Tuesday, December 11, 2007

Two things

Kevin Rudd is PM, yay! We have a deputy PM (who is currently acting PM) who is a woman. Woo woo! That is all. Please return to your usual daily activities. I will update when I am not sick and not running around doing endless experiments and waiting for science to treat me better.

Monday, October 15, 2007

back home again

I'm back in Canberra. After 7 weeks away, I'm back. It's much warmer and sunnier here than it was back in August. The lab is much the same. My house is much the same, though currently covered in dirt and dust. Everything is pretty much the way I left it. My brain, however, is not. It is fuzzled and useless. I hate jet lag. So because my brain is addled and I couldn't possibly update you on all that has been going on. I present, some of my favourite pictures of my trip. The ones with the funny names and the one with me drinking an exceptionally large beer.
IMGP1132
This is from Gothenburg. It's a chinese restaurant.

IMGP3897

Spunk wine gums in Copenhagen.

IMGP1105

The call button for a lift in Copenhagen.

IMGP4075

Chocolate in Sweden.

IMGP4097

Beer drinking Kate

Friday, September 21, 2007

Oslo

Hello all. I've made my way from Germany and Austria to Norway. I'm currently sitting in the living/bed room of friend's of the boy's. We are drinking Henkell Trocken and chatting etc. We spent the whole of today travelling. We left my relatives in Delmenhorst, near Bremen, at about 9.40am and made it to Oslo at about 6pm. Our plane was delayed at Hamburg airport for about an hour. So we sat around and made really bad jokes and bought some duty free.
What else is news? My German cousins are the cutest bunch of kids I've met in a long time. Berlin is awesome. My great aunt isn't well, but living in a rather pleasant old people's home. It was rather sad to see her how limited her movement is these days (she's unable to walk) and to see that she doesn't recognise me anymore. But we only met a few times in the last 10 years or so and she is very old.
Hmmmm what else? Not a lot really. We've been having a great time away and I'm really looking forward to seeing a bit of Scandinavia. Then we're off to Munich and Oktoberfest before we come home. Better be sociable now and stop all this internerd nonsense.

Thursday, September 06, 2007

Hannover

Welcome to my journey accross Germany. Today is Hannover day. We are really only here for today, we have to leave ridiculously early tomorrow morning to drive to Cologne. It should be fun and scary and all those things that Germany should be, efficient! My English is suffering a great deal from being here. I said something monumentally stupid this morning, something along the lines of 'all of a sudden the sunshine goes'. Very correct grammatically, if I were German perhaps! But not exactly idiomatically English. Bleh! So long as it doesn't continue on my return home then I'm okay.
The boy has picked up some more of these German-English-isms and has said that he has much pleasure in Hannover. So there's his contribution to the blog today. What else? We had curry wurst today, we're debating whether my Australian friend's housemate is German or American. When she speaks English it's with a very American accent. I maintain she's German, the boy thinks she's American. I intend to find out tonight.
Bleh, my brain isn't working, will post more later. I'm off to have a post lunch nanna nap and then take the dog here for a walk. His name is whisky and he still has his nads, as do most of the dogs we've seen here. Weird!

Wednesday, September 05, 2007

Germanermany

Hello there peoples. I'm currently sitting in the living room of a friend from Australia. But we're in Hannover. I've ended up here instead of in Bavaria, because my host parents are still in China. Danielle is working here as a postdoc and has graciously allowed us to stay with her for a couple of days. I'm looking forward to doing some washing and speaking English with someone other than the boy. We drove today from Dresden to Hannover and didn't get killed. It was an amazing adventure. Scary, scary, scary shit. So many trucks. The fastest we went was about 160km/h. Wheee!

What else? I gave a seminar at the Max Plank Institute, I got taken out for dinner at a fancy restaurant where there was a full sized poodle in the restaurant at the table next to ours. We drank a lot of cheap beer and city itself was delightful. Lovely lovely place. The conference I went to was interesting and really full on science. I'll write more when I can be arsed.

So auf wiedersehen meine Leute, bis bald.

Tuesday, August 07, 2007

Hi Mum, I'm not dead, just distracted

Well hello there. Today I am feeling a little overwhelmed. Whenever I think of what I have to do, I get a little headspin. I have a lot planned over the next few days and weeks. I'm not 100% sure I'll be able to do it all. But I'll die trying, or something like that. I'm mostly posting this to let my Mum know that I'm safe and sound, just busy and distracted with things like facebook and the boy (who's staying at the moment, yay!) and work and the impending doom that is Canberrang. Well, not doom, but the impending event that is Canberrang.
I have one houseguest coming to stay. He'll be sleeping in the living room, with the dogs. I'm sure they'll get along great. Other than that, I may have a couple of other stay, depending on organisation and the like. I'm going to all the events and also trying to get as much labwork done as I can. I expect to be very tired on Monday. But hopefully, pleased that Canberrang was so much fun. And I'm determined not to get a cold this year.
Okay, so Mum, I'm okay, I'll talk to you next week sometime. Everyone else who has decided to read this, send me and email and tell me what you've been up to. I have been working and gyming and spending far too much time on facebook. Tell you all about Canberrang later.

Thursday, July 26, 2007

going to the gym, yay!

I'm off to the gym in a minute. I haven't been in about a month. I am rather excited. I will no doubt be in agony on Saturday. But I don't care, because I'm going to have super scary strong muscles. Fingers crossed the absence from the gym won't mean that I'm completely useless at lifting weights, but there are no guarantees.
In other news, I might be going to the reception of a wedding this weekend, specifically to dance. No eating, no drinking, no knowing the couple getting married. Just dancing with a guy from Tassie to a jazz band. I hope it works out, I have a lovely outfit I can wear.
I'll also be dancing tonight at the regular social dancing gig here in Canberra. I'm quite looking forward to that one too. Man I hope the music is good.

Tuesday, July 24, 2007

erm, stuff

So the cold is finally retreating, not quite gone, but mostly. Other than that, there's not much going on that I care to share. I've been a little bundle of stress and worry in the last few weeks. But I think that I've got myself a resolution that works for me and I'm happy about. More details to come later, if they become relevant to people other than me.
Canberrang is coming up very soon. I have a few potential house guests during that time. Should make for a fun weekend. JJF is hosting our dear friend chelle at his place. It should be a blast. I'm getting a little excited about all the fabulous dances that I intend on getting over the weekend. Some of my favourite dancers are coming to the event and I will have to stalk them and get myself some dancing goodness.
What else? The virgins have started emerging that will give me the babies that should be the right thing to finish off the thesis. That's pretty exciting. Other than that, woa, I have three bags full. I stole/borrowed it from Mum on Sunday. I'll have it back to yourself or your lovely daughter soon. That's the book I mentioned a while ago that my cousin got for her birthday. It's a detective novel, with sheep.
Right, those virgins will turn into hussies if I don't get there soon, so I'd best be off. Talk later and stuff.

Monday, July 16, 2007

snot central station

Yep, I'm still as snotty as a girl can be. And it's moved to my chest. I think that a trip to the doctors this week is in order. Other than that, experimentation is still going on. I've been teaching lots and dancing lots and generally having a bit of fun. Just not being able to stay up very late or sleep particularly well. When I'm well, I'll be more inclined to write something interesting here, and will most likely have something to write too. So, if you'll excuse me, I have to go and get rid of the vast amounts of snot that have accumulated in my sinuses.

