I might have tuberculosis?!

So, as I mentioned last week, life has been anything but relaxing. Luckily, this week has been significantly less stressful. Don’t worry though; it will pick back up in no time. Now in reference to last week’s slew of disasters, I remembered that I left out a few. First of all, some organization in Africa got a hold of my e-mail address and password and began sending things out under my name. Because of this, I was getting thousands (or hundreds of thousands) of e-mails a day. Information Technology Services on campus caught this error and called my cell phone Wednesday morning, telling me that I needed to come in and officially change my university e-mail address…You know, the one that ALL OF MY IMPORTANT CONTACTS HAVE!

^^^ I HATE COMPUTERS!

When I woke up on Wednesday morning, my outlook was:

1. Physics at 9:00. Apartment at 10:00.

2. Study for my Environmental Chemistry test until lunch with Mogli at 12:00.

3. FIRST DAY IN THE FIELD at 1:00 which entailed driving 1.5 hours north, paying a toll, and jumping into a methylmercury infested swamp to catch ugly bugs. (side note: methylmercury is the organic/TOXIC form of mercury…you know, the kind we’re not supposed to eat)

4. Leave swamp at 4:00 p.m. to arrive home at 5:30.

5. Shower.

6. Dinner at 6:00.

7. Environmental Chem study session (that I put together for chem club) from 7:00 to 9:00.

8. Study more at home.

9. Sleep.

As you can tell, I have my scheduling down to a SCIENCE. But things don’t always go as planned, Cher constantly reminds me. Well Wednesday, of all days, was THAT day. After Physics that morning, I got a call from IT Services telling me that I needed to change my e-mail address. This took until about 11:00 a.m. And you can imagine that this is a HUGE stress factor for someone who has to check her e-mail on an hourly basis because I am always getting pertinent information. So I did that.

Since my e-mail address was different, I knew the first person I should tell would be my Conservation professor (the one I am doing mercury research with). He has stressed many times the importance of communication and I regularly receive e-mails from him concerning class discussions/assignments. So I went to his office and as soon as I stepped in, my simple update suddenly became an hour-long revamping of the class rubric. “Now tell me, I really want your opinion, what do you think of the class…?” He proceeded to restructure and consolidate everything with me standing over his shoulder, nodding or shaking my head…even though it was more like me listening and observing than giving my two cents. I was his moral support I suppose. Finally, 12:15 rolls around. I mentioned that I need to go get lunch (which was back at my apartment because I had to change my clothes and pack my gear for the field anyway) and drove home as fast as I could without speeding…too much.

^^^ “HEY LADY! Your clock is ticking!!!”

I shoveled food into my mouth, changed quickly, and made it to lab late. It was time to head out into the field with my OTHER research partner whom I shall dub Cairo. Cairo and I didn’t make it to my car until 1:45 and there was a giant traffic jam on the way to the swamp. Thus, we arrived at the ripe hour of 3:00 frikkin’ p.m. Of course, this was our first day so it took a good 20 minutes to assess the situation. Next, we got in the water, collected a few ooey-gooeys, and left at 4:30.

^^^ This is a shallow section of the swamp. We were in up to our hips.

By now you can tell that I am way behind. I got to dinner late, to the study session late, and I wasn’t prepared for the session at all. The two hours I had before lunch were SUPPOSED to be for my study time. But alas, to no avail.

^^^ Ugh.

So I take my test the next morning. Not too bad. I go to class. Really stressed out and more to do. Friday rolls around and I I get this e-mail saying that all students who traveled to South Africa, Spain, and CHINA need to be tested for tuberculosis. Wonderful! So tomorrow I need to make a phone call to the campus health center so they can stick a needle in my arm and inject me with some crazy test potion!

^^^ Great.

Other than all that, life hasn’t been too bad. This week is looking relatively calm, I daresay. I think I might take a sun bath sometime in the near future.

Pressure, pressure, and pressure. I am under a lot of pressure.

