Archive for September, 2004

A subtle change

Published Thursday, September 30, 2004 in Uncategorized. 0 Comments

Can anyone guess what’s different about my page?

Yeah, pretty obvious. Can you tell that I’m just a little excited about Halloween? Halloween is my favorite holliday! You don’t have the stress of buying gifts, and you can dress up and eat candy! It’s the perfect holliday!!!

My geekiness about this template overhaul is pretty sad: I started working on the changes about 3 weeks ago. Wahaha!

You’ll only get the full effects if you have the proper fonts. Actually, as long as you have the “creepy” font, you’ll get the general idea. Can you believe the computers in the lab don’t have that font? How am I supposed to properly present my data without it? I can’t add it either, since you need “admin” powers to make those kind of changes. Computer Nazis!

Let me know if there’s any drastic problems with the view!

The saga continues…

Published Wednesday, September 29, 2004 in Uncategorized. 0 Comments

So he did respond, but I won’t post it here. I’ve decided to post all the emails on the grad forum, under the subject “should women try to have it all?” He’s taken a lot of hits from the original thread, so I decided to give the topic it’s own subject heading, and let him be judge by a jury of his peers.

You can see his response to my email there. Once again, he doesn’t seem to mind attacking my sexual practices, twists my words around, and then falls back on his religion to support his argument. What a tool.

You can tell by his latest comments on the from the original postings that he’s starting to regret he ever started this.

My goal hasn’t been to change his mind. My goal is to teach him that 1. you don’t post something like that on a forum unless you’re prepared to defend it, and 2. you don’t defend it by making personal attacks on those that disagree with you.

I’m trying to decide what to do next. Everyone’s feedback would be appreciated!

Evilsciencechick Strikes Back

Published Tuesday, September 28, 2004 in Uncategorized. 0 Comments

Eric the chauvinist asshole has taken quite the beating on the grad forum. With the help of some friends (thanks everyone!), I have responded with the following email:

Eric,
\
What other trait did you give me? Modesty. Well, let\’s see…\
\
From \http://dictionary.reference\.com/search?q=modesty\\
mod•es•ty   n.\
1. The state or quality of being modest.\
2. Reserve or propriety in speech, dress, or behavior.\
3. Lack of pretentiousness; simplicity.\
\
Hmmmm….I don\’t see anything there about modesty applying only to\
women, or only being feminine. What you have here, then, is a trait.\
Not necessarily a feminine one, just a trait that can be found in men\
or women. But you give me some examples:\
\
"Men walk around naked in the locker room snapping each other with towels."\
\
Well I don\’t suppose you\’ve been in too many women\’s locker rooms, so\
I can forgive you this mistake. Do you think we walk around in there\
wearing burkas? I see more bush in the locker room than I do during\
the state of the union. (a crude political joke! How unfeminine!)\
\
"snapping each other with towels" doesn\’t seem to be immodest\
behavior. It\’s actually childish behavior. A kind of primitive\
dominance display. I\’m not sure that all men do this either – but\
I\’ve not been any men\’s locker rooms myself, so I can\’t say for sure.\
\”,1] ); /

What other trait did you give me? Modesty. Well, let’s see…

From http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=modesty
mod•es•ty n.
1. The state or quality of being modest.
2. Reserve or propriety in speech, dress, or behavior.
3. Lack of pretentiousness; simplicity.

Hmmmm….I don’t see anything there about modesty applying only to
women, or only being feminine. What you have here, then, is a trait.
Not necessarily a feminine one, just a trait that can be found in men
or women. But you give me some examples:

“Men walk around naked in the locker room snapping each other with towels.”

Well I don’t suppose you’ve been in too many women’s locker rooms, so
I can forgive you this mistake. Do you think we walk around in there
wearing burkas? I see more bush in the locker room than I do during
the state of the union. (a crude political joke! How unfeminine!)

“snapping each other with towels” doesn’t seem to be immodest
behavior. It’s actually childish behavior. A kind of primitive
dominance display. I’m not sure that all men do this either – but
I’ve not been any men’s locker rooms myself, so I can’t say for sure.

Oh good Lord…UPDATED!

Published Sunday, September 26, 2004 in Uncategorized. 0 Comments

Oh, the crap I get myself into.

A few weeks ago, I posted some strips from a comic called “piled higher and deeper.” The site I got the strips from also had a “grad student forum.” What fun! I signed up, and posted a few responses here and there.

Last week, I saw the question: Ideal mates for grad school? Someone had posted wondering what everyone thought the idea partner for a grad student would be. I thought, well, the science geek/computer geek thing seems to be working out for me and Kevin, so I’ll post a response, but I’ll read what everyone else wrote. The last entry was from someone named Eric. Here it is:

I think that I’m experiencing the ideal situation.

My wife stays at home and cares for our son. Her commitment to our home enables me to work hard, and allows us to have a home life. (Such as eating real meals, having friends over.)

Well, so far it sounds pretty normal. Nice that he makes enough money as a grad student to support his family. Good for him! But, he kept writing:

It’s amazing how the current generation of women have been duped into pursueing a career. What’s so great about working so hard for $ and the respect of people you don’t like? The working world (grad school or not) is a nasty place, and I’m glad my wife doesn’t have to be in it. My wife had a career before, now she has a home, and the incredible responsibility of introducing a child to the universe.

Gah! DUPED????? DUPED????

Well, I couldn’t let that one go. So I responded to him:

Well how nice for you that your wife has chosen the role of breeder instead of a career. I’m not knocking it, I’m just saying that those of us who haven’t squeezed out a kid yet haven’t neccessarily been “duped.” I know plenty of women in science who are married, have children and amazing home lives, AND who are very successful PIs. Take my advisor for example. She’s got 3 kids, a beautiful home, and a husband who also has a very good job.

Getting back to the original topic, my boyfriend is a computer geek. I think the science geek/computer geek combo is a pretty good match.

Yeah, well, the “breeder” thing was a bit overboard, but I was still steaming over the “duped” thing. I figured that would be the end of it, but today I saw that he wrote back:

Evilsciencechick, you are the perfect product of our age. You instinctively dismiss the position of wife and mother as sub-human, and then reiterate the ‘you can have it all’ party line.

Fine, you aren’t duped. You just despise the feminine traits.