Friday, July 13, 2007

I'm not dead, just sick

Today I have a stuffed up nose, a sleepy expression and a lot of work to do. The blog has suffered as a result of all this work and cold-ness. I will resume telling you all the fascinating details of my life when things get less hectic. So what's news you ask? 6 weeks to go until Europe, 4 weeks to go until Canberrang. I'm in the lab every day, twice a day, two hours at a time, doing the big experiment that should give me the results that will allow me to write up my PhD. I need a haircut to trim my fringe (I think it might end up being a home jobby). It's fricken freezing in Canberra and I really need new winter gloves for the scoot. I've taken off the P plates on my scooter. I'm still restricted but I don't have to display them anymore. I've been DJing at dancing (last night in particular). I've been teaching on Wednesdays the last couple of weeks and loving it. I've been hanging out with mates and introducing people to the TV series coupling.
So yeah, not a lot going on. Much of it is the same old, same old stuff. When things get interesting (like around Canberrang time) expect photos and fun and stuff. Until then, I suggest that you do something fun, eat some chocolate for me.

Monday, July 02, 2007

Found again

So I found my access card. It was on my bed. Why I didn't find it on the previous search is beyond me. I found out something useful today, spectrin doesn't work on prostate glands. It works on testis, just not prostates. Which is annoying, seeing as that is what I am looking at. But you get that. Looks like I'm stuck using the stain that works, most of the time, and avoiding the muscle layer.
No more nerd speak now, says I. Onto more interesting things. I'm going dog walking tonight. Taking the puppies on an outing. We'll be checking out all the trees and poles around the local area, they can pee to their heart's content. I'm going with JJF so that if there are dodgy types around I'm unlikely to be attacked. And also it helps to have someone else around to walk the other dog. Two very big husky Xs is hard work. Actually, one is hard work, two is unthinkable.

What else you ask? Today is 8 weeks until I leave for overseas. I have a lot of work to get done in that time, but I should just about manage it. All things going well. It's the boy's birthday on Sunday. He's coming for a visit, yay! Four days of fun for me, with work chucked in for the hell of it.

Other things, before I disappear to the fly room:
-I picked up the tickets for our trip today
-my arse has stopped hurting from all the exercise last week
-I cut JJF's hair and it was shorter than we'd planned, but apparently good
-I drank red wine and vodka on Sat night, ate chocolate and watched a girly movie on SBS with my housemate
-I've been teaching a couple a dance for their wedding (can't remember if I've mentioned it before) they are doing splendidly and are a lovely couple. They let me stick around and chat and they also let me play with their pets
-I saw frankie wants out! last Friday night, they were great, check them out on myspace (myspace.com/frankiewantsout)

Okay, time to go to the fly room.

Saturday, June 30, 2007

spazmo

I've lost my access card. I'm pretty sure I lost it at the gig I was at last night. I've searched my house, I've searched at work (I got someone to let me in). It's not anywhere that I could imagine it to be. I'm pretty sure that I took it with me, it's the only thing that makes sense. I've called the venue and given them my details. But I doubt I'll see it again. I'm going to have to get it cancelled and get me a new one. I hope that the security guys don't get too shirty with me. Fingers crossed they'll be fine. I'm going to go and search for it again. Gives me an opportunity to tidy up my stuff anyway. I've cleared out some of my drawers already today. Might as well continue.

Meh, I'm such a spaz sometimes.

Thursday, June 28, 2007

the vending machine is broken

Today, I feel like eating some chocolate. Nothing swish, just something sweet and fatty to get me through my afternoon. The vending machine is not working. Not happy, Jan! (not you woa) I'm going to a seminar in a little bit over at the John Curtin School of Medical Research, I am living in hope that they have a functional vending machine with something tasty in it. Anything to distract me away from my sore legs and arse. My new gym program is great. It's effective, but my oh my does it make my muscles hurt. My bumscles in particular are very sore. My triceps only stopped hurting today, and I worked them on Saturday. I'm soon going to be super strong. Go me!

Tuesday, June 26, 2007

Made it!

So, hasn't stopped raining, but I'm at work. How you ask? Well, I stole/borrowed my friend's beetle and drove here. It was rather scary and the thing kept on stalling, but it was worth it to come and deal with my flies. I still feel guilty about the day off yesterday, but you get that. Anywho, should do some work now I'm here. No excuses.
I just hope the weather is a little better tomorrow, I have a million and one places I have to be.

update with the weather

This is ridiculous! So, you would think that Canberra being Canberra, it would have stopped raining by now. Nope! I am going to have to brave the weather in a little while, just so I can get some work done. I've been productive this morning though. I've filled in some application forms and detailed why I should be given money to travel overseas and enjoy myself and work hard of course. So onto some lunch, then continuing with the writing and reading. I've looked up a few things on pubmed and have been pretty productive for someone who's still in her PJs.
Yep, give it an hour and I'll have to get a move on. This is craziness. I think all the rain that hasn't fallen in the last six months has decided to turn up today.

fecking rain

It's raining. I've checked the bom.gov.au website. It's going to be raining for a while. I'm actually inspired to go to work, but there's no way known I'm riding my scooter in this kind of rain with Canberra drivers on the road. I think a bit of writing work will have to be done. I've been meaning to update my introduction outline to pass on to the supervisors to get some opinions and start working on it. I also have to write a paragraph about how I will benefit from traveling to Europe to try and wangle some more funding out of the university for my travels. I've $2000 covered already, but that doesn't even cover my airfare, and the registrations for the conferences are quite steep.
Speaking of the rain, I've just looked out the living room window, it's a bit trench-like out there. My housemate has dubbed the front yard the somme. Toren has been digging holes and enjoying himself out there. All the holes are full and it's a big puddly, muddy mess. Hooray! Both dogs are currently sleeping. Tikka next to me on the couch, all curled up with her nose buried in her tail, and Toren in my room, sleeping on my bed. He's a big lump of a dog that one. JJF and I took them both for a walk last night. They loved it! It was rather foggy, but surprisingly, it wasn't that cold.
Okay, working now, wish me luck with the weather and the writing.

Monday, June 25, 2007

mental meltdown

Hello. I'm suffering today from what I've decided to call a mental meltdown. Actually suffering isn't really the right word. I'm fine. I just took today off. First day I've spent at home, all day, since April. It's a rather exciting state of affairs. Admittedly, I've spent the day watching TV and doing dishes. Nothing exciting, but enough to give me a mental break from work. I've been a busy bee, in the lab every day, not all day every day, but every day. But I'm going to be fine, because tomorrow I'm going to go into work and be more motivated than I've been in a while. Hooray!
Going to work every day for three months isn't good for you I've decided. I should re-instate my one day off a week rule. Maybe one day a fortnight, or month? I'm still feeling exceptionally guilty that I didn't go in today. But it's cold out there now and it's dark too, so I'm staying in.
Blergh, anyway, other things going on you ask? Well, I've choreographed a wedding dance for a lovely couple and have been teaching it to them Sunday evenings at their house. Yesterday I had a lovely time showing them all the moves. I got to play with their cockatiel as well. It's a very cute little bird, I'm looking forward to maybe meeting their dog. They take the dog to her parent's house while we're dancing. Apparently, she'd want to join in a little bit too much.
Hrmm, what else? Nothing much. Plans have been made for the europe trip, the balance has been paid off and in 9 weeks from today, we'll be jetting off to lots of interesting places and meeting interesting people. We've got accommodation in a whole bunch of different place with friends of the boys and relatives. I'm rather looking forward to it. Apart from that, I've been working, sleeping and running around Canberra. I could tell you stories about my new gym program, but I don't want to be that boring. I'll leave it here for today and go and do something productive. Yay, I'm going to bathe.

