A Crude Attempt at Original Thought

Thu, 01 Feb 2007 06:05:30 GMT

Why don't you take a good look at yourself and describe what you see
[scream the following]and BABY, BABY, BABY, DO YOU LIKE IT?

Tue, 30 Jan 2007 00:20:56 GMT

     I am currently sitting in the lab. I have very little to do until I get my boss's input on my manuscript, and so I have been staring at my GRE prep book and trying to learn many new polysyllabic words. To help me absorb these words, I have been writing a sentence for each. All of these sentences revolve around someone--let's call him Mr. F--pooping in a shower. The back story for this is complicated and rambling and I will not go into it here. I am NOT Mr. F, so don't go there! Seriously.

     The weekend was much fun--well, Saturday was, anyway. The neighbor girls chickened out, but Ross, Mike, Heidi, and myself started by watching Family Guy and pregaming with the typical poisons. I spent much of that time spooning with a bread--a loaf of sliced, enriched white Italian breads. I <3 bread. We then headed out and parked at On the Rocks. It was fairly lame there. We then moved on to the Old Toad and drank some good European beer. We finished at the massive grind-a-thon at the East Ave Inn. Nice. Sunday felt pretty gross. Today wo hen sleepy.

     Very sad news about Barbaro the horsey today. The Preakness injury just would not give him a break. Light a candle for him, if your fire marshal isn't looking.

I am in Smash exile again

Sat, 27 Jan 2007 20:26:35 GMT

     Ross is visiting, which is always great. However, they are on a Smash Brother's marathon, which--and I did not think this was possible--both sucks AND blows. So I left in a huff to the pit, where I ordered my grilled chicken sandwich with Caesar dressing. I proceeded to read the Campus Rag and got good and angry as usual. I then scrawled out a biting letter to the editor and dropped it in their mailbox. Utterly satisfying.

     While scrawling out the biting letter, someone who I have not seen or heard from in well over a month came up to me, and I felt nothing beyond indifference (it used to be ambivalence). I am now sitting at a library computer with my enormous coffee and pondering. It is strange and unfortunate how people converge into friendship or things more than friendship, only to later diverge out towards mere acquaintanceship. I suppose it is natural; people form new relationships (of whatever sort), and of course, they logically begin to care less about their their old friends, and friends of those friends. Being in one's last semester definitely seems to upset the relationship equilibrium. I remember the same thing happening in high school; as I recall, I did not know who my friends truly were until I was about to leave them for Rochester. And interestingly, some of those people I only began to spend time with at the very last minute...and yet, those are the people with whom I still keep in touch.

     Isn't the journey grand?

We're just two lost souls swimming in a fish bowl, year after year

Wed, 24 Jan 2007 07:43:19 GMT

     Today at the lab, we set up a new home for our mascot, George Clinton the fish, along with his posse (about a half dozen minnows and a few shrimp). He's pimpin' it, now. I shall do my best to get some pictures, because he is a badass.

     Big Mike, Darth Yam, and myself just watched Batman with Adam West, and it was amazing as always. It is so wonderfully camp and I highly recommend it. I give it SEVEN thumbs up. We also killed a full gallon of fuzzy navel. Nice.

     PS: This is pretty fun--Monty Python's "Twit Olympics"...or "n00b Olympics,"if you prefer.
**edit**: changed link to a better quality video

What did the snail say riding on the turtle's back?

Tue, 23 Jan 2007 04:07:33 GMT

The guys and I just saw this picture on an episode of Arrested Development, and since the turtle-riding snail is my favorite joke, I had to rush to my computer to dig up the image. It is pretty much amazing.
     So far, I am enjoying my classes immensely. I have three of the most entertaining professors I have ever encountered. Professor Conee teaches philosophy 101, which is not at all what I expected; in fact, so far, it has been remarkably like my high school geometry class, with all the proofs. Who knew a biologist like me would find himself in a class which considers things like whether or not we can truly know if we are dreaming or awake. Professor Conee is a solid lecturer and has an endearing way of squeaking his voice for emphasis.

     Dean Burgett teaches "Musical Adventures," which looks like it will revolve around learning to conduct. He is easily one of the most engaging and charismatic presences I have ever run into.

     And who could forget Lord Landsburg. He is obviously brilliant, but seems rather unapproachable--I walked with him to class for a few minutes and found him very difficult to talk to. That aside, he knows his stuff and makes an airtight argument, even when the subject matter seems utterly absurd. Alex has told me that just because something makes economic sense, doesn't mean it makes "actual" sense, and this will take some getting used to. So far, I have learned that Scrooge is good for us, seat belts are bad for us, and that you can draw supply and demand graphs for EVERYTHING, including murder--yes, the example we worked on was murder. Nice.