Speaking of being duped, how is it that women have come to believe the old lie that it’s in their interest to have sex outside of marriage? Every scumbag that wants to use women and leave them loves that feminist dogma.

Wha….????

Um….I despise feminine traits??? What the hell does that mean? Surely his definition of a woman isn’t just “child bearer.” And where the hell did that “sex outside of marriage” thing come from. That was never brought up, unless he read my response to an earlier thread about the sex lives of graduate students. I had posted that mine was pretty good, but I lived with my boyfriend, so it’s not like I was trolling bars. This guy was now making assumptions about me, and I DIDN’T LIKE IT!!! I had a ranty post all ready, when a friend told me to draw this guy out a little, find out where he’s really coming from. (thanks Ryan! Hi!) So instead I posted:

OK Eric. Please tell me, what ARE femine traits?

Tonight, I got this email:

It seemed that to answer your question would take the thread too far off-
topic. So since you allowed the option, I chose to respond privately.

First, let me say that I understand that it is very hard for educated women
today to seriously consider that it may be beneficial for men and women to have
different roles. We have been taught that all who preceded us were fools and
chauvinists. Nevertheless, I believe that those women who embrace their
femininity, and don’t seek to imitate manliness, are happier for it.

So what does it mean to be a woman, anyway? Clearly it implies certain body
parts. In particular, it implies body parts that are used in carrying and
nurturing babies. (What you call breeding.) So I feel safe in concluding that
giving birth and nursing babies are inherently feminine activities. From your
reference to my wife as ‘breeder’, it seemed to me that you despised me, my
wife, or both of us, because of her devotion to the care of our child and to
our home.

What other traits are feminine? Modesty. Do I really need to justify that?
Men walk around naked in the locker room snapping each other with towels. I
don’t know to what degree you despise modesty, but you did boast of your
fornication on a public website. Remarkably unfeminine. The act itself (sex
outside marriage) is very unfeminine. Men have always wanted that, but women
historically have held out for marriage, forcing the man to commit. To put
such a low value on one’s body is very unfeminine.

There are many more, but it isn’t the best investment of my time for me to list
them. If you want an intelligent and sensible exposition of the distinctions
between men and women, check out “What’s Wrong with the World” by G. K.
Chesterton. (Particularly the section on men & women). It’s easy reading with
short chapters, even though it’s a century old. I’ll be very impressed with
your open-mindedness if you read it.

So now I know that this guy’s only view of women is “modest child-bearer.” And I’m thinking, what a shame. How many strong, beautiful women have I met in my life? Women that have careers and families. They may have had to make sacrifices along the way, but does that make them anti-feminine? By this man’s definition, our beautiful Lovisa is anti-feminine, since she is unable to bear children. But anyone who would ever dare suggest that I would happily whack with a baseball bat (pretty unfeminine, huh?), because Lovisa is a beautiful, wonderful, strong woman. And is Aimee unfeminine because she chose to raise her daughter on her own and hold down a full time job? Does she regret the sacrifices she’s made? Doubt it. Would she give it all up so a man could come and marry her and take away all her problems and the stresses of the cruel job world? Well, you’d have to ask her, but I’m doubting it. I could go on and on citing examples from blogville, as well as the “real world,” (heehee!), but I don’t think I need to convince you guys of anything.

And what is the deal with the sex outside of marriage thing? Is…is he calling me a slut? For sleeping with my boyfriend of a year and a half? Self-righteous bastard. Who knew Kevin was sucking away my femininity every time we did the nasty?

And I’m starting to feel bad for his wife. It may be that she is perfectly happy to give up a career to raise children, and more power to her if she is. But she is married to a rather chauvinistic man. Makes me wonder if, should she make the decision one day to return to the job world, would he be at all supportive?

So, great. Just great. This guy is obviously stuck in the year 1954, and absolute NOTHING that I say is going to sway him in any way. So do I really want to feed this guy’s ego by responding?

I don’t particularly need his approval to feel feminine. I am perfectly happy as a feminine woman, sludging through grad school, hopefully on her way to a rewarding career, and happily having premarital sex with her boyfriend. Hooray for fornication! And whether or not I decide to have children in the future does not at all diminish me as a woman.

Oooooo…but I really wish I could give it to this guy. What a jerk.

*********************

UPDATE: well, if you go back to the forum, the asshole is getting reamed by plenty of others, and he’s doing a piss poor job of defending himself. He’s trying to point the finger at ME now, so while I haven’t sent him an email reply yet, I decided on one more post for the thread:

end of his last post
Lastly, all of you that speak out for women, how isn’t that no one was indignant at the way evilsciencechick refered to my wife as “breeder”? So you defend women as long as they behave liike men, is that it?

my response
No way are you going to drag me down into the little mess you’ve made yourself, buddy. If you’re going to post something ignorant and insensitive on a forum, prepare to be slammed. I used the word “breeder” because it’s funny. People who have kids are breeders. I call my friends with kids “breeders.” It’s a funny word. I think most people that read my comment thought “ha! breeder!” Please develop a sense of humor.

Ladies and gents, he sent me an email in response to my last question, which he never really answered, and went out of his way to attack my intelligence and my way of life. It’s actually an entertaining read, all of my friends have gotten a kick out of it. If you’d like a copy, send me an email. I am working on a well thought out response, which he will ignore, because, 1. I am a weak minded woman, and 2. I disagree with him.

this and that

Published Friday, September 24, 2004 in Uncategorized. 0 Comments

Of note:

today, someone with the Yahoo ID “nigga4life2010″ tried to add me to his friends list. Ummm…I don’t think so, no.

Someone found my blog today Google searching for “blogspot she was hiccuping”

If Kevin gets his butt in gear, tonight we’re going to see “Debbie Does Dallas, the Musical” Hooray!

How to make a tired puppy

Published Thursday, September 23, 2004 in Uncategorized. 0 Comments

Proof that I did indeed take sadie to the park:

More at the picture site.

Retrospective

Published Thursday, September 23, 2004 in Uncategorized. 0 Comments

When I was younger and stupid, ie: in high school, my music tastes did not wander too far away from the top 40 station. The exception was my disturbingly large collection of musical soundtracks. Actually, the musical soundtracks were my clue as to what my taste would develop into, once the facism of high school was behind me. What I like about music is the singing. Why? Selfishly, it’s because I like to sing. I like music I can sing along to. Loudly. When I’m in the car. Or doing the dishes. Or just walking down the street. I have a pretty good voice, I’m not ashamed!

