right past the runway. I find it entertaining to watch the small propeller plane settle onto the tarmac. I find it thoroughly frightening to actually be in the plane at that particular moment, but that's another story.

So it was that I looked up into the bright blue sky, smiling at the cute plane as my right foot decided to betray me and leave the concrete running path. My ankle happily joined in this game and I launched forward. Fabric tore as my knee met most intimately with the concrete. My hands were spared much of this disaster as I rolled off onto the grass clutching my ankle and moaning.

I'm sure the passing motorists had a nice laugh.

I just lay there for about five minutes, knee bleeding, ankle throbbing, and muttering ow, ow ow.

Fortunately, nothing was too badly injured and I was able to complete the run.

And yet another reason why I hate flying.

Sigh.

Congratulations!!!

2008-05-23T22:17:00.002-04:00

My best friend in the world has graduated. She is a doctor, a real live doctor. I couldn't be more proud.

This woman is the closest I have to a sister, damn well, she might as well be. Aw hon, I am sooooooo happy for you and am sorry that I am not there for the day.

Fly a kite

2008-05-19T20:07:00.003-04:00

So, I've found that a popular past time here in Scotland is flying kites. Most likely because the wind is always blowing. I find this particularly annoying on my daily run, but I guess I should think positively. Along with a fresh, slightly windburn look, which makes me look "outdoorsy" I think my legs get a hell of a workout running against the constant gust.

Anyway, back to the story. So, kite flying. Now, it's not like the little wimpy paper/plastic kites that kids fly. No, they take the brisk breeze seriously up here. I'm talking about kites that can, and do pull people. Sometimes as in my case, drag them along the beach, but whatever.

My boss has a "buggy" which I think I'd call something else. Maybe, three-wheeled-beach-riding-thing-pulled-by-kite. Yeah, that's a little long. I guess I just have an issue with the British word "buggy."

This fascinated all of us who attended the lab beach expedition the other week. So, one of the students went out and bought a small version of the kite to learn how to control it.

On Saturday, her, her brother, and I headed out to the Isle of May. Very cool, has puffins and a small boat that made a lot of people sea sick. We loved it of course. I'll be sure to post on that later.

After a day spent among the birds, we headed back and stopped at the beach in St. Andrews to give her kite a try. Man was that tough! It's all fine once you get the kite up in the air above you, but then a shift in the wind and your tugging with all your strength as it plummets to the wet sand with a very satisfying thump.

My arms are still sore.

However, I am proud to announce that I was not taken off my feet that much, really.

I'm going to have to get the hang of this kite thing because the next step is not the buggy for me, nope, I want to take it into the sea with one of the kite-board-thingys. That too probably has a different name. I will update on that later. If I don't end up out at sea or something.

Sand

2008-05-08T13:32:00.003-04:00

To celebrate a paper submission of some of the people in the lab, our boss suggested a day at the beach by St. Andrew's.

For the first time, in a long time, the sun has been out consistantly and the spring feel is truely getting to everyone. I mean, who wants to sit at your bench when you could be chilling in the sun with a beer?

Of course, the students I hang out with the most jumped at the chance to go to the beach on a workday. Also the postdoc in our office planned the day and to bring the family along.

We're a pretty big lab, so I was surprised on the day that only four of us, not including the boss headed out to the beach. Two other post docs came out for a little bit, but only for an extended lunch break.

I was baffled. When the boss says lets go play at the beeach, who really says no?

I mean, it's not like it was a tropical beach, and the wind was up a bit, but hell. It's Scotland. What do you expect?

The fog was gone, the sand was soft.

The boss amused us by riding his kite buggy up and down the beach during low tide. We had a frisbe.

The freaking sun was out. Really, you can't ask for more. Well, a beer maybe.

The postdoc with the family has two young kids, so that was fun to watch the younger of the two eat sand.

And it was pretty interesting to watch the older one fill up her skirt with sand and take it over to dump on a student who had decided it was a good idea to dig a hole.

I had a great time. Woke up the next day with a bit of a sniffle and windburn, but it was totally worth it.

A few weeks ago

2008-04-30T12:10:00.002-04:00

A few weeks ago I managed to lock myself out of my apartment complex.

I left the keys in my apartment, with the door unlocked and ran downstairs for a moment. Of course, the front security door shut right behind me only seconds before I realized my keys were not, in fact, on my person.

It was cold, I was cold and my swearing and stomping around did little to warm me up.

I didn't know a locksmith or how to contact one on a Sunday in this little town so, in desperation, I approached the police officers crowded outside the bakery just down the street.

A large fellow agreed to see what he could do.

I assumed this meant a call to a locksmith. Rather, the officer broke down the door.

Things are certainly different in Scotland.

Do people actually watch that stuff?

2008-04-24T11:20:00.003-04:00

Sadly, yes, and I'm one of them.

I'm referring, of course to the seemingly endless parade of "reality" shows that consume television.

While I don't have a television, the invention of Youtube has provided yet another outlet for this genera.

And since there is always an evening plan and work free...

Well, I've been watching America's next top model on Youtube. It's really sad actually that I am entertained watching pretty, tall, skinny girls bitching at each other for almost an hour.

Common sense would tell me to avoid this show. After every episode I feel a bit shorter and pudgier. Course I am compared to a 115 pound 6 foot Amazonian with great skin.

I definitely think that we of the 21st century are simply replacing the circus freak shows of the past by our own television and media freak shows.

When beauty is abnormally tall, abnormally thin. When popularity is incredible stupidity, or clumsiness, or a high note ever off key.

Would you buy a ticket to stare at a bearded woman in a tent? Probably not. But put her safely tucked away behind the shell of a television screen and the appeal is tangible.

A ferverent prayer

2008-04-21T10:57:00.002-04:00

Sorry I've been away for a bit.

I've been silently meditating and praying to the experiment gods to speak to the result gods and hand down a lab-worthy experiment-god-like result.

So, while I panic and suffer in silence, I will try and think of a clever post for the coming week!

The whir of blades

2008-04-09T13:16:00.002-04:00

Six months of boys pounding on the ceiling, stumbling in at three in the morning, partying to five.

Six months of tittering girls walking into walls and boys forgetting to use their "indoor voice."

Four months of construction below my floor. Incessant hammering, drilling, unintelligible voices blurred by paint fumes and cigarette smoke.

Four months of boards and nails and wood-saws from dawn until near midnight.

And now, a lovey couple beneath my floor talking and laughing and ahem, well you know, far too loudly for my delicate ears.

They were up all night. And I mean alllllllll night. They were still at it when I swore loudly and gave up any attempt to sleep through two pillows and a comforter around seven thirty this morning.

So rather than carry out my dark plan of revenge upon these neighbors I have bought a desk fan.

Living in New York City, I found that the best way to block out a city that never sleeps is by adding a little white noise to the mix.

Tonight there will be no boys missing doorways, no giggly college girls, no far-too-into-each-other couples.

There will only be the soft whir of blades.

A long way from Mexico

2008-04-03T08:10:00.002-04:00

I did not move to Scotland for the food.

Delectable cuisine is not what one expects from this country. No one goes to Scotland for the food. They go for the kilts and the bagpipes. They go for the countryside, the large sloping mountains, the shiny rivers, the quaint accent.

So, when we ventured out to a Mexican restaurant last week, I did not have high hopes. I expected a decent margarita, some mild salsa, interesting haggis tacos....none of which appeared.

It turns out that this Mexican restaurant had run out of tequila. On a Friday night. By 8pm.

The menu sported "chips," burgers, a couple curry dishes, sweet chili prawns, spring rolls and a few main Chinese dishes. These were happily displayed right along side the more familiar Mexican dishes such as tacos, enchiladas, burritos, and fajitas.

There was no salsa.

The guacamole was suspicious to say the least, and the sour cream was neither sour, nor much of a cream, mostly it was a hard, white ball that rolled off the plate onto the floor.

On the bright side my chicken enchilada was nice. The chicken wasn't dry and the sauce tasted pretty good. I would never go so far as to qualify it as a Mexican dish, but at least it was tasty alongside my vodka cocktail.

A mildly broken promise

2008-03-30T00:45:00.004-04:00

Although I promised a hilarious account of Mexican cuisine in Scotland, I feel that that post shall have to wait a bit.

A guy I graduated high school with back, way back in the day when I was young, died. He was hit by an RV, for the non Americans that's an absurdly large vehicle termed "Recreational Vehicle."

Not to go too far into my belief that licenses should be more strictly distributed, as in, if you are to drive a vehicle as large as a commercial bus, then you should have to pass the same tests as they to qualify for that license. So, yeah not to get into that...

I'm 29 now, and there are too many that have died from my class.

The first was 18, only a few months after we graduated, in a car wreck. We shared a locker in the sixth grade.

Then, the next, a 19 year old from an explosion. It's not clear what happened, he was in the air force, serving in Texas, I believe. I remember flicking his large ears in social studies because, well he had large ears and he was friends with a guy I thought was cute. And well, we were only 12.

Then at 25 my first boyfriend, the guy I mentioned earlier, (we dated for uhhh three days??? seeing as we were 12 at the time,) died in a car crash on the way back home from Great Falls.

Oh and there's the two who died from cancer before either of them turned 25.

I went to a talk the other day. After learning of the most recent loss. And it was weird because, well this part wasn't weird, I got to the talk late. I'm a scientist, we are always late.

But I made my way to a seat and I was in the back, and there were six empty seats.

I looked at them and couldn't help but think of those kids, those people that I had known, however briefly, and think, that I should pay more attention to the talk. I need to live more, at least six times as much.

