Holiday! Celebrate!

He heh...got that terrible Madonna song in your head didn't I? :P
Very shortly J and I will have a long weekend together with nice people and good music. I am worried I may nap the whole time of come down with some hideous plague once my body takes time to relax, but I cannot wait to get out of here and just relax down to the very marrow of my being for the first time since, well, Christmas really. Having a wig out session from stress on the weekend has shown me how close to the edge I am with all I'm doing...apparently I'm ahead of a lot of *regular* grad students time wise. All I know is, I'm looking forward to be done.

I normally bake up a storm and bring tasty goods along camping, but this year I'm not stressing myself out about it. If there is time tonight then so be it, but we have enough food, and clean clothes to get by.

J's family who come back to Toontown for the Jazzfest every year are here and will be taking care of our critters while we are away. Went out for Thai food with them last night and I am still full...it was good to see them. I also do not think I need to eat for a week or so with all the delicious Thai food we had...I have leftovers for supper. Bwaha!

And so, I must be off. It is a struggle to be awake, but today is my last day of work for a week, so I will be good, head home for a nap and then try and start my relaxing...

In order to get that terrible song out of your head that I put there - here's a better Holiday - Billie. Have a lovely day everyone!

geeks love free books too

eeek!
Book purge from the library - I picked up The Selfish Gene by Dawkins, a pathology reference book, the Molecular Cloning Handbook of methods and a molecular biomethods handbook for free.

Yipadee!
Now to find time to read them...

And my topic for today is...

image

Ah - I just gave my 6 month update speech to go with my report I handed in last week. It went well. I was up until 2 finishing it because of time spent friday and saturday putting on our party, but I have to say - it went well. We sold out, covered our costs and everyone had a great time. Bar proceeds go to CFCR...everybody wins. My speech today went OK too. Not perfect, but it was constructive and I will be able to start really crunching my data now. They didn't laugh or make me feel like I didn't know what I was doing...a good sign. I have direction and remaining things to do...I even met with my supervisor on saturday morning before the party and we hashed out a lot of details...it was one busy awesome weekend.

I'm looking forward to a few naps...some relaxing. And a long weekend off with no data.

I am giddy at the thought.

Gone to seed

I really need to mow the lawn.
In my defence I have been really busy...then it keeps raining when I'm not.
It has been long enough that it has gone to seed. And we have random daisies blooming in it...personally I like it. I think it's lovely. I've never liked mowed manicured lawns. One of the reasons I like our house is the front yard is all gravel and a zillion virginia creepers (and a few weeds ahem). This overgrown back yard and poorly tended front does however add a touch of "desolate and abandoned" to an otherwise rather charming house.

Yes, I have really understanding neighbors...:)

Shoot me now...more jello please

This weekend we, together with some great people, are putting on a thing. A good thing. Live music and DJs in a nice venue, good people, nice decor (enchanted forest) and even sammiches cupcakes and coffee at midnight. :)
Yours truly is in charge of the bar, and because I luv them, besides the good local draft beer and hard liquor with mix I'm gonna have jello shooters. Peach ones. And so I'm looking on the interwebs for recipes as I can't decide between what liquors to put in them...and I stumbled across this website:
My Science Project.
Yowza.
I love these people. Specifically...theirgreat and exhaustive efforts and experiments at making a zillion types of shooters, seeing how strong you can make them...with many liquors...even dessert and pudding ones.
Oh yes.
My mouth is actually watering at all the different ideas. Yum.
Just had to share it with you...I'll let you know how it all goes.

Any ideas for a name for these peach shooters? I am undecided...

Slip of the tongue

In an email to my supervisor I mistyped my thesis as Mt thesis.
And so it shall be named henceforth and forevermore :)

Yes. Quite.

link

ROAD TRIP!

1 more sleep. I use the term sleep loosely. Altho I am exhausted from lack of sleep, and still have much typing to do, I still cannot stop thinking about it.

Tomorrow I head out bright and early in a car with 3 friends to go to the Comic Expo in Calgary. Meep! Even though I have to cut out early by a day to come home and work on school stuff (sadly I just won't get it all done in time) I don't care. 2 whole days of geeking out...I. AM. SO. EXCITED. The girls and I have planned this for over 6 months and it is time to run amok amongst the friendly beautiful crazies...ah!
After so much hard work...it will be SO. COOL.