So when the hardcore grunge of the early 90’s slowly gave way to the singer songwrite, I was in heaven! Especially the women artists like Sarah and Jewel (yes, Jewel, before she sold out and become all whore-y).

I think the reason I love that kind of music so much is how expressive it is, capturing nuances of emotion that I could never express otherwise. I am not a poet or songwriter. I don’t scribble my pain away on tablets. I envy those that do. Instead I sing my pain away in songs that other people wrote. I have lived my life as soundtracks. Songs for the sad times and happy times, when I’m in love or when I’m brokenhearted. It’s pretty safe to say that I’ve got a song playing in my head most of the time. And not always the annoying ones, like the winky winky song.

The Indigo Girls have been around a long time. I knew of their existance when I was in high school and college. I knew that their music was right up my alley. But, and this is perhaps one of the stupidest notions I have ever had: I was afraid to buy a CD or listen to their music much. Why? Because they were…gasp! lesbians. Don’t get me wrong, I had no qualms with lesbians. But I went to college in a very small, very rural town. People were not very open minded about alternative lifestyles. I was afraid that if I listened to music sung by lesbians, people would think I was a lesbian. After all, I wasn’t really dating anyone. I was not sleeping around with the college boys. I was teetering on the edge, apparently, and I didn’t want anything to push more over the social ledge.

Now, is that about the dumbest logic you have ever heard in YOUR ENTIRE LIFE??? I am ashamed to even admit it.

Fast forward to my first year in Atlanta. A friend in my class asks if anyone wants to go see the Indigo Girls in concert. Sure! Why not? I was curious. And slight more evolved than I had been in college (I hoped).

That was one of the most amazing concerts I had ever been to. That music took hold of me. Every song Amy and Emily sang was TO ME! Like they knew me! They were singing my soundtrack!!!

After the concert, Least Complicated was my new favorite song. I went out and bought some CD’s. Like an addict, I wanted more!

I’m just a mirror of a mirror myself
All the things that I do
And the next time I fall I’m gonna have to recall
It’s isn’t love it’s only something new

It was the best song ever. That song is about me, definately. And I listened to my new CD’s. OMG! Galileo! That’s my new favorite song! I am using way too many exclamation points!!!

How long till my soul gets it right
Can any human being ever reach that kind of light
I call on the resting soul of galileo
King of night vision, king of insight

I’m not making a joke, you know me
I take everything so seriously
If we wait for the time till all souls get it right
Then at least I know there’ll be no nuclear annihilation
In my lifetime I’m still not right

It was something I could roll down the windows of my car and sing at the top of my voice.
I own quite a few Indigo Girl CD’s now. But for Christmas a few years ago, my friend JN bought me the CD that I listen to the most: Retrospective
It’s kind of a “best of” CD. They have a few out, but Retrospective is the best. Every song on it is my favorite. I know all the words.

I imagine, maybe…one day…in the distant future… sitting next to a cradle, singing a baby to sleep with Power of Two. Not really a lullaby, but I like the part about scarying away the monsters.

Now we’re talking about a difficult thing
And your eyes are getting wet
I took us for better and I took us for worse
Don’t you ever forget it
Now the steel bars between me and a promise
Suddenly bend with ease
The closer I’m bound in love to you
The closer I am to free

So we’re okay
We’re fine
Baby I’m here to stop your crying
Chase all the ghosts from your head
I’m stronger than the monster beneath your bed
Smarter than the tricks played on your heart
We’ll look at them together then we’ll take them apart
Adding up the total of a love that’s true
Multiply life by the power of two

Get Out the Map is another one of those feel good, fuck the world, I’m rolling down the windows and screaming it from the top of my lungs kinds of music. You can’t help but sing along. Also a good “piss off to this town” kind of song. I sing it whenever I get sick of Atlanta - which is more and more, these days.

Why do we hurtle ourselves through every inch of time and space
I must say around some corner I can sense a resting place
With every lesson learned a line upon your beautiful face
We’ll amuse ourselves one day with these memories we’ll trace

Get out the map
Get out the map and lay your finger anywhere down
We’ll leave the figuring to those we pass on our way out of town
Don’t drink the water there seems to be something ailing everyone
I’m gonna clear my head
(I’m gonna clear my head)
I’m gonna drink that sun
(I’m gonna drink that sun)
I’m gonna love you good and strong while our love is good and young

Go is a feminist anthem. Real girl power, not that slutty fake poppy shit.

did they tell you it was set it stone
that you’d end up alone
use your years to psyche you out
you’re too old to care
you’re too young to count

did they tell you, you would come undone
when you try to touch the sun
undermine the underground
you’re too old to care
you’re too young to count

And then there’s Ghost. Very few songs make me cry. In fact, only two do. Angel, by Sarah McLachlan, and Ghost. Angel, because that was the song that was all over the radio when my brother was in the hospital. And Ghost because it is about how painful love can be. I defy anyone who’s had their heart broken to listen to Ghost and not cry. Here’s all of it:

There’s a letter on the desktop
That I dug out of a drawer
The last truce we ever came to
In our adolescent war
And I start to feel the fever
From the warm air through the screen
You come regular like seasons
Shadowing my dreams

And the mississippi’s mighty
But it starts in minnesota
At a place that you could walk across
With five steps down
And I guess that’s how you started
Like a pinprick to my heart
But at this point you rush right through me
And I start to drown

And there’s not enough room
In this world for my pain
Signals cross and love gets lost
And time passed makes it plain
Of all my demon spirits
I need you the most
I’m in love with your ghost
I’m in love with your ghost

Dark and dangerous like a secret
That gets whispered in a hush
(don’t tell a soul)
When I wake the things I dreamt about you
Last night make me blush
(don’t tell a soul)
And you kiss me like a lover
Then you sting me like a viper
I go follow to the river
Play your memory like a piper

And I feel it like a sickness
How this love is killing me
I’d walk into the fingers
Of your fire willingly
And dance the edge of sanity
I’ve never been this close
I’m in love with your ghost

Unknowing captor
You never know how much you
Pierce my spirit
But I can’t touch you
Can you hear it
A cry to be free
Oh I’m forever under lock and key
As you pass through me

Now I see your face before me
I would launch a thousand ships
To bring your heart back to my island
As the sand beneath me slips
As I burn up in your presence
And I know now how it feels
To be weakened like achilles
With you always at my heels

This bitter pill I swallow
Is the silence that I keep
It poisons me I can’t swim free
The river is too deep
Though I’m baptized by your touch
I am no worse than most
In love with your ghost

You are shadowing my dreams
(in love with your ghost)
(in love with your ghost)
(in love with your ghost)

I don’t know why I felt moved to dedicate an entire post to the Indigo Girls. Probaby because that’s the CD I have playing in the car, so I’ve been listening to it again for the past few days. A good sountrack to calm me for the crappy stuff I’ve been dealing with in the lab. And also because I don’t have deep thoughtful poetry to post. I’m not a songwriter. I am amazed I have kept this blog for as long as I have, or that I’ve been able to string words together into something not only legible, but potentially mildly entertaining as well.