A few thoughts on the week

2008-03-26T15:05:00.002-04:00

The first week of training to run a marathon hurts the knees.

The older generation should refrain from livin it "Bond style."

Every pence counts at the end of the month.

Coffee with a friend will brighten every afternoon.

People only work late when they don't have a girlfriend/boyfriend.

Assuming the above is true, there are quite a few lonely scientists.

Going out to a Mexican restaurant in Scotland is a brave, brave move...I will report on that event later.

Now I must run, an experiment is calling me!

Hiding the 'very important' pain

2008-03-17T17:18:00.003-04:00

I spent the weekend as a 'very important scientist' attending 'very important talks' and joining in on the 'very important scientist dinner & Ceilidh.'

As these were 'very important' events I, of course, threw myself fully into the game.

The first day was the longest by far. I had to come into lab at 5am on Friday to take care of my 'important' cells before leaving for the conference. Talks ensued all day, which were very interesting made even more so by the promise of free booze to any student with the courage to ask questions and sit in the front.

Naturally I placed myself in the front row and asked a question.

Yes, just one, I had a couple other good ones, but then it would just seem I was asking for the free booze, which I would never do, no, never.

I was late to the dinner that night seeing as I was itching for a run. So I headed out past the golf course and towards the hills only to turn back a mere two miles in, as it got dark and I was afraid of the wild haggis.

Since I was late to the formal dinner I ended up at a table sitting with people I'd never met. This turned out to be the best of choices. The conversation was interesting and the people were very nice. We even managed some 'very important' science talk somewhere between the three bottles of wine.

Then it was off to the Ceilidh. A friend of mine and I joined partners with two of the men I'd sat with and had a blast dancing. We were both laughing so hard our jaws hurt. Some more wine later; we danced the one called "Strip the willow" where you end up dancing all down the line with everyone.

It was a grand 'important' evening. The next day, I had bruises on my arms from being flung around the room and a splitting headache from the 'very important science (wine) talk.'

But I worked through the pain to attend a poster session and some more 'very important' talks as well as a disco. I expected bell-bottoms and giant gold medallions. Alas here in the UK, they call any dance a disco, aside from the bruising Ceilidh of course.

So it is that I'm here in lab later than I’d like to be here at night after three days of talks, lab, dancing and disco, but it will be well worth the pain if this experiment works out.

As to large social events with many important scientists, I think I've got a good six months to save up my energy for all the 'very important things scientists do when released from the lab.'

Bright Eyes

2008-03-11T17:34:00.002-04:00

The rain held off for barely a mile then began a steady, yet light, persistent drizzle upon the road. I hardly noticed the cars streaming past, lights bright in my eyes, barreling down the wrong side of the road. No, no I was lost inside the glory that is my nano, purple nano that is. "Every now and then I get a little bit lonely.." My feet pick up, "Turn around" the background guy chants, "Turn around bright eyes,"

There really is nothing like jamming to mullet rock in the middle of the rain, while running off that extra nibblet from lunch.

Although I'm sure the local peeps thought it a bit odd to swoosh by a drenched girl way too into her running, head banging and all.

I made good time though, and am thinking about entering the Berlin marathon. At this rate, that total eclipse of my heart will easily carry bright eyes through the finish line.

My friend tried to kill me!

2008-03-06T09:38:00.002-05:00

Last weekend we ventured over and up in the western highlands of Scotland for a weekend of hiking and a science fair. Being from the Rocky mountains, I know what a mountain looks like. I know that they should be rocky and full of snow throughout most of the year, and have dangerous creatures wandering around ready to drag you into a cave and chomp on your head.

I know that storms can whoosh up out of no-where and lightning can strike at you just as easily as a rattler.

I know all of these dangers, and so gazing upon a wet, sloping mountain that doesn't even reach the height at which I grew up, I felt no qualms. There was no fear. I could easily hike up and back.

But I was wrong.

Two hours into the hike, I began to realize this sloping giant sloped a lot more than it appeared to. I found that half the damn thing was hidden by fog and the third hour mostly involved finding footing among snow laden rocks that were not at all secure in the hillside.

I found, upon reaching the top, that down was a lot harder than up. This being mostly due to the complete saturation of the ground, once we'd cleared the snowpack. I couldn't count the times I lost my footing.

And, in the scheme of things, it wasn't all that bad owing to no voracious hungry carnivores or the desperate need to run from an avalanche. However, I was still sore for three days and am now altogether sure I will not take any Scottish mountain for granted again!

My friend got a car!

2008-02-28T17:55:00.002-05:00

A friend from work bought a car the other day and I was fortunate enough to be allowed in it yesterday.

It's a cute little red thing, with four doors. Yes, that's right, four!

I was almost jealous seeing as my ghetto cruiser that has been planted outside my parents house for the indefinite future only has two doors. But, I breathed easy when I found out the little gem here lacks power steering.

And while it may seem like this is a bargain seeing as my friend no longer needs to join a gym but simply attempt to parallel park once a day, I still feel the ghetto cruiser and I win out.

I already have a gym membership.

So off we go into the wilds of Scotland tomorrow for the weekend. I'm looking forward to the trip, however, I am still slightly panicked at the 'other side of the road' thing. Being a nervous side-seat driver, I intend to sit in the back, headphones tightly packed into my ears and strive to enjoy the passing countryside, highland cattle, and the other very Scottish things one would most likely see on a journey across the island.

Ceilidh

2008-02-25T09:18:00.002-05:00

It took a good ten minutes to write that title checking the spelling again and again..

So for those who don't know, a ceilidh is a Scottish dance. The word, as close as I can tell is pronounced "Kadie" and the dance itself is a frantic step around a room where all the men compete with one another as to how quickly they can spin their slightly inebriated female partners.

Honestly, that's not fair. They don't have to spin at all!

Anyway, here at the University the organizers of functions from scientific meetings to student get-togethers insist on adding a Ceilidh (ha! I've now written that word three times). The first one I attended was after a long day of departmental talks. The food they served was pretty bad, but the beer made up for the lack of palatable calories. Afterwards, they began the dance. Not having a clue, and not really up for spinning on my wobbly feet, my boss dragged me out onto the floor. 20 minutes later I made a pact that I would never again attend such an event with the fear of public vomiting a very real possibility.

Now, another meeting is scheduled, this one further north. I'm bringing Dramamine*.....

*common drug for motion sickness in the U.S.

crackers

2008-02-15T07:24:00.002-05:00

I have to admit there are a few things that I miss from the U.S. Now, don't get me wrong, Scotland is cool, there are lots of new and interesting things that I've been exposed to including haggis, neeps and tatties.

However I do miss a few things about the food from back home.

For one, the crackers. I miss wheat-thins, and nips and saltines and all the variations. Mostly wheat-thins, though. The crackers here tend to be very large, very dry and very bland.

I used to have dinners from time to time with a selection of cheeses, a couple bunches of grapes, and some crispy crackers. Not that I can't live without, but the craving is starting to kick in.

And what is a bowl of soup without a few saltines?

Even worse, is the craving for a good Ranch dressing. There isn't Ranch here, none. Ordering a salad here means ordering dry leaves of lettuce. Of course they do have Ceaser, but again, not the same.

Well, I suppose there's always the haggis...

Stinky

2008-02-12T10:49:00.000-05:00

Yes, yes I know, it's February and I'm doing my first post of the year...

You see, I'm not in a particularly joyful mood today. There are times, in science, when you are confronted with aspects of the bench life that do not always smell pleasant. There are times when a particular noxious smelling chemical is used, or a cell expression line that is, well very stinky. And there are times when you use agents that can be harmful if swallowed or bathed in.

Fortunately, I do not wash my hair with noxious smelling chemicals or dab the scent of cellular waste behind my ears or bathe in possibly carcinogenic agents.

However, in a lab I do work with all of the above.

And so it is that I deal with people who apparently entered this field without taking into account the smell of an expression cell line or chemical. They complain regardless of my efforts to cover all offending stinky liquids with lids, foil, and make use of the ventilated hoods.

I hate to say this, people, but there are some aspects of science that just can't be altered. 1) it's expensive 2) it stinks 3) it exposes you to potentially dangerous chemicals

In my particular field, number 3) usually means, "don't lick any surfaces in a lab as this could be a bad idea." Yes we work with acids, don't drink them and wear gloves. If you do spill, rinse with water, this has happened to me with a much stronger acid than any in this lab and I still have all my fingers.

Finally, if cells stink, suck it up. They are not dangerous in any way shape or form. Not that I'd recommend making a cocktail of the stuff, but they will not hurt you other than make you wrinkle your nose for the five minutes the cart takes to pass your lab bench.

And if you can't deal, then perhaps you should seriously look into another career, possibly one dealing with rose petals.

Merry Christmas!

2007-12-23T12:42:00.000-05:00

It's amazing how much time and effort it takes to move to a new place. Just finding the grocery store, understanding the guy at the bank, learning how to dial the phone and cross the street in a different country. Then there's the lab where five projects demand an incredible amount of energy to set up, explore, understand and begin.

I keep meaning to send all my friends postcards, to call, to post here and somehow every day comes to an end and I've somehow been too busy to do any of that. I'm amazed I was able to get even a few Christmas cards out this year! So please don't be upset if I'm not around visiting you guys, most of my time online is spent looking for grants and fellowships and researching papers. Maybe things will calm down in the spring, maybe not. I'm having an amazing time, though. The projects are fun, the work is hard and not always rewarding but certainly interesting. And the lab. Always it comes to the lab itself. I find this place a refuge a home. I love the smell of expression cells, detergents, alcohols. I love the feel and sound of a cold room and the hum of a centrifuge.