Sound out this word: “Pre-ss-ure.” It sounds funny. But besides that, it has many implications. I will forewarn all of you readers that with the start of a new school year, you are going to be hearing (or reading, rather) a lot of complaining from me about my busy schedule which is totally self-induced. Masochist, right here.

^^^ Honey, I know what you mean!

So as some of you may remember, I am continuing my mayfly research in the lab with Mogli this semester which has been very successful thus far. We have been separating our mayflies into differing species and putting them in fresh vials with new labels. My other research for Environmental Conservation continues to be incredibly overwhelming. Answering the massive question, “Where is methyl mercury in Dragon Run Swamp coming from?” is a huge undertaking and we are the first class to attempt this method of learning.

Along with all this, I have two tests coming up, one in Environmental Chemistry and another in Physics (ew). I am way behind in my studies and I definately shouldn’t be online right now but I needed to vent. Not only are my classes extremely involved, but I have more extra-curriculars to add to the list. As I have mentioned before, Mogli is president of the Rock Climbing club for our University…So now I go rock climbing once a week which knocks out a good three to four hours of my time. Chemistry club is staying busy as well! All of this is good…but I am finding that I have difficulty in saying “no” to volunteering myself.

^^^ This is what I SHOULDN’T be doing on weekdays…and of course I am on the beginner wall…under a roof.

I was sent an e-mail today from the Biology/Chemistry/Environmental Science department chair (my botany proffessor from freshman year). It was a flyer regarding an internship; something about NASA and Alaska. I haven’t even had time to finish reading it. But of course I will be at the meeting next week to see how I can become involved because I can’t say, “No! I am too busy and I am going to die of a heart attack at age 21! NO!”

And

^^^ Eh…who knows. I’ll find out at the meeting when I decide to subject myself to more activities! : )

Perhaps this is the ultimate form of insecurity. I am not taking on a billion projects to impress others, but to impress myself. It’s as if I am continuously displeased with my progress and I have to continue to overload myself until…I don’t know what. “My credentials are simply not good enough. I must do more.” The other day, a good friend of mine from the biology department gave me one of the best compliments I have ever recieved. She said, “You are the most dedicated scientist I know. You’re so caught up in your major!” A person could take that one of two ways: a) I have no life  or  b) I am a hard worker. I am fairly certain she meant the latter. And the reason this was such a compliment is because this particular young lady is VERY involved in campus activities, etc. We give each other tips on where to find the best planner notebooks. “I got mine at Kinkos in the sale bin! It was 20% off…AND it came with a pen!” It’s sad…truly sad.

^^^ My life…no lie. And I can’t do anything without my iPod.

Besides all this, I feel I am managing decently. I need more quiet time, that’s for sure. And I need to start getting more serious. This past weekend was probably the last relaxed weekend I will have all semester. I TURNED 21!!! I am officially an adult because of my legality in purchasing alcohol. So now when life, classes, and activities seem unbearable, I can drown my sorrows in a good ole bottle of Jim Beam. Ok, I am kidding. People keep asking me what I did to celebrate my BIG 21. I simply requested dinner with all my loved ones: Lafonda, Cher, Mogli, and my cousin whose nickname I forgot. Cher’s younger sister, whom I love dearly, was able to attend as well. After Thai food, we went to a nearby beach and had icecream and good conversation. Who could ask for a better birthday? I love those people. That’s what keeps me going when I am under all this PRESSURE! The support from my friends and family has always served as my pillars of strength. They’ll listen to me complain…then kindly remind me that it’s my own fault (Cher…) or offer to go to Target with me to procratinate a little more (Lafonda…). Ya’ll are more than what the doctor ordered! And thank you for a wonderful birthday celebration!

^^^ Haha! For you, Cher.

Stuffed animals in cars and methylmercury in fish: the mysteries of my life.

