Update

So I know it's been awhile since I posted. I got swept away with end of the term stuff and I'm just now coming back from the holidays. Well, that's not entirely true--I was back last week. Whatever. Anyway, school officially starts next Tuesday. I'm taking four classes--Advanced General Microbiology, Pathogenic Bacteria, two hours of thesis research (not really a class, but I get credit for it) and How to be a TA (again--we're required to take it for a full year). The last one I think is a little ridiculous since I am a certified teacher, but I'm going to roll with it (again). Anyway, I'm particularly excited about Pathogenic Bacteria, that class sounds like a load of fun, no sarcasm. I love bacteria (obviously) and I love diseases (to study, not to have) so if you put them together, you get the mother load of fun, at least in this nerd's humble opinion. Speaking of fun, if you're looking for a good microbiology read, may I recommend "Microbe Hunters" by Paul de Kruif or "The Hot Zone" or "Demon in the Freezer," both by Richard Preston. Excellent reads. So what's next on the agenda? My thesis project got tweaked over the break. I now have a sampling site from which to obtain my soil samples, which I have started doing already. I have not run any analysis on the samples as of yet, because I am waiting for Doc and his chief lab guy to show me what to do. Once we get that little hurdle out of the way, I can really pick up steam, I hope. I'm hoping this stuff will be relatively easy to do as far as working the machines--analyzing the data the machines give me is a bridge I'll cross when I get there. But first I have to GET THERE. So far it's been hard because Doc and his main man are so busy all the time. I'm just contenting myself with taking samples, making a map of my sample site, organizing my notes (cleaning my office, too) and reading scholarly articles that pertain to my research. If I thought there was a dearth of research about my original topic, there is seemingly even less about my new topic. Which is good, because I won't have to worry about plagiarizing someone's ideas (I hope) and it is also bad because I don't have a lot to go on here besides myself and Doc. I have presentation to give three Thursdays from now on my project. Hopefully I will have done something in the lab by then and I will be able to talk intelligently about what I'M doing and not what other's have done. I'm a little nervous at my lack of experience/data so far. Especially with that presentation coming up. But it will be what it will be. I can't move mountains here, I can only do as much as I can. They'll just have to understand if I don't have as much as I would like, that it's coming. Because it IS coming. ~Danni

Catching Up

Haven't posted in awhile because life got busy again. Andrew and I spent the last two weekends away (one for my sister's wedding, one for the Houston Ren Fest because it is that awesome). AND I've had one test and about four quizzes in H's class since we last talked, and that's been keeping me on my toes studying wise. I also have a paper to present to him a week from today--not feeling it too much because I know he's going to ask me something he knows that I don't know and I don't think I have the time (or energy) to do a ton of background research on the paper itself. THAT would be because I'm in the middle of writing my thesis proposal (it's coming along nicely, thank you) which takes time. Even though it's a small paper compared to the actual thesis--I am shooting for at least ten pages with this proposal. After all, it's just a proposal. It's coming together well--the hardest part was reading all the articles so I could have a good knowledge base before I started. Is there anything more boring than a scholarly article? Actually, to be fair, some of them are quite well-written and interesting. It's the poorly written/uninteresting ones that make me fall asleep while reading them. LOL. Anyway, I'm taking a short break from writing the thesis because my hand hurts. I'm old-fashioned, and always write my rough drafts by hand (Bets, you'll probably appreciate that) and then type the final copy. I find I have to do less editing that way since I can edit as I type, and the handwritten rough draft allows me to scribble notes every where as I'm writing and therefore brainstorm/write at the same time. When I started writing this I thought it would be much harder than it's actually turning out to be. I hope that's a good thing, LOL. BUT I have done my research--I have nearly 50 papers saved to a citation manager (Mendeley--it's excellent) and for my proposal I've narrowed it down to about ten-eleven good, solid papers. I'm dreading the bibliograpy, but I think Mendeley has a "cite while you write" feature, so I'm sure it won't be as bad as I'm thinking, either. I'm pretty tired as well. Andrew and I have been having some late nights, and I'm just getting over a head cold (always happens around this time of year) and I'm currently listening to my office mates watch their favorite television show and be as loud and obnoxious as possible while doing so. LOL. At least there's a wall between us. And a door, but I don't shut it while I'm in here because these doors have a tendency NOT to open from the inside. Stoopy doors.

