Just another day in the life of an overly stressed graduate student. I haven't been able to sleep as well as I would like because I have lovely nightmares about not getting all my work done. I need to hurry up and be done with this paper, my first of 3 presentations, get an experiment to actually work on Wednesday, and write a 10 page proposal in 7 days. And to top it all off... I also have to have a rough draft for my second presentation completed by Friday. Can somebody spare a couple of hours so I can add them to my day, PLEASE?
Well just needed to vent. Sorry!
Just waiting until April 13th and then it will be smooth sailing until finals.
Monday, March 23, 2009
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Where has all the motivation gone...
I have so much to do before the semester ends and I work so hard during the week to get as much done as possible, but the weekends come and I lose all motivation. I can't seem to get myself to do anything even remotely productive for school. I can cook, clean, workout...but school work. NONE! I was able to at least get 2.5 pages of a paper written today, but I needed to get 8 done. Guess it will have to happen tomorrow...guess my brain is telling me to take a break.
The semester will be over soon enough and then the research will kick into high gear. At least that means no class work!
Other than that....nothing exciting here lately. Spring is officially here and trees are starting to get leaves. Weather is warming up and I am waiting for the semester to end so that I can get out and explore.
Hope everyone is doing well! 10 days and counting until my B-day!
The semester will be over soon enough and then the research will kick into high gear. At least that means no class work!
Other than that....nothing exciting here lately. Spring is officially here and trees are starting to get leaves. Weather is warming up and I am waiting for the semester to end so that I can get out and explore.
Hope everyone is doing well! 10 days and counting until my B-day!
Monday, March 2, 2009
Snow Day...
Yes, that's right...we have an official snow day today. It had rained all weekend and finally at about 4pm yesterday the white stuff started falling. It was super saturated, wet snow that caused a lot of trouble for travellers. I stayed in all day working, but by 7pm just couldn't hold back any longer. I had to get outside to play. My neighbor came and knocked on my door warning me that my car might get hit if it was left where it was. So I threw on my rain jacket and moved the car.
Once the car was moved, a snowball fight ensued with Laura (my neighbor), Jason (her boyfriend) and their friend Branford. We must have spent about 45 minutes outside chucking wet, packed snowballs in a girl vs. guy fight. It was awesome!!! So we finally called a truce after the guys were sick of getting nailed.
Then the power started to flicker on and off and then finally it was out. So what do you do when the power goes out? Sledding...except that we didn't have any sleds, but we had a kayak. We proceeded to put the kayak in the back of Jason's truck, put 'er in 4 wheel drive and headed to Kite hill on campus. We snow kayaked for a good hour and a half! It was such a blast!!!
By 11pm last night the power was back on, school was cancelled and I was ready to hit the sack after pulling a kayak up the sledding hill multiple times. To say the least, I think that is one of the best times I have had here in the south so far. Nothing like snow to cheer up a dreary weekend!
And to top it all off for a great start to the month, Erika and Kevin had a little baby girl yesterday morning. Congratulations LaPeans on your new arrival!
Have a wonderful week everyone! Mine is starting out great as March came in as a Lion and will hopefully go out on my birthday as a Lamb.
Once the car was moved, a snowball fight ensued with Laura (my neighbor), Jason (her boyfriend) and their friend Branford. We must have spent about 45 minutes outside chucking wet, packed snowballs in a girl vs. guy fight. It was awesome!!! So we finally called a truce after the guys were sick of getting nailed.
Then the power started to flicker on and off and then finally it was out. So what do you do when the power goes out? Sledding...except that we didn't have any sleds, but we had a kayak. We proceeded to put the kayak in the back of Jason's truck, put 'er in 4 wheel drive and headed to Kite hill on campus. We snow kayaked for a good hour and a half! It was such a blast!!!
By 11pm last night the power was back on, school was cancelled and I was ready to hit the sack after pulling a kayak up the sledding hill multiple times. To say the least, I think that is one of the best times I have had here in the south so far. Nothing like snow to cheer up a dreary weekend!