Friday, June 15, 2007

the countdown is on

They boy arrives sometime this evening. He has to go to Brisvegas for work again and is coming here tonight and staying until early Monday morning. I'm pretty excited. Two days of lovely hugs and snuggling and enjoying the simple delight of staring at each other until one of us pukes. Woo!
This will be the first time since March that I will have seen him sans cast. Apparently when he takes off the arm stocking thing they have for him his arm is 'ribbed for her pleasure'. I look foward to seeing that and reveling in it's bumpy nature. Apparently it's a tiny arm now too. I guess not moving it for 10 weeks will waste muscle like nobodies business.
Anywho, still haven't made it to work yet, it's raining and I'm cold. I'm going to leave soon though, to brave the day and collect me some virgins.

Thursday, June 07, 2007

busy, cold, tired and the like

Yeah, so today I'm a little tired. I had the house to myself last night, so after getting home late (10.30pm after tango and laksa) I made my way to bed pretty swiftly. But because I had the house to myself, I might have had the company of two large dogs in my room. That's great, except Tikka decided at 4.30am to go and pee. Not in my room though, in the front yard. Seeing has she hasn't learned how to open the door yet, I had to get up and let her out and then back in again. That mucked with my sleep a little. So today I'm a little tired.
It's freaking cold in Canberra, no surprises there. But I have a car for 10 days, LJS is in NZ with her parents, so I've been given the keys and told to drive to my heart's content. Woo! Go heated vehicle, go!
Hmmm, what else am I bitching about in the title? Oh, busy, yeah. I am doing an in situ hybridisation today as well as an antibody stain, trying to update my labbooks and collect lots of virgins and get my application for money into the office asap. I'm getting some help to go to the conferences I'm going to in September. All this and I want to go to the gym today to do some squats, I didn't get a chance yesterday to do squats because there were people on the Smith machine the whole time I was there. I'm hoping to get there around 4 today and squat until my legs are tired and then maybe go for a bit of a run to get the heart pumping.

In other news, I ate some SPC pineapple in passionfruit jelly for a post lunch treat today and it was jelly-rific. Food is good at the moment, especially my porridge with golden syrup. Yum!

Sunday, June 03, 2007

sewing and seeing

Why hello there. Welcome to the blog post of me, from today. I'm going to show you photos of the dress I'll be finishing sewing in the next few weeks (depending on when JJF gets himself set up at the new house), and I'm going to tell you about waking up and being able to see the other side of the room.

So, I'm sewing this dress:IMGP0529

ouf of the following fabric, main fabric is this:IMGP0526
and the middle panel in this (because I don't have enough of the main stuff)
IMGP0525
I bought the orange stuff from the bargain shop in Queanbeyan about 2 years ago, maybe even more. I had vague ideas of making a skirt. It was a bargain, $5. The other stuff I got at Lincraft a month ago. I realised I didn't quite have enough of the orange, so tried to find something to fill in the gaps as it were. The dress pattern is care of my Mum's collection of patterns that I raided sometime in the last few years. I'm quite looking forward to having it finished. And wearing it with my boots, woo!
Okay, onto the seeing, I have breakfast waiting and I can't be arsed doing this in two phases. On Friday I got some contact lenses. Today I'm wearing them, I slept in them last night. I'm allowed to sleep in them and I think it's great. I could see the other side of the room! Woo! Doesn't get much better than that. Will post photos of me with my new hair and my new glasses-less eyes some other time.

Thursday, May 31, 2007

Fingers, do you need them?

I taught a private swing dancing lesson last night. It was in Gunghalin. Afterwards I rode my scooter to my tango lesson. I don't know how my fingers didn't drop off. One of the students in the private lesson said that he'd heard that riding at 80km/h had a wind chill factor of 10 degrees below ambient temperature. Last night was -3! This morning I didn't feel like I wanted to have fingers, they hurt so much due to the cold. The problem is that there is a tiny bit of moisture in my winter gloves, as a result, when I get on the road, cold fingers in seconds. It's all a bit crap.
What else is a bit crap is that I tried on some tango shoes, and they were lovely. They fit, they looked good and they made the dancing better. Well, that's not technically the crap bit, the crap bit is the cost. More private lessons needed to get those shoes. But then I think of my upcoming trip and think that maybe it's not worth spending money on shoes here when I could spend money on shoes in Europe. Or food even. Oh woe is me!
On another note, science appears to be even more my bitch that yesterday and all I need to make today complete is a yellow plus, white plus, curly, tubby virgin female. So cross your fingers for me that I get what I need.

PS I'm getting a haircut today and I may have dyed my hair VERY dark brown.

Wednesday, May 30, 2007

science is my bitch

Today science is my bitch. Tomorrow I'll be science's bitch. But today we must revel and enjoy because I finally have something going right. No doubt, by writing this down, I have now cursed myself to failure of the greatest degree. But for today, I don't care.
For the techical nerds out there, I have my yellow plus insertion on the second chromosome, and I'm one cross away from having no life and getting the BIG EXPERIMENT underway. This is the culmination of 3 years of work, and it's starting to look like I might actually have some results before I go to conferences in Europe, huzzah!
For now that is all, later there may be pictures of the dress I'm sewing, but only maybe.

Thursday, May 24, 2007

Belated birthday presents

Last Monday I told my class that it was my birthday the next day. One student told me after class that if he'd known in advance that it was my birthday, he would have bought me flowers. I jokingly said that that was okay, I accepted gifts up until a week or so after my birthday.
This week he turned up, with flowers, for me, for my birthday. Needless to say, I was quite embarrassed and shocked. I was also rather pleased, but who wouldn't be. My teaching partner took a photo of the three of us, me, my student and my flowers. Here is the evidence:

IMGP0537

As you can see by my quite red face, I was quite the embarrassed. Oh well, the struggles of being a good teacher I suppose. It was quite an effort to get them home. JJF took them on his scooter and they got drenched on the way home. It absolutely pissed down as we scooted along and I had to go sans winter gloves to work the next day. Trust the next day to be one where the temperature doesn't get above 10 all day. Grrrr! But eh, I got flowers. Aw!

