My cover's been blown (kinda)

I received a rather unexpected phone call today. Apparently, using a fairly common search term that would bring up thousands and thousands and thousands of websites, a professor of mine from grad school stumbled upon my blog. He read it for a while when it finally dawned on him he knew who I was. It was the Kiwi. The good news is I don't care. He is a pretty cool professor and I don't mind what he reads. In fact, the only reason I think he was able to figure it out was that I confided in him about some of the conflicts I had with the Kiwi. And Loverboy. So once he read the posts it wasn't too hard to put two and two together. I know I can trust him. He's just learned one way in which I learned to cope with the situation.

I just hope no one else figures it out. But I don't think they will because only people I trust know how things actually were in that place.

UPDATE: OK, now I know never to make assumptions. I actually typed in the search term, which should has produced countless hits. It's a very common term. But apparently, it only brings up 441. Still a lot. The problem is, mine is 4th one listed on the first page. Darn it.

"America's Most Smartest Model"

This is the title of a new reality series on VH1. This annoys me. It was probably done purposely, to poke fun at people, but come on. This title makes me want to not watch it. And it belittles anyone who is actual on it. The winner should be the first person to correctly explain what is wrong with the title of the show.

Look what Geeka got me!

What this means: Geeka and I took a survey one time and she was 2x evil and I was 1x evil.

I'm half the evil of Geeka. Which is the worst kind. You'd never suspect me!

That's me.

Your Score

You scored: Linear B

You are Linear B. Even those who can follow you think you're all Greek to them. Which, after all, is true - Linear B being the first known text for written Greek. To most people, you're incomprehensible. But what do you care? You're tough, hard, long-enduring and have greater nobility than most. Naturally, you don't admit to borrowing extensively from your brother Linear A.

Link: The Which Ancient Language Are You Test written by imipak on OkCupid Free Online Dating, home of the The Dating Persona Test

I'll agree with this.

This is probably why Geeka and I get along so well.

Your Score: Dr. Lisa Cuddy

50% Eccentricity, 45% Confidence, 60% Kindness

Congratulations, you're Dr. Lisa Cuddy! You've got a healthy balance of confidence, kindness, and general oddity (because asking a person who works for you to stick a needle in your butt is odd, no matter how hot he may be). You're probably an excellent leader with a good sense of humor. You also probably have a vulnerable side that not many people know about.

Link: The House, MD Personality Test written by freedomdegrees on OkCupid Free Online Dating, home of the The Dating Persona Test

Digital camera advice?

Okay, so I'm extremely anal when shopping for something expensive or that I would consider an investment. I've been saving money up for compact digital camera and now I have enough. But I'm having trouble decided between three of them:

1. Sony Cybershot DSC-T100
2. Canon SD1000
3. Canon PowerShot SD850 IS

If anyone has used any of these cameras can you let me know how you like it. I'm looking for one with a short shutter lag, takes good quality pictures in outdoor and indoor lighting, and is compact. All of these seem to fit the bill and I can't make up my mind. I know I'm obsessing a bit much but I know that I'll have this for a long, long time and want to get the right one.

Any input? I know the chances are slim that anyone actually has one of these since there are so many out there but I had to ask.

I'm back

Well, almost, to the regular schedule thing. I've been putting off doing regular work for awhile. I'm not sick anymore, still coughing because of my pain-in-the-butt asthma but oh well. I can't use illness as a reason not to do work. Lately, it's been easy to come up with reasons not to do work. I know I'm getting burned out but now it's time to go back.

It's not so bad really. The kiwi boss man is gone on a holiday. Won't be back until the second week in August. And LB is on a month's long vacation. On one had, we are all pissed because he can take all the time he wants off. On the other hand, he's not here, which is great. So right now it's not so bad going to work. We don't mind it as much because the two people in the lab (Kiwi and LB) are gone. And no, they aren't on vacation together.

Some updates:

• Ding is back from maternity leave.
• I'm finally going to get my name on a paper, other than a review. I did some microscope work for Mo.
• Had lunch with my class, all the people who came in the same time as me. But that will be another post, lots of issues there.
• Started golf lessons. A reason to get out on the weekend, instead of sleep or work. And I must say, I did awesome!
• My tomato garden is really taking off. Blossoms are starting to show.
• I get to start working on my first author paper. I have to have the layout of my figures worked out for when Kiwi comes back.

Other than that, not too much has been going on. It's been really slow around here.

It's nice to be back blogging! Now I have to catch up on reading my favorites.

Thought I would have been lower than that

The Dante's Inferno Test has sent you to Purgatory!
Here is how you matched up against all the levels:

Level	Score
Purgatory (Repenting Believers)	Very High
Level 1 - Limbo (Virtuous Non-Believers)	Moderate
Level 2 (Lustful)	High
Level 3 (Gluttonous)	High
Level 4 (Prodigal and Avaricious)	Low
Level 5 (Wrathful and Gloomy)	Moderate
Level 6 - The City of Dis (Heretics)	Very Low
Level 7 (Violent)	Moderate
Level 8- the Malebolge (Fraudulent, Malicious, Panderers)	High
Level 9 - Cocytus (Treacherous)	Low

Take the Dante's Inferno Hell Test

Why I like country music

(I'm bored during my incubations, so I'm making random posts.)

