Those crazy kids

So I am getting really stressed and nervous about my defense on Monday and finishing everything up here in Iowa City over the next two weeks. But what arrived from Netflix today? Why season 1 of Kids in the Hall, of course. Now I too busy laughing to be really stressed. I love the Kids in the Hall so much (I saw them in Chicago with my sisters in 2000) ( but poor Kevin McDonald, portraying a girl without a wig, just his little fro). Here is are some funny little gems from the Kids:

Husband: Did you happen to drop the ham in some salt on the way home?

Doctor: Is that pie I smell?
Frank Jr. : No, that's the smell of my daddy dying.

Eradicator!!!!

She said it was still a little early to say, but I might not be stupid.


"Bobby, I know we've never talked about this, but someday I'm going to die. And when that happens, then you can go to cooking school." - Hank

Collide

Tonight on PBS, a concert of Paul Simon being honored with Gershwin Prize for Popular Song. The concert was so fantastic. Firstly James Taylor sang not one but two songs (Slip Slidin' Away (a personal favorite) and Still Crazy After All These Years. ) Both were really good versions because he blended his own style with Paul Simon's style (and I like to think that two of my favorite artists like James Taylor and Paul Simon are pals). Secondly, Alison Krauss performed this nice folky slower version of "Graceland" (again one of my favorites!) with a steel guitar. Art Garfunkel showed up to sing "Bridge Over Troubled Water" with Paul as well as Ladysmith Black Mambazo to sing "Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes" which made me cry because I remember riding in the red Suburban listening to the Graceland album on tape. I love Paul Simon because he integrates different music style into his songs to seamlessly.

CONNIE: You know, Bobby, there are some days of the month I don't like to ride a bike either.
BOBBY: You mean because you got your period?
CONNIE: I chose not to use that word.
BOBBY: Why? It's a natural, beautiful thing.
CONNIE: You don't understand. You're not there yet.
BOBBY: You better check the map, honey, because I am living in downtown there!

Last day

My last day at the lab will be lucky July 13th. All I have to do before then is do my defense, finish my guided independent study, make changes to my thesis, show two grad students where all the important stuff is, transfer my files to the server, turn in my lab book, turn in my keys, and move out. And I got a nice dress today for my defense on the 2nd.

"Let's see... I told you about the sperm-count-lowering soft drinks... I told you about Supercuts cataloging DNA... I'm running dry here, people... oh! Is there any concrete evidence that Hawaii actually exists? No, I covered that." -Dale

plain Jane walls

I will be going home to the farm for the 1st time in a more than a month and it being close to my final move out, I am packing some of my stuff to take home. This includes taking down most of my posters and other wall decorations (leaving plain walls). Rachel kindly emailed my edited thesis today, so I passed that along to my adviser so she can look it over and I can submit it to the graduate college on Thursday. And Wednesday night, I am going to do all sorts of fun stuff with my cousin Lindy. Then Thursday I will be driving to Michigan to pick up my sister and nephew. And my parents will be back from CO on Thursday night.

SHERIFF MUMFORD: Oh, who in the hell called in the Texas Rangers?
RANGER PAYTON: A Mrs. Peggy Hill, restauranteur.
PEGGY: I love your show! I love that Walker!

Done!

So I finished writing my thesis today. And now begins the anxiety of how much editing I need to do, (i.e. is my thesis 64 pages of crap?) as well as the worry of my defense. I sent my thesis to my lovely sister Rachel, so when I hear back from her, I will probably less anxious mostly because then I will know how bad (or maybe decent) it is so then I know how to prepare for my defense. I am actually a month away from being done with school completely. I am looking for jobs as well which hasn't stressed me out to much yet, mostly because I am so stressed about my thesis (although the Chinese grad student that helped me finish my research commented that I seemed very calm about my thesis. The key word being "seemed" here). I have applied for about 15 to 20 jobs so know I just have to wait (and wait and wait) to hear back from companies. The good news is that I will be going home to the farm on Wednesday for a few days (after I submit my initial thesis to the Graduate College). So it will give me a little chance to relax and work on my thesis defense (let me just say this, after my presentation at the end of my internship the past summer, presentations don't freak me out too much.) So everyone keep their fingers crossed that my thesis is alright.

"I just think if you don't read the papers and the only TV you watch is the MTV, you shouldn't be allowed to vote." -Hank Hill

Happy Birthday!

Happy birthday to my mamsis and my aunt Emily. You both share birthdays with Nelson Mandela, Vince Lombardi, William Styron (who wrote Sophie's Choice), Gene Wilder, and Joe Montana. And today is National Impressionists Day.

"Because of you, I'm propless."-Bobby Hill

Thesis update

Progress: a little less than 3/4 done
Number of pages: 37 (plus 6 pages of references)
Confidence: Medium, I talk to the stats guy on Friday and I think I can do all the test he recommended. I have a final plate to submit, so I will have the last little bit of data by Tuesday.
Stress Level: Medium to High, talk to me next Monday when I am giving it to my committee members.
Looking forward to: Going home for a little R and R in two weeks (which is when I will be working on my thesis presentation and homework for my guided independent study class (that I will be taking a test for on Friday).
What I really want to be doing: Reading or sleeping.

HANK: Dangit, lately my scalp's been itching like crazy.
DALE: You too? I thought my spider-senses were tingling to warn me of danger. Unless we both have spider-sense.

A new goal

My new goal is to get "Centennial Summer" released on DVD. So please go to TCM's website to vote for a DVD release by clicking here. Vote once and tell your friends!

"You're not even trying."-Bobby Hill

And now the demon wants to move to Minnesota

Work on my thesis is going pretty well. I have submitted 3 plates to the sequencing facility since Friday and I have four more plates to submit. I will be meeting with the stats guy later this week so I can start analyzing some of the my data. And I this past weekend I finished half of my background and started formating my thesis for initial submission in the next few weeks. So tonight I will be taking a little break from writing (but organizing the papers I want to use in my background section). And I am making a semi-fancy dinner (meaning making a dinner that will take 30 minutes to make) of fettucini alfredo with chicken and broccoli. Monday is now my favorite day because my two favorite podcasts This American Life (source of the title, from a sad/funny episode about a man trying to help his alcoholic mother and troubled half-brother) and Wait Wait Don't Tell Me get updated on Sunday night so I listen to them Monday. Today I donated some money to WBEZ Chicago (which produces This American Life) to help pay for the free podcasts for all. Bring on my "merch". (Which is a poster from the summer tour last year.)

CONNIE: Maybe your dad is one of those rich misers. A lot of rich people are crazy. They hang onto every penny. Howard Hughes wore Kleenex boxes on his feet, and he wrote an instruction manual on the exact way his staff should serve him a peach.
BOBBY: My dad wrote a 13-step system for putting away groceries.