Funny buggers

My cousin and I, in our youth, spent a lot of time thinking of silly things to do. Quite often we did them. We dyed his hair any number of different colours, collected furniture (with my brother) from the side of the road, and drank quite a lot of vodka. One of our silly suggestions was to invent the game of Funny Buggers. That way, whilst playing it, if anyone asked what we were doing we could honestly answer, 'Playing funny buggers'. This was probably about 8-9 years ago now that we came up with the rules.
Today, I got sent an email from said cousin. He's just moved in with the in-laws until the house he and his wife have bought is ready for them to move in. Something about settlement or something, I don't understand all the things to do with buying houses, I'm many years away from that. So anyway, he found the rules to funny buggers while packing and emailed them to me. Suggested I might like to blog about them. So here I am, and here are the rules:

Put all the plates in the linen press
Put all the dessert spoons in the oven
Put all the soup spoons in the microwave with a cushion
Stand all the teaspoons up along the mantlepiece
Short sheet one bed (if possible)
Put one sock of every pair of person A's socks in person B's drawer
Put one sock of every pair of person B's socks in person C's drawer
Put one sock of every pair of person C's socks in person A's drawer
Put all underwear in the house (extra points if this includes the player's underwear) under couch cushions, in pantry and other people's drawers
Turn all shirts on coathangers inside out
Mirror image a room (to greatest extent possible)
Leave around no less than 16 but no more than 22 notes saying "Nevil Maskelyne is a bastard (Longitude)"
Sticky-tape one grape to every item in the fridge

Oh deary me! It still makes me laugh. We were and are most daggy and nerdly. I look forward to playing funny buggers once he's moved into the new house.

Monday, May 21, 2007

the bog log blog AKA the turd that wouldnae die

So Saturday night, I end up at home after spending some of my afternoon sewing at JJF's place. I've made myself the pants of my PJs and have cut out and started sewing my dress, more details later. We'd watched a lot of the goodies in that afternoon. It was all good and lovely, we made pizza for dinner with fetta and roasted capsicum and salami, was rather delicious. Add to that a nice bottle of red and it was a swimmingly good evening. Until I ventured to the bathroom. We had an immortal log issue.
I'm not sure if it was me, or my housemate Em (we share the bathroom) but there was something there at the bottom of the bowl, that did not disappear when I flushed.
JJF told me that bleach sometimes works, so I bleached the bastard in an attempt to vanquish it. But alas, the next morning the little bastard was still there. JJF had also suggested the use of dishwashing detergent, but as I was in a rush, I just bleached it some more and tried to get it to die properly. I then headed out for my day. The day was lovely sunny and bright. I walked up Mount Ainslie, went to work and dealt with my flies and then made it home just in time to change, watch some Kath and Kim with Em and then head out dancing.
When I got home, the immortal log was gone and I assumed it had been my bleach that had done the trick. Until I talked to Em. Turns out that she had made use of a stick to dislodge it from it's new home and sent it on it's way to the processing plant. I cannot believe how persistent that little turd was. It was the little turd that could.
Anyway, the rest of my weekend was vaguely interesting, but I'm too busy to talk about it. Suffice to say, my mother had another birthday which she said she enjoyed. I pulled a muscle on my pole on Friday night and I got my scooter back with a new drive belt, new seat upolstery. Tell you more later, I have lunch to eat.

Thursday, May 17, 2007

DJ Kate

Hello there. I am DJing at the jumptown social tonight. Hooray! I get to play music I like and watch other people enjoy and dance to it too! That is exciting. So if you are in Canberra and can make it to the Canberra City Bowling Club, Elder Street, Braddon at 8.30pm, come and join in the fun. If not, I shall show you the pattern and fabric that I am using to make myself some PJs from.
IMGP0527
IMGP0522

Speaking of DJing as I was earlier. I've just been listening to some of my swing music to determine what to play. I've found that there is one song, that no matter how many times I listen to it since my grandma died, it still makes me cry. It's nuts. I'm not even sure that we listened to it much together in the month before she died. I'm not even sure if we talked about it, but every time it gets me, I miss her terribly. Every time I listen to, get this, I've got a gal in Kalamazoo. There are other songs that remind me of grandma, lazy bones, song of india, what a wonderful world, the list goes on. But this is the only one that sets me off. I think it's odd, but a completely reliable outcome. There is a list that has been going through my head in the last 9-10months, of things I remember/miss about my grandma. This has been one of them. One day I'll get them all together and make a post out of it. Not today though, can't spend too much time upset when I have to go and get myself organised to make the PJs and DJ the songs for the lovely people. Wish me luck.

Tuesday, May 15, 2007

Merry boofday to me!

Hello one and all. I am now offically 27. We had rescued and better cupcakes for morning tea today. I am having lunch in a little while with friends. Dinner this evening will be with my housemate and some lovely ladies. I hope to get to the gym this afternoon. And I miss my boy. What good is a birthday without birthday sex?
I'm sure there is a good answer to that question. I shall endeavour to find the answer in the course of today.

What next you may ask of the scienticiankate? Well, in my 28th year I intend to finish my PhD, move overseas and get a real job. But in the short term I intend to eat a lot of cake today, drink some lovely wine, lift some heavy weights and snuggle up in bed with a good book (The second coming -the passion of joe panther).

If I feel like it, this afternoon I'll post some pictures of my recent sewing projects, they're kinda cool.

Monday, May 14, 2007

Sometimes a scooter isn't great

IMGP0530
So this is what happens to iced cupcakes when you have them in the back of your scooter in your top box. They fly around all over the place and get icing everywhere. Looks like there is a lot of cooking for me tonight.
Yep, I'm brining cake into the office for a reason peoples. I'm 27 tomorrow, at 4.32pm, my dad would no doubt point out. So I'm providing cake for morning tea tomorrow. But I think these cakes may end up being eaten today, I'm sure they'll taste alright, but they're not exactly the best looking specimens. Bugger! I was so organised. But not to worry, I shall just be forced into cooking more cake tonight, and icing them once I get into work. Lesson learned.

Thursday, May 10, 2007

'oh baby, it's cold outside'

So, I'm cold, really cold. I am up, ready to get myself to work, well almost, but I can't seem to move away from the couch. The reason for this is twofold. It's freaking cold in here and I'm wrapped up in a blanket, waiting for the heating to kick in properly. The second is, it's finally really autumn outside, it's cold and grey out there. I'd rather stay in here and keep warm-ish, once the heater has done it's job. But that's not really realistic. We have lab meeting today, I have flies on the go, I want to go to the gym today and work my muscles (I'm back up to benching 25kgs, woo!). So give me 15 mins to get everything together and get my motivation and I'll get there, promise.

Other stories you ask? Okay, I started tango lessons last night. On the recommendation of JJF, I went along to learn the 'walking dance' argentine tango. It was mostly fun, but the presence of Harry Halitosis and Cary Cave Chest made it less that fabulous. I have now learnt, though, to walk backwards, sideways and very occasionally forwards, to music with so many violins it's crazy. I think over the next few weeks it'll get more fun and more interesting. We'll see, I might bring mints along and offer them to Harry when it's our turn to dance. Solve the problem in a nice way.

Oh yeah, and my pole dancing pole was unsuccessfully delivered yesterday. Did I tell you I ordered one? Yeah, so it's being delivered again to work on Friday. That way I might actually receive it this time. What is it with couriers? I have no idea how I'm getting it home after work on Friday though, I don't think it's something I'll be able to chuck in the top box on the scoot and carry home that way. Strapped to my body maybe? It comes in a carry case. We'll see.

Okay, I'm really going to work now, really.