And to top it all off for a great start to the month, Erika and Kevin had a little baby girl yesterday morning. Congratulations LaPeans on your new arrival!
Have a wonderful week everyone! Mine is starting out great as March came in as a Lion and will hopefully go out on my birthday as a Lamb.
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Great day!
I was too tired to blog last night so I am updating today. Yesterday rocked in the research department. It was such a productive day and I think we are going to hit a milestone we set for down the road sooner than we thought.
It started out with our new bioprinting system and being able to print faster. I was able to build up 3D walls of a square in a matter of minutes that will help us greatly in our research efforts. Its so exciting to finally feel like we are getting somewhere. What this means for us is that we can finally start to go 3D with out test system instead of only printing cells in 2D. So our next step is to get the process down for building up these 3D structures and then start to mimic structures within the body. Currently, we are only printing collagen gel, but its a great start!
On another good research note. I finally was able to produce 4 batches of beads without any problems or failures. This is great because now I can start in on my other half of my project and hopefully turn the information into a publication. It will be a 10 week study hopefully starting next Wednesday, but at least it is finally going to start and I feel like I am finally doing research instead of just prep. What a breakthrough day!!!
Classes are going good... I was shocked to find out that I got an A on my midterm for my polymers class. The one I thought I completely failed. So that is good news. I still have a midterm next Thursday, a presentation the following Tuesday and then 2 term papers to finish by the end of March. Guess I should start on those this weekend.
My website is coming along. Its my night job and last night I was hoping to get a lot done, but I didn't get home until 6 and then did my new workout (ChaLEAN Extreme) that totally kicked my butt. It will be interesting to see if I can make it through the next 90 days of workouts... hopefully to a more in shape me for the summer. Kayaking here I come!
Well this is an exceptionally long post for me, so signing off for now. Have a wonderful week everyone!
It started out with our new bioprinting system and being able to print faster. I was able to build up 3D walls of a square in a matter of minutes that will help us greatly in our research efforts. Its so exciting to finally feel like we are getting somewhere. What this means for us is that we can finally start to go 3D with out test system instead of only printing cells in 2D. So our next step is to get the process down for building up these 3D structures and then start to mimic structures within the body. Currently, we are only printing collagen gel, but its a great start!
On another good research note. I finally was able to produce 4 batches of beads without any problems or failures. This is great because now I can start in on my other half of my project and hopefully turn the information into a publication. It will be a 10 week study hopefully starting next Wednesday, but at least it is finally going to start and I feel like I am finally doing research instead of just prep. What a breakthrough day!!!
Classes are going good... I was shocked to find out that I got an A on my midterm for my polymers class. The one I thought I completely failed. So that is good news. I still have a midterm next Thursday, a presentation the following Tuesday and then 2 term papers to finish by the end of March. Guess I should start on those this weekend.
My website is coming along. Its my night job and last night I was hoping to get a lot done, but I didn't get home until 6 and then did my new workout (ChaLEAN Extreme) that totally kicked my butt. It will be interesting to see if I can make it through the next 90 days of workouts... hopefully to a more in shape me for the summer. Kayaking here I come!
Well this is an exceptionally long post for me, so signing off for now. Have a wonderful week everyone!
Monday, February 23, 2009
Another week
I've officially made it through the first midterm of the semester. Now just waiting to get my grade and see how bad I actually did. Hopefully there will be a make up exam as I think I really flushed this one.
This week is really busy again. I'm almost asking myself why I am doing this, but then I remember that research will pick up and progress will be made. It just takes time and a lot of mistakes to finally make a break through. Gotta love research.
Also I'm pushing hard to get this extra project done by April 22nd before I go to a conference in San Antonio to promote it. It is going to mean a lot of weekend work and no fun. Maybe come May I will take a big break for myself. I'm thinking it will start May 29th once finals are done!
Erika - I'm hoping that baby LaPean comes soon. You still look great and I hope all is well. Good Luck!!!
Signing off for now. Will write more once the week starts to fizzle out.
