I am posting another list up here to help me keep everything straight. My good friend Makita pointed out to me that on my previous list some of the days and dates did not correlate. Just to complicate things, some of the dates for the finals have been changed and a quiz has been added to my list. What a mess. I am keeping the things that I have already completed on the list because I want to feel like I have accomplished something. So, my updated list is as follows:
1. Colloquium synopsis due Wed. 4/8 (not done, no way in hell...)- done!!!
2. Agricultural Law exam taken on Thurs. 4/9
3. Pesticides paper due Fri. 4/10 - completed (it sucked, but it's done)
4. Pesticides mini-exam taken on Fri. 4/10 (no time to study for it - bombed it)
5. File the too many credits appeal Mon. 4/13 (delayed - financial aid office said it may not be necessary to file)
6. Meet with Soils professor to go over data for presentation and paper on Tues. 10:30 (done...I now have a 2cm stack of SAS printout that I have to analyze, make conclusions from, make tables and charts, get into a PowerPoint to present on Thur. morning at 10:00am...Heaven help me)
7. Another Colloquium synopsis due Wed. 4/15 (no way in hell..)- done!!!
8. Plant Herbicides take-home quiz due Wed. 4/15 - completed on 4/13!!!
9. Soils presentation on Thurs. 4/16 - done!
10. Pesticides exam on Fri. 4/17 - done!
11. Plant Herbicides paper due on Fri. 4/17 by 5:00 pm - done!
12. Soils paper due on Tues. 4/21 - done!
13. Agricultural Law final on Tues. 4/21, 10:40-11:25 - done!
14. Plant Herbicides final on Wed. 4/22, 8:00 - 9:30 - done!!
15. Pesticides comprehensive final on Mon. 4/27, 12:50-2:50 - done!!!
16. Soils comprehensive final on Tues. 4/28, 10:00-12:00 - done!!!!
I do not know yet whether I will have an assistantship for the rest of my time in this program. I don't even have the time to deal with it.
Life is great when you can have the time to breathe.
Monday, April 13, 2009
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Too Much To Do
The semester is going to be over soon and I have a lot of stuff that is going to be due very soon. There is so much that I can barely keep track of it all, so I am going to list it all here.
1. Colloquium synopsis due Wed. 4/7 (no way in hell is this going to get done on time)
2. Agricultural Law exam Thurs. 4/8
3. Pesticides paper due Fri. 4/9
4. Pesticides mini-exam Fri. 4/9
5. File the too many credits appeal Mon. 4/13
6. Another Colloquium synopsis due Wed. 4/15 (no way in hell...)
7. Soils presentation on Thurs. 4/16
8. Plant Herbicides paper due Fri. 4/17
9. Pesticides mini-exam Fri. 4/17
10. Soils paper due Tues. 4/21
11. Agricultural Law Final Tues. 4/21, 10:40-11:25
12. Soils Final Tues. 4/28, 10:00-12:00
13. Pesticides Final Wed. 4/29, 7:30-9:30
14. Plant Herbicides Final Wed. 4/29, 12:30-2:30
I also have to find the time somehow to work at my two jobs. I am still in the process of trying to get an assistantship. My 3 papers will total approximately 8000 words. I thought about posting my progress meter up here, but I don't want to take the time to do it. I feel so swamped.
Life is great when...when...one is alive to feel swamped.
1. Colloquium synopsis due Wed. 4/7 (no way in hell is this going to get done on time)
2. Agricultural Law exam Thurs. 4/8
3. Pesticides paper due Fri. 4/9
4. Pesticides mini-exam Fri. 4/9
5. File the too many credits appeal Mon. 4/13
6. Another Colloquium synopsis due Wed. 4/15 (no way in hell...)
7. Soils presentation on Thurs. 4/16
8. Plant Herbicides paper due Fri. 4/17
9. Pesticides mini-exam Fri. 4/17
10. Soils paper due Tues. 4/21
11. Agricultural Law Final Tues. 4/21, 10:40-11:25
12. Soils Final Tues. 4/28, 10:00-12:00
13. Pesticides Final Wed. 4/29, 7:30-9:30
14. Plant Herbicides Final Wed. 4/29, 12:30-2:30
I also have to find the time somehow to work at my two jobs. I am still in the process of trying to get an assistantship. My 3 papers will total approximately 8000 words. I thought about posting my progress meter up here, but I don't want to take the time to do it. I feel so swamped.
Life is great when...when...one is alive to feel swamped.