Make of it what you will. I need to get to bed!!!

It’s fun to work in science!

Published Wednesday, September 22, 2004 in Uncategorized. 0 Comments

I had to do some template tweaking, as my sidebar looked a little screwy in Firefox. It looks OK now that I’m at work and back to IE, but let me know if there’s anything drastically wrong.

The first email I read this morning as I casually sipped coffee and debated which wedding dress I should vote for on the today show, was from my boss, telling me that she’ s been asked to review a paper that pretty much scoops my newest project. GAAAAH!

(that means that they did pretty much what I was planning to do, and got the answer before I could. bleah!)

I got another cup of coffee and ate two rows of squares off my chocolate bar (cadbury’s dairy milk. best chocolate bar ever.) The breakfast of champions.

Boss lady still feels I can continue my project, as they have likely used a plasmid assay system and mine is integrated.

(that means…never mind, would take too long to explain).

Also, they generally use direct repeats for recombination, where we use inverted repeats.

(ditto above)

So while they got the answer we were expecting, I can mostly continue with my new project, as it is just barely different enough to be worth it. Also, now I have to review this paper, as boss lady doesn’t have the time. My first paper review - ack! I’m not all that great at reading other people’s data critically. That’s why I generally do PNAS papers for journal club, because they’re crappy in a very obvious way, so they’re easy to read critically.

HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!! Apologies to anyone who’s published in PNAS. I’m sure YOUR paper is wonderful and not full of glossed over explanations, “data not shown’s,” and obvious hand wavings.

Anyway, not the greatest way to start your morning. Welcome to Wednesday, your project is redundant.

of foxes, anniversaries, and my dog.

Published Tuesday, September 21, 2004 in Uncategorized. 0 Comments

I have downloaded and installed the Firefox browser from Mozilla, and therefore have inched my way up the geek ladder somewhat. Seems to be working OK. I’m hoping to avoid any more nasty spyware incidents. Anyone else using it who has an opinion?

Once again, I have failed my dog as a mother. I’ve been promising to take her to the park now that the weather is nice a cool. I don’t take her in the heat of summer, as she spends most of the time lying in my shade. Sucks to have a black fur coat in July in Atlanta. But now the weather is wonderfully cool and perfect park weather.

Yesterday I got home from work too late. Today, Kevin surprised me for our year and a half anniversary (we’re so sweet it’s pathetic, right?) with take out fried chicken, cole slaw, mashed potatoes, and super sweet tea from Mrs. Winners, apple pie and a chocolate bar, and flowers.

Best. Boyfriend. Ever.

Tomorrow is choir practice. So THURSDAY I WILL TAKE MY POOR NEGLECTED DOG TO THE PARK!!! And she will stop giving me those sad puppy looks

yeah, like that.

The wheels on the bus…

Published Monday, September 20, 2004 in Uncategorized. 0 Comments

I rode the bus in atlanta for the first time on saturday. Scary! I’ve ridden the train before, but buses scare me. Their routes seem random and undefined. They make stops that aren’t on schedule and sometimes you have to let them know that you want this stop, but if you don’t know that ahead of time, they can drive right past your stop and then you are LOST and SCREWED!!!!

I like the train. Defined stops. One direction. Very easy. West, transfer, North or South…and…you’re there!

Buses represent chaos.

Saturday, I had to ride TWO buses! Oh my god!!! bus, train, train, bus, mall. So the reward was there: mall. I just had to brave it out.

The reason for this drama is that Kevin decided to work on saturday, and we thought it would be nice if I could get to this mall, which is near where he works, and then he could just meet me, we’d shop, eat, etc. How nice! But it would be stupid of me to drive, also very not environmentally friendly. So, MARTA (”it’s smarta!”) it is!

I managed to make it to the mall in one piece, thanks to some very nice bus drivers, and in spite of poorly labelled buses. When I met up with Kevin, I learned, to my shock, that in spite of his y chromosome status, the man is a HUGE bargain clothes buyer! This from the man who I had to beg…BEG!!! last year to buy a new pair of khakis. (”your old ones are too tight! you need a bigger size!” “no I don’t! they…uh…shrunk! in the wash! I can still button them!” “fine. now breathe.” “I don’t need to breathe!”)

Kevin bought three…THREE! pairs of shorts ($6 each), two nice shirts, and four nice t-shirts (also $6 each). He also graciously bought me a skirt, since I’ve bought him clothes in the past.

NOTE: guys, if your girlfriend starts buying you clothes, it is NOT because she’s just trying to be nice. It is because your old clothes are ugly and/or ill fitting. Throw them away and wear the new stuff. Trust me. That is all.

The skirt is BEAUTIFUL! It’s tan with Indian style brown and green stitching around the edges, with gold discs sewn into the design. And it’s mid-calf length, which is a difficult length to find in non-old lady styles. I don’t have anything to go with it, though. Which means…yay! more shopping in my future. I also bought a pair of jeans and a button down blouse which only gaps a little bit around my boobs. That is a problem I have with button down shirts. If they’re not cut right, they will gap at my boobs. Can I get an amen from my boob blessed sisters?

We walked around Crate and Barrel, which has to be my favorite kitchen store. I can’t WAIT to register!!! I was actually in PAIN! I WANT THAT! AND THAT! AND THAT!!!!

I am selfish and materialistic. But I want a pasta maker, dammit!

