Saturday, March 28, 2009

Oh how I love weekends

This weekend is already off to a fabulous start. I slept in, listened to a bit of CBC, had a healthy breakfast and after chatting with the parentals, took off with the roomie to enjoy the beautiful day. I don't think that many cities are quite as lovely as the M-ville on nice days, and you could tell everyone was so happy that it was so mild today, and got out to celebrate the end of the winter. It's likely going to rain all day tomorrow, but that's Canada for you. We take advantage of all the good weather we can get.
I am somewhat ashamed to admit that today was the first time I've gotten to the Atwater Market since moving to town, despite it being a 10 minute walk away. There was so much nice veggies already and I picked up some super fresh maple syrup. Typical Canadian much? I can't stand the fake store stuff. Roomie and I made plans to return with a grocery cart sometime soon, though there is a bit of steep hill on the way home, which may require a cab ride for big trips. They also have a choclatier, flower shops, fromageries.... I can see a lot of money being spent there over the summer. 
I was quite upset to realize, while walking to Atwater, that my sunglasses had broken, but I found an awesome purple pair at the mall for only $5!
Roomie was shopping for a new top to wear out to dinner this evening, found a very cute one at the mall. I tried on a sweater that I thought would work, but rather than emphasizing my waist as it should have it just looked weird. I've come to terms over the years that my genes are just not those of someone who is ever going be a size 4, and have learned to dress to suit my assets. Those include a pretty awesome bust and a cute posterior. Even when I was going to the gym 3-4 times a week very little changed so it's not a matter of not being fit, this is just the way I am. Some stores are better than others for dressing those of us in between teeny weeny and plus size, realizing that tents almost never look on anyone and structure is a friend to most women. I have gotten better in time at not taking something not fitting right as a personal affront, more likely a store's limited imagination. The places that get it right can certainly profit from my money. This post from Jezebel on the total anachronism of magazines trying to put us into little 'groups' as they advise us how to dress made me laugh, and hope it will too. 
Anyways, am now chilling post shopping and will likely have a relaxing evening. The next few weeks are going to be crazy so I think  I will need it! Hope to do Earth Hour, need to find enough candles to read or something.... Ta for now!

Friday, March 27, 2009

Writing

So it seems it's time for me to write. Start writing my thesis that is. I was advised so by my supervisor in the 25 minutes or so that I've managed to finangle with him in the last 2 weeks, despite still having about a month of lab work to go.
I recently had an abstract accepted to an awesome conference at the end of May though, and I've told them that I'll be presenting the cumulative results of my whole damn thesis. In 15 minutes. That could be interesting..... In any case, I need to finish the lab work soon and get to the writing.
I must admit to feeling a bit daunted. When I did my honours thesis I had finished the lab work close to 5 months before the final thesis was complete, and so had OODLES of time to ponder and meander my way towards completion. It'll be a fair bit tighter this time, between the necessity of good results for the end of May for both the conference and to get my work approved for publication by the Aboriginal group I work with, PLUS absolutely positively having to be finished by the end of the summer so that I can take up the awesome NEW JOB.
I wish I was one of those people who could write well in short bursts of time, ie. when waiting for a reaction to complete. However, when faced with less than 3 or 4 dedicated hours to write I find I am more likely to use that time wandering the internet, going to chat with people, etc. So I really can't get this process moving intensely until I am complete with lab work. 
I'm currently working on the intro/literature review for what will be a manuscript based thesis with (Hopefully! Fingers crossed!) two articles making up the body. My department says no more than 100 pages in total for the whole thesis, so how long should this be? Anyone got any tricks for writing a kick ass introduction? I also must admit to having a love affair with commas due to my long standing addiction with long sentences (which I hope you've picked up reading this blog). Any tricks for cutting that bad habit down?
Despite a few set backs in the lab this weekend (AKA I am an idiot and should not be trusted to be able to read labels before 9AM or without coffee in me), I won't have to truck out to the lab this weekend and will still be able to complete this section of work in the next week. I will likely be having a staring contest with my Word though, looking for academic inspiration, so please do spread some my way! 
(P.S. Am way too excited about recently being put on the blog rolls of both the fabulous Dr. Isis (I hope some day to combine science and hot shoes like she does. Today's status, comfy sneakers) and Julie at Ethidium Bromide (who puts my dedication to science to shame). I so look up to both of these awesome women in science, so if you haven't checked them out before do so. Or if you've arrived here though them please drop me a note and say hi!)
Upcoming post: ye olde laptop of which I am lady has started to become a jerk. The process of working through the guilt of buying a new one....

Thursday, March 19, 2009

Countdown

Approximately 11 PCRs to go.... give or take a couple for later analyses. I am so excited. As I was setting up one this afternoon, my friend J wandered in, to look for a hairdryer to dry her pants as she had poured coke all over herself while we were having lunch with a job candidate for the department, making her my favourite person of the day, and asked what I was up to. I replied "PCR, what else do I do?!". I'm getting a little tired of lab work in case you can't tell. Just a month and a half to go - after this I move on to some phytochemical stuff for a bit.
Last night, J came over to join the roomie and I in watching Twilight. AMAZING. I had not seen it yet, and laughed myself silly. We're working on a drinking game, including taking a drink whenever an ironic line is uttered, such as Bella telling Angela she is a 'strong, independent woman', despite that basically being the antithesis of the message of the whole series (I cannot live without my looooooooooveeeee........ I will kill myselffff for my babbbbbbbbyyyyyyy......). My inner feminist cries but I just can't turn away. It's just such a nice alternative to the mountains of papers I am currently slogging through, or editing my own stuff. In further escapism, almost time for Grey's!