So I'm happy, even if I can't go home this year for Christmas. Actually, I'm heading off to Edinburgh tomorrow to see a friend for Christmas eve and day. Then I'm back here to begin an intense purification. Then I spend the weekend, my birthday and New Years most likely back in Edinburgh. Yay! That city is so beautiful!

Here's to everyone out there, wishing you a very merry Christmas and a wonderful happy New Year!!

Love,

Ldbug

France

2007-11-09T12:27:00.000-05:00

We went to France last weekend to go to the synchrotron in Grenoble. It really was an adventure including lost baggage, tiny planes, illness, illegal immigration...and so on.

Leaving from Dundee, which is a pretty small city, entails piling into a tiny propeller plane and sitting in the correct seat so as to keep the plane balanced. The runway was so small that the pilot had to reve the engine up to full speed then release the breaks to shoot us straight into the sky.

We landed in London city with barely 20min to spare between flights, but the men in our group decided that was plenty of time to sit down at a restaurant and enjoy a steak sandwich. We ended up running for our connection to Geneva, a run that resulted in our luggage being offloaded and my stomach deciding to rebel against the steak sandwich.

Once in Geneva I found a bathroom floor to settle on while the others tried to rent a car and figure out how to get our labmate who only had a visa for France, over to Grenoble. We had to leave on the French side of the aiport and drive an extra hour through the mountains to avoid Switzerland. I didn't care since I spent the ride curled up in a ball on the back seat.

Two of our group stayed in Geneva to hang out and wait for the luggage while the other three of us made it to Grenoble finally, tired and not a little stressed.

On the bright side, our experiments went really well. We had a full 48 hours on the beamline but only used 42 since we were able to collect duplicates and even triplicates of good data. So, after a brief rest, we found ourselves packed into a small European car, luggage, dewer, and five people. I, being the shortest was lucky enough to have the front seat where we'd also crammed in the dewer leaving me enough room for about half a leg.

The drive was beautiful, though and we headed up into the alps to hike for an afternoon before our flight. It doesn't get much better than sitting on the top of a mountain overlooking the alps with a packed lunch of French cheese and bread.

On our way back we were treated to a sky high view of London all lit up for the holiday they have here celebrating a guy who tried to blow up Parliament. Seems an odd holiday to me, but the fireworks were wonderful.

Finally arriving back in the lab, we were informed that all our data had to be processed that night. Luckily, I learned a lot on the trip and was able to get all three of my sets done in about an hour. Still, I didn't get home till around 1:30am and we were requested to be back in lab by 8:30am that morning. Needless to say, it's been a long week for me and I'm looking forward to having a weekend semi-off. I still have experiments to run, but only about an afternoon's worth.

Again, sorry I'm not here much, but I just don't have a lot of time. I'm thinking if I can keep up a strong pace for the next few months I'll be able to really get all my projects up and going and making progress.

Our boss is out of town for most of Dec and I'm not going home for Christmas so I'm hoping that extra time will let me get a little ahead!

Anyway, it's interesting here, I've got a few stories, and a lot of questions. I'll have to stop by here now and then with a few anecdotes!

Hugs to all,

Ldbug

Been too long

2007-10-09T14:28:00.000-04:00

Hello all, sorry it's been so long. I've been in transit for the last month making my rounds along the west coast to visit as much of my family as possible. I'm in New York again, and was stuck here for a week waiting for my student visa to come through. But finally, I'm off today to Scotland to study for three years! I'm looking forward to the program and they're starting me off right away...about an hour after I land. Even though I'll be tired, I have to admit I'm really looking forward to diving right in. I'll be busy for the next few days, but I'll update this weekend!

Sooo

2007-08-06T02:08:00.000-04:00

So I took a second job to help pay for my plane ticket overseas (moving in October) and I just don't have much time to chat here! Sorry about that. In short I've been having a great time with my friends and family, but I've also spent a lot of time working.

I feel bad that I'm not here much, but I promise I'll have time in the fall. I'll be getting back to the lab in October and will be around computers more so I'll be able to drop in more frequently!

Right now I'm working days at a sandwich shop and nights at a bar. Whew, it's exhausting! But I owe my parents money and bills are always there, and I've got to come up with plane ticket money and first and last month's rent on a flat....

Yes, I know you're all muttering, "excuses, excuses, you have two jobs and are out in Montana living it up outdoors style, blah blah. But what about our needs? Our entertainment! People are bored here! Get that bugggy little butt back here!"

And to that I reply "yes, yes, I know I'm incredibly entertaining and cute, and I understand that my wit is what keeps you coming back, but give a bug a break;-P"

So, I'll try and at least be around once a week here till fall, and then I promise to bring back the fun!

On the Boat

2007-07-09T20:14:00.000-04:00

I spent most of last week on the boat!

We had the Fourth of July off of work, so I headed out of town with a friend Tues. night to boat and camp throughout that evening and the next day.

We had a blast chilling on the boat, having a music war with another boat, sleeping under the stars. The next day my parents joined in the fun and I had the chance to show off my skiing skills, which are still on par.

Sunburned and muscle sore, we headed out to East Helena to watch the fireworks with some old friends. Once the city had been demolished by amateur artillery fanatics I went home for some much needed sleep.

Friday night, I headed out again to the lake, this time with another friend from work. We enjoyed a calm evening then picked up two more friends on Saturday to spend some time tubing, skiing and swimming. While the other two left for the night, Green Ig girl and I camped out that night too. We had, uhhhh maybe a few more beers than we thought because we soon found ourselves dancing on the seats to 1980's Madonna with our hair in side ponytails.

The next day, we were a little tired, still sunburned and completely sore from dancing, swimming, tubing, ahem...drinking;-P

Still, we stayed out all day on the lake, not willing to waste a beautiful day in town.

I look forward to more days out on the lake, actually looking forward to some river floats this weekend and of course, more camping.

I'm sorry I'm not around much these days, but when I'm not working, I'm golfing, boating, floating, biking, running, BBQing. It's really summer now, bad tan-lines and all.

Ahh

2007-06-30T05:38:00.001-04:00

well, I'd hoped to post with amazing picutres of MONTANA but, alas, the batteries are dead. Sorry I've been gone so long but I promise soon to be around with pics and gossip!!! Anyhoo, hope everyone is engoying their summer as much a I am!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hello!!

2007-06-14T21:15:00.000-04:00

Hi guys, I'm sorry I've been gone so long. It was one long trip to get here (to Montana) and now we are having issues setting up the wi-fi...that and I'm working most days so been busy! I will definitely post soon, hopefully tonight if we get a solid connection!!

Can you guess?

2007-06-01T16:16:00.000-04:00

Can anyone guess where I was this week?

I'm exhausted from one week of long travels and days of talking, talking, talking....

Yes, I was on an interview in a somewhat secret location and guess what.....I got the position!!

I wish I could share all of the details, but at this time, I'm not sure that would be wise. Someday, though.

Right now, I'm suffering from a lack of sleep and bad plane food. I'm also suffering packing pains as I sort my things to move back to Montana on Tuesday.

I've got the summer to work an outside, fun job. Pay off the last of the credit cards. Spend time with my parents. Attend a few weddings and family events. Aaannddd maybe I'm mosstly looking forward to the camping/boating/hiking/fishing in Montana;-)

So I'll be a little busy this summer, but I'll post some of those great pictures from the great state of Montana!

And next fall, those of you living over the pond, expect a ladybug to be wandering your streets!!

Master for a day

2007-05-26T04:21:00.001-04:00

Just call me Master.

Although I wish the degree had been a Ph.D. I have to admit, it's pretty cool to think of myself as a master.

Does this mean I get my own light-saber? No? Just a movie? Well, what the...

Fine.

So, I graduate today, officially. The thesis (148pages) has been accepted, the papers signed, the fees paid.

I'm not going to the ceremony, of course.

I would rather throw myself off a cliff than go back to Memphis for that ceremony. There are people there I would be happy to never see again in my life. As a matter of fact, I believe I will make the extra effort to never think of them again.

Now, running buddies, you know I don't mean you. I love you guys, and one day will visit to see the building and go to BBQ fest. Maybe I'll come back for a race we could do together.

But, truth be told, I was in a rough place in life there, both professionally, and socially. Although I've spent this last year cleaning up that mess, changing, growing, learning, this is the official day that I graduate from that horrid place.

That place in my life, in my heart, in my head, and, of course, from that school.

I've planned a calm evening with close friends. Not too expensive and mainly centered around the porch at our place.

Tonight I will sit on that porch and contemplate just how far I've come, and toast a final goodbye to those ghosts I'm finally leaving behind.

Ladybug Stew

2007-05-21T10:56:00.000-04:00

Creativity in the kitchen is vital for a Ldbug living in New York city. Particularly when the bug is very short on money. Very short on money because her old University charges entirely too much money (for a bug) to bind a thesis on "The World According to LdBug."

So, I have invented new food!

Find old pasta on shelf and begin boiling salted water in anticipation of said old pasta.

Dig though refrigerator and find one quarter onion of which half is still usable.

Discard gross part of said onion and chop the rest happily.

Discover half of a tomato unused by Soupcan for sandwich earlier in the week.

Delight in this find for a full minute, then chop finely.

Remember small can of tomato paste on upper shelf and open with can opener before said can opener disappears...again.

Add olive oil to a pan and heat, throw in chopped onion, add salt, plenty of black pepper, garlic powder (no garlic available) and stir for a moment.

Chase cat off of coffee table.

Add chopped tomatoes to onions and a palm full of Italian seasoning.

Stir.

Sigh with exasperation and chase cat off coffee table.

Add can of tomato paste to mixture and one and a half can of water.