I listen to country music. I like country music, a lot. Don't get me wrong, I like other kinds as well, classical, pop, rock. Don't like rap too much or the really heavy-metal-kill-your-mother-music.

A while back I watched the CMT awards. Jeff Foxworthy was the host and at the end of the show he had a monologue. It stole the show. For anyone who doesn't like country music and doesn't understand why people do they need to listen to this. Also anyone who loves country music because they will probably relate. Below is the video clip from YouTube with the words underneath. If you would like to see a clear version that's a bit easier to hear go to the CMT website.

Enjoy.

"I started thinking about why I like country music and doing
this show so much, and here's what I came up with, y'all.

I like country music because it's about the things in life that really matter. It ain't about
braggin' about how you're gonna mess somebody up, or how somebody ain't
respectin' ya. It's about love, family, friends -- with a few beers, a cheap
woman and a two-timin' man thrown in for spice.

It doesn't take political sides, even with things as ugly as war. Instead, it celebrates the brave men and women who go to fight 'em, the price they pay to do it and the longin' we have for them to return home to the ones that they love.

It's about kids and how there ain't nothin' like 'em. I get tired of hearin' about how bad kids are today, because there are a lot of great kids out there that just need somebody to love 'em and believe in 'em. Country folks love their kids and they will jack you up if you try to mess with 'em!

People in country music don't forget the people that allow them to do what they do for a livin'. They sign autographs and they take pictures with the fans because they know without 'em most of us entertainers would be gettin' a lot dirtier in the course of our workday. We are thankful that people want to hear the songs and the jokes that we write.

Country music doesn't have to be politically correct. We sing about God because we believe in Him. We are not trying to offend anybody, but the evidence that we have seen of Him in our small little lives trumps your opinion about whether or not He exists.

We love country music because it touches us where we live. It's about mommas, and when they were hot, and when they are unappreciated, and when they were dyin'. It's about daddies and the difficulties they have sometimes at tellin' the people that they work so hard to protect and provide for how they feel about 'em.

Country music is about new love and it's about old love. It's about gettin' drunk and gettin' sober. It's about leavin' and it's about comin' home. It's real music sung by real people for real people, the people that make up the backbone of this country.

You can call us rednecks if you want. We're not offended, 'cause we know what we're all about. We get up and go to work, we get up and go to church, and we get up and go to war when necessary.

All we ask for is a few songs to carry us along the way, and that's why I love this show, because it ain't some self-important Hollywood hype with the winners determined by somebody else. On this show, you decide who goes home with a trophy and you get to dance and sing along with the people that bring you the songs of your life."

Construction Traffic

Pennsylvania has got to be the state with most road construction. And right now Pittsburgh seems to be the capital. I think every conceivable route in and out of the city has road construction.

But the most amazing thing happened the other day. The highway was two lanes that eventually merged into one, so the entire way to the merge point there were signs saying "Use both lanes to merge point." Which, everyone did. But that wasn't the amazing part. Traffic never actually stopped for more than a few seconds at a time. Even though it was rush hour and construction went on for miles. At the merge point everyone was actually taking their turn, alternating cars merging into the right lane. I was stunned. People actually taking turns instead of driving tightly together so no one could merge in front of them.

I felt I needed to comment on this because people are usually stupid and cause unnecessary traffic jams. If people would just take turns things would go smoothly. And it did!

Happy Birthday to Geeka!

Happy Birthday to you,

Happy Birthday to you,

Happy Birthday dear Geeka,

Happy Birthday to you!!!

Pet Owner's Day

If there isn't a "Pet Owner's Day" or "Pet Owner Appreciation Day" there should be. For the past several days all I've watched are Mother's Day commercials, mostly jewelry. Not that I want jewelery. But what about those of us who have a furry, non-human family with no intention of having children. For some reason I feel left out. I want a day.

Peanut butter and jelly

Most of my friends here consider me slightly sheltered. I grew up in the countryside and never experienced a lot things until I moved to the city. For example, I had

• never ridden public transportation
• never had pizza delivery
• never had Indian food, Thai food, or sushi
• couldn't get cable at home
• never been to a strip club or adult store (those are stories unto themselves)

This is the first time I have lived somewhere where the closest gas station open late at night isn't 20 minutes away. Or fast food can be bought and still be hot when I get it home.

Today is the first day I have ever had a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Not so much because I lived in the country but because I never cared for peanut butter. That was until I found the most wonderful freshly ground honey roasted peanut butter at Whole Foods. We don't have grocery stores like that back home. All that natural, organic food with no preservatives. I can eat that peanut butter plain. And the peanut butter and jelly sandwich was great! I can never go back to jarred peanut butter again.

The one thing nice about working late is that I can eat at my desk, which is next to my bench.