2 down, 2 to go...

So, I finished taking my swimming final this morning. How does one have a swimming final, you ask? Well, you don't even need a swimsuit! All you need is a sheet of paper where you discuss 3 different strokes and 3 different turns. Then, for extra credit: list the hours of the pool. I wish all my finals could be this easy!! This means I've finished with two of my classes and I have two left. Send me chemistry vibes.

Things are going well in lab, too. Even though I'm doing it for no credit/pay now, I'm really learning a lot. Soon, I should be able to clone. The whole process of "cloning" sounds all shrouded in mystery. Like it's some sort of super secret initiation into an elite club. My science geeks friends know this isn't the case. You guys probably already know how to do it, but when my prof said "and next week I want you to learn to clone crazynamed cells" I sat in the chair clapping with glee. I'm sure he thinks I'm strange. Or maybe mildly retarded.

The grad student who is actually training me thinks I'm strange, I'm sure. I really can't tell how old he is and I dont' dare ask because, well, I just don't ask those things. He looks at me with an expression that says I-just-don't-understand-these-crazy-Americans when I get so excited about learning stuff. I guess it's better than sighing heavily and rolling my eyes. :)

Alright, I have one more week of serious chem homework. Kinetics R not fun. :(

“The mind is restless and difficult to restrain, but it is subdued by practice.” ~ Bhagavad Gita

I think I have a problem and I completely blame my Grandmother. Maybe even my Grandmother before her.

See, just about every Spring I get restless. I don't know why. I'm starting to think it's the same kind of restlessness that causes birds to migrate every year. They've done studies in which they put migratory birds in cages during their annual flight time and the birds flop around trying to get out or sit on a perch and continuously flap their wings as if flying.

My restlessness occurs in my brain. I get distracted looking "over there" or "on the other side of the fence". I spend time wondering what it would be like if I just packed everything tonight and moved to London, for example. I love my city, but if given the chance, I'd leave in a heartbeat. Often, I wish Hubby had a job that forced him to relocate. I would love picking everything up and starting over somewhere completely foreign.

I think if I could afford to travel, it would make my brain settle down. Unfortunately, high tuition costs and lack on income prevent me from saying "Hey, Hubby, let's take a jaunt to see the Sequoias next weekend!" Or, "Let's vacation to see the world's largest pool in Spain!"

Maybe when I graduate (in 2-3 years) I should look for a job that requires travel.

So, I ask you: Does this happen to you? How do you fix it? Also, if you *could* pack your necessitites and move (to live), where would you?

Your own property is concerned when your neighbor's house is on fire. ~Horace

This quote resonated well for me this week. Some of you already know, but in case I haven't told you... here is our newest neighborhood adventure.

I woke up Wednesday night to seeing what looked like someone's hazard lights in front of my house. Hubby was not home, so I immediately get defensive of my territory. I throw on my glasses and look out the window. I see my neighbor's house (directly across from ours) on fire. I throw on some pants (cuz I doubt the neighbors want to see my undies!) and grab my cell phone. Outside, a few people had already gathered and called the police.

Within just a few minutes, the fire was far beyond control by a garden hose. We all just looked on helplessly. We could hear the house cracking and popping, windows shattering from the heat. No one was living in the house; it had been abandonded for the last few months and for that, I was grateful. I don't know what would have happened if there were people or animals in trouble. Since we live in such a rural area it took the Fire Department longer to arrive than it would in the city.

Very, very fortunately, there was someone there who saw the monster who started the fire. The witness didn't live in the neighborhood, but was so enraged by what he saw he managed to hunt the (alleged) arsonist down. He personally escorted the police to the firebug's house and they had him in handcuffs within an hour.

I captured video and pictures of the event. I hope to not see anything like that ever again.

More surfing unearthed this gem

To all my science geeks out there, this is for you...

Dreaming

Without lots of homework to distract me, my brain starts dreaming again. I had some time to surf the net this morning and found several blogs from Americans living and working in France. I never realize how much I miss it, even 12 years later, until I stumble upon a blog where the author is gushing about how much they love their French city and culture. It's like a knife in the heart, I miss it so much.

One of them posted the video below that had me cackling with glee. There was serious hand clapping and screeching when I watched this. I think I scared all my cats.

“Life is either a great adventure or nothing.” - Hellen Keller

I'm convinced now that college is simply a series of tests of your own personal limits. It's not *really* about learning obscure equations. Just when I think I can't take any more, I surprise myself.

After a few weeks of my self esteem being beaten to a bloody pulp, I've been pleasantly surprised at how much I've accomplished in my swimming class. Going into this course I was not a strong swimmer and I could not dive. After laps upon laps upon laps, I think I have *finally* learned the correct strokes! And I'm not as scared! We actually recorded ourselves swimming and diving. Expect a video uploaded very soon. :)

The story is not the same for chemistry, however. Hopefully, my rockin' grades in Bio and swimming will balance out my chem grades. Grrrrrr..... I really am counting down the minutes until the end of the semester. Ugh.

Anybody want to go to Barton Springs? Kayaking? I'm itching for outdoor activities.

Oh yeah, my photo up top? I made that in chem lab. My research is going well, too. I am comfortable with PCR and am able to do it with minimal contamination! I figure any contamination I get will automatically be cat hair from my shirt that fell in the tubes while I wasn't looking. Awwww! Amplified Izzi! I could use more of that!