A Good Dose of Fun Stereotyping

http://www.brightcove.com/title.jsp?title=823359685 LOL!!! I was amused. Too bad I can't embed the video in my blog... I'm pretty sure that the little boy in the video is pretty much me, circa 1990.

Another jaded soul...

So... You have probably heard the news about Cindy Sheehan stepping out of the public limelight and stopping her crusade as "the face of the anti-war movement". She released a statement entitled "Good Riddance, Attention Whore", detailing her reasons for getting out of the political frey: http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/?q=node/23018 If the title doesn't clue you in, one of the most depressing things about this letter to America is it's utter bitterness. The message itself isn't filled with material that is all that surprising, but the jaded nature of the letter is a slap in the face. A cause for a moment of serious reflection. So, let me back up here a bit for those of you who might not know my policical leanings. I don't agree with Cindy, I think that an immediate withdrawl of US forces from Iraq would be disasterous and would reflect poorly on the nation. Those friends who I discuss political philosophy with can tell you that I was always against going to Iraq before it was fashionable, but now that we are there, to immediately abandon the post would be irresponsible and I believe that it would further weaken US relations and reputation in the world. This isn't too say that I can't respect what Cindy was trying to do. Striving for peace is always a noble cause in my book, even if I sometimes find that the belief in a path to peace requires one to be idealistic to the point of naivete. Cindy had a cause and pursued that cause whole-mindedly, even obsessively. While her message was sometimes garbled by excessive finger-pointing and scape-goating, we might find it reasonable to forgive her in light of the mudslinging that was directed to her. And her considerable losses along the way. It is sobering to see that this, her final message directed to all of America, is one of bitter regrets and despair. I, for one, hope that when she is able to step back a while and reflect, she might see that her voice was heard by many. To recognize that her influence may have reached further than she knows. To focus on the positive relationships she found and not to merely have come to regard the majority of the population with distain. I hope that our political system is not as flawed as Cindy believes, or as I sometimes fear...

Wahoo!!!

An accomplishment! I have just finished reading my first novel in what must be at least 2 years at least! Passage, by Connie Willis. It was not a particularly phenomenal book, but it is probably the first one I have read in a very very long time! Hooray for the little accomplishments!!! It was even a long one, almost 800 pages of somewhat intriquing text! Yesterday I even got out of the lab for long enough to go on a hike with Usman up near Boordy vineyards. What is the world coming to? My boss would be so dissapointed in me..

MY HUMPS -- ALANIS MORRISETTE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4moXgu6aqfI
Thanks for tiping me off about this Aleks! I love Alanis... Now I love her even more. This video makes me laugh everytime.

Duran Duran - Ordinary World

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lEN6v5xjr_U
So... I've had this song stuck in my head all day long, and the remix too. So, now that I have infected all of my lab mates with the song, I will infect you... gentle reader... Lord knows why they put this song to Spiderman though... weird...

Ordinary World, the remix...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tTpx2-YARbg

Great Week!

Wow! I've really had an amazing time within the last week or so, much to my own surprise.... After a 5.5 hour talk with the boss which streched to nearly 8:30pm last Sunday and which detailed the major failings of my project and a need to switch to a new one ASAP, I was prepared to really be in a lousy mood. I was just sure that all of my standard frustrations and neurotic inclinations would come bubbling to the surface. But then, apparently to no ones surprise but my own, it never happened... The last week has been filled with a lot of really wonderful events in my life and a generally positive outlook. I have taken more time to be social and step outside of my head, rediscovering that I am surrounded by some really wonderful people here. I've reconnected with some friends who I haven't seen in years and kindled friendships with other fantastic people that I met here in "The Greatest City of America". Things are great in my relationship, looking good with my family and if not great at work, at least there is a new perspective at lab and a chance for growth in a new direction. Even the weather has been oddly gorgeous... Now, if only my dog would stop pissing all over the place... :oP Damn Zook...

There is justice in the world

http://www.cnn.com/2007/SHOWBIZ/TV/05/04/paris.hilton.ap/index.html


I don't often delight in the misfortune of others, but I must admit that this story really brought a smile to my face.  Seriously, if you are irresponsible enough to be driving drunk so many times that your licence is put under probation and then is suspended, you kinda sorta maybe should come up with a better excuse than "Oh...  I didn't bother to read that silly document that the cop made me sign...  I know it says that my licence is suspended, but, like, I didn't read it.  So I didn't know!!!"  

Of course her parents are just livid!  "How dare that judge send dear Paris to jail?!?  He is just singling her out becase she is famous!"  What gall...

10 to 1 she doesn't actually go to jail.  But if she does, maybe she can spend some of the time buffing up on her literacy....  Shesh.

In need of a Attitude Adjustment

So the last few weeks I have really been making an effort to get out of work more and do more social activities with people.  My project is in the toilet and is frustrating the heck out of me.  After investing so much time and energy into a project like this, it is really hard to keep an emotional distance when things are not so great with the experiments.  I have been trying to be out and about, spend more time with others and pursue some of my interests which aren’t as “escapist” as those I have been occupied with in the past.  The good news is that it is working!  I am feeling better, and I am keeping a steady work pace without being crazed about work.  I’m living a lot more balanced lifestyle again, despite that I am told this is not possible while working in science.

 

But even so, there are just those days when the experiments continue to turn up confusing and/or disappointing results.  And on these days, it is difficult to maintain a reasonable perspective…  Days when searching a coverslip for an elusive phenotype, or confronted with a Western with negative results leads to an immediate plummeting of my feeling of self-worth.  You know the days?  The ones that make you wish you could just go back to bed and sleep until it is time to graduate.

 

The weird thing is that I know that these moods are ridiculous, even as they settle in on me.  Since I am not God and don’t control the way that life works, I shouldn’t feel stupid when my results are not the ones I was hoping to see.  My life in general is an extremely blessed one.  I am surrounded by interesting people and have a fairly unique opportunity to explore new territory.  My family isn’t encountering any serious issues and my parents are in good health.  I have a wonderfully understanding and supportive boyfriend.  I have plenty of fun and caring friends.  I am making adequate money to make me happy, I really don’t desire any more material goods.  So why, with such an abundance of good fortune, does my work possess the power to make me feel so lousy?

 

I feel like it is time to reframe my perspective on life, remember that graduate school is not the end of my career path, no matter how it turns out.  Likewise, keep in mind that my career path doesn’t define me or the sum of my worth.  Focus on the excitement that can accompany the exploration and curiosity in science.  Recall that I am surrounded by those I care for and whom return the favor…