I plan on seeing a great many things, hopefully meeting Colonel Tye, Delenn, and perhaps Summer Glau...giggle at Riker and maybe catch a glimpse of George Romero and Bill Shatner (god I hope they don't let him sing...)J gets to be there with press passes, lucky sod. He won't see me much...but he will get to interview a lot of cool people. I love people watching and a gathering like this screams out for it :)
I hope to pick up an autograph from Elvira mistress of the night for my brother for his birthday (I know I know...he'd pee with joy tho) and maybe find me a nice pair of goggles. If I had time I'd have pulled together a costume, but as it is, I will just go and enjoy. My Tank Girl costume just doesn't work in crowds...:)

daytripping

Last night at about 3 AM I went over my first draft of my damn report that is due monday that I had to give to my supervisor this AM (and will come back early from comic con to finish if I'm not done before I go...). It's not too shabby. Needs some filling out, but it will do I think. My mountains of data (literally 3 inches of printouts of data and graphs...meep) is hard to wade through so I may keep that discussion superficial in the report and keep a bit more info for my talk on the 27th when I've had a few more days to go through it all and build it up logically. Nothing is worse than flinging data wildly at people...
I looked at my watch at 3AM and saw Wed June 15 on it...and I was very confused...thinking tomorrow was thursday...but that the paper was due wednesday...and how did I skip a day...and then I made the link, shook my head and finished my draft to go off to bed. I slept in this morning and had a good, albeit tired, work day. I'm on a constant low sleep this last 8 days, so it's getting easier. I know what to eat and how to keep my body fueled. Oddly, exercise helps, even when exhausted. I skipped the morning workout to sleep, but stopped by a class on the way home on a whim and I feel all the better for it.
Now for a bit of supper and another go at some revision...and bed time of a real human being!
Joy :)

"Hear me baby hold together"...

There is simply not enough time in the universe to do all that I need to do. I am trying my damndest, but I, mere mortal that I am, can only do so much.

I will slog on. It's taking WAY longer than I thought...I have to try and finish summarize this freaking mountain of data tonight so I can write up my report over the next day or two for my committee progress report. Much as I dearly want to I can't just throw a huge pile of printed out data on the table and go "read this if you want to know what I've been up to!". It angers me to have to justify what I've been doing over the last period of time. To have to be able to clearly explain all my data when I'm still figuring it out myself...like I could possibly do any more than I am now...

On the upside, I have tickets and a room for comic con in calgary this weekend with a few girlfriends and I'll be damned if I give that up (like I have so many other social things lately). Even if I only go for a day. I'm going.
Nyeah.

I just have to keep going...3 hours of sleep and a pot of coffee and I'm on a roll for yet another ridiculous day.
Not much else I *can* do but keep going really. The slog will end eventually.

On a side note - if you paid $17.50 for a sunday brunch (it was damn good) would you be annoyed at the coffee being an extra $3? I know I was. It seemed petty...I wasn't sure if it was me being overtired and grumpy or not. It was worth it to see my Dad for an hour or so. Not long enough...but such as it is nowadays.

I must go before I mope all over the floor. I have much labwork to do here today at work and if I keep moving I won't fall asleep.

Later taters. :)

Jiggy

I am Tired.
But it is friday. Thank frog.

It's like regular drama. Only sexy.

I just finished The Other Boleyn Girl. Not a bad read...historical sexy intrigue and all that. Interesting enough to drag me in and not so complex. It's kept me sane while on the plane (tee hee) and been a nice diversion on the bus when I want to rant and rave my stress but really can't. It has also given me a new mental image to toy with while avoiding my data and feeling dread at all the analysis I have to do but to be completely honest do not quite have a grasp on how to: I feel like Anne and her brother walking towards the guillotine. Hoping for the best. Dreading the possibility of what could happen. It is safe to say that I am ready to begin the final analysis and be done with it all and have my life back.

Or something like it anyways.

This morning I came in to workout but couldn't figure out what to do so I lumbered into spin and sculpt class to get my ass thoroughly kicked. 30 minutes of vicious spinning followed by crazy lungey squatty ab curling depravity that has left me with a slightly seized posterior and a desire to move as little as possible. i am quite sure tomorrow will be a stiff one.
And yet I like it. It's good to push yourself. It's good to FEEL your body there and know it's stiff because you made it work. :)

I have found myself with the most perfect of desserts...something my mum used to make that I've modified a bit to make even more perfect. Cook rice with coconut oil for supper. Then, after, when you find you still have room and crave a yummy thing, put some still warm slightly nutty rice in a bowl and melt a few spoons of brown sugar by sprinkling on top and pour on a squidge of evaporated milk. Let it sit a minute and when the sugar is all soft and the rice has soaked up the bit of milk give it a stir and slowly, languidly eat it...it is one of life's simplest and most delicious pleasures...:)

And so, having filled myself to the brim with rice and anxiety, I must be off. I am downloading a free month of analysis trial software as my boss has no $$ for the real one so I can try and have a go at all my data and try and get over this slightly drowning feeling I get whenever I think about All Those Numbers...
My computer, being the ever helpful type, came down with a virus monday so I've been unable to do much serious analysis until today and oh my dear do I have so very much to do.