     Finally, I would like to say that Darth Yam and I suffered through the longest TRIUMPH I've ever seen: King Kong. It was so strangely cast. The hero was Dan (aka Adrien Brody), and the profit-driven antagonist was played by Jack Black. Also, it had a F***ing T-rex in it. Three of them. F***!

I hearby decree...

Wed, 17 Jan 2007 23:56:48 GMT

     (I'm saying in this in the Palpatine voice, cuz this is serious you guys, be serious)

     HENCEFORTH, all singers shall be known as LARYNX PLAYERS, for a safe and SECURE society.

     I had this idea in my "Adventures in Music" class, but I didn't tell anyone, because I was afraid they'd beat me up and steal my lunch money.

I'm standing at the crossroads, believe I'm sinkin' down

Wed, 17 Jan 2007 05:13:24 GMT

I rediscovered the greatness that is Cream today. As it turns out, I had "Crossroads," "Sunshine of Your Love," "Bell Bottom Blues," and "White Room" buried away on my hard disk. "White Room" hit me in particular; I couldn't fully appreciate it before, having never sat for hours at a dirty train station before. I would call it a triumph.

I went into the lab today for the first time in a month and I realized I had missed it quite a bit. Many new ocean-going friends have joined us--the grad student caught a bunch of fish and shrimp on his snail hunt. We also have acquired two giant fiberglass tanks (nice.). My snails weren't fed since I was gone, but enough animals survived so I'm not worried. They are a great bunch of people and the lab will be among the things I miss most when I graduate.

I've been one poor correspondant, and I've been too, too hard to find

Sun, 14 Jan 2007 04:35:51 GMT

     I think I have listened to "Sister Golden Hair" a total of 5 times today: four times during the six hour ride to Rochester (gross), and once on my arrival, so I could learn to play the melody on a recorder shoved up my nose. It was pretty fun.

     Nice.

     Wo hen sleepy. nite nite.

Waaaaang

Thu, 11 Jan 2007 22:12:28 GMT

     Alex is alone in the suite. I recorded this so he can play it and pretend I'm practicing down the hall. Here you go man, "the one where I tap the guitar."

     It's called Tango en Skai, by Roland Dyens, and legend has it (according to the composer himself, actually), it was improvised in a bar. So, I didn't feel too bad putting my own spin on it (mostly cut out some repeats that I feel are tedious). This song has a fun rhythm to it; feel free to stand up, grab a partner, and dance.

     I have a fun anecdote. I went out for a run today on my 3 mile loop, which was painful because it was slightly below freezing and very dry. So I threw on my sweats, put my ipod in the pocket and wired it to my ears as per usual, and headed out. While I was running, I noticed a rhythmic tingling in my ears, that got progressively worse. It took me probably 15 minutes to figure out what was going on. You see, the ipod was rubbing against my cotton sweatpants and building up a static charge, which was discharging through the headphones and into my ears. It got to be quite painful, but it was a really good song, so I put up with it. It must've been somewhat of a Homer Simpson moment, as Becky pointed out: "Laaa la la *SHOCK* OUUUCH! Laaa la la *SHOCK* OUUUCH! Laaa la la *SHOCK* OUUUCH!" I am thinking of sending a complaint to Apple. On last night's episode of House, we were reminded of electroshock therapy, and how it ERASES experiential MEMORY.

     It looks like the weather will be inclement on Sunday, so I will be returning to UR on Saturday instead. Should be pretty fun...I miss Yummy Garden something fierce.

shooobeeedooobedooooo

Thu, 11 Jan 2007 03:21:55 GMT

Got my passport photos taken :-). Looks like I might be taking a trip to England.

Also recorded another guitar ditty...this one's for the ladies. Again, very familiar to those who live with me. "Capricho Arabe" by Tarrega. Maybe a mistake or two but I'm tired so "I said whateverrrrrr."

Capricho Arabe, Tarrega

Maybe accomplishing something, but unfortunately not what I need to

Wed, 10 Jan 2007 04:40:53 GMT

     So I've mentioned to a few people that during this long break, I have been making a feeble attempt at trying to get my classical guitar chops back. Snail wrangling definitely sucked me in this past semester, and consequently, I did not get to spend nearly enough time on the six strings. I think a break can be helpful, at least from an "artistic" standpoint (in quotations because I'm an amateur, at best); when something gets pent up for a while, whether it's music or writing or hormones or whatever, it of course comes out better when it finally does come out.