Quick Weekend Update

We have a test in Howard's class next week, I've finally started reading the papers for my thesis proposal, and I'm up to date on all my grades (I have to turn in the mid-term average to Doc Monday morning). We have a wedding to go to (my little sis is getting married tomorrow and we're both in the wedding), and I am going to be very busy this weekend just as I have been on week. So now, for your viewing pleasure, I am including a Buzzfeed video on "Eight Essential Studying Hacks." It's actually pretty interesting. http://www.buzzfeed.com/andrewilnyckyj/8-essential-study-hacks Ciao! ~H

Busy Week

I've been pretty busy this week, between classes and grading and just life in general. Today we had a power outage that affected the entire campus (save a few spots with emergency generators) for about two hours. Because of it two of H's computers no longer work. He's pretty ticked. He shorted class so he can go and play with them. I offered my husband's services, LOL. Guess I'd better give Andrew a head's up. In other news, I finished grading all of my lab reports and handed them back yesterday. I only had about six F's total, but there were a few people who were quite disgruntled. I pulled a Judy and told them that I would not be taking questions or discussing grades during class because it would take too much time, but that if anyone wanted to discuss their grade they could come by my office. That usually will cut down on the people who actually come, because they have to make a separate trip. Today is my first day after giving back grades, and as I have office hours Monday-Thursday, we'll see if anyone actually shows up. In other, other news--I'm working on my thesis proposal by gathering scholarly articles. My goal is to have at least thirty articles saved in a citation management program (I'm using Endnote) by tomorrow and then I'm going to read the abstracts and pick the first five that catch my eye, print them out at school (to save money) and then read them. I'm then going to make a list of the common methods of soil analysis that I see used by other soil bacteriologists, and present the list to Doc Friday. Also, I'm going to be working on some research questions to expand my topic from a general overview to an actual legit scientific research topic worthy of a thesis. Once I've done that, and presented a list of those to Doc, the actual writing of the thesis proposal begins. It's due on Halloween (hope that's not an omen, LOL) so that gives me roughly three weeks from today. If all goes well, I hope to have it written up by the 26, so Doc and Chris can read it and get back to me before the 31. It will give them the weekend at least. Naturally if I can get it done faster, I will. I just don't know since it's a lot on my plate and I feel like things are just going to keep coming. Of course they are, it's grad school. To lift my spirits (and yours), here are a couple of links from my new favorite tumblr "What Should We Call Grad School?": Enjoy. http://whatshouldwecallgradschool.tumblr.com/post/63389066937/remembering-that-i-missed-a-time-point http://whatshouldwecallgradschool.tumblr.com/post/62908413491/how-i-feel-choosing-to-go-to-grad-school