Kevin just rolled his eyes. He’s a pretty good sport about it. “when the time is right” he keeps telling me. But I need that olive tray now!!! Bwahaha…what a brat I am!

This is why I stay away from malls most of the time. I am dangerous there!

Belly full…

Published Friday, September 17, 2004 in Uncategorized. 0 Comments

I generally get the cooking bug on a friday night. Unless we’re going out, I usually try to make something fun. Today I felt like cookies.

Under the guise of “my dietician said I need to eat more fiber,” I made some yummy oatmeal cookies, but substituted the walnuts for butterscotch and white chocolate chips. yummy!

I did go a little cooking crazy today, but it was a rough week. So roast pork loin, mashed potatoes, corn on the cob, and caesar salad, all washed down with a nice white wine seemed like a good way to end a crappy week. mmmmmm…feeling much better now.

No big plans for the weekend. some cleaning, maybe a trip to a mall (woohoo!). I still have to get pictures developed from my trip to Cedar Point, and I have to post on the recipe site.

Since it will be a lazy weekend, and not too many people will be blogging (pout!), again I ask…

Any questions for me?
Any recipe requests?
Any picture requests?

Have a great weekend!

It was a dark and stormy night

Published Thursday, September 16, 2004 in Uncategorized. 0 Comments

Actually just windy. And the power is back on, so hooray!

I tried to leave work a little after 5, silly me. Usually not a good time to leave on a good day, the line of cars waiting to get out of the parking garage stretched up to the top (7th) floor, where I was. After not moving an inch after 30 minutes, I figured that there was no way my car was getting out of there any time soon. Time to call in the troops.

“Kevin? can you come pick me up? please????”

“I suppose”

with all the traffic and downed trees, we didn’t get back until after 7.

starting to get windy and nasty out there again. I want to leave soon to go get my car!

*************

for your entertainment:

for those of you who don’t get cable, or who just can’t get enough of the Daily Show, John Stewart’s coverage of day 3 of the republican convention:

Zell on Earth

Proud to live in Georgia…

Ivan to go home!

Published Thursday, September 16, 2004 in Uncategorized. 0 Comments

It is very dark.

And windy.

And rainy. Not normal rain…scary-ass sideways rain that is almost a solid entity instead of drops.

And I am about to walk out of the building and to my car and try to drive home, where, kevin has informed me, we have no power.

Grrr…

Then again, no tv…no computer games…and no blogging? How will we spend our time? Whatever shall we do? hehehe… ;)

Grad school bitching

Published Thursday, September 16, 2004 in Uncategorized. 0 Comments

Well, Ivan is slowly making his appearance in atlanta. It’s rainy and windy. We’re not supposed to get the full strength (or what’s left of it) until late tonight. I hope everyone in blogville in his path comes out OK (drdave? you and the fam survive the night?)

The dreary weather is NOT motivating me to get to work (note the time…I’m not even dressed yet!). Of course, I have that luxury because the boss lady(SJR) is in England for a conference. AA is there for the conference, too, and don’t get me STARTED on that, since boss lady told us a LONG TIME AGO that she wouldn’t pay to send us to conferences overseas. and not ONLY is AA there, she’s staying an EXTRA WEEK!!! SJR TOLD her to stay an extra week, to enjoy herself.

Do you know how much grief I got for taking last week off? Do you??

I feel the resentment in me. I’m choking on it.

It doesn’t help that starting this new project has not been as easy as we’d hoped. She’s expecting preliminary results when she gets back, but I’m going to have to tell her that my Southern blot showed multiple insertions of the donor plasmid in each of my transformants. So I had to start all over. And I’m going to tell her this and I’m going to get THE LOOK, and the “you know you really have to get going on this, blah blah blah. You’re a 6th year now and you need to get something blah blah blah.”

And then I’m going to scream at her, because she acts like I’m purposely sabatoging my own project.

And then I talk to my mom, and she asks “have you met with your committee yet? do you know when you’re going to graduate? you know, we thought you’d have graduated by now.”

And allll this does is make me screw up more in lab, because of all the PRESSURE! Ack!!!!

I’m reeeeeeallly hating grad school right now. I know that’s all part of the process - bitterness and hate, followed by nervous breakdown, followed by the “fuck it, I don’t even care anymore” stage of actually writing the thesis.

blah! guess I should get dressed. maybe we’ll order thai food for lunch today…yummy!

I have succumbed…

Published Wednesday, September 15, 2004 in Uncategorized. 0 Comments

I have entered the dark side. There is no hope for me.

Thanks to Fleecy-poo, I now have a Gmail account. Yay! The ultimate email geek accessory. Now all I need is an mini ipod and I’ll be styling. Styling like a geek.

Anyway, I changed my email link on the side to reflect the change. my new email address is:

[email protected]

The yahoo address will now become my full time spam email. I also have a yahoo account that is my main account crazy blog stalkers like yourselves will never know.

I have too many email accounts! Hooray!

Conversation last night

Published Tuesday, September 14, 2004 in Uncategorized. 0 Comments

“hello, beautiful”

“hey baby. you gonna rock my world?”

“oh…I want to so bad, but I am so full from dinner.”

“Ok…you gonna nudge my world?”

“definately”

Geek humor

Published Monday, September 13, 2004 in Uncategorized. 0 Comments

This falls under the category of “only funny if you’re a grad student.”

I found these at a website for a comic called Piled higher and Deeper (PhD…get it?)


Never ask me when do I think I’ll finish. I will hit you. Unless you’re family. But it’s getting to the point where I’m going to start hitting them, too.


Sad, but true. I have a graph (a huge graph, but a single one none the less) that has 5 years worth of data on it.