See, I told you all it would be forever and a day before I wrote again. Let me explain that in general, I tend to be a very high-strung, worrier type of student. I.e., I am already stressing about a paper that’s not due until November. The tune of my stress is changing this year. Last year, it was, “Oh God! I have so much homework!” Now, it’s, “Oh God! I have so much RESEARCH!” I have officially made the transition from underclassmen to upperclassmen. All the familiar symptoms are exhibited: I live off campus in a real apartment with Lafonda and Cher, Mogli and I stay in the lab until 10:00 p.m. on Wednesday nights and have to lock up, and I have taken on multiple research projects.

^^^ OMG! I LOVE the lab!

The most stressful thing in my life at the moment is my Environmental Conservation class. Luckily, I have an AMAZING professor who is very inspiring. However, there are very high expectations in this class. Most of the informaiton that I have gained has been obtained by myself. This is a research-based class and the professor has made it crystal clear that he has no responsibility in the matter of us students gaining factual knowledge; it is completely in our hands. With this comes many question lists and criteria for what we need to do well…and we fill in the blanks. Currently, I am preparing myself for a meeting with some genius professor at a nearby research lab who specializes in methylmercury. I have a whole list of questions he sent to our class that is supposed to help prepare us to have a conversation with this guy. Mind you, this is the first time I have even HEARD of methylmercury. I know a lot more now than I did a couple weeks ago…yet, not nearly enough to feel confident enough to step into a lab with this mercury god. Speaking of God, perhaps I should try praying on the matter.

^^^ HAHA! We’re testing fish… This cartoon is SO going to my professor.

To give you an idea, here is a small list of a few questions I am asking myself:

-What is the statistical population about which you are asking this question? Will you compare the results for the population to another population? What other population? How will you do the comparison?

-What are the qualities of a good measured value for mercury? What will you do to make sure that all of your measurements have these qualities?

-How will you summarize your numbers? Is your sampling system the best method for your summary?

At all these, I throw up my hands and say, “WHERE DO I LEARN ALL THIS STUFF?!” Which is why I need to make this entry as breif as possible…because right now, I have some reading to do about methylmercury analysis and testing…so I know what the heck I am talking about.

^^^ Also funny…but luckily we’re not testing sharks…agh.

So now onto a more interesting topic! Has anyone ever taken notice to the phenomenon of stuffed animals in the rear windows of cars? And it’s always in those little beat-up Carola-type vehicles. You know, the ones with the front right corner dented in where the driver probably clipped a mailbox somewhere along the way? Dull gold paint, a broken rear-view mirror, and a fur steering-wheel cover? Yeah. You know them.

^^^ Oh no.

Would someone please tell me WHY you would be inclined to put stuffed animals in the rear window of your car? If you are old enough to drive, you should be old enough to do it without your Binky’s going with you. And have you ever noticed that it’s always those T.Y. “beanie babies.” Let’s just talk about this for a second. Beanie Babies? Think about the name. Beanie Baby. Truly? And aren’t those things really expensive? Another thing I want to know; what in tarnation makes those Beanie Babies so freakin’ special? IT’S BEADS CONTAINED BY A PIECE OF FABRIC IN THE SHAPE OF AN ANIMAL! The only thing that makes them cool is the strange names that T.Y. gives to these poor creatures.

^^^ Gag.

It’s like having the job where you name fingernail polish colors “Deer Valley Spice” or “Marooned on the Magnificent Mile” or “Peachy Keen”. Thank YOU O.P.I. Apparently, that’s Madonna’s favorite nail polish brand; they must be doing something right. (Disclaimer: Marooned on the Magnificent Mile is like, my favorite!). When I interned at the Gallery this past summer, I had to re-organize all the frame mats and through this, learned many-a-stange color name. Things like, “Moroccan Sunrise” and “Handicapped Parking Spot Blue.” Ok, I exaggerated on that last one, but you get the point.

^^^ And apparently they have a new “India” line…I’m on it!

So in summary, take the stuffed animals out of your vehicle; at least the Beanie Babies. If not for yourself, do it for the fact that it’s an obstruction to your view through your broken rearview mirror. Happy trails out there on the road!