     Or at least that was my theory. As it turns out, my fingers don't listen nearly as well as they used to, and my rhythm sucks. My rhythm in general has been poor, lately; I've been going to bed at 3am or later and sleeping past noon, and while I suppose that still is rhythmic, it's certainly not a good rhythm.

     Anywho. I jury-rigged a fairly poor quality microphone up to my computer, one of those little plastic numbers that used to come with every new desktop computer from Dell. I recorded myself hacking through Bach's famous Bouree (did I spell that right?). I remember this being the first song I ever wanted to play on the classical guitar (it came to my attention with Jethro Tull's famous bastardization of it), even when I completely lacked the ability to play it, and so I have carried it with me for a long time. It's a song in which I think the top and bottom lines are equally beautiful melodies. Anyway, this is rough, but I hope some of you might enjoy it. Probably the non-musicians, haha. And suite mates: I'm sure you're heard me practice this one a thousand times, though not so much recently!

     BWV 996, Bourree

Harmlessly passing your time in the grassland awaaaaay...

Tue, 09 Jan 2007 05:48:27 GMT

     ...I will love you forever if you know what song those lyrics are from WITHOUT "googleing" it. I'll still love you if you do google it, just to a lesser extent.

     So a few new developments on the job front. Group number one has given me a more well-defined offer, which is very tempting. The PI in charge of group number two has invited me to Cambridge, England (where she is currently located) to give a seminar on snail development and interview in person. Also quite tempting. Still leaning towards group number 1, though, all things considered. I have to say, I really do owe Pam a thousand thanks for helping me out.

     "So because Lord of the Rings is so dark and sometimes can get very serious, I decided that during the battle of Helms Deep, there should be a shot of a banana slapping itself in the face"--George Lucas. Life gets very serious. I think we could all use a metaphorical banana slapping itself in the face. A few of my close friends have been rather down lately. It makes me sad and I kind of wish I could do something. But recently I've truly come to believe that the universe has some sort of design for us all, (perhaps involving some sort of lowest-energy-state thermodynamic equilibrium to justify it to the scientist part of me), and just maybe that design involves some low points; if the going didn't get rough now and then...man, things would sure get boring.

It has occured to me that I kinda sorta miss my livejournal. Who'da thunk it.

Mon, 08 Jan 2007 05:57:06 GMT

     Maybe it's the boredom talking (yeah, definitely boredom), but I am having the sudden urge to start writing again. The trouble is, I don't feel inspired to write anything worthwhile--that is to say, the novel I've been toying with, or some form of poetry silliness--so I once again turn unto Livejournal, the wonderful medium for the word vomit that would otherwise receive no attention or interest, if it were not for the intensely voyeuristic nature of the HUMANS.
     So I am sitting at the old maple desk in what was my bedroom while growing up, with walls painted powder-blue. It's funny--despite me changing immeasurably, the decor in here has remained the same since I was a freshman in high school. That is to say, there are hippie-crystals everywhere and pictures of wolves and owls. I still approve of the Star Trek First Contact poster on the back wall, but the X-Files number is a bit dated. It really feels like someone else lives here, no kidding. And so my point emerges: for the first time, "home" doesn't feel completely like home, or at least as it used to. I'm okay with this, because new doors have opened up and I'm whole-heartedly ready to move on, out of East Hampton, and out of Rochester.
     That said, there are a number of great things about being "home," and I think it would be fun to go over them. First and foremost: the high-end toilet paper. Cottonelle Ultra. After a semester of using the John Wayne paper UofR provides, this stuff feels like heaven on a roll. Second, I would have to say, is the big TV. Relatively big, anyway, and certainly big enough to capture my Third favorite thing about being home: all the time in the world to watch Star Trek on Spike TV, which I enjoy on the big couch, which is my Fourth favorite thing. Having read this, I'm certain you take me to be a lazy fatass nerd. Such an assumption is probably only 60% true, because my #5 is hiking in the local State Forest with my big dumb dog, and also running on the sidewalks of East Hampton (which is quite pretty), with said dog. Of course the few good friends I still have in these parts trump all of the above, but sadly, most of them have already left to their respective corners of the country, and those that remain are too young to enjoy the seedy East Hampton bar scene; such a pity. Oh, also, I am passionate about eggnog with a little bit of Southern Comfort mixed in--there's no better way to end a day.
     So in my last week of vacation here at the homestead, I am planning on doing a bit of studying for the ominous GRE, and grappling with a big decision: a great lab at the Harvard School of Public Health has extended me a great job offer, and I also had a very positive phone interview with another group; which one do I pursue? At this point, I'm very strongly leaning towards the former, but I am still waiting to hear more details.