I think I’ll get this one on a T-shirt

A little something to lighten the mood…

Published Sunday, September 12, 2004 in Uncategorized. 0 Comments

Search terms that have led to my site recently, and my theories on them:

everybody loves outkast - I hate outkast! This person was disappointed…

my photo blog, nipples - this person was also disappointed. or this person was Jay (bwaahaha!)

lislaz - For the umpteenth time! our lovable Fleece continues to be very popular, but why they’re finding my site and not hers remains a complete mystery.

bull penis putter, pure bull - Got two of these. I knew that bull penis putter entry would be trouble…

rants about tattoos gone wrong - this person has a heart tattoo with “moom” written in it

al frankin lies - this person still lives with their perents and voted for Bush (hehe…)

less sweets, lost weight - this person is president of The Association of People who Google Really Obvious Things, or APGROT

winky winky - the whole world will be singing this song….BWAAAHAHAHAHA!

but mostly rants - scary! stalker maybe?

hope everyone’s having a nice weekend! the beer butt chicken was delicious, and it was so great to see my friends again. The highlight of the evening was when we were playing Cranium. There was a club cranium card (where all teams participate) that was a charades-type activity. The word was “missionary.” Hilarity ensued. The other two teams were trying to be good about it, and do the more religious meaning. Not kevin. At one point he lifted both my legs up off the couch and acted it out. None of the guessers figured it out, but since none of us could breathe for laughing so hard, it didn’t seem to matter.

I love that game. I love my friends. I love Kevin. :)

WTC memory

Published Saturday, September 11, 2004 in Uncategorized. 0 Comments

I was probably around 13 when I went up one of the twin towers with my family. Standing next to the buildings and looking straight up, I couldn’t imagine that something could be that tall - they seemed to go up forever. On a previous trip we had done the empire state building, but the WTC dwarfed King Kong’s favorite NY hangout.

I remember the looooong elevator ride, thinking hat I hope the elevator didn’t break down because I did NOT want to have to climb all those stairs.

The view from the top was amazing. You could see everything…and waaaay in the distance, a tiny statue of liberty. There was a railing in front of the observation windows, probably to keep people from leaning on them. I stood up on the lower railing and leaned just my head on the glass to get the best veiw down. And something was climbing up the building! AAAAAAGH!

It was a neat little machine that cleaned the windows. It looked like it ran on vertical tracks, up and down the building. cool! We spent probably around 45 minutes there, before riding the elevator down down down and on to the next tourist stop. Never imagining that 11 years later it would be gone.

We’re not doing anything special today, really. Some good friends of mine that moved to Charleston are back in town, so we’re all going over to another couple’s place for dinner and game night. I volunteered Kevin to make his famous beer butt chicken (I’ll take pics for the recipe site).

After 9/11, people said that nothing would ever be the same again, but there are still get-togethers with beer butt chicken and good wine and great friends. The terrorists failed to crush us, and I hope their souls are in a dark, hot, tortuous hell, and I hope they realize they failed and I hope that’s the worst pain of all.

Ehhhhh….

Published Thursday, September 9, 2004 in Uncategorized. 0 Comments

I’m bored. Kevin is working late every night to make up for vacation last week.

Here’s something weirdly entertaining

Anyone have any questions? Any picture requests?

There was a praying mantis on my front door this morning. I think it was a boy, he was small and dark. The females are bigger and green, right? I asked him what he was doing on my door. He should be out on the nice greenery, meeting a nice big green female so he can make sweet love to her and have her eat his head afterwards. Then I figured he was better off on my door.

Songs from the very first mixed cd I made from downloaded music about 5 years ago:

Blink 182 - what’ s my age again

Proclaimers - I would walk 500 miles

Cake - never there

Fastball - out of my head

Sublime - What I got

Lisa Loeb - Stay

Green Day - time of your life

Nina Gordon - Tonight and the rest of my life

Sixpence none the richer - Kiss me

Cake - short skirt long jacket

U2 - The sweetest thing

Sublime - Santeria

The offspring - get a job

Everclear - I will buy you a new life

Picture plug

Published Thursday, September 9, 2004 in Uncategorized. 0 Comments

I’ve updated the picture site with some old pictures my grandmother gave me. Including some of me with unfortunate hair.

Just a warning…it’s bad.

Weather, etc

Published Tuesday, September 7, 2004 in Uncategorized. 0 Comments

Monday it was lovely - overcast with warm gusty winds. The first hints of Frances. Tuesday was icky and rainy. Atlanta’s NBC affiliate decided to preempt the Today show with a few hours of Flip Spiceland pointing a large swirls on maps and concluding that it may or may not rain for the next 24 hours, occasionally interrupted by shots of fallen trees and pissed off locals in their PJ’s and hairnets staring at their crushed cars. Woohoo, very informative.

What is it about warm climates that breeds nasty side effects? The west coast has earthquakes and hippies. The south has hurricanes and republicans. Midwest is no better - tornados and Cleveland. No win situation. I’ll just have to move to Canada, I suppose :)

The cruelest inch

Published Monday, September 6, 2004 in Uncategorized. 0 Comments

I’m back. and exhausted. and I have blisters on my feet.

HOOORAYYY! another succesful vacation.

Cedar point was fun for the most part. I relented and bought an overpriced disposable camera to take pictures with. But now you’ll all have to wait until I get them developed to see them.

Since we were there on weekdays at the end of the season, the park wasn’t at all crowded, and only the newest rides had lines. The weather was sunny but not hot, perfect park weather. We stayed in one of the cute little cabins owned by the park - within walking distance of Cedar point and Soak city. hehe, I haven’t been to a water park in YEARS! So much fun!

Entering rant mode.

There was one thing that left a big dark blot on my vacation. Cedar point has two new rollercoasters. The Millenium Force and the Dragster. Millenium Force is a huge and fast rollercoaster. Nothing but good reviews. Dragster is one of the scariest looking things I’ve seen in a long time. It takes you from 0 to 125mph in about one second, shoots you up a track that goes straight up in the air 420 feet, over a hump, then straight down. And when I say straigt, I mean 90 degrees. Perpendicular to the ground. It looks awsome. And no weenie “over the head and shoulder” lockdown supports, either. There’s a seatbelt, and a bar that locks down over your lap, and that’s the only support you get.

A little back story. Apparently, at some park in new england, a fat guy got on a rollercoaster and was having trouble fastening the seatbelt. The park worker forced the belt in and sent the ride on its merry way. The strain on the belt was so much that during the ride, the belt broke, the fat guy fell, and died.

Major amusement parks response to this tragedy? Did they make the belts a little bigger to accomodate more people? Did they add more supports in as fail safes?

No.

They SHORTENED the seatbelts, and made a rule that they had to be able to fasten them, and then tighten the belt so that at least one inch of excess was visible.

Result?

I was unable to ride either the Millennium force or the Dragster because I am too fat.

I have never been so embarassed in my life.