Stir with trepidation.

Remember pasta and add to rapidly boiling water.

Add more pepper and salt to tomato mixture.

Stir.

Remove lid from pasta water, which is boiling over and creating a steamy mix.

Add more seasoning to tomato mixture.

Chase cat.

Finally, drain pasta, add to tomato mixture and serve!

Yum, Ladybug stew!

take a moment

2007-05-18T14:12:00.000-04:00

One of our blogging community is suffering right now. If you have time, please stop by kill the goat and leave a comment of support. Thanks, be safe, and have a good weekend everyone.

Master for a day

2007-05-17T11:06:00.000-04:00

hello? are you there?

2007-05-17T10:33:00.000-04:00

I lost my phone!

Well, only for a little while and truth be told, I didn't even know it was missing!!

I arrived home after a run in the pouring rain to meet up with Soupcan and gather a few groceries for a cheap meal. Somewhere between the front porch and Mr. Kim's grocery, my phone escaped from the damp pocket I'd secreted it.

Once home, I vaulted (literally I have to jump to get into the shower, horrid giant and useless tub) into the shower.

It was around the time I managed to get soap in my left eye that I heard a voice outside the bathroom.

Soupcan: uh, honey, did you just text me?

Me: Owwwwww!

Soupcan: Do you have your phone?

Me: *#%$

Soupcan: I think someone found your phone, I got a text saying "I found your phone on 5th ave"

Me: Arghhhh it stings!!

So I rinsed the soap from my eye, called the lady who found my phone on Soupcan's phone and pulled on my goulashes.

The phone appears to be suffering no ill feelings of loss and abandonment.

Perhaps this is because the lady who found it was comforting and kind. I'm going to text her later and offer to buy her a drink. Once again, I'm impressed with this city and the people who live here.

Tourist Trap

2007-05-16T11:21:00.000-04:00

Last weekend, Soupcan and I ventured into the city to see a few sites that I wanted to catch before leaving New York.

We started at ground zero.

I suppose I knew that it would be a tacky, tourist trap filled with disgusting leaches.

These smarmy people (and I use the term "people" in the loosest form) were busy selling pictures of collapsing buildings, death, pain, horror as souvenirs!

Other tourist-blobs were posing for pictures in front of the chain link fence separating the bipeds from the dust and concrete pit in the process of burying and rebuilding.

There were giant pictures on that fence of pain and billowing clouds of loss.

There were leaches preaching conspiracy theories, accepting money, smug in their self-righteous guesswork.

I went to read the names, to pay respect. I searched in vain for a flower vendor, but there were none.

All I wanted to do was quietly visit the place transformed by a nightmare. To read the names, to leave a flower.

To remember.

I will go back before I leave, just to leave that flower because someone should.

Yikes!!

2007-05-12T03:08:00.000-04:00

Ah, I am so sorry everyone! I have been so remiss in my posting...well I've been busy. As you may have guessed, I have found a hottie boyfriend, a lovely New Zealander. So on top of that I'm being audited by the IRS as you may have (or not) read from former posts. Also, I am ending my internship as of the end of this month and the project I was entrusted to seems to be really and truly coming to life. I honestly have to pay close attention to see this kid off as I've worked pretty hard on it. Then there is the graduation!!! While it's not the graduation I was hoping for, the Master's degree is to be awarded on May 25th. My thesis has been accepted and I've been granted my wish, to graduate in absentia, because I'll be damned if I return to that place among those smug asses again. Instead I shall celebrate in true ME fashion as in taking a late lunch with my friends (and hottie) and hitting New York City hard core!!

So those are a few reasons as to my tardiness to post....there are more secrets I can't yet reveille but ah yes, they are juicy!! Also, I have some really fun posts on goulashes so, please bear with me and give me a few weeks to travel through this crazy maze of life and I will return!

Still Under Cover....But Escaped for a Weekend

2007-05-02T02:06:00.000-04:00

Well, I wasn't aware of this, but apparently during musical chairs, flowers are acceptable as a bartering method for your time or shared chair...

Added to the lovely flowers, there was a perfect day at Conney Island. If you faithful readers will recall (I'm too lazy and inept at this point to put in a link) I wrote a story about that little strip of Brooklyn last fall. This time was much different.

I had a buddy.

We traveled the F line to the edge of Brooklyn, also known as Conney Island just this last Sunday. After a sun filled day, four rides on the Cyclone (wooden, painful) roller-coaster, and a jaunt on the bumper cars, we settled in the sand with a bag of cotton candy and feet full of sand.

Again, I questioned the fate of this strange piece of sand and boardwalk. Apparently, the plans to destroy the memories, the history, the reason for visiting such a place are still approved for next summer. All I can think of is: What idiots want a sterile, plastic place to tentatively attempt enjoyment from an 18th story condo? If you are a yuppy, leave my site RIGHT NOW, it is you who takes away the absolute joy of a sun stained, sand filled, cold salt water paradise.

Top secret

2007-04-25T10:54:00.000-04:00

Sorry for the lack of posts of late. I'm working on "Top Secret Tasks" that are developing or coming to a close. I'll be sure to post something amazing and witty as soon as I complete most of these "Top Secret Tasks." Until then feel free to enjoy the archives!

Looking for Spring

2007-04-23T14:57:00.000-04:00

While the last few weeks have been dreadful, pouring rain, chilly nights, a freak snowstorm or two, it seems that just this weekend, spring decided to smile on New York.

I can happily report that young kids all over Brooklyn are sore and sun burnt from playing baseball games all weekend, blooms have popped from previously gray tree limbs, BBQ's are still smoking from weekend gatherings, and I'm sporting a "healthy" glow from the sun after a perfect Sunday afternoon lying in the grass half cheering on the aforementioned baseball stars-to-be.

Of course, now I'm in an office taking a moment to type this up for all of you to read, imagine, enjoy. I'd really rather be outside. But, being the prepared, intelligent perfect creature that I am, I arrived to work earlier than usual this morning to allow for an early escape this evening where I will jog around the park then plant myself under a large, blooming tree until the sun decides it's time to go home.

Respect My Athoritay!

2007-04-19T10:14:00.000-04:00

Yes I know I misspelled "Athority" the misspelling is for the South Park joke, if you don't get it, sorry, not going to explain, just don't have the energy.

The IRS beast has come after me again. So, here's the thing, in 2004 I went through a divorce, which left me pretty short on funds for reasons I won't go into today.

Being short on funds, I withdrew all the money I had invested in a mutual funds account. As usual, in the spring of 2005, I went through all the rigmarole that is "doing your own taxes" and left 2004 behind.

Now, just this spring of 2007, the IRS has come looking for me claiming that I owe back taxes on the money I withdrew from my investment account. They claim I owe them over $800 for the entire amount of the withdrawal.

Not so.

All the money invested is POST tax, as in I've already paid taxes on that money. The only money they can tax me on is the money I made by investing, which happens to be $39.89.

In 2004, I took into account this $39.89.

So what is happening right now is the government is trying to take advantage of me through a mistake on their part for not being able to add or read or do anything remotely intelligent.

They are spending how much? in order to chase down someone they believe may possibly (and I don't) owe them $800. They have already withheld $260 from me and are "going after my assets."

I don't have any assets.

So in order to prevent this stupid IRS from seizing my cat, the $34 I have in savings, some well worn clothes and my some-day-well-in-the-future-first-born, I have to phone up the IRS at multiple intervals, file more forms proving the taxes have been paid and they (the government in general) are, in fact, a bunch of ignorant assholes.

They go after the little guy. The one who has always been a good citizen. The one who has never taken, although have often qualified for, government aid. The one who always pays her bills on time. The one who always votes. The one who works hard, is educated and who earns a mere pittance in the scheme of things.

If you happen to be one of those who feels we need more government, more of these ignorant bastards chasing after the little guy all I can say is F$#*K off. I'm done with the government, I'm tired of their bullshit. I'm pro-citizen, pro-independence, pro-doing things on your own. Uncle Sam? Big Brother? Again I say F$#*K off leave me alone, and truly was it worth all the money you've wasted to go after $40? Huh? Really?!!

No stories today

2007-04-17T09:46:00.000-04:00

My heart goes out to the families of the 32 victims in Virginia.

Take a moment today to call/hug/talk to someone you love.

Life is so precious and all too often, too short.

When the music stops...

2007-04-15T19:29:00.000-04:00

Dating is so much like musical chairs. You roam around and around grasping for a seat when the music ends.

In the dating world not all the chairs are the same.

Some are low and soft, some are high and leave your feet dangling.

Some are comfy, some are painful, some are polished to a high shine, some are worn and rugged.

Everyone seems to enjoy the game, it's fun.

But there are the times when you don't get a seat, which isn't so fun.

Then there are the times when you find a great chair, a nice place to land, a lovely fit.

Unfortunately, you too often find, that great seat was manufactured far away, and although the music has stopped and you've found a comfortable spot, soon you'll have to be moving again, with one less chair in the room.

A matter of inconvenience

2007-04-12T10:58:00.000-04:00

I'm looking for paper.

Not normal paper, I'm looking for a particular type of paper that apparently must weigh 20lbs and contain 25% cloth or something to that effect that is just as stupid.

My old school is demanding that I spend an exorbitant amount of money on paper so that the thesis I submit to them will last forever.

The fact is, my thesis is already out of date. It's science for pete's sake. By the time an article is published, it's old news.

So why, in the name of all that is stupid and frivolous do I have to spend days searching an incredibly inconvenient city for stupid paper that may last ten more years than normal everyday, cheap, from the office paper?

Because they are idiots, that's why.