Sunday, May 06, 2007

Days of Our Lives

So I finally caught up with my cousin on Friday night. We had scrummy laksa, frustard (frozen custard) and caught up with all the family gossip and I learnt all about her boyfriend (who I'm yet to meet). I have to say that on hearing about him and seeing the very few photos of him, I thoroughly approve. Lovely! She has promised to lend me the book she got for her birthday, assuming she finishes it before she leaves Canberra. Yay! It's apparently a murder mystery and all the characters are sheep. I am quite looking forward to it.
Thursday night saw me at the pole dancing amateur night. What a cack! The dancing was pretty good, I've learnt a bit about pole dancing choreography. What works and what doesn't. I didn't win the lucky door prize, but didn't have my scooter stolen either, so that was good.
So yeah, onto the title of this post : days of our lives. Sometimes the lives of my friends are much more interesting than the soap operas of the midday variety. I find it hard to keep up with. What I would like the most is for my friends to be happy but at the moment, I have no idea how that is going to happen. Someone is going to end up pretty sad. All I can do is offer my ears up for the listening and try and support the sad ones. It all just proves that in life, like comedy, timing is everything. So good luck my fiends, look after yourselves and if you need to vent, I'm here.
In other news, we had to suffer through an OHS presentation during the week. It was best described by my fellow student over at antethesis. I'll leave you with that.

Wednesday, May 02, 2007

ow! my brain hurts

So, I'm trying to learn about notch signaling and monoubiquitylation of Notch ligands at the same time as writing an introduction to a chapter for my thesis, the majority of which isn't actually done because I still have to really get the experiments underway. I mean, I've done some experiments to suggest there is something going on, but nothing definitive yet. So it's a little weird. But do-able I suppose. But the two topics could not be different so my brain is a little bit the sore. And everything has to be done by Friday, which is my new dinner date with my cousin. I'm quite looking forward to it, laksa, yum! (not so much looking forward to having everything done by then, but the food should be good)
Oh yeah, and pole dancing amateur night is tomorrow now. It's at a kinda dodgy club in Kingston. I'm quite looking forward to it, giggle value should be high.
Anyway, I'm just procrastinating and avoiding going back to reading those articles, so I'll leave this here for now. Wish me luck with the articles!

Monday, April 30, 2007

bleh!

I have just been informed by my lovely officemate that I am having too much fun. She has no idea. I am currently sitting here, drinking some coke zero and desperately avoiding doing what I'm supposed to be doing. It's horrible. I am having a crap day for motivation. I seem to have got myself into a sleep pattern that is really really bad. It involves me not being able to get out of bed before 9am, and not being able to sleep until late. Late for me that is, midnight or one. Anyway, I have this chapter introduction to write. I know what has to go in it, I know what I have to write, but can I write it and look up the references? Apparently not.

Bleh bleh bleh bleh bleh bleh bleh.

Alright, I shall try and make this coherent. This week should be a busy one for me. There is dancing tonight, tomorrow night, dinner I hope with my cousin on Wednesday (must call her) and then more dancing on Thursday, then pole dancing display night thing on Friday. When I am supposed to eat at home or sleep or get this bloody thing written is beyond me. I really must get onto it.

Thank you blog for reminding me that I have no time to be updating you, I have to get this thing written before Friday or I'm in so much trouble, mostly from myself. I will get right onto it, right now, really.
Bleh!

Sunday, April 29, 2007

all hail ye mighty procrastination

Yes, today is the day of procrastination. I have lab work to do, I have a chapter introduction and outline to write (which is difficult to make happen at the moment) and I'd like to go to the gym. But what am I doing? Watching DVDs with my housemate and writing little bits and pieces of the chapter stuff. I think it's probably because I have been thinking about the chapter I have to write stuff for, and realising what work I have to do yet to prove anything. Bleh, so anyway, what else is news I hear you ask?
Well, I may have a result. A result that may not actually mean much in the long run, but a result at least. I can make some cells change themselves a little. That's kinda cool. I might end up with some interesting results in my thesis. That is also cool. Okay, what else? I've started teaching dancing again. It was a lot of fun, with lots of giggles and silliness. I really enjoy teaching with Chris, we get along really well.
Um, what other news do I have? Not a lot, I have bacterial contamination again in my HeLa cells. But at least this time I know why. I'm finally getting over my cold. I'm going out to Tilley's this afternoon to catch up with some lovely ladies. There is lots of blues in Canberra this week. JJF has a blind date today (I wonder if she'll bring her guide dog with her). Actually the date should be well along it's way by now. I look forward to hearing about it. It has actually rained in Canberra over the last few days, it's a strange experience.
I ended up at the Services Club on Friday night with both my housemates. The funeral of the ACT Chief Police Officer was on Friday and they'd been drinking since midday. I have never seen so many police in one space before, nor so many drunk police officers still in uniform. None on duty I'd like to point out. While there I found another Canberra moment. One of the guys on LJS's team was the best man at a 'friend of the family's' wedding. He's been friends with this guy for about 20 years. Canberra is so like that, everyone knows everyone else somehow.
Anyway, after this disjointed post I'm going to go and get ready for the meeting with the ladies. Then it's onto work to get some serious shit done! Grrrr! I'm going to kick that labwork's arse and then get myself writing something vaguely interesting for the supes. Apologies to all who have found this a rambling post.

Wednesday, April 25, 2007

Hullabaloo Hangover

Well, I'm now back from Perth. Four days of absoulte madness. I have never coped on so little sleep before. I've never danced so well before. I've never ever had so much fun on a dancing weekend ever. Everything was great. I could go on and on about it, but it may eventually get tedious. I think I'll make sure that I cover all the highlights over the next few posts. This one will be thank yous to all those who need them.

Thanks to (in a vaguely chronological order):
-my mate Jane for dropping me off at the airport
-George from New York for putting up with me on the flight and keeping me, and our fellow traveller Steph, happy with swing clips galore
-Fi for coming to get George and myself and delivering us safely to the afterparty
-Michelle and Kev for looking afer me for the whole weekend and particularly for Kev driving me damn near everywhere and putting up with my constant chatter
-Ant for our very first dance together, and then all the others, and the hugs. We need to catch up properly next time, not enough hours in the day!
-every single person I danced with. Some notables are Kara, Xavier, El, Sam, Dave, Skip, Matt, Francois, George, Dan, Andrew, Peter, Pommy Dan, Bruce and the list goes on (I'm sure I've forgotten half of them because of sleep deprivation)
-my fellow members of team Brunswick.
-my fellow class members for keeping me entertained and joining in the red bull dash on both days of classes
-Jono-bo-bono for trying to get me belle of the ball
-Chez for the lifts and the giggles. 'Swingout, bitch!'
-My fellow Canberrans for representing our scene so well and for all the chats I had with various members of the group over the weekend, some good plans around there
-my Sydney mates, Bruce, Shaz, Kayelle, Michael. Love you lots and lots
-The teachers for the weekend. I had a faboulous time in all the classes I attended. Apologies if I missed a class or was tired on Sunday
-all those folks who were up until dawn bluesing on Saturday night
-Cindy for dropping me home Sunday morning so I could shower before going back to class
-Dad for giving me something to do between landing in Melbourne and flying to Canberra. I had a lovely nap on the couch before I left
-Bing for coming to get me from the airport


Okay, so that's some, if not all, of the thank yous that I can think of at the moment. I had a great, great, great time! I cannot get over how much fun it was. Of course, this tells you nothing of what actually happened but I'm still not completely with it since returning. I've got a sinus infection and am on antibiotics. Tomorrow will be two weeks since I first started feeling sick. YAY! Anyway, I'm going to go and get all my washing done and start to get back to my normal operations. I'm picking up JJF from the airport tomorrow morning and a ridiculous hour and have to get a lot of work done at work. I have prostates to dissect and some cells to transfect and virgins to collect, it's a busy, busy day.