Friday, March 13, 2009

Fridays

You can tell that you've had a productive week when come after 4 on a Friday afternoon, your brain starts to grind...... to ...... a..... halt. I'd give up but am waiting for my carpool buddy to get out of class. Instead, am working on powerpoint slides for upcoming presentations (playing with the colour schemes is WAY too much fun) and ruminating.
I've had a pretty productive week and actually found some really good sources today. Am still on track to be finished the second third of my lab work by the end of the month. WOOHOO! I have a mound of editing/writing to slog through this weekend though, and at least part of Monday. However, am reaching a part of my thesis when I have more and more questions about a variety of subjects, and my supervisors are being rather difficult to get hold of. *Sigh* I know it'll get worked out, I just get frustrated with the waiting around I often have to do.
Anyways, don't want to end the week on an annoyed note, despite have a boat load of work to do I have so many fabulous plans for this weekend! Drinking with a lovely former quasi-roomate (she hung out in my room in 1st year to avoid her rather smelly and odd actual roomate), shopping with a great discount card (thanks x-ine!), dinner with another undergrad friend who is also slogging it out here, Battlestar marathon on Sunday..... it just goes on and on. I figure, I have less than 6 months of living in Montreal left (ZOMG!) and so I should take advantage as much as I can. 
I would also like to note here how much I really am going to miss Battlestar but currently have no idea how this whole end business is really going to go down. Anyone have any thoughts?

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

The real world.... dun dun DUN

So I seem to have a job. I got an offer from the competition I participated in last week today! I am quite excited, I squealed and managed to freak out my lab mate. While it made working this afternoon a little bit more difficult, knowing that to accept said job, with its nice pay and benefits, I need to finish my degree will hopefully continue to spur me on. The fact that stuff in the lab seems to be working is also helping.
So in a few months, I may be lady of the laptop, but not so much all day. I guess it is important to move on from time to time, and learn to go through a working day without compulsively checking e-mail, Google Reader, Twitter, Facebook, Jezebel, the major newspapers, rando blogs..... hm, this might be a good required change in my life. It's actually fairly impressive that I've gotten anything done in the past year and a half (OMG, I've been doing my MSc for a year and a half. How time flies). It will be a change to go from running my own day, coming in late and leaving early as I feel like it, but I know that I've done it before and actually quite enjoyed getting a bit more direction than I currently do.
It will definitely require a revamp of my wardrobe. I no longer can put off the purge that is SO REQUIRED as evidenced by the constant bulging of my wardrobe despite having two closets. Going to do some shopping this weekend to spend some of the prize money from my conference (on some classy jewelry methinks) and will start to ponder the puzzle of professional wear (say THAT 10 times fast)
Here's me in my last incarnation as an employee of ye old feds, I'll show you the next one sometime in the late fall....

Sunday, March 1, 2009

Crazy times in Mtl-Van-Mtl


Sorry for the long delay in posts. As you knew, I took off to Vancouver for 5 days last week for a conference. It was awesome, easy flights, Vancouver was BEAUTIFUL! I can't imagine not having snow to deal with, and such lovely, lovely views wherever you look. The conference was really interesting, I knew some people but also got to hear about work completely beyond my own. We also got to hit the town, drink some yummy cider and also met up with my wonderful friend Lauren, with whom I had gone to Mexico two years ago. In fabulous news, I won the poster contest for graduate students! Here I am in my fab poster (if I do say so myself), with my fab professional wardrobe.
I have to say though, I was happy to come back to school and get to wear jeans all week. Between my interview and then the conference, I was all slacks'ed out. The fact that working will require effort on the clothes front is currently the only thing that makes this transition less than completely appealing. 
(As I'm writing this post, I'm watching the Amazing Race and am laughing my ass off at people get frustrated with eachother, especially as its usually the person completely in the wrong which is most insistent that THEY ARE RIGHT DESPITE LACKING ANY REASONING BEHIND THEIR HUNCH.)
In exciting job front news, I had a good interview with someone from a part of the government very close to my current research (closer than the department for which I had previously interviewed). He knows a lot of people I know, and was impressed with my CV. He would love to hire me, but due to government restrictions against hiring without competition (ie. nepotism, which is so sad considering the number of contacts I could milk), I could only start on a contract or temp basis and hope for a position to open up. So it's something to be considered but I will stll be keeping my options and eyes open. 
This month is going to be BUSY, I really hope to finish up all my genetic stuff by the end of the month and then move onto.... the FINAL STRETCH. I'm also just waiting for final approval on my abstract from up north before I can submit it to a conference to go to in June. The conference looks awesome, its in South Carolina and I am so excited. (I'm also kind of happy its the same weekend as a high school anniversary/reunion thing. I feel no need to go back quite yet, maybe at 10 years.... thanks to facebook there is almost no reason to go to these things anymore). 
(Amazing Race update, when you're crying because you're stubborn and being mean to your sister, I have no sympathy for you).
So that's about it. My life has been rather boring this week due to having to go on antibiotics, which make me feel not so great, to clear up some final skin issues, but I can tell its working so I'll put up with it. But from here on will just work as hard as possible to get my work done, yet hopefully will have slightly better health so I'll want to do more of other stuff in the off time. 
(OMG! This boy on the amazing race is incredibly stupid! I want to hit him! He's so condescending to his sister!!! Gah. Just GAH. Ha ha, they went from 1st to second last in one leg, that'll show you.)
Ta for now.
Update: THIS is hilarious.