At the metropolitan museum of art they have countless displays of Egyptian papyrus paper records. That paper is made from a damn plant and lasted for thousands of years just so future generations could decipher them: "...two barrels of beer were delivered to Arsifat in compensation for a cow......blah blah blah..."

Who cares.

Even worse, no one cares about my thesis, it'll be printed on this stupid paper to sit idle for the next 50 years until Memphis falls into the Mississippi (a day I dream about with relish).

Somehow, I feel better after reminding myself that that stupid city full of stupid theses printed on stupid, expensive paper will inevitably be ravaged by a massive earthquake and completely flooded by the angry Mississippi river.

I think the fact that I'm wearing wet socks is affecting my mood...hmmmm

How I spent my Easter

2007-04-10T09:54:00.000-04:00

When I was about nine, my parents took my brother and I on a trip "back east." We hit New York city, Williamsburg, Philadelphia, Washington D.C., and Boston. While it was some time ago that I had last seen Boston, I was eager to explore the city nearly twenty years after that first trip.

The RM and I took the Chinatown bus up on Friday evening and we hit the town hard that night. All I can say is I don't remember much of a night life when I was nine, but at twenty-eight, the boys in Boston are cute and the beer is cheap!

On Saturday, we rose fairly early (as in before noon) to hit the Freedom trail. Boston is full of trails that are mapped out to hit historic places. We were determined to do all (or nearly all) of the Freedom trail.

It began at the Boston commons with a loop around a park. Since we could see the loop from where we were standing, we chose not to peruse the pigeons and started on our journey, which would end at Bunker hill.

The first major find, along the way, was an old graveyard boasting the final resting places of Samuel Adams, Benjamen Franklin's parents, and (our favorite) Paul Revere.

We continued on past the first meeting house that started out as a British political building where motions that led up to the Revolution, such as the Stamp act, were discussed and enacted.

On past the oldest restaurant in the United States, an open market and we were off to The Constitution also known as "Old Ironsides."

We stopped off for some clam chowder on the wharf, lost the trail for a bit as there was a lot of brick and our little freedom trail is also brick, relocated the trail and headed up to Bunker hill.

We arrived at Bunker hill foot sore, cold, but happy. If you don't know, Bunker hill is (close to) where the first major battle of the Revolutionary war took place (actually Breeds hill, but Bunker is where the monument is). The order was to not fire "...until you see the whites of their eyes." While we lost the battle, the British took a severe beating taking the hill. They ended the battle with more than 1000 casualties out of around 2,500 fighting a force half their size. It was the first battle in which the newly established United States realized they could actually win and the first battle that the British realized the US meant business.

We finally reached the end of the trail and commemorated the moment with a stand on the final seal of the Freedom trail.

After five hours of walking we retreated to the hotel for a short rest, then headed out on the town again to verify that, yes, Boston boys are cute.

And that's how I spent my Easter.

Do you ever....

2007-04-04T13:46:00.000-04:00

Do you ever look over and see that someone has the same cell phone as you and have an overwhelming urge to point this out?

"Hey, we have the same phone."

You gesture, then dig around in your purse to display said phone as evidence.

"Cool, huh."

Pause with some more gesturing.

"Well, not the phone, Samsung makes the shittiest phones...I mean I can hardly get a signal, and I'm always hitting random buttons. Yeah. So. But it's cool we have the same phone and all."

Then you realize how badly the conversation could go, having thought through all the gesturing and lame comments and don't say anything at all.

Instead you kind of end up looking a little silly for staring at the guy's phone.

Then you realize he might be thinking you were staring at him.

But he's not that cute, so you casually glance away and think to yourself "whew, that was a close one...."

Ten Years Later

2007-04-02T16:48:00.000-04:00

This whole high school reunion thing has begun to really take form. People I haven't seen or heard from in nearly ten years are sending me autographed books or meeting up for dinner.

This weekend I met up with a friend living here in the city. There was the apprehension of not recognizing each other, of not getting along, of us having changed so much...

But it all went smoothly. We both looked relatively the same, although I'd say more polished and with nicer shoes.

I had so much fun talking with her, reminiscing and just chatting about life in the city. She seemed to enjoy herself too.

At one point in the evening she just turned to me and asked "Ten years, how could ten years have gone by." I just shook my head, I don't know.

My dad is going to his high school reunion this summer, the 30th I think. He's never gone before and recently we were talking about the people he had known, the people who are gone. He just found out a guy who had been in his wedding, who he'd lost touch with, has passed away.

My friend wasn't sure she wanted to go to the reunion this summer. Our first. I told her we'd lost five people. Five of the 280 sum that we graduated with died of accidents and cancer. I told her about my dad, and how he has lost a lot more than five. I told her I think it'd be fun for her to go, to see the people we were so young with because you just don't know how long they'll be around.

I'm determined to keep in touch with more and more people.

High school certainly wasn't the best time in my life, and it wasn't the worst.

It's not that we should stay friends with people from our past because of who we were then, but because of who we became, who we continue to evolve into as adults, parents, politicians, doctors, scientists, lawyers, authors, travelers, financial geniuses etc.

Those people we grew up with, knew since the 6th grade, those people have the same memories. We all looked out the same window in Chemistry class and went to the same football games, and hiked on the same mountain, and know about Vigilante day.

There are a small subset of people on earth who will ever have the same, or close to the same, memories as you. As you get older, there are fewer, and fewer. Your music is lost, crushes forgotten, the world becomes just a little bit lonelier.

So I'm going to hold onto those people as long as I can. Make new memories with them to add to the old.

Are they smarter?

2007-03-28T15:30:00.000-04:00

As technology continues to advance, the number of horror stories involved in that jump to the future continues to grow.

Just recently, the RM and I were running to catch a train. I got through the turn style before her and walked a few steps before realizing she wasn't behind me. As I turned around she finally struggled through with an odd story.

If you don't know, the turn styles here in grand old New York City have a computerized interface that will tell you whether it has read your metro card or not by writing out in little green letters "Go," "Insufficient funds," "Please swipe card again," "Cannot read card."

To our knowledge this was the extent of the turn style's vocabulary.

Not so.

She swiped once "Please swipe card again."

She swiped twice "Please swipe card again."

She tries a third time "Swipe just one more time."

The RM hesitates, a little put off by this "just one more time" bit, then switches to the next turn style.

This new turn style says "Cannot read card."

Apprehensively, RM approaches the original turn style, swipes her metro card and receives a "Go."

Creepy.

Those things are getting smarter. Technology is getting smarter.

Very creepy.

Home Sweet Home

2007-03-27T16:28:00.000-04:00

This actually happened.

I was enjoying a beer and my book at the tea shop, yes they serve alcohol at our coffee shop, and yes it's mostly a coffee shop even though it's called the tea shop. On second thought, I shouldn't have been surprised at the collection of clientele.

In any case, as I'm reading I can hear a couple behind me arguing and it dawns on me that I don't understand what they're saying. After a couple heartbeats I conclude it's French and turn the page.

A third man starts into the argument, in French, just as a family starts singing happy birthday in the large corner spot by the window. A couple more heartbeats and I realize that only half of them are singing happy birthday in English, the rest are making up their own rendition in a language I can't identify, maybe Chinese? I turn the page.

Just then I look up and see a guy walk into the tea shop with a skateboard and a man in a kilt. I stop turning pages and just take a moment.

I shake my head return to my book and think "only in America."

Let Down

2007-03-26T10:29:00.000-04:00

Alas, I didn't make it to the bubble blowing (soap bubbles) event. I did hear that it wasn't all that great. Apparently the guy in charge was some sort of bubble blowing nazi where people ended up light headed from all the bubble blowing.

So, having missed out on the hyperventilating, I still hopped a train to the city mostly to avoid the laundry monster. I met up with the RM and The South, watched some street art, then we headed to the bookstore sans South who was shivering in flip flops and an old sweatshirt. The poor kid still has trouble realizing that March in the north is not even remotely balmy.

I am just about finished with a book, "The Source" which is a pretty long read, so I thought I'd pick up something light. I grabbed "The Time Traveler's Wife" and all was well since I didn't really start reading it right away. I mostly perused the first chapter and sipped coffee. RM and I trotted out to wander around the Met (Metropolitan museum of art) and after a meandering walk among famous paintings of famous people, we both headed back for Brooklyn. RM had a show to go to, I decided to retire to the tea shop with my book.

All was well until I really started reading, then I couldn't put the book down. Well, I did put it down briefly to have a few beers and try my hand at karaoke at a bar on the way home from the tea shop, but it was a brief respite. I spent all Sunday reading and finished the book last night. Now I'm stuck. I feel like my head is in a cloud and all I can think about is that book. I even had a crazy moment this morning where I almost picked it up to read it again. Thankfully I didn't. I keep thinking about the characters, what if this had happened, what if..blah, books can be so all consuming.

I'm going to get more coffee here, and try to focus on the real world. Oh, and I've got a joke for you guys (teaser for tomorrow's post): A guy walks into a bar in a kilt...

Who'd of Thunk

2007-03-23T16:19:00.000-04:00

As the reunion hunt gets into full swing, people are already meeting up. I received an e-mail today from an old high school friend.

And guess where she's living? Yup, that's right, here in New York City. She just moved last month. Well, who'd have thunk that one up.

Yeah, I know it's a big city, but we're not typically a big city people coming all the way from Montana. Anyway, we're meeting up next weekend and I'll be sure to update all of you on the fun that will be had.

In other news, there's a bubble thing going on tomorrow here in the city. I have no idea why, but there will be a huge crowd of people blowing bubbles in Union Square and I will be there with my friends. I'm sure much hilarity will follow and I will post about it for sure.