Busy Week

So, after a pretty busy weekend (the little sister is getting married this coming weekend, this weekend was dedicated to her bachelorette party), I am back in the lab. Well, technically, I am back in my office. The lab is right next door. Anywho... This week we're working with Doc on some sulfur-reducers (we made the roll tubes last week and now we have to isolate some colonies, or try to). Also, Doc has another idea for isolating that sporosarcina that has been giving us fits: we're going to try pasteurizing the sample solution first. I'm secretly thrilled to be pasteurizing anything, because my favorite person as a kid was Louis Pasteur. Yes, I am that much of a nerd. Little connections like that make me very happy. Anyway, I think we're quizzed out in H's class although we have a test next week (next Wednesday, I think). I'm hoping exam 2 will be easier than exam 1 since I've worked my butt off to keep up with him this go 'round. Of course, I did ace the last exam, so that's going to be pretty hard to top no matter how much studying I've done. Here's a quick breakdown of the rest of my week, for your reading pleasure: today after H's class (and before) I will be grading lab reports. I have graded half of my stack and it only took me about six hours. LOL. Since I'm stuck here until 6pm because I have a (stupid) fundraiser to be involved with (sorry, anything that keeps me from my house after six is pretty lame, IMHO), I literally have no excuse not to have the rest of 'em graded by tonight. I'll bring them with me to the fundraiser if I have to. Also, I need to run by my sister's apartment to give her a tea pitcher I have so she can use it for the wedding. And then keep it, because I have two and I don't use either of them. She might as well have one. :) Tomorrow I have to teach from 2-6pm and I have Doc's class in the morning and lately it's been lasting from 9:30-12:30ish, which is pretty dang long (but fun, so I don't mind). Anyway, I probably won't have time to do a whole ton of work tomorrow so I'm reserving tomorrow for reading my chapter in GWYCF and then collecting my 20 references that Dr. W wants us to have for Thursday. I present my chapter Thursday as well. Also, if I have time I need to get an article on bacterial genetics and bring it to H so he can okay it. We have to do presentations soon. Wednesday, Thursday and Friday are all tentatively scheduled for reading various scholarly articles on bacterial analysis of soil so I can begin my thesis proposal in earnest (which, if you haven't noticed, I'm a little stressed out about). I believe it's due in two-three weeks. Not something you want to be late with. Friday is also sister's rehearsal, rehearsal supper and probably an overnight stay here since the wedding is Saturday and both my husband and I are in it. I can't wait to be in Sissy's wedding, but I'm going to cry like a baby, I just know it. She's leaving me and going to North Freakin' Dakota. Although I did tell her I would visit if she will take me to Fargo so I can pretend to be Frances McDormand. But anyway... :) ~H

Ad·den·dum

So, the quiz in Howard's wasn't that bad, I think I did okay. I made a 6/10 on the last in class quiz (he did take off points for that one problem that nobody knew) and I made two 10/10s on the last two take home quizzes. Now I have another take home quiz which should be a breeze and then I'll be in the clear for awhile, I think. Just letting you know. Now to grade lab reports.

'Tis the Season

... of quizzes in Dr. H's class, apparently. We had one Monday, we had two take home quizzes (both of which are completed and I am reasonably sure they are correct), and we have another one today. By this time, I have exhausted the topics that he might quiz on us and will now turn to studying random snippets from my notes and hope that I remember whatever it is he thinks is important enough to quiz us on. Next Monday, we have yet ANOTHER quiz. Darn these quizzes. LOL. On top of that, the grad students here are not-quite-required-but-still-expected to participate in a fundraiser next week that will require us staying after hours and passing out flyers. I wouldn't mind it too much except a) I hate fundraisers and b) I don't even live in this city, so after hours for me means I'll have another hour to drive home on top of however long I'm required to stay. Do I sound old and grumpy? Because I FEEL old and grumpy. Kinda like this old toy poodle (named Willie) my mom has, he growls whenever he's inconvenienced, and his definition of what "inconveniences" him is pretty broad. The older I get, the more I feel like Willie. LOL. I just keep telling myself it's for a good cause, and hoping that I can at least pretend the be enthusiastic the day of. At least the other grad students are cool and I don't mind hanging out with them. In other news, I still have that thesis proposal to work on. Doc and I have pretty much narrowed down where we are going to take our initial samples (we can always expand the base group if we want) and now I'm waiting on him to hear from one of his "buddies" so we can find out who owns the properties we're looking at. We have to get permission from the landowners first, obviously. On top of that, C (Doc's lab assistant) was asking me when I wanted to do a trial run of sampling--basically, going out and grabbing random dirt, and then running a whole bunch of tests on it. This is to show me what I'll be doing when I get the actual dirt I care about. Anyway, C wants me to tell him: exactly where I'll be sampling and how many samples per cite, exactly what perimeters I'll be looking at for my sample sites; and what over-arching hypothesis I will be testing. In case you're wondering, that looks really easy on paper but not so easy in practice, especially when it's something you've never done before. Regardless, I have an idea on what my hypothesis is going to be and I have some data that will help me hit the ground running with that, but seriously: that's a lot of stuff, and most of it I have no idea about. Guess that's what I'm here for, right? Right.