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This weekend has been rather a relief from a hectic couple of weeks. I had a Biochem exam, a physics exam, and a bunch of applications to send off. I'm actually working on the second half of those applications right now - these are the ones due March 1st. Hopefully once those are turned in the summer will start to shape up. I've already purchased plane tickets (at a decent price too!) for three weeks in France right after classes end until summer work (cross your fingers!) starts. I'm not even sure what we're going to do there yet, but it should be great!I'm anxiously looking forward to Spring break in a couple of weeks, when Diana and I are going to San Francisco to visit Jove and Dom, check out grad schools and chill in the sun. It should be awesome.
My computer is back on the web!!! I opened it up, shoved, pushed and finally got the ethernet card back in there and convinced my computer it was there too. Now I can upload images from Photoshop! (check out my first new addition on the Star Wars opening night page).I sent off my first job application to The Jackson Laboratory today - express mail (ouch!). I have a couple more to finish before the weekends out, so it looks to be busy. This week has been rather crazy - I'm on the sleep-deprived side and I'm recovering from some hideously stupid things I did in lab over the weekend (well, my self-esteem is recovering, anyway).
Classes are in full swing and the catch-up sleep from break has finally worn off - it's back to life as usual. I'm trying to work in lab and not get behind in all my other classes, but it's tempting to just be in there all the time. I took a two days hiatus from lab work this week to catch up in everything, and today I'm heading back to do a yeast transformation and a lot of book research on precursors in the aromatic amino acid pathway.Today is also my self-appointed work-on-summer-job-applications day. I seriously need to devote time to these, because February 15th is a popular application due date and it is approaching faster than I could wish. I talked to professors yesterday about recommendations, so that's rolling, and now my main stress is picking a few more good programs and writing a statement of purpose, which many applications require. I'm trying not to stress about it all...
I'm settling back into my niche at Swarthmore. There isn't any of that easing back into it here - classes started monday and I've already turned in my first physics assignment, had biochem lab, poured plates for independent lab and read a lot of Northhanger Abbey. I've also cleaned up and organized my room, because that always makes things seem more promising.This semester I'm taking Physics 4 (introductory thermodynamics), Chem 38 (biochemistry), English 36 (the age of austen), and one credit of independent lab with Liz Vallen. I'm continuing the seminar lab project I began last semester with Claudia Munoz on the doc6 (death by overexpressed CLN2) mutation in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.
I'm also in the process of trying to find a summer job. I hope to find something in France so I can enjoy some time abroad before I graduate, but I'm looking into options in the States as well to cover my bets. Looking for work is something I tend to put off, resulting in a very unpleasant summer last year. I am determined not to repeat the mistake.
Just a quick update this morning as I eat breakfast before heading off to give blood at the Red Cross. With only a week until I return to Swarthmore I'm getting down to the wire on things I need to do before I head back to school.I did see "L.A. Confidential" a couple days ago - what a terrific movie! I was a little concerned at the beginning that I wasn't going to follow all of it, and rather sckeptical on the whole in any case, but by the middle I was completely enthralled. Definately see this movie. I also finally saw my friend Maya, who has been elusively busy all break with family gatherings. We had some dinner, watched a movie, and talked until five in the morning. =)
I just spent a ridiculous amount of time organizing last year's entries into a seperate page so it's easier to browse through my first year on the web. I've been ignoring these pages for the majority of my winter break, but I suppose that's mostly because I spend my time watching movies, reading books and catching up with friends I haven't seen in six months - or longer.Of the many movies I've watched since I arrived back in Ann Arbor on the 21st of december, only three were theatrical releases. The first, "Titanic", was amazing - beautifully filmed, engaging story line, amazing all around. Definately worth a full price movie - in fact I've seen it twice. I have also seen "As Good As It Gets," with Jack Nicholson and Helen Hunt. It was very entertaining, and a good film, although I'm don't think it was one of the greatest of all time. Definately worth a matinee price - but might be pushing it for a full price movie. The third theatical release was "The Little Mermaid" still playing at the nearby $1.50 theater. What can I say - I loved it when I was younger and it's still great. Among the rented films, the best so far was definately "The Natural" with Robert Redford and Glenn Close. Sensational movie - if you haven't seen it, do. It's terrific.
Among some Star Wars puzzles, mugs, a fleece blanket, a new sweater and other things, I recieved Adobe Photoshop for Christmas. I certainly don't know how to use all the functions yet, but now I actually have a manual to help me, and I can do it all in my own room (instead of on the irritating computer in Beardsley). This will probably lead to a lot of procrastination, but sure will be a lot of fun!
I don't have time to cover everything I've done lately now - I've been logged on half the day already as it is. Hopefully I'll get on the ball and scan some new photographs soon. I hope to revamp some of this site this year - but I think it may have to wait until I get back to my direct connection and speedy computer at school.