Tuesday, April 17, 2007

I still haven't reached X yet

Someone told me about three years ago now, that you have to do an experiment X times before it will work. I am currently onto attempt 15? of the same experiment. The one with the HeLa cells? Not sure if I've mentioned them. They have been (to borrow from Kath and Kim) the bain marie of my life for the last couple of months. I have to do a positive control experiment. That's one where you show that something works to prove that the experiment itself isn't flawed, just whatever you were using it on didn't work. So anyway, I got it to work a while ago, but the cells were unhappy and blobby. So the supes wanted me to just do it again and get happy cells, so the pictures would be nice.
I have been trying to get those nice pictures ever since. Every day is another disappointment with regards to this experiment. It's driving me nuts! I thought I had the solution to the problem on Friday. So Saturday, I looked at the cells. They were on a plastic slide that you can't see through!!! Fark. So then I chucked the little bastards on a glass slide, you can see through those, or so I thought. Turns out that the glass slide is too thick to focus through. So after many tears and frustrations yesterday I hit on the next plan to get it to work, thin coverslips! Today and tomorrow will tell me whether this works. If it doesn't I don't know how I'm going to cope. I think it'll be so ridiculous by then that I'll end up laughing. Then tearing my hair out and going a little more crazy.
Anyway, one day things will work I'm sure. Law of averages etc. But I still haven't reached X yet on this experiment. Cross your fingers and press your thumbs for me.

Friday, April 13, 2007

I hate getting colds

Today I have the scratchy throat, the fuzzy head and the blocked up snot nose of a sick person. Fark! Stupid cold! My plan is to live in tracksuit pants, take copious amounts of cold and flu drugs and have a water bottle permanently attached to my face. This probably means I'm going to end up with a psuedoephadrine high and spend my entire life in the toilet. Huzzah! Don't you love the weather getting colder and the bugs flying about? It's great.
In other news, nothing tragic happened with my scooter yesterday, though I was expecting it. My german relatives came for a visit, we're having lunch today. Lastly, experiments hate me, but still I live in hope.

Thursday, April 12, 2007

Ah freak!

So life is hectic, freaking hectic. The stupid flies appear to be, once again, not transgenic. This frustrates the crap out of me. Combine this with sewing needs, visiting Germans and a lab talk next week, we have a very stressed Kate. But it'll be okay, you know why? It has to be. If it doesn't work out, my hair will fall out and I'll be a nervous wreck and I don't need that, so it has to be okay. Right?
I must keep on repeating to myself, you are not your work, you are not your work, you are not your work. Just because it's not working doesn't make you stupid or useless. Best get back to it, living in hope of something working in about 20 mins from now. Cross your fingers for me.

Friday, April 06, 2007

Oh dear, I be drunk, but my neighbours have wireless

Yep, had some red wine, half a bottle. And some homemade 'booze' (not mine, someone elses). I don't know that it's the wisest idea to have got myself a little tiddly on the alcohol and then make use of the fact that I have a laptop and internet connection at home.

Today consisted of sleeping, porridge, bit of TV, movies, more napping, some 'quality time' with the boy and a lovely dinner of Larb and red wine. Yum! Tomorrow I"m going to my aunts house for dinner, something delightful will be on offer. Sunday has me teaching a taster class at the national folk festival and entertaining the public with some swing dancing. I think I'm supposed to be wearing vintage stuff, so no doubt my dress will get an airing. I'll also have to go to work tomorrow and check out my babies (flies) and make sure that are going okay.

What else you say? Well my cousin has gone and bought himself (and his wife) a house. I look forward to visiting them there and eating some food and drinking some vodka. Yum!

Best be off before I embarrass myself any further with the drunken typing and nonsense I'm coming out with. Catch ya!

Wednesday, April 04, 2007

this might be too much information, but fuck it

So, I'm sitting here preparing my talk for tomorrow's cutting edge discussion. I'm listening to a very trashy CD, the pussycat dolls. While thinking about the talk and what needs to go into it, I realise something. I'm choreographing a lap dance to 'buttons'. Dear lord, my brain is strange.

Tuesday, April 03, 2007

update

Today my mum, a friend of hers, and the boy are driving up to Canberra for a visit. Tomorrow, my dad, the friend's husband and no-one else are flying up to Canberra. I am a little excited about this I must say. It's kinda crap though because I have work coming out my ears and will have to be in the lab tomorrow at a ridiculous hour of the morning and stay here until at least 3pm or so. We have a 'cutting edge discussion' tomorrow starting at 12. It's is supposed to be an opportunity for us to discuss topics relevant to the work going on in the lab and for us to have interesting and intelligent conversations/discussions about said topics. I've been chosen to present results from a science paper from 1998. It's to do with phosphoinositide signalling. In preparing my presentation, I have come to the conclusion that while it may be a great honour to be published in Science, I don't want to be. Those papers are so short and so dense. Each sentence contains about, as one guy from the lab put it, a years worth of work. It's bloody amazing. But it makes it quite hard to read and to really understand. There are no separate sections for methods, results, discussion. It's all together. Each of the three figures is about 6 experiments all crammed together. Madness I tells ya.

Anyway, we've got this discussion, it's happening at the supervisors house. We're having pizza for lunch. So it's not all bad. It should prove to be interesting, but I can see it dragging on. Particularly because I'll be desperate to get home and have a snuggle with the boy. Fortunately, he's brining his laptop with him and can work from home. The dogs will keep him company.

What else is news? Well, the same experiments keep stuffing me around, the flies aren't surviving like they should. Jo, the woman who does the injections for us, injected 260 embryos, 66 survived and she sent those to me. There have only been 24 flies emerging from those vials. Something about the DNA she is injecting must be killing the little buggers. I have asked her to inject some more, I don't know if any of the injected ones that have survived will actually be able to breed/survive, let alone give me transgenic progeny.

Dancing on a Monday is going pretty well. We've taken a break for Easter etc and will be back on the 23rd April. My students are lots of fun and I'm looking forward to seeing them all again. I hope they come back!

The weather is cooling down rapidly in Canberra (and elsewhere in the country I suspect). It's been chilly most mornings and the heater has definitely been on. Oh yeah, that's the other bit of news, EH, our new housemate has officially moved in. We now have two dogs, two fridges and a whole lot of stuff in the bathroom. She's moved from a place that she lived in on her own and is now living with us. She has a lot of stuff. She's lovely though and I can't wait until she's all settled in and we can start knitting together.