Only the good die young

Tue, 27 Jul 2004 02:31:16 GMT

You'll make it one way or another, my feathered friend.

Look mom, I'm on TV

Sat, 24 Jul 2004 22:17:59 GMT

Hey friends,
     I forgot I had this thing. Hence, no updates since June 5th, where my hopes and dreams were shattered in a blaze of...um..Smarty Jones losing the triple crown.
     But now everything is copacetic, everything is beautiful. I'm having success on my project at Yale. I found the perfect guitbox for wailing out classical music. My horse and I have more moves than a sliding door.
     Check me out.
     A grand time was had last night with Meg, Becky, and a bunch of SLTP people. A really cool bunch.
     Oh, SORRY SORRY SORRY SORRY SORRYYYYY! (Thats because I got home really late and caused said Meg and Becky to miss Shaolin Soccer).
     We still enjoyed an arguably superior soccer game on the foosball table. Thats the game where theres a bunch of armless, glow in the dark guys that are impaled on metal rods. Seems a touch grotesque. GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

      Quote of the evening: "The system is down. "do doo DO DO DOOO" "Da da dum da. Da da dum da." "Doom doom doom doom doom."

What a painful Saturday

Sat, 05 Jun 2004 23:05:23 GMT

I was thrown from my horse today, and then she kicked me in the shin. Ouch! Former President Reagan died. Ouch! Smarty just barely missed the Triple Crown. Ouch!

Life can be such a chore

Wed, 02 Jun 2004 02:53:28 GMT

     I'm so tired out.
     Everything must be so damn difficult.
     And I just love it when everything goes wrong at work - chemically, socially, and politically.

Does the fun ever stop?

Fri, 28 May 2004 22:37:09 GMT

     So I'm now a full time researcher at Yale Medical, and a stable boy on weekends. Fifty hours of science, followed by sixteen hours of shoveling horse crap. Kyyyaaaaaa. It should be fun, doing some mindless, manual work in the sun.
     I inadvertently got into Yale graduate school. I was brewing some coffee in the student lounge, when a woman walked in to refill the coffee maker. I exchanged miscellaneous pleasantries, and made some smalltalk. I was unknowingly talking to the registrar in the physiology department. She talked to my boss the following day. Apparently, I made a good impression and am basically accepted into their program, when the time comes. Wooohooo.
     Only a few more weeks until our trip to Rochester, and then Toronto. I think it should be a good time - who doesn't love hours and hours in the car? I'm thinking of getting tickets to the Camelot musical at the Geva, but several people aren't getting back to me on whether or not it's any good. We'll see.

Oh lord, stuck in Lodi again...

Sat, 22 May 2004 19:25:15 GMT

Hello friends,
     I haven't been updating on my typical daily schedule because of my all-consuming job. This summer, I'm masquerading as a bio grad student, doing research and basically living at Yale Medical. It's a great gig, and people think I'm a post-doc. Boy, are the hours long, though. This week I put in close to 60. When deadlines are approaching, we go into "take as much data as possible" mode, and when things go well, I stay there taking pictures on the electron microscope until the job is done.
     The money I make there (decent, not great) goes directly back into fueling 2 hours of commuting every day, two dressage lessons a week, and a guitar lesson. I think I'm breaking even.
     If all goes well, I'll be road tripping back up to Rochester on June 18th to visit all my UR friends, and hopefully catch the Camelot musical. Then it's onward to Toronto.
     I liked this picture. It sort of says "I will destroy you!" ...and I will.
     http://members.aol.com/hixplosiv1/guitar.jpg

The boys are back in town

Sat, 15 May 2004 22:54:41 GMT

     So today I started riding again. I had an hour-long lesson at Fox Ledge Farm. It was pleasant to have a constant stream of criticism being shouted at me - I felt my position change significantly just after one lesson.
     I then returned and watched Smarty Jones win the Preakness Stakes. Unbelievable. I really thought Rock Hard Ten would take it, but I was happy to see the little underdog come through.
     http://www.foxledgefarm.net

Research = tiring

Sat, 15 May 2004 02:31:44 GMT

Hello friends,
I decided my summer vacation had lasted long enough when my boss asked if I could come into work today. Yes, I woke up at SIX AM today for work. (My boss emailed me last night and asked if I could; I said "yes" because I'm a tool). So I got to Yale three hours before I normally wake up, and claimed a lab bench. Then the training began, so that I can help collect the 1,000 necessary electron micrographs needed within a week.
Upon my return, I read an IM sent 10 minutes before asking me if I wanted to go to dinner. Thanks Becky and Meg for the pleasant end to a long day. Hurray-a for Hung Won.