Later Taters...

Another headache if you please

I have much to do this week. I'm back in the crazy busy and am seeing it for what it is - Just plain old crazy...

*pout*
I don't wanna.

Hmmm...anyone want to finish up my MSc data for me?

I can sit in the yard in the sun and sip mojitos and shout out encouragement if you need it. I'll make you snacks.

No?

Well OK then.
*mumble mumble*

Last night I had a bad headache and took the evening off as I couldn't have concentrated . Despite the pounding head pain it was nice...

Ridiculous isn't it? :)
Well here we go again...

Someone else is on my soapbox woo woo!

Ran across this and feel I must repost...

There and back again

Well...I'm back! Didja miss me? Say you did :)

I had a great few days away. It was exhausting... but very good. I learned a lot at the conference, made a lot of contacts and had a lot of good discussions with collaborators and my supervisors and have a real focus for the analysis I have to do this week of my MSc data. I have much to do, but I know why I'm doing it. I got to be a part of medicine making itself better. Booyah! Thursday night I also got to meet my old friend Pete (he's an old friend...not old. Well I suppose we're both getting old...but, yeah. Anyways...) for supper and a drink which was nice too...

Then after the conference (which was at the poshest hotel in Vancouver - I mean I bought my supervisor a glass of wine and it was $14! Yes that is the per glass price. Yeesh -it was a good Pino Grigio but seriously? wow...) I let the posh bellboy take my bag out to a taxi (ooh la la!) and went to have a nice visit with my gramma - she turns 100 in a few weeks. Can you believe it? We spent 2 hours talking and visiting. She's still with it, despite being very frail. It was really nice to visit with her. She doesn't travel and I haven't seen her in person in at least 10 years...she's having a big party at the end of June that I can't come to, but I could at least come and bring a card and visit while I was there. She is so tiny and sweet. I'm glad I got to see her again. :)

Then J's (and mine) favourite Aunt and her husband came and picked me up and I got to spend a day with them before I headed back home to my luv on sunday. It was nice to see their new condo (complete with a pond that had a turtle and fish and ducks) and see their daughter Cloe and her little boy Gage. We went out for dimsum to my favourite place in the world - the Flamingo. We also took Gage to free tour day at the landfill (don't laugh it was cool!) and he got to climb all over the equipment and push the buttons and we got a bus tour of the facility and gardens and came home to a cheese fondue and a good visit. We also stopped in at the COOLEST scifi toy store in Langley...so many cool things. I managed to contain myself and only got a few things. I snuggled with their cat Kinkers and tried to avoid the hockey insanity of Vancouver. They're in the Stanley cup semifinals and were playing 2 home games on wednesday night and saturday afternoon (which they won both of!) and whole chunks of downtown were roped off with big jumbotron screens set up to watch the games. It was a real party atmosphere...but most crazy too. I didn't do any shopping or anything to avoid the craziness...just decided to visit instead.
Sunday AM I made us all some lemon buttermilk waffles with fruit before they dropped me off at the airport. I was ready to come home. By then...I just missed J. I wanted to be home with him and my critters. It was so good to see him at the airport...and to know I was home again. We spent the evening relaxing and I was reminded that although it is exciting to get away, there is no place like home. :)

getting excited

I am so excited.
This afternoon I fly away for 4 days. I get to learn lots, and see family.
I get to stay in a nice hotel by myself (I'm totally sleeping diagonal! Bwahahaha!) and spend time wandering about in the evenings on my own when the conference is done. I get to meet with my supervisors and pick their brains...and when it's all over see family. I wish J could be with me, but it is what it is. It will be exciting to trek out on my own...
I'm hoping to sneak in a dim sum at the Flamingo (best peanut dumplings in the 'verse) and eat as much sushi as humanly possible.
And relax. Just relax.
...and then eat more sushi.

I can't wait.
:)