The last thing that I must update everyone on is the road rage incident I was involved in yesterday. But I haven't the time now. The good news from it is that I'm not hurt. The bad news is the stupid woman who road raged me could have killed me, or at least caused me to have another accident. She was so incredibly rude and a dangerous driver. The worst bit was, she had kids in her car! Okay, short version, the flies can wait for a second. She was tailgating, quite badly, so I slowed down. Was in the left lane. She overtook me, on the inside, horn blazing, ciggie in hand and finger extended. Bitch, bitch, bitch. I reported it to the police. We'll see what happens. But to reassure you Mum, I'm okay and I'll be fine, nothing really bad happened, I was more annoyed than anything else.

Monday, April 02, 2007

I'm busy, but took this personality test anyway

So yeah, busy, but took a personality test because it looked amusing. Here's the results, accurate?

Advanced Global Personality Test Results
Extraversion |||||||||||||||||||| 86%
Stability |||||||||||| 50%
Orderliness |||||||||||||||| 63%
Accommodation |||||||||||||| 56%
Interdependence |||||||||||||||| 70%
Intellectual |||||||||||||||| 70%
Mystical || 10%
Artistic |||||| 23%
Religious || 10%
Hedonism |||||| 23%
Materialism |||||| 23%
Narcissism |||||||||| 36%
Adventurousness |||||| 30%
Work ethic |||||||||||| 43%
Self absorbed |||||||||||| 43%
Conflict seeking |||||||||| 36%
Need to dominate |||||||||||| 43%
Romantic |||||||||||||| 56%
Avoidant |||| 16%
Anti-authority |||||| 30%
Wealth |||||||||||| 43%
Dependency |||||||||||| 43%
Change averse |||||||||||||||| 70%
Cautiousness |||||||||||||||| 63%
Individuality |||||| 30%
Sexuality |||||||||||||||| 63%
Peter pan complex |||| 16%
Physical security |||||||||||||||||||| 90%
Physical Fitness |||||||||||| 50%
Histrionic |||||||||| 36%
Paranoia |||||| 23%
Vanity |||||||||||| 43%
Hypersensitivity |||||||||| 36%
Female cliche |||||||||||| 50%
Take Free Advanced Global Personality Test
personality tests by similarminds.com


Stability results were medium which suggests you are moderately relaxed, calm, secure, and optimistic.

Orderliness results were moderately high which suggests you are, at times, overly organized, reliable, neat, and hard working at the expense of flexibility, efficiency, spontaneity, and fun.

Extraversion results were very high which suggests you are overly talkative, outgoing, sociable and interacting at the expense too often of developing your own individual interests and internally based identity.


trait snapshot:
clean, self revealing, open, organized, outgoing, social, enjoys leadership and managing others, dominant, makes friends easily, does not like to be alone, assertive, hard working, finisher, optimistic, positive, likes to stand out, likes large parties, respects authority, practical, high self esteem, perfectionist, dislikes chaos, busy, not familiar with the dark side of life, controlling, high self control, traditional, tough, likes to fit in, conforming, brutally honest, takes precautions

Wednesday, March 21, 2007

stomach bugs and broken arms

So I got back from Melbourne yesterday morning. My stomach had been niggling at me on the entire journey, 10 hours on the bus. I didn't think too much of it at the time. When I'm stressed it usually makes itself aparent through my guts. I was just leaving behind my injured boy after three lovely days at home. I was stressed. But when I made it home and the stomach pain got worse, I figured it was actually illness rather than stress. Especially when, well to try and put it nicely, I got to pee through my arse. So yesterday, thanks to my mum (?) I was a stabby stomach pain, watery bummed individual. Thanks be to immodium and rest. Today I am much better. The problem with being sick yesterday was that I was supposed to be teaching dancing and couldn't make class. It had to be cancelled. Bum. But I'll be there next week and they'll have a great class because I won't be disappearing to the bathroom every so often to drop my guts, or doubling over with cramps. Yay!
This weekend was such fun, even though the bus trip was horrible. Saturday saw me arrive in Melbourne at about 8am and by 9 I was in bed with the boy, catching up on cuddles. Saturday night was spent at Mum and Dad's with the Germans (all 5 of them), my brother, his girlfriend and the boy. We (brother and I) made curries for everyone as Mum was not feeling the best, having suffered from her own gastric upset. We made an awesome Rogan Josh, vege curry and a pretty tasty dahl. There wasn't much heat in it though, we thought the chidlets might be eating it and at 3 and 5.5, they probably wouldn't be too keen on chilli. Turns out they had rice and jelly for dinner, so we could have spiced it up a notch. Still tasty though.
Sunday was a lazy day. There was a lot of sleep had. We ended up having dinner with MB and VE at Tran Tran on Victoria Street, then icecream at Brunetti's on Faraday Street in Carlton. We had planned on Gelati on Lygon street, but because of the freaking Grand Prix, it prooved too busy and difficult to go there. Was a good night, with much laughter and silliness. The salt and pepper squid was so tasty.
On Monday the boy and I went to the Jam Factory to see Hot Fuzz. We scored an awesome free park, which I think is impressive in South Yarra. We were two of only seven in the theatre and got to watch the trailers without sound. Fortunately, that was fixed before the feature started. I laughed pretty hard and really enjoyed the film. I now want to go out and see a whle bunch of cop films to work out where all the references are in the film. I've always been keen on Simon Pegg/Edgar Wright/Nick Frost as a creative team. Spaced was an excellent TV series and I loved Shaun of the Dead. They didn't disappoint, and the supporting cast were great too. Lots of my favourite UK comedy folk were there. Then we had lunch at Lucky Coq, $3 pizzas and little creatures on tap.
Monday night I had to catch the bus, so we caught the train into the city, had dinner at Mekong on Swanston and caught a tram down to Spencer Street ( I refuse to call it southern cross station). The bus was full, I was sat towards the front, by the window. I got a bit teary, saying goodbye. I hate going to Melbourne for this very reason. I have to leave again and it is always painful. I'm completely over the whole long distance relationship thing. I just want to live in the same city. I wouldn't even be too fussed if we couldn't live in the same house. Anyway, enough bitching, it's not that bad. It could be a lot worse and I should stop complaining.
The bus trip was painful, not just because of my guts. We stopped a million times, well actually 4. We stopped in Shepparton, Albury, Wagga Wagga and about 30 mins out of Canberra because we were 'going to get to Canberra too early and had to stop for a bit'. My knees ached, my neck ached and my guts poked me. I was most unimpressed with the whole thing. Never again people, never again. I'll walk from Yass at 3am after catching the train in preference.
Anyway, back in the 'berra. Working on a new interesting means of getting my deletion into flies. Trying not to kill my HeLa cells again (silly bastards got contaminated since last week), screening my transformants, dissecting some discs and psyching myself up for lots and lots of fly work to come. Woo! My life is so exciting.

