And this is what is passes for posts

You're Watership Down!

by Richard Adams

Though many think of you as a bit young, even childish, you're
actually incredibly deep and complex. You show people the need to rethink their
assumptions, and confront them on everything from how they think to where they
build their houses. You might be one of the greatest people of all time. You'd
be recognized as such if you weren't always talking about talking rabbits.


Take the Book Quiz
at the Blue Pyramid.

You're NPR Science Friday!

While you would put most people to sleep, you still are better
known than most of your counterparts. You can afford to hire help, and you
have even met publicly known figures. Very little of this goes to your head,
though, and you try to pride yourself on keeping a solid, practical
perspective. While most people look forward to Fridays, these are the days
you do most of your work.


Take the Podcast Quiz
at The Mep Report Podcast.

I promise that tomorrow there will be a real post with pictures and everything!

"Yep. Bobby's gonna be wearing sweat pants for the right reasons." - Hank

The Buck Witch Project

I often joke to Rachel that talking to her on Skype can be a little like watching a horror movies because there are times when the camera is not pointed at a person and you can hear Ellis screaming/crying in the background (a la the end of The Blair Witch Project). For the past few days, our buck (male goat) has been finding a way out of the barn and then comes up around the house. Yesterday he was outside in the yard again and mom said we could let him eat some weeds for a little while. When I opened the side door, he came running over to the door (which freaked me out because I have already been rammed by our last buck), so I shut the door. About ten minutes later mom and I were were taking in the kitchen and Scout started barking. We looked out of the door of the sun porch and there was the buck peeking in the window (like some crazed killer!). Mom then walked him back to barn and shut the door to the alley so he won't get out again (hopefully).

"Bobby red alert! Run to Dale's house and lock the door!"-Hank

A year older

Yesterday, I turned 24. Mom, Dad, and I went out to dinner with my aunt Emily and cousins Lindy and Greg to celebrate (fortunately the wait staff did not sing to me despite Lindy's best attempts). Mom and Dad gave me some quilting supplies and the first 3 Harry Potter books (in hardback to match the two that I already own). And Lucy and Rachel got me a really nice CD player that will also sync with my iPod. I have already listened to "This American Life" podcast using it. Overall I had a very nice birthday and thanks to everyone who made the day so enjoyable!

HANK: Excuse me, are you with the cult?
CULT MEMBER: We're not a cult. We're an organization that promotes love, and --
HANK: Yeah, this is it.

Bee Balm

My (and Lucy's) first venture in creating herbal remedies seems to be a success! A bee balm ointment we made 3 years ago was used for the first time today on my mom's bug bites. She said that it actually made the bites less itchy. Lucy, we are on our way!


"But I told you where the leg was."-Cotton Hill

A paper contains facts

Since I have been home, one of my jobs is to run downtown to the grocery store to get anything that mom has forgotten (or get the paper). As a result I have been able to see the headlines for Weekly World News for the past two weeks. The headline last week was "Quit smoking forever by having your lung stapled." But this week was even better : "Special Report from the Gates of Hell! Avoid Damnation! Learn Tricks Even the Devil Doesn't Know! ( if there is a Special Report from the Gates Hell don't you think that Devil would read it?)". It must be so fun to work at Weekly World News. You can basically write whatever you want without worrying about credible sources.

"You know I don't sign any document issued by a government institution." - Dale (who else?)

It's time to embrace the contraction

I know I haven't posted in more than a week, but I haven't really been in the mood. Plus on Monday and Tuesday I was busy reading the last Harry Potter book (which was good except for the unnecessary epilogue!). I haven't heard from the companies I interviewed with last week yet, so I am still waiting and continuing to search for jobs. I have a part-time job at Purdue with makes me less anxious about finding a job immediately. My mom is out of town for a reunion with her friends from high school so Scout( my sister's dog) is sleeping upstairs with me while my mom is gone. Scout usually has to go outside at about 6am and usually she will start barking when she needs to go. This morning she tried a different tactic which was staring me awake. It was quite a shock to wake up and have her nose about 6 inches from my face.

"Luanne, you have a weakness for a certain type of man. You are drawn magnetically back to the trailer, back to the sticky ooze you escaped from." -Peggy

Don't be a giant snapping turtle

I had two job interviews this week, one in Madison on Wednesday and then one today in Michigan. My interview on Wednesday was for Covance, which is a huge company that does a variety of biological and analytical work. I interviewed for an assistant study director. The company is building a new lab out in Arizona and so there will be hiring more people. I would really like to work Covance because the people that I met were really nice, there is a good possibility for advancement and there are labs all over the world (including England!). My other interview today was okay, but I was less interested in the company especially compared to Covance. It was smaller and less organized (plus it was a little scary because I walked past all the animal rooms and it felt like I was in a World War II bunker). I should be hearing from both companies in the next two weeks as well as looking for other positions.

"Aliens impregnated mom, that's a given."-Joseph Gribble

Accepted

I submitted my final thesis to the graduate college on Friday and then spent most of the weekend either packing or worrying that I forgot to format something correctly on my thesis. My mom came over to Iowa City on Sunday afternoon. We went out to dinner at Bob's Your Uncle Pizza Cafe (which is actually where Rachel, Mom and I went when they moved me in two years ago, so it bookended nicely). I had this really good Buffalo Chicken wrap, which I took half of back to my apartment and Mom made it her snack during Miss Marple. Then on Monday we packed the truck and my blazer (in the pouring rain) and drove back to the farm. And there waiting in my inbox was the email that proclaimed my final thesis has been accepted by the graduate college.

COACH SAUERS: Eat mud! I said eat it! Eat it!
BOBBY: Coach, I think I swallowed too much mud.
COACH SAUERS: Take a salt tablet.

On a roll

I have another interview in the next two weeks in Madison. Now that I have two interviews lined up, I feel a little bit better about finding a job. I had an hour long phone interview with the company this morning and then the interviewer decided to recommend me for a longer interview with 2 managers and a human resources person (that should last for about three hours). And now I am working on writing a paper to be published. I am almost done with formatting my thesis. I should be submitting my final thesis on Friday.


" I use my survival training every day. Being alone in the woods prepared me for being alone everywhere else." - Bill

At last

Today I took my last test as a graduate student. Finally! So now, all I have to do is finish the formatting changes on my thesis and prepare a paper to be submitted to a journal (and move out, show some a slide staining technique, and have a phone interview) all in about 3 days.

Hank: Bobby, the Blue Flame of Valour Award is the highest honor that the Texas Propane Association can bestow on a living member in peacetime. Show some respect.

Make-up

I meant to write this post a week ago, believe me! Last Monday, I had my thesis defense. It went better then I imagined (and I imagined the worst!). The defense lasted about an hour and half, with about an hour's worth of questions. After I was done I drove to the farm immediately to celebrate with my mom and dad. They took me out to dinner (where I had a good pear pomegranate martini in celebration). And then on Tuesday, I went over to Newton County to do some 4-H judging. The Fourth of July was very low key but it did include watching the director's cut of "1776" on Turner Classic Movies (although I could only get through about 2/3 of it, it started at 10pm. ) More about my second visit with Silas, my first time canoing, and making bug cakes in the next few days! By the way, it is official hot in Iowa, the temperature today: 100.

BOBBY: Why do we need toilet seat covers?
PEGGY: One word: Tennessee.

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.