There may be some of you reading this thinking “well, chubbo, better lose the pounds! serves you right for eating too many twinkies!”

for the record, I don’t eat twinkies.

I have been overweight my entire life. It’s taken me a long time to come to terms with it. It’s only been in the past few years that I have allowed myself to look in the mirror and think “I am beautiful” blah blah, I’ve blogged about this before. But I have never let being overweight hold me back. I’ve played sports. I’ve gone hiking, whitewater rafting, skiing. While I may have struggled a bit more to accomplish these things because of my weight, I have never been told that I couldn’t do them because of my weight.

And I’m definatly not in the morbidly obese catagory. I know I should lose weight, and I’m working on it. But it’s not like i have rolls of leg fat obscuring my ankles, or anything (shudder!). I’m pretty much on the lower end of the fat crowd. By shortening the seatbelts, Cedar Point has prevented a large (haha, pun intended) percentage of the population from riding those coasters!

Fortunately, those two rides have “test” seats at the start of the line, so you can sit in them and make sure you can fit in. That at least saved me the embarassment of finding out in front of an entire line full of people. I was about an inch short of getting the seatbelt clipped. Cruel fate. Kevin, somehow, squeezed himself into Milenium force, while I shopped around the frotier village shops. While his belly is bigger than mine, his hips are narrower. Damn womanly figure! He tried later to blow it off as no big deal, but I could tell he thought it was great. Later he asked if I would mind him going on the dragster, and it was just too much for me. I told him fine, I’d meet up with him later, but he realized how upset I was and said forget it. What was I supposed to say? “Yes dear, please by all means leave me alone again while you ride another one of those awsome rides that your fat girlfriend can’t. I’d be thrilled if you did that. Be sure to wave at me from the top!”

To top it off, you can see the track for the dragster all over the damned park. So no matter what ride we were on, I could see it looming over me, taunting me.

So that was the big blot on my vacation. Not too terrible (oh poor baby, couldn’t ride 2 of the many many rides at cedar point, boo hoo!). A good time was had by all, and that’s pretty much all that counts anyway, right?

109422447833464394

Published Friday, September 3, 2004 in Uncategorized. 0 Comments

this is an audio post - click to play

We love you Daaastard, oh yes we dooooo…

Published Thursday, September 2, 2004 in Uncategorized. 0 Comments

I’ll have to post this now, as I won’t be able to tomorrow. But as it’s 12:08am, it IS technically Sept 2.

Scroll down for the latest vacay update.

A wonderful blogger, The Dastard, is having a birthday today. According to his profile, there will be 104 candles on his cake. Wow…someone call the fire dept. and have them on standby, ok?

What can we say about the Dastard?
This evasive creature, Limulus Polyphemus & Bean Town boy, will not allow his visage to be published on-line. He is quick, shifty, and likes to tease. I guess that’s why he’s the Dastard. Some speculate that he is just shy. The ladies are convinced, however, that the real reason is that he is so damned handsome. That has to be it…He won’t show us his picture because he knows that all of the ladies in his cyber-harem would fall desperately in love with him (well, that is, those who aren’t already)!

Dastardisms
A big part of the reasons why we love the Dastard so much is the funny and clever things he says in comments - our comments and his own.

“The eyes follow you everywhere because the body they are attached to follows you everywhere. uh….that sounded a lot more creepy than sexy, huh? Sorry.”

“The beer in the fridge it’s yours…except the PBR, that’s mine. And put back what ever you find in my sock/porn drawer.”

“Sowing discord where ever I go. That’s the Dastard way.”
“I am wearing sparkly no-pantz right now!”

“I am nnnnooottttt…a…scifi..d..do..or…….Argh. I can’t say it, but I did try so I still win.”

“What’s all this then? Oh, (large lapelled shirt open to my navel) it’s time for The Dastard to kiss and make love to a certain special lady or ladies tonight, maybe followed by a little light sloth-tossing.”

“Sorry. some of the below is witless prattle and may be boooorrrringgg!!!
I like saying “witless prattle.” Did I just dis myself. Doh!”

“Me fail English, that’s unpossible!!!”

“WUTTHEFUCKAREYOUEVENTALKINGABOUT?!!!!” “Better have my money now. I’m The Dastard, bitch!”

“Your mamma has an afro with a chin-strap”

“The picture you have up now is Hi-larry-us! I can’t believe someone
actually made a conscious decision to leave the house looking like a
total…wait-a-minute..Um…DAD?!!!!!”

“Thanks for the big ‘ol man-hug. Sorry I forgot to put deodorant on.”

“Have you read all the way to the bottom and no dirty stuff or political rhetoric? Don’t be mad, here’s your reward: pener, hoo-ha, boobie, heiney, doin’-it, president.”

“huhehheheheee…you like to eat….never mind. BAD DASTARD!!”

“I don’t have 2 pussies but I do have a man-gina.”

“You don’t want to be to harsh with the kitty. It’s much better to be even handed. Maybe you should start gently and then add more discipline as needed, depending on the behavior of the kitty. Try this strategy: “nice kitty, nice kitty, nice, nice kitty, nice…bad kitty! bad kitty, bad, bad kitty….nice kitty, very nice kitty.”

“I am your Bare and Unbalanced news source.”

“I would never burst your bubbles, only gently caress and massage them.”

“I like a girl who can guffaw at wrong things.”

“Or maybe I’ll just mount and then stuff you. Oh, you heard right”

“Hullo Random Gentle Sleepy Peach. Wakey-wakey. Poke-poke.”


“The REdasTard had struck again”

“Remember to always probe your meatballs.”

“I am wearing paper pantz”

“My mom made me those pants!! Shut up!!!”

“Great, now everybody knows what my ass looks like. Thanks a lot
Fleece. That camera phone is dangerous.”

“Actually that is not me. I would never wear a red thong with pink tite-pantz.”

“I cloned headless babies.”

“I’m the only boob here.”

“Did you really stay up until 1am last night like a big loser waiting
for blogger to come back? Huh? How do I know it was back up at 1? Ummmmmm……I, ah….shutup Fleece”

“It’s Don Juan Dastardo to you!”

“I am not trying to be a tease, unless your name is Michael or Gooch and have a tub of ass-wax. Damn, am I typing it instead of only thinking it again?”

“why does everyone think they are the boss of me. “Dastard get haloscan. Dastard put up a new post. Dastard stop dating my mom.”"