This week is really busy again. I'm almost asking myself why I am doing this, but then I remember that research will pick up and progress will be made. It just takes time and a lot of mistakes to finally make a break through. Gotta love research.
Also I'm pushing hard to get this extra project done by April 22nd before I go to a conference in San Antonio to promote it. It is going to mean a lot of weekend work and no fun. Maybe come May I will take a big break for myself. I'm thinking it will start May 29th once finals are done!
Erika - I'm hoping that baby LaPean comes soon. You still look great and I hope all is well. Good Luck!!!
Signing off for now. Will write more once the week starts to fizzle out.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Feeling blahhhh!
It has been another crazy week!!!
I have a new deadline for April 22nd with my new website 3DCellCulture.com. I need to have 1000+ articles enhanced by this date so that I can promote the functional website at a conference in San Antonio. It should be a great time as I have never been to San Antonio before, but it is going to be a lot of work and really interesting. At least I get to see what a conference is before I actually have to present at one. This will give me a great opportunity to network with others in my field. SOOOOOOO excited to go!
School/classes are frustrating me beyond belief. I feel like I am learning very little this semester. Maybe it's just that I need to push through and it will all make sense in the end. I had my first midterm and I think it went horrible. It was 12 questions and I half answered 2 of them, but he picks the best 10 out of 12 to give the final grade. Hopefully the other 10 were at least close to what he is looking for. I have a feeling that I will be very close to the failing mark and just scrape by, which is totally ironic as Polymers (what this class is about) was the reason I fell in love with what I am going to school for. Oh well...its just a grade. Who looks at grades on a resume anyways?
Other than that, I am trying to stick to a workout regimen that should help me get in shape for kayaking this summer. At least it gives me time away from school stuff.
Well enough for now!
P.S. Baby LaPean I am patiently awaiting your arrival!!!
I have a new deadline for April 22nd with my new website 3DCellCulture.com. I need to have 1000+ articles enhanced by this date so that I can promote the functional website at a conference in San Antonio. It should be a great time as I have never been to San Antonio before, but it is going to be a lot of work and really interesting. At least I get to see what a conference is before I actually have to present at one. This will give me a great opportunity to network with others in my field. SOOOOOOO excited to go!
School/classes are frustrating me beyond belief. I feel like I am learning very little this semester. Maybe it's just that I need to push through and it will all make sense in the end. I had my first midterm and I think it went horrible. It was 12 questions and I half answered 2 of them, but he picks the best 10 out of 12 to give the final grade. Hopefully the other 10 were at least close to what he is looking for. I have a feeling that I will be very close to the failing mark and just scrape by, which is totally ironic as Polymers (what this class is about) was the reason I fell in love with what I am going to school for. Oh well...its just a grade. Who looks at grades on a resume anyways?
Other than that, I am trying to stick to a workout regimen that should help me get in shape for kayaking this summer. At least it gives me time away from school stuff.
Well enough for now!
P.S. Baby LaPean I am patiently awaiting your arrival!!!
Monday, February 9, 2009
I'm a slacker
Well I missed my goal on blogging once a week already. It has been a crazy two weeks of non-stop go, go, go. Classes aren't difficult this semester, but research is getting busier. I have so much I want to accomplish before the semester is done.
I did nothing this weekend in the way of school. I needed to get so much done, so now my week is going to be crazy again. But it is completely worth it as I got to help put flooring in at a friends house. It felt good to do something other than school.
My roommate is moving out soon and I will miss her, but it will also mean I won't have to feel like I need to be home as much or that I am interrupting her, waking her, etc.
Well hopefully life will become more interesting and I can post a little more later this week! Have a great week all!
I did nothing this weekend in the way of school. I needed to get so much done, so now my week is going to be crazy again. But it is completely worth it as I got to help put flooring in at a friends house. It felt good to do something other than school.
My roommate is moving out soon and I will miss her, but it will also mean I won't have to feel like I need to be home as much or that I am interrupting her, waking her, etc.
Well hopefully life will become more interesting and I can post a little more later this week! Have a great week all!
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