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
A New Allergy
A few weeks ago, I fell while carrying out my mission to get more studying done. I blogged about that totally embarrassing incident in my post When Will I Study Now?. I scraped my hands a bit and so a couple of days after that happened I finally decided I better go to the doctor. They looked at my abrasions and said two of them were deep, but did not require stitches. They recommended that I put Bacitracin on them and keep them bandaged when I was not at home.
For 6 weeks, I have been been faithfully applying Bacitracin and bandages on both of my hands. But last week, it dawned on me that the abrasions were not healing. In fact, they were getting more and more red and they were starting to hurt and itch. I stuck it out for a few more days and finally gave in and went to the Student Health Center yesterday. The doctor took one look and said "this is an allergic reaction to the Bacitracin". Soon all of the nurses and doctors in that part of the Center were in that little exam room looking at my hands. I felt like an experimental subject with them all gawking at me. They all took their look and then left the room. The nurse came in and told me that for 3 decades they have been recommending that students use Bacitracin for their scrapes, cuts, and abrasions. Prior to 3 decades ago, they recommended Polysporin, but a lot of students developed allergic reactions to the Polysporin so they started recommending Bacitracin. In the last few weeks, a good number of students have been going into the Student Health Center with allergic reactions to Bacitracin. Lucky me...I can now include myself in that growing number. So that's why everyone wanted to have a look at my hands.
I am now applying something else that they gave me to keep the abrasions from drying out and already they are not as red as they were yesterday.
So, now I'm wondering what has changed to cause the Bactracin allergy outbreak among students on our campus. Is it a regional thing? I used a generic from a local store, but this store has a presence throughout most of the southeastern U.S. I'm just curious and I suppose I can find out more when I go back for a check-up next week. This is all just a little something to occupy my brain while I avoid studying.
Life is great when you can keep the bandages off.
For 6 weeks, I have been been faithfully applying Bacitracin and bandages on both of my hands. But last week, it dawned on me that the abrasions were not healing. In fact, they were getting more and more red and they were starting to hurt and itch. I stuck it out for a few more days and finally gave in and went to the Student Health Center yesterday. The doctor took one look and said "this is an allergic reaction to the Bacitracin". Soon all of the nurses and doctors in that part of the Center were in that little exam room looking at my hands. I felt like an experimental subject with them all gawking at me. They all took their look and then left the room. The nurse came in and told me that for 3 decades they have been recommending that students use Bacitracin for their scrapes, cuts, and abrasions. Prior to 3 decades ago, they recommended Polysporin, but a lot of students developed allergic reactions to the Polysporin so they started recommending Bacitracin. In the last few weeks, a good number of students have been going into the Student Health Center with allergic reactions to Bacitracin. Lucky me...I can now include myself in that growing number. So that's why everyone wanted to have a look at my hands.
I am now applying something else that they gave me to keep the abrasions from drying out and already they are not as red as they were yesterday.
So, now I'm wondering what has changed to cause the Bactracin allergy outbreak among students on our campus. Is it a regional thing? I used a generic from a local store, but this store has a presence throughout most of the southeastern U.S. I'm just curious and I suppose I can find out more when I go back for a check-up next week. This is all just a little something to occupy my brain while I avoid studying.
Life is great when you can keep the bandages off.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Good News!
I was approved for the U.S. Department of Education Graduate Plus Loan! A requirement for the Grad Plus Loan is a good credit record. I have traveled a hard road to get to where I am right now and as a result my credit is not exactly stellar. And yet I got the loan!!! I was very concerned about what my options might be if I did not get it. Any option that I could think of involved working full-time and taking my remaining internship credits over a longer period of time. As of yet, I do not have an assistantship offer, but I have had a few job offers. Now, I don't need to accept them. I don't even need an assistantship. I could theoretically just keep my one new 10 hour a week job, take all the credits I need during my remaining two semesters and then I can graduate in December 2009. I feel like a 16 ton block of concrete has rolled off my back.
Life is great when something good finally happens.
Life is great when something good finally happens.
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Space Shuttle Liftoff!
Space Shuttle Discovery had a spectacular twilight liftoff from the Kennedy Space Center at 7:43 pm this evening. The following images of the liftoff were taken from Paynes Prairie in the northern part of Florida. They are all unedited. Click on each image to enlarge.
The view to my right about 5 minutes before liftoff. People waiting in anticipation.
(Click on the image to enlarge.)
The view to my left. (Click on the image to enlarge.)
There it is! (Click on the image to enlarge.)
You can see more of it if you click on the image.
Wow! (Click on the image to enlarge.)
The launch plume.
May their journey be successful and safe.
Life is great when the space shuttle has a safe liftoff.
The view to my right about 5 minutes before liftoff. People waiting in anticipation.(Click on the image to enlarge.)