“I did everything exactly like you said…but after I asked this one guy to smell it, well, that’s the last I remember until I woke up in a hotel room somewhere in Thailand, wearing nothing but a leopard print banana-hamock.”

“Comply!”

Critics Agree…
“Dastard, even though I crush on you, you don’t pick on me about it.
Everything is fair game, and I love that. Happy Birthday Shmoopee!” - Lovisa

I think he is great, he shows a side you don’t often see in the real world and that’s refreshing. - Nord

“Dastard, Cheri, you know that I think you are simply the cat’s pajamas. You are sensitive, intelligent, mysterious, obnoxious, freaking hilarious, thoughtful, and oh so sexy - everything I love in a man. Happy Birthday! *104 WHAPS and matching giggle smooches!* - Celti

What I like about El Dastardo.. he’s witty, not afraid to make fun of himself, insightful and not afraid to admit (gasp) he has feelings and is sometimes confused and angry about life. He’s remarkably upfront about what others may see as “geeky science stuff.” I think he has a true passion for it and doesn’t give a rats ass what anyone thinks. Did I mention he’s a real hoot? And even though we’ve never seen his face, he truly has a sexy personality. I hope he’s willing to meet me when I got to Boston later this Fall. What he said to me today in comments really did cause intense passion to flood my loins, which was no more than “I’ll make you come… up here.” LOL!!! He has such a way about him that you can’t help but think of him sitting at his computer, biting his lip with a wicked, wicked grin on his face as he spars with the bloggers. He’s a diamond in the rough. - Inanna

That Dern Dastard! There was this time that I thought Dastard was trying to steal my identity. He signed off as Cooter Pie on Sloth’s website… and I felt oh-so violated. After all, I’m the sweetest Cooter there is… and if he was closer to the midwest, I’d eat him right up! Cootersnap likey Cooter Pie… - Ang

The Dastard is a good man deep inside. i used my x-ray vision of doom and i saw the truth. inside the spiky metal armor beats a great big heart with real feelings inside it. -el sid

He’s my Distardly boy — even though he often commits fashion faux pas
that I document on my blog (hello! red crisscrossy pants!). I love
this guy for his quirkiness, insight and fearlessness to question
everything that challenges him. Happy Birthday, Dastard! Fleecely hugs and love.
- Fleece

Top Ten Reasons I love the Dastard:
1. He’s funny
2. He’s smart
3. He has pretty eyes
4. He always says the right things: “Aimee: you are as sweet as a Krispy Kreme. I will think about you the next time I eat one but I will be thinking something nasty too.”
5. Waaay back, before we even knew about the moth flies in the men’s bathroom, he told us about his love of crotch-less wetsuits, the funny-name lists he makes, and his missing asparagus-pee enzyme. When I commented, his reply was, “Aimee: Consider yourself Mrs. Dastard”, so I do.
6. When I get sick & have pulled muscles, he says, “My favorite Goofhead: Aww..blisters and pulled muskles. You need some tender dastardly luv.
7. When I flirt with guys, he chastises me in the nicest way (and makes me blush), “FLIRTED WITH A GUY?!! Let me at ‘im! Seriously, that’s good pour vous. But we already knew you were a great flirt.”
8. Even though he’s in love with Lovisa (aka: Lovie Poppet), see #5 above. (heehee!)
9. He and Sloth are friends, and Sloth is a good, good woman.
10. He had the good sense to be born a Virgo.
Happy Birthday, Dastard. Love you. - Aimee

Dear Dastard, because it is your birthday and ONLY because it is your birthday, I will, for one day only…………………………let you be the boss of me. - Sloth

And Now…a little musical dedication to our Dastard:

  • “Dastard of Blogging”

  • Click the Title to Hear the Tune - Sung by Michael to the music of “Master of
    Puppets” by Metallica.

    Who the hell is that
    In the Krispy Kreme hat
    Elusive just to scoff you
    His references you heed
    Books that you should read
    Vonnegut and Nabakov, too. Aliens, Guns & Boobs by Lovisa

    I will read your site
    ’Cause you’re erudite
    The pics you volunteer
    Are in your scuba gear

    Come scrawling faster
    The blog of Dastard
    His comments blast ya
    The blog of Dastard
    Dastard

    Dastard of blogging he’s funny as hell
    Bein’ a wise-ass, but bein’ himself
    Blinded by wit you can’t see his face
    That or ‘cause his hand’s in the way
    Dastard
    Dastard
    Sometimes he’s “Dangsta” but I’m gonna say
    Dastard
    Dastard


    We love you Dastard. Have a very, very happy birthday!

Vacation update 4: big sandwiches and too much italian food

Published Wednesday, September 1, 2004 in Uncategorized. 0 Comments

Today was supposed to be a pretty lazy day. We slept in a little. My mom left for work at 10, so Kev and I were alone to grab a little somethin’ somethin’ ;)
We were on our own for lunch, and he wanted something with a little local flavor. Where else could be go but Primanti Bros? Where they pile your sandwich high with meat, cole slaw, and french fries. Don’t dare ask for it on the side. Oh no. They’ll kick your ass for that.

Mom got off at 3. We left Kev watching Kill Bill and headed to South Hills Village, which is a little nicer than the ghetto-fab Century III mall that’s closer. Picked up a few things, but we had to rush back, as we were meeting the great aunt and uncle for dinner. Plus we still had to get Sadie over to the kennel. We’re leaving for Ohio bright and early tomorrow. Poor Sadie! Sleeping in a cold hard kennel cage! Surrounded by HUGE ASS great danes! The woman who runs the kennel is also a great dane breeder.

We met the great aunt and uncle at Chicanti’s, which is a nice family owned restaurant. Mmmmmm….I had veal with peppers, olives, and artichokes. I normally don’t eat veal (poor baby cows, and all) but OH MY GOD was this stuff good! For dessert, tirimasu, because GODDAMMIT they put nuts on the cannolis. Communists.

So we’re leaving for Cedar Point tomorrow. I won’t have access to a computer, of course, so I will be blogless! Of course, I’ll still have audioblogger, but I won’t be able to read about what’s going on with the blog-o-sphere! Sad evilsciencechick. Please feel pity for me as I ride the many fabulous attractions at the world’s largest amusement park.

I’ll be back saturday night! SMOOCH!

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