I thought I was inventive.  Apparently I'm not.  Naively, I "invented" this Six Degrees of Wikipedia game sometime in spring break last year.  I play it every so often when I am perusing Wikipedia, and sometimes challenge my friends to new words to link to "breast."  It always works in six clicks or less.

I was talking about this game recently, and thought that it would be funny and appropriate to create a Wikipedia entry about Six Degrees of Wikipedia.  Oh, I would cite my blog and peoples' comments on my blog and it would be funny and awesome.  Except for the fact that the GAME ALREADY EXISTS AS A WIKIPEDIA ENTRY.  Not only that, but there is a tool that shows you the shortest link between two items.

Today is a lonely lonely day.

As a student, I am struggling to make ends meet.  It happens, its ok.  My parents help out when they can, but frequently they can't.  Which is why at Christmas I was surprised when my dad gave me a check to cover January and February rent, with a promise to cover March and April's rent a few months later so that I could stop stressing about how to cover my expenses for my final semester before I graduate.  It was a big, thoughtful gift that has really helped me out.

Which is why I don't know how to feel after receiving a Valentine's Day card from my dad.  He called me on Wednesday to tell me to check the mail because he was sending me a card and a surprise.  I figured it was rent money.  Instead, it was $50 to "have dinner with a friend on Valentine's Day."

I wanted and needed it to be rent money.  I work 10 hours a week for $13 an hour.  I can't cover my own rent without dipping into my fast-diminishing savings.

Am I an ingrate to feel gypped?  Should I just appreciate anything I get from my dad?

(1) It is negative degrees outside.

(2) I have to give an hour-long presentation on Psychosocial Determinants of Vaccine Response

(3) I have to write a 10-page review on one article describing a disease transmission model, only I know 1 month worth of stuff about transmission models (read: lots of math and computer programming)

(4) I just learned that my thesis question, though delightful, can not be answered with my data.  Despite the fact that I have been going back and forth with my advisor, my thesis advisor, and a consultant.

This was going to be a Top 10 list, but I got stressed out just by looking at the work that needs to be done.

*A WORD OF NOTE: This story is about poop.  If you are uncomfortable with this topic, please read no further.

As someone who is lactose intolerant, I have a love-hate relationship with poop.  When things are running smoothly (pun intended), I am happy.  When they aren’t, I am not happy, but at least I know what to expect.  Occasionally, however, I don’t know what to expect.

 

 

I'm seriously considering changing to Blogger.  Somebody needs to talk me down (?)

I was relieved last semester when my office moved buildings and I finally got my own cube.  Ok, maybe my own office would have been better, but I'm a freakin' research assistant formerly working in a bullpen.  It was a huge step up.

I realized at the beginning of the semester that this whole move thing wasn't all it was cracked up to be.  Chiefly because doing research in the new building happens to mean doing research where other people are doing similar research.  And those other people are my professors.

I have bumped into them in the hallway, the stairwell, and the lunch room.  No problem there.  A little awkward, but short and sweet.  But the elevator.  Oh man.  There is no way to describe the pain that I feel when I step into an elevator only to find one of my professors in there.  As we ride to the fifth floor you'd think I could keep my mouth shut, or keep to simple pleasantries.  But no, in my awkward nervousness something happens and I start rambling about school and coursework like an idiot.

Today for instance, I bumped into a prof on the elevator and by floor three couldn't hold back and finally said something about this review we have to write.  In my naivete I thought it would be short and sweet.  But I was so incomprehensible, talking about "the thing that's due next week" and "so if there's more than one, can we just pick and choose", that I confused my professor and we ended up standing outside the elevator for 10 minutes just trying to work out my "confusion" with the assignment.  It was terrible.  And after it was done, we had to walk down the hallway together.  In awkward silence.

I am a pretty big fan of Wikipedia.  You can find all sorts of things there.  You can have a lot of fun there.

In the past, I played a game similar to Six Degrees of Separation.  The goal was to link any topic to "breasts" in six clicks or fewer.  Back in the day I was undefeated.  You'd be so surprised at how many things relate back to breasts!  It is unbelievable.

Well, I'm back in the game.  And needless to say, I am still reigning champ...


Four clicks!

I don't think anyone is upset that the number of abortions in this country is declining.  I don't think anybody ever wants to have to make that kind of decision.  I just know that everybody should have the freedom to make that decision if they need to.

It's my body and my choice.