A Moment of Silence

Tue, 11 May 2004 03:55:55 GMT

     Brothers and sisters, today a great soul has moved on from this dreary world. Our friend, Blinky, yielded up the ghost after happily prowling the previous day; we can be sure that he left in peace.
     Here's to you, Blinky, the fearsome hunter who smote Grizelda, warded off the Eeor, ran for president, and touched us all.
     Too soon gone.

Back in the US Back in the US back in the USSR

Sun, 09 May 2004 21:34:08 GMT

     ...or East Hampton. Road trips are great, but after six hours on an Astrovan bucket seat, my bum hurt unimaginably.
     It hasn't been twelve hours yet, and I already miss the old "Mistake by the Lake." That's Rochester, for those of you not privy to our self-deprecating UofR jive. I miss the wacky weather, Eastman, Robbins library, the pristine Genesee river, even Danforth.
     I won't miss exams. To quote Sir Robin's minstrel, that biology exam raped my nostrils.

Finals are hard

Tue, 04 May 2004 03:51:18 GMT

     I definitely studied calc all day today, until the 4:00pm exam. It was intense, but I thought it out and put answers on the paper. The rest is up to the calculus gods.
     The ironic thing is, after I finished the test and therefore my calc class, I had to do webwork. The completion of this final should have marked the end of my study of math, for good. Unfortunately, I forgot to do the webwork set due on Saturday. Unfortunately, my professor was kind enough to give me an extension.
     And today, I'm guilty of unintentional attempted bribery.

It's been a long time since I've rock & rolled

Wed, 28 Apr 2004 02:16:31 GMT

     People are freaking out because I haven't updated my journal in a while, and I guess it's the only thing that can sustain them. So, here goes.
     This past Saturday was what we here at UR like to call Dandelion Day. It must be the single greatest party dedicated to a weed (which unknown reasons was chosen as our school flower). It mostly consists of mindless drunkening out on the various university quads, from 9 am until people pass out. The school provides carnival rides and live bands, as well.
     I've decided that my main problem was that I had a guitar jury on this day. I got up early to catch a bus. As I was walking to the bus stop in decent attire and a guitar, a mob of great guys I've never met shouted "GET WASTED!" at me. I responded "I'd really like to, but I have to get to my jury." One insisted that I have just enough alcohol to be happy. Since the bus was leaving in 10 mins, he handed me his bottle, which I then took a couple swigs from. Coulda been poison, for all I know, though he seemed like a good fellow.
     I got through the jury quickly. In my slightly buzzed state, I asked the grad students if they had any requests. Oops.
     I arrived back at river campus at about 3:00. I had SERIOUS catching up to do. I called up Matt, and met him and Jarrod on the frat quad. We then returned, and filled up some 20oz's with rum a dum dum and coke. Basically we stumbled around meeting people and having a blast until we ran out. We then refilled, and stumbled around some more.
     The shit hit the fan when it became 5:30pm. I called Jenn, and asked where to meet her for the Med. Soc. banquet. I found met her in the library, and then we went back to drama house to pick up some food. In my drunken attempt to carry a huge pot of garlic soup, I spilled garlic soup all down my crotch. Whoopsy.
     So Jenn assisted in getting me to a seat. I think I shouted some drunken pleasantries at Emily, and then joined in a hideous singing of Hallelujah. I had a few bites of food when I had to excuse myself to the bathroom for something unpleasant. Emily sent Ben to make sure I got back to my room. I did, slept for 3 hours (one of which was in the bathroom), and then made some appologies over the phone.
     Unfortunately, I had to wake up at 7:00 am the following morning to go to a dressage clinic, taught by this anal guy from Germany. I went with Pam and the Julies, and had fun despite my hungover state.
     I got back at 5:30, and changed into a clean pair of clothes in a Rush Rhees basement bathroom. I managed to leave my wallet and keys in the shower stall. When I returned from the movie I had to see for CAS in G113, the keys remained, but the wallet was gone. Awesome. So, I canceled my credit cards and reported it to security. Looks like i'm out $80 cash, a social security card, and my driver's license. Fuckadoodle do.
     A huge thanks to Jarrod, Matt, Jenn, Emily, Ben, random guy with the bottle of liquor before my jury, everyone I met, Pam, Julie, Julie, and Alex Gerding for making this weekend memorable.