As of right now I have to get back to my very important job(s) so everyone have a great weekend and if you're in New York watch for a Ladybug blowing bubbles in the street!

What they did

2007-03-22T10:44:00.000-04:00

This summer is my 10 year high school reunion. I'm looking forward to it in the way that I look forward to doing my laundry. I'm glad I went through the effort and I found a few shirts or favorite pairs of socks that were hidden away at the bottom of the basket. But in the end, it's not the most enjoyable of experiences and I sort of wish I could skip the whole laundry affair.

I've already begun preparing for this event (the reunion, not my laundry). I've forced a diet upon myself and done some running to get back to high school weight.

I've ogled a skirt for a month that I know would be just perfect for the event (again, reunion not laundry) once I save enough to buy it.

I've finished off a second degree and worked my way through a very important internship.

I've traveled to England, Scotland, Italy, and France and lived in two major US cities.

I should be ready, I should feel confident.

I should and I was until last night.

You see, I've been slowly searching out old classmates online. Half to help locate them for the reunion committee, and half out of curiosity. I already know where some are partly because I've remained close to some from our group, and partly because my parents still live in my hometown so they and the other parents tend to update each other on the goings on of their respective children.

People are surprisingly hard to find, well, they're hard to find when you can't remember some last names and you're really not looking too hard, just tooling around on Google. But some people have certainly made a name for themselves and Google loves them.

I found one last night who's published a book. What?! Published a book?! What the hell? Who publishes a book? Honestly! I mean, I find some of these people and they're all out saving the world and writing books and doing fantastic amazing things that I really can't compete with. (imagine a lot of gesturing here, emphatic gesturing)

So I did the only thing I could, I bought the book. I'm sure it will be fantastic and I'll end up feeling really proud that my little town has generated such great people.

But for now, I'm just a teeny bit jealous. That and, for the moment, I'm really not looking forward to dealing with laundry.

The Day O the Irish

2007-03-20T11:12:00.000-04:00

St. Patricks day is a pretty big deal here in the States. Having said that, I haven't celebrated it properly in *cough* *gasp* uhhh, we'll just say too long.

The last great St. Pat's was in Butte, Montana. A hole of a city, the place was originally settled by Irish minors back in the day. Butte grew rapidly once copper was discovered and, in its hay-day, was the largest city in Montana and a popular stop-over from the east to the west on the way to Seattle. It even sported a grand amusement park all decked out in wooden roller coasters and a Ferris wheel. Unfortunately, a couple of jerks from Canada (nothing against, Canadians, but there are jerks in every place) came down, bought out the mines, began strip mining tore down the amusement park and every grand house within reach. Now there is a big hole full of toxic water. Anyway, the city lost a lot and the population hovers near 14,000 now, except on St. Patricks day when everyone within Montana, Alberta, British Columbia, Idaho, Wyoming, Washington (and probably a few other places) pour into that city to celebrate. It's been awhile since the last time I joined in that party so I was aching to get out and do something fun here in New York.

The RM and I hit the parade on 5th Avenue, down near the end stretch. We hoped up on some mounds of ice and snow and had a great view right on the street. We even brushed shoulders with the mayor as he exited the parade.

Two hours later and, how many men in skirts? and we were ready to drink. After a brief respite from the cold in a small diner (must have food to drink all night), we found the first in a long chain of Irish bars on 3rd Ave. Cramming our way into the place, we started off strong with two lagers each, made some friends, then shoved our way to the back exit. Before leaving, though, I grabbed another lager, RM took a break, and we chatted with some English boys reveling in the novelty of an American bar full of American girls who really could care less about the Irish/English history. We just like the accents.

Our next stop included a fully loaded juke box and cute firemen. Where do these firemen hide out? Really, I'm curious. They just came out of the woodworks on St. Pats, it was lovely.

The third stop included a much larger venue and an an adorable old Irish couple. We chatted with them for quite awhile, then began our wandering. I ended up hanging out with a mountain of a man and RM ended up heading out for late night food.

As the evening wore down, I decided it was well time I was on my way and headed out for a cab. Of course, being me, I ran into a group on their way to a house party. I was invited, and hey, it was only something-am...Now this is where the trouble started. They were all nice people, a little rich and snobbish maybe, but nice enough. They also only had Bud Light. Seriously, if you live in a loft that freakin expensive, you could do with a little nicer beer.

Well, I drank the Bud Light, knowing full well I shouldn't. You see, a little known fact is that Bud is a rice based alcohol (I learned this from RM, very smart girl) and a lot of people are actually allergic to rice based alcohol. Honestly, one sip of Saki, one sip of Bud, and the hangover will last a day. The party ended as the sun came up and I cabbed it home to suffer a day of "the worst headache ever."

The good news is, the green paint I put in my hair pre-drinking, did wash out.

Where does it go?

2007-03-19T13:39:00.000-04:00

Honestly, where does time go? I wanted to post about St. Pat's today, my brush with political fame, why Bud light should be banned...but no time today, no time. I have "very important" work to do, but I'll get on that post tonight, so tune in tomorrow. In the meantime, it seems British men are all the rage, so feel free to put in your 2cents on the last post! :-)

To the other side

2007-03-16T09:45:00.000-04:00

And on the other side of this eastern ocean, there floats a small island jam packed with *gasp* the British Man.

As a followup to the Clasic American Man, I must pay fair tribute to the other side.

British men have one major thing going for them, here in the states. Don't know what it is? Holding your breath? Anticipation building?

They have the accent.

No matter what else they do, no matter what they look like, no matter...the accent here is priceless. At any venue, either riding the train in the morning or lounging at a coffee house, or sidling up to a bar, the accent will attract attention. Women will swoon, men will become your best friend.

Don't believe me? Try it.

The accent is key. The Scots and Irish with their R's, the English with their...hmmmm, not sure how to categorize it, but it's just wonderful to our ears.

The British men use fantastic words we've only seen in books. They change the pronunciation of words like "Aluminum" and use strange ones to describe the world around them. It's cute how a shoe represents the trunk of a car..

British men seem to care more about their wardrobe, preferring a button down to a T-shirt, which they always seem to wear "disco style" when out on the town. But they can get away with that, they have the accent. (American guys, pay attention, do not wear your shirt "disco style" you will be mocked.)

British men enjoy smelling nice (one tip, though, moderation boys, moderation...)

But perhaps their best asset is their humor. British men may have large vocabularies, nice shirts, a pleasant smell and a killer accent, but of all these things, their ability to maintain a witty outlook on life is most likely their best asset.

They may not tell a straight joke, or even project their humorous comment very loudly, but they will slip in that dry humor at every opportunity. Not all Americans get this, they are either not paying attention, can't understand the accent, or just plain don't get it. But if you do get their humor, if you are able to take your eyes off their "disco style" and tune your ears past the sexy accent, you will be rewarded with top quality entertainment.

Cheers to the witty Brit!

And contrary to popular belief, I've yet to meet a British man with bad teeth.

Stop the Presses...

2007-03-15T10:04:00.000-04:00

Well, I was going to post on British men today, but I received some news that absolutely must be shared with the world..

A close friend of mine just got engaged! I'm so happy for her, both her and the guy are really, really great people and they make a fun couple. You know, they're the kind of people you can hang out with and never feel like the odd man out. He got her a ring with a gorgeous blue stone. I can't remember the name of the stone since I was at a jazz show when she called so I couldn't quite hear, but I do remember her saying it was very rare. She also sent a picture to my cell phone, but I don't have any way to get it up here. I'm making her send an e-mail picture which I'll throw up here when I get it!

I know, I know, girly stuff.

They're planning a September wedding, which is a perfect time in Montana. As it so happens I had just decided to return to Montana after the job is up here in June. It also looks as though "the things I'm planning" work out so that I'll be "in a place I can't reveal" in October. Funny how things work out sometimes.

I've also been asked to be a bridesmaid. I'm so absolutely honored. She's been a great friend for a long time, and I feel so incredibly lucky to know her and him.

So this post is dedicated to two great people, CONGRATULATIONS!! :-)

Update: The stone is an "Alexandrite" and here's the picture!!

The American Classic

2007-03-14T14:31:00.000-04:00

I promised a happier post and here it is:

Running through the park the last couple evenings, I've been pleasantly distracted by the lovely weather and enjoyable views. Most of all, however, I've noticed the guys. I'm a huge fan of men, and while they do have glaring flaws, this post is not about the flaws but the nice traits. Out there in the park are a number of premium specimens, jogging, biking, playing soccer, walking dogs. The park is literally overflowing with men. Yes there are women there too, but they're not as fun to look at.

So this post is dedicated to the good old American Classic boy.

Quick to laugh, the American man's best asset is his all encompassing wide smile. They are low maintenance always happy to sport around in jeans and their favorite t-shirt. Give an American man a baseball cap and he's all set to face the day.

Although laid-back, the American man is a competitive creature who will insist on playing any game to its full extent. Unlike their male counterparts in other parts of the world, however, the American man will let the girls play too. Of course, the girl can't be a wimp and has to show she can participate, but in any given sport or exercise the guys are more than happy to interact with the fairer sex.

American guys tend to opt for a cute, floppy look. They're rarely clean shaven, but they will closely maintain that 'scruffy' chin. They may be casually dressed but are always clean.

The American man isn't embarrassed to be approached by a woman although they do tend to enjoy a bit of a chase in catching the girl. They will happily accept or buy the drinks.

Easily amused, openly friendly, warm and strong, the American man is not afraid to display his confident nature.

Here's to those adorable, Classic American men!

There are always exceptions to the rule, but we're speaking generalities here. Also, we're going to take a happy glance at the British men tomorrow.....so stay tuned.