The view to my left. (Click on the image to enlarge.)
There it is! (Click on the image to enlarge.)
You can see more of it if you click on the image.
Wow! (Click on the image to enlarge.)
The launch plume.May their journey be successful and safe.
Life is great when the space shuttle has a safe liftoff.
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
A Decison Has Been Made
I have decided that I am not going to take the first Big Program Final on March 24. It was a difficult decision to make, but I just cannot take such an important final when I have so much going on in my life that I can barely study. I actually have a list of things to justify my decision. Some of these things are as follows:
1. I received confirmation about two weeks ago that my graduate advisor does not have enough money to continue funding my assistantship after the end of the spring semester. So I have been looking for either another assistantship or a job. I found another part-time job and I started it this week. The employer could not wait until the end of my assistantship for me to begin the new job. I was reluctant to add an additional thing to my already too hectic schedule, but I had to be sure that I did not end up without an income after my assistantship has ended, so I accepted the position. So, in addition to the work I do for my assistantship and my 13 credits of courses, I now have another job. After my assistantship has ended, this part-time one will not be enough. I am continuing the job hunt.
2. I have more than 120 credits which according to the university is too many. They will not allow me to continue receiving financial aid after the end of the spring semester. So I have to appeal. I have some work to do with this one.
3. Since it is likely that I will not have an assistantship for the summer semester, I am going to apply for a graduate supplemental retention award. This award will pay for up to 6 credits per semester for the last 3 semesters. I've got the paperwork; have to make the time somehow to fill it out and turn it in by next week.
4. I am having a couple of health issues which are taking up way too much of my time. The graduate students insurance has a prescription drug capitation limit of $2000. So, they are no longer paying for my asthma medicines. I spent about 5 hours last week dealing with the paperwork to apply to a patient assistant program. Unfortunately, there appears to be a slight glitch in the system and I am not going to get the medicines for at least a month. Since I can't wait that long, I'm now searching for other options.
Am I justified in my decision to not take the final on March 24? Yes, absolutely! Hopefully I can get my life in order and stabilized soon.
I will take the first Big Program Final on Tuesday, June 23 and the second one on Friday, June 26.
Life is great when one can finally make a difficult decision.
1. I received confirmation about two weeks ago that my graduate advisor does not have enough money to continue funding my assistantship after the end of the spring semester. So I have been looking for either another assistantship or a job. I found another part-time job and I started it this week. The employer could not wait until the end of my assistantship for me to begin the new job. I was reluctant to add an additional thing to my already too hectic schedule, but I had to be sure that I did not end up without an income after my assistantship has ended, so I accepted the position. So, in addition to the work I do for my assistantship and my 13 credits of courses, I now have another job. After my assistantship has ended, this part-time one will not be enough. I am continuing the job hunt.
2. I have more than 120 credits which according to the university is too many. They will not allow me to continue receiving financial aid after the end of the spring semester. So I have to appeal. I have some work to do with this one.
3. Since it is likely that I will not have an assistantship for the summer semester, I am going to apply for a graduate supplemental retention award. This award will pay for up to 6 credits per semester for the last 3 semesters. I've got the paperwork; have to make the time somehow to fill it out and turn it in by next week.
4. I am having a couple of health issues which are taking up way too much of my time. The graduate students insurance has a prescription drug capitation limit of $2000. So, they are no longer paying for my asthma medicines. I spent about 5 hours last week dealing with the paperwork to apply to a patient assistant program. Unfortunately, there appears to be a slight glitch in the system and I am not going to get the medicines for at least a month. Since I can't wait that long, I'm now searching for other options.
Am I justified in my decision to not take the final on March 24? Yes, absolutely! Hopefully I can get my life in order and stabilized soon.
I will take the first Big Program Final on Tuesday, June 23 and the second one on Friday, June 26.
Life is great when one can finally make a difficult decision.
Friday, March 6, 2009
Scientists for Better PCR
The PCR Song
There was a time when to amplify DNA,
You had to grow tons and tons of tiny cells.
Then along came a guy named Dr. Kary Mullis,
Said you can amplify in vitro just as well.
Just mix your template with a buffer and some primers,
Nucleotides and polymerases, too.
Denaturing, annealing, and extending.
Well it’s amazing what heating and cooling and heating will do.
PCR, when you need to detect mutations.
PCR, when you need to recombine.
PCR, when you need to find out who the daddy is.
PCR, when you need to solve a crime.
"Scientists for Better PCR" is a Bio-Rad Music Video. Click here for more information.
I admit it, I miss doing PCR.
Life is great when you can hear a really good song.
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