Annoyed

2007-03-13T13:19:00.000-04:00

I seem to be pretty annoyed at every little thing this week. It has to be the early morning. That plus the exceptionally loud heater at 5am. And the fact that we're now roasting in our apartment. And my cat keeps escaping downstairs resulting in a chase in the morning pre-shower and a chase in the evening pre-bedtime. And I'm working on confidential which is sopping up time, energy, and brain power.

Anyhoo, so I had a plan for a nice happy post today, but I'll save that for tomorrow because I've got another annoyance I just feel you should all hear about.

As you may or may not know, New York city is a busy place.

Very busy.

Very full of important people doing important things,unimportant people doing unimportant things and all the in-betweens. Every where you go there will be people.

Take the coffee shop down the street here. There will only be one or two seats available at any given time during the day, sometimes requiring two or more strangers to share a table or other small space.

In all this humanity, personal space is something of a luxury, however, it seems that most people here have some sort of place to call their own.

That is nice.

I just wish that some people would chose to use that room/apartment whatever to do things that I just don't want to see/hear.

I don't appreciate the loud 'smacking' of lips next to my left ear while I'm enjoying a coffee and reading confidential. I don't appreciate the canoodling, snuggling, fondling, baby-talk happening within mere inches of my person.

There are certain levels of familiarity which are appropriate for a Starbucks. I'd say holding hands, mild flirtation, a couple light kisses are fine. I'd say any more than that is just not for my PG version of Starbucks.

People, we need to get along here and inciting my urge to maim is not going to make this easy on you or anyone. So, my final plea to the city of New York, please, please, please, keep your tongues, tunes, and hands to yourself on the streets, in the cafes, and on the trains.

Not Quite on Broadway

2007-03-12T15:49:00.000-04:00

There is no need to sing along with your portable music.

There is simply no need to loudly hum, play an air drum set or tap loudly on a metal pool or bench with your loudest ring fingers.

Why do you do this?

Do you think we can't hear you?

Do you believe that in some way, we are all tuned into the music that is flowing through your ipod or mp3 player?

Is there, in your mind, a reasonable chance that we will all begin to tap and sing and join in as if in some fantastic musical where everyone knows the words and dance moves?

No, you cannot sing, you have poor rhythm and no one wants to hear it. We would tell you this directly, but no one wants to antagonize "crazy" in public.

So, for the love of all that is holy, please stop voluntarily as I am not sure how long you will survive the morning commute with the sleep deprived result of daylight savings.

Another Train Post

2007-03-08T10:05:00.000-05:00

While I realize that posting about the commute to work is an overly unoriginal topic, I don't care. I'm sick and tired of this particular commute and I'm going to put my frustrations here because, well, it's my blog and I feel like it.

Last week a rail at Broadway-Nassau street decided to crack, or break or dislodge or do something inconvenient which in turn caused my morning commute to crack break dislodge and become inconvenient. No, scratch that, not inconvenient, completely and utterly confusing.

I take the F train to Jay street and transfer to the A or C into the city. The F is fine, that line is fine. The A and C are not, however, fine. They are affected by this Broadway-Nassau incident.

Unfortunately for me, this incident is not a continuous breaking, cracking dislodgment. No, it's intermittent meaning one day my commute is fine, the next, I'm on the A or C and low and behold we're speeding through a part of Manhattan I'm not entirely familiar with.

The best part is there are no announcements that a dislodgement has occurred. So I don't find out until I'm staring at an unfamiliar street name trying to figure out just how the hell I'm going to get to my destination.

I've discovered there are two ways to get to my building. Take the A or C up further into Manhatten and then transfer to head back the way I came on another A or C heading for Brooklyn. (Enjoying the alphabet lesson so far? Stupid trains)

Or, I can transfer from the dreaded A or C at a semi-familiar stop to a J and ride that one over a few streets. I then pop out onto the edge of China-town and run eight blocks to work.

Either way, a 40min commute turns into a 70min commute without warning. As we've already discussed, I'm not a particularly happy morning person and I simply do not have an extra 30 minutes hanging around just in case.

And anyway, I've discovered that no matter how early I get up in the morning, somehow, someway, the world will delay me and I'll arrive at this building at almost the same time each day, but that's another post entirely.

Saving Time

2007-03-07T09:34:00.000-05:00

Daylight savings, a manipulation of time to provide maximum discomfort to the morning impaired. Beginning next week, those who suffer from this affliction will attempt to treat their affliction with copious amounts of caffeine, double, even triple alarms and they will toss and turn at every attempt to retire early each night.

If you are a chipper morning person, I hate you. One of your kind most likely invented this form of torture.

What is the purpose of daylight savings? Ah, well, I'll tell you. It's to save energy. Really, that's the spin these days. Apparently daylight savings is to allow for maximum use of daylight in order to reduce carbon emisions.

So who, among us, actually sets their schedule on the rising and setting of the sun? Anyone who has a job knows their schedule is set by their manager/boss. They will be in the office from a set time in the morning until a set time in the evening. There are times they will stay later, there are times they will arrive earlier, but it won't have anything to do with the sun. There are those who work nights and certainly daylight savings isn't going to affect them. Take a look around you right now. Are you working on a computer? Are any lights on? Would there be any difference in lighting/computer usage if the sun rose an hour earlier or later? Really?

Oh, the farmers. Right. They're the ones dependant on daylight savings, because, as we all know, the animals adhere to a strict schedule set by the hands of a clock. A farmer/rancher is going to get up when the animals need tending, which is naturally set by the sun. They aren't going to care less about a clock, regardless of whether it's set earlier or later.

Oh. And it's beginning a month earlier this year. Because the cows and chickens are plotting a takeover.

Turn Around Bright Eyes

2007-03-06T11:54:00.000-05:00

There was a lunar eclipse this last Saturday. Although it started around 3:30 in the afternoon, it didn't end until almost 8pm here on the east coast, so we were able to get a pretty good evening veiwing.

THE SOUTH just moved to an appartment on the 7th floor (no elevator) in China Town. Although the RM and I barely made it to the appartment, a bonus was that, being on the top floor, we all had easy acess to the roof. Chilled beers in chilled hands, we watched the moon grow full again over the course of an hour up on that roof.

After warming up for a bit and having a good laugh at the dance scene in "Footloose " (who knew Kevin Bacon could fly?) We ventured out on the town to see some live music. The bands were good, the light show was fun, the beer was reasonably priced, and the venue even sported a super hero in disguise.

Curious for a different view of the evening? Check out THE SOUTH and the RM blog sites. As for me, that shortened version will have to do, busy day today!

A Fantasy of Mine

2007-03-02T17:25:00.000-05:00

One of the many fantasies I have is to be rich. I mean, I'm not a particularly materialistic person, but there are certainly those days when I could use a little extra cash.

Since moving to New York, I've been pretty good about money. I've paid off two credit cards, started a savings account and keep myself in check about going out. In fact, I 'go out' only about once a week and a good portion of those times include house parties which are pretty cheap to go to.

Mostly, I'm OK about my finances. Every couple of months I can afford to buy something a little extravagant like a pair of cool boots or a sweater or a pair of jeans. I'm able to pay my rent and my bills and have a little left over for food and spending. I was even able to squeeze in a trip to London over Thanksgiving with money I should've probably used to purchase health insurance. Well, I took the chance and didn't get seriously ill for six months and I got to go to a place I've always wanted to see.

But then there are times when the scrimping and saving, the budgeting and the gamble just throw you for a loop.

I do my own taxes because I'm cheap and, well, they're not particularly difficult for a single person earning only about $30,000 per year.

So I thought.

I did my federal taxes and found the government is going to pay me a nice $200. I'm pretty happy about that. Then I go to try and figure out the state and city taxes for New York.

Huh. Ok. I gather the 50 odd forms and begin wading through this process. There are numerous calculations, mistakes (hence the use of a pencil), head scratchers and moments of utter confusion. Through all of this I remained relatively calm. I just knew that a person living check to check, budgeting to the penny and skipping meals on occasion is not a person the state and city would want to target for more money.

I was wrong. Dead wrong. New York believes I owe them $800. That is a month's rent for me. That is all the savings I've collected. That is the exact amount of money that I have absolutely no intention of paying.

Don't worry, I'm not going to skip out on my taxes. I'm simply going to find a way out of this. I've got a few ideas. 1) Since I'm technically a Montana resident, and plan to move back there in June, do my taxes as a Montanan 2) Do the itemized deduction sheets to take into consideration all my moving expenses 3) Find a very, very rich man tonight who is willing to marry me and pay all my taxes.

I like number 3.

I'll go back over all the paperwork and find a way. Somehow I always do. It just astounds me how any state government can possibly feel it is appropriate to steal from those in one of its lowest tax brackets. I practically qualify for food stamps.

This is ridiculous.

I have many, many obscene words and gestures for the state of New York, however, I think I'll keep this post clean as my parents read it from time to time. "Hi Mom and Dad!"

So as I was saying, I won't type out exactly what I would like to say to this state, or where exactly they can put their tax code, but I will promise them that I will not pay them a months rent. I will die of paper cuts and lead...errrr graphite poisoning before handing them that money. There has to be a loop-hole and I will find it. And when I do, I will share it with each and every one of you.

Grant Me

2007-03-01T11:10:00.000-05:00

It's incredible how much money is out there just waiting for someone to reach out and (go through a lengthy application process) to grab. I know I've already posted a bit on this subject, but there's just so much to say!

For instance, there are a number of grants so specific that it begs the question: just how many people are actually needed to count the petals on the Ussselless flower of the genus Stupiddus on the southern-most tip of the first island to the right of the African continent when observing a map through goggles and upside down?

Then there are the less specific but just as absurd fellowships such as the grants to forward women in science. Wait, now hold on, you say, but you are a woman, in science! This would be a perfect grant for you! And I would normally agree, however, the grants are not to actually fund women IN science but rather to fund the study of how to forward women in science. OK, well, genius, no study needed, here's the answer, instead of a study, give the money TO WOMEN IN SCIENCE.

Then, now this is my favorite, there are the roughly 30 hundred million grants to fund stem cell research. Ooooooo, stem cells, yes, they must be completely over funded because, as we all know, stem cells are the cure to all. They will be responsible for curing all forms of cancer, and every neurological disorder known to man! Stem cells will cure HIV, hell, in fact stem cells will cure all viral infections down to the common cold. No need for vaccines, we've got stem cells! Stem cells will be responsible for growing limbs on command and making the paralyzed walk again! Stem cells will, on the side, solve world hunger and shoot, they'll even tackle this "global warming" everyone is so hyped about. Yes, stem cells, they are the end all, cure all.

Phooey.

Stem cells are simply cells that have not differentiated. They have the potential to develop into a nerve cell, a blood cell, a skin cell. They are found in each and every one of us and have been used in some studies focused on tissue engineering. The most successful studies have actually been conducted using already differentiated cells that, low-and-behold, actually can have the same functions as a stem cell. You see, some scientists stumbled upon the fact that cells can be "reprogrammed." In a sense, you can take almost any cell in your body and turn back its clock to make it into an entirely different cell.

Stem cells is a stupid buzz word(s) that has the world up in arms and the government wrapped around its little non-differentiated finger.

And no, stem cells will not solve world hunger.

Attack

2007-02-28T11:25:00.000-05:00

The bathroom is out to get us. Yes, it's true. The shower has taken sides with the toilet and launched a full scale attack on the RM this morning. I stood, helpless on the other side of the poorly locked door, as she battled the water. Bravely she stood her ground cursing the evil shower head as bottles of shampoo and body wash threw themselves toward her unsuspecting toes.

You see, we have bad plumbing in the giant tub preventing us from using any of the piping into the tub itself. Instead a hand-shower-head-hose-thing has been rigged to hang precariously from a rusty hook. So, after vaulting into the tub, positioning under the water can be a challenge. More specifically, the water will do one of three things: 1) not hit you at all, 2) hit half of your body at a time as the hand-shower-head-hose-thing will be leaning to one side, or, and this is the worst 3) will blast you straight in the eye and shoot out the other side of the tub through the flimsy shower curtains to completely drench the bathroom.

To add insult to injury, the toilet likes to join in this hilarity at regular intervals by draining slowly then suddenly pumping water into its tank and draining cold water and pressure from the shower. This joy leaves you slightly scalded and with shampoo in your eyes.

I'm just waiting for the sink and/or medicine cabinet to engage in the fight of bathroom vs women. Oh, you laugh, but I know it will happen. One day the sink will explode and the medicine cabinet will crash to the floor. It will happen at the most inopportune moment when one of the two of us is in the shower screeching from scalding water. I must convince the RM of this plot against us and plan a preemptive strike against the sink. I really feel the medicine cabinet is more of a follower and won't really to anything without the sink. Yes, the sink. Now, to my plan...

A Message

2007-02-27T10:20:00.000-05:00

"Hi Ldbug, this is Mom. We're in Nevada. You're Dad called earlier and left a message on your phone but we couldn't hear it so I'm not sure if it worked. I'll call you from Grandma's when we get there tomorrow evening. Ok, love you, bye.

(background) Well, I just don't know how to turn it off.

'hit that button'

Which button?

'that one, the red one'

There isn't a red one.

'yes there is, let me'

(some shuffling) 'did that do it?'

I don't know, the light's still on. Here let me.

'wait..'

Is it off?

'well if you'd just wait'

Why are the buttons so small.

(sigh) 'I don't know..'" END OF MESSAGES

My parents got a cell phone since they're traveling for a few weeks. I listened to this little diddy the other night. My Mom did manage to call me from the cell at another point and a good portion of the conversation sounded a little like this "Can you hear me?" "Yes, Mom I can hear you." "Because I'm just talking into air, talking into air.."

It's good they've made the first move toward cell phone ownership, but I think they need a little help. For instance, 'couldn't hear the message'? Since when do you actually hear the message you leave on someone else's phone? And then they seem to have difficulty pressing 'end.' Maybe they should've gotten a larger phone, one of those '80s style so they feel like the device is more substantial.

Oh well, I'm sure by the end of the trip they'll have a slightly less tenuous grasp on the technology.

Sniffles 'N Poker

2007-02-26T10:37:00.000-05:00

Although still sniffly, I refused to skip my Saturday run. The first long run in awhile, I was sufficiently sore by the time I boarded the train for the most southern tip of Brooklyn to win myself some spending money.

After a slightly creepy walk from the train, I arrived mid-sneeze at the poker venue for the evening. As this is New York, most of the guests chose to arrive at least an hour late. Finally settling into play, I came to the sad, sad realization that I was playing with true novices.

And the only thing worse than playing poker with beginners is playing poker with loud, intoxicated beginners.

And the only thing worse than that is attempting to explain the rules after each hand over the shouting.

And the only thing worse than that is playing with people who keep getting up from the table.

I'm not sure how I managed to remain as calm as I did. Probably the only thing keeping my growing frustration in check was the fact that I didn't have much energy left. Well, that and there was money on the table.

I knew I could win. I knew as long as I played smart, which is hard with beginners, and got lucky, which is also difficult, I could win. Unfortunately, luck didn't show up to the party until late and I lost hand after hand. The hard kind of losing too.

Like when you have a full house, and the person to your right has a higher full house.

Like when you have a pair of jacks and the guy across the table has queens. It was that second big hand that almost did me in until I realized, amid the shouting, the river card (last card) had given me a straight. I had the jack. Ha! One down, took him completely out. Then the hostess found herself out of the game. I let the others fight it out for a bit, then won another big. OK, doing well. Now I was getting there.

Unfortunately a guy who actually knew how to play had shown up late giving him the edge and he was slowly collecting chips. Soon it was down to the two of us.

Great. I'm sneezing, and this guy has me dead to rights.

As luck would have it, the cards fell my way on one last big hand. He still had a lot of chips, as did I but being nearly 1am, we called it a night and split the pot. The only hurdle left was actually leaving the party. I considered crashing on the couch since I wasn't too keen on wandering a strange neighborhood to ride the subway this late on a Saturday night. One last shot of luck, the late guy also was heading for the same train as I was, and headed further north than I. So escorted by a polite Russian/Canadian, I arrived safely to my stop, $20 richer.

Not a crazy night, really, but I'm not complaining.

2007-02-23T16:13:00.000-05:00

While I would like to report a novel or hilarious tale to you today, unfortunately, my roommate (RM) brought some exotic bug back from *gasp* Chicago. So I am feeling under the weather, tired, feverish, sniffly. RM hasn't even left the house in two days, obviously her exposure was much more potent.

I, on the other hand, have been struggling through work. With two hours to go, I'm having delusions of my air mattress visiting me at work, "just to catch up."

Hopefully this day will hurry up and end. Hopefully the presentation I'm preparing won't look like I'm doped up on NyQuil. Hopefully my air mattress will return to the apartment before I do as I'm looking forward to an early night.

Plans for tomorrow include a long run, then poker at a friends. If I sleep enough, I'm sure I'll be up for some insane fun tomorrow which I will dutifully report on Monday.

Have a good weekend!

About a Plunger

2007-02-22T09:52:00.000-05:00

Everyone's done it, everyone's experienced it, everyone knows the feeling of the need for a plunger. A common occurrence that can result in panic, worry, and terror.

Last night I arrived home and took a moment to utilize the facilities at my apartment. Nothing out of the ordinary, nothing more than a brief moment in time....until the flush.

And then, then that moment arrived. The one when panic takes hold.

I watched, horrified as the toilet flushed, then proceeded to overfill. What? Why? I jerked around and with a sigh of relief found the cat unflushed. So he didn't cause the clog then how? The question died as I realized something of more importance, the bowl couldn't hold another drop of water and began spilling over the edge.

With a shriek I dove for the plunger. My hand closed on air as we do not, apparently, have a plunger.

Ok, contingency plan, I ran down the stairs to our neighbors. Frantically I explained my situation, but they only shook their heads. In utter dismay I ran down to the landlady's but she either wasn't home or had decided to silently mock my plight from behind her closed door.

So, I did what any perfectly normal person would do.

Clad in slippers, I sprinted to the nearest store, raced through the store, said a silent prayer when I discovered three, brand-new plungers awaiting their moment to shine. Deciding that I only needed the one, I ran to the check-out counter. Waited patiently as the customer in front of me rambled on about something or the other to do with the newest flavor of chewing gum, then triumphantly presented the plunger to the checker.

He was unimpressed.

I nervously shuffled as he expertly took more than the required time to scan the item and ask for $4.89. For a plunger? I only hesitated for a moment then threw the money at him and bolted.

The race back proved harder as slippers are not all that comfortable to sprint in and the way back was uphill. I was not to be deterred, however, and pressed on.

Taking the stairs one at a time (I was in slippers!) I arrived at the scene plunger in hand and proceeded to plunge. A moment later, the crisis ended and I was left there, standing in a puddle of water, dripping plunger in hand, a bead of sweat on my forehead.

Not one to miss an opportunity, I dumped a pint of Lysol on the floor and mopped the floor to a nice lemony shine. We now have a plunger. And I am the master of that plunger.