Thursday, March 15, 2007

Exciting(?) happenings in the life of Kate

So the boy was mugged on Saturday night. 3 guys punched him to the ground, breaking his wrist as he landed, and he has a cut lip and a swollen jaw. He managed to get away from the bastards and into a taxi and made it home. They didn't get any of his stuff, so that's good. But man, did it shake him (and me) up. As a result of this, I am going down to Melbourne town this weekend. It's Canberra Day on Monday and so I'll be coming back to the 'berra on Tuesday morning. I already have plans for Saturday dinner, if anyone wants to invite the boy and I around for Sunday lunch, I'm sure we would consider the invitiation. Rules are though, you can't make us travel too far. The boy needs the rest, and I don't know if we will have a car.
Other exciting things, and far more pleasant things, are the following : I got a compensation cheque yesterday. I am considerably richer. It's more money than I've ever had in one go. I intend to bank/save most of it. But I will be getting my pole dancing pole out of that money. I'll also be having drinks tomorrow with my workmates to celebrate. Champale for everyone!
And lastly for today, I really should be dissecting some larvae, I scored a try in touch footy today. For a girl who has no team sport skills, I did good. We still lost, 5-7, but I helped a little bit in not making it 4-7. Yay!

Thursday, March 08, 2007

I played touch football

Oh dear! I've turned into a Canberran even more. Today at lunchtime I played my first game of touch football. I ran around, in the rain, trying not to get touched by people who had very obvious skills in the sport. I also ran around and tried to touch them. But only when they had the ball, otherwise it's just inappropriate. But the endorphin kick was good and I didn't completely make an arse of myself. Pity then, that lab meeting is now Thursday lunchtimes, starting next week, and I'll miss quite a few games. Oh well! It was fun while it lasted.

I be a spaz pt2

I'm not really coping well today. I can't stop thinking about how I fucked up. I know what my problem is, I get worried about time pressures and rush through things. When I rush, I fuck up. Truth is, if I didn't rush so much, I wouldn't make those mistakes and I'd get things done right, more often than not. So why rush? Why panic? I think it's the knowledge that I only have months left of money, and lots of stuff to get done in that time.
Anyway, now I have to tell the main supervisor that I've gone and killed those flies. I told the other supervisor yesterday. She didn't look pleased. I hate disappointing people. The only good thing about this is, I'm the one who gets most affected by this fuck up. It adds time onto my being in Canberra, which sucks. But hopefully it doesn't adversely affect anyone else too much. Except that the members of the lab have to suffer my presence a bit longer.
Buh, so the only thing left to decide, do I mention the fuck up now? Or wait until my meeting on Monday? Nothing is bringing those flies back, so I can't see how a few more days might hurt. But I can also see how saying something now would get it out of the way and maybe make it a little less crap on Monday. So, people, pain now, or pain later?

On another completely unrelated note, it was my Oma's birthday yesterday. I called but was only able to leave a message. So happy birthday Oma, I hope you were having a lovely night out last night and I'll call you later.

Wednesday, March 07, 2007

I be a spaz

So the flies that are dead. Yeah, apparently I should have remembered not to kill them. Fuck! I really should have kept them. I, now, even remember the meeting where we discussed keeping flies even if they weren't quite right. Beh! Muh! Feh! I am having a "kate sucks" day, where I feel useless and stupid. Fortunately, I have done positive things rather than wallowing in my stupidity. I have worked and made plans and organised shit. It is all going to be fine, I'm almost convinced of that.

In other news, I ordered a pole to go in my living room. It'll take several weeks to turn up, but it's going to be fabulous. My corsetry supplies arrived today (I'm sewing a corset), and I'm going to walk up Black Mountain in half an hour and get me some endorphins. Endorphins are the shit, they make me less mental.

I read something on someone's blog today. A message that they got from a friend, I think it's fabulous:

Today is international spaz day. Please send an encouraging message to a retarded friend, just as I've done. I don't care if you lick windows, interfere with farm animals, use your strong hand to wipe your arse, can't talk or occasionally shit yourself. You hang in there sunshine you're f***ing special.

Tuesday, March 06, 2007

I have a new plant

As the post title suggests, I have a new plant. I usually suck at the care and maintenance of plants. Don't know what it is, but it's just not my thing. But I've decided to give it a go. Here is my lovely new venus fly trap in a self watering pot. I have christened her Daisy and she has already caught a bug, yay!
fang

That's all for today, I have a list as long as my arm to get through!

Sunday, February 25, 2007

if my life depended on sterile technique, I'd actually survive today

Yep, my cells were plated last night. There is no sign of a bacterial infection, we have a winner! I am now dealing with the stinky stuff and will be on the microscope by 11am at the latest. Mind you, now that this is working other things aren't. When flies die prematurely, like before you can cross them to a transposase to maybe mobilise the P element again, that sucks. Having to tell the supes that the fabulous idea of not waiting for the new transformants to come through, just crossing the old stock, on the wrong chromosome, to a transposase, isn't going to work because the old stock is dead. That sucks. Maybe I won't tell him. Well, not yet.
Enough of the nerd speak, I know that a whole bunch of people (well maybe 5 or so of you) didn't understand that and didn't want to. What else is news you ask me? Well, SKW, housemate and new public servant, is moving out. She's found a place closer to her job in the south. She's moving sometime in the next month, she failed to tell me exactly when. I am pleased to know that she won't be living out of her car after E moves in. Yep, we've got a new housemate lined up. So, it's all things a changy in my house.
JJF has applied for the AFP and has been accepted for testing. It would be hilarious if he was in the feds.
I have joined film group again this semester and went and saw Children of Men on Saturday night. I managed to sit, once again, next to the freak in the theatre. Hooray! I don't know how I manage it but I do. Almost every time there is a reasonably full session of a film, the freak sits next to me and wants to chat, during the film. Buh! Apart from that though I really enjoyed the film and absolutely loved Michael Caine. He's fabulous, "pull my finger".
I have dancing tonight. I'm teaching a whole bunch of people in the ANU Bar, come along at 6.30pm if you have nothing to do. It's going to be shirtloads of fun. I have made a playlist and it includes a lot of Cab Calloway. I have found he's a really good guy to listen to when you are running at the gym. Something to do with the pace and beat of his stuff. It's great. I particularly like 'A chicken ain't nothing but a bird'. Apparently you couldn't fool Columbus, because Columbus was smart, a chicken ain't nothing but a bird. Anyway, dancing should be good fun. We had a whole bunch of people there last week and it went really really well. We even made a small profit. Woo!
Oh yeah, I bough stripper shoes last week. Will post a photo when I get one. They are hilarious. Almost impossible to walk in, but they do the job for pole dancing and that's the important thing. They have clear soles and are black patent leather. *roar*
I don't think there is anything desperately interesting left in my life of the last little while, how sad. So I'll head back to the stinky chemicals and the biohazard hood and bring more tales of crap here later.

Wednesday, February 21, 2007

if my life depended on sterile technique, I'd be dead

So, trying to do the stinky experiment this week. You know the one with the cells that I either kill or won't attach? Yeah, those fuckers. Well, turns out my sterile technique isn't. I completely suck at tissue culture. Now this shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone out there, least of all the woman who has been forced to transfect cells three times already in an attempt to get this experiment working. I think I'm cursed. The worst of it is, I am reliant on someone else to do stuff for me, to at least get transfected cells. This means every time I fuck up, the more work she has to do and I really don't want to waste her time like this. It's so frustrating. So I've had my little cry in the office, the advantage of being in the lab so early, you won't get caught. Now it's time to go to the fly room and hope like hell I haven't infected them with bacteria. At least there is little risk of that.
What to do with all the spare time I have now acquired? A bit more self-flagellation should do. Then maybe some hitting something very hard. I'm rather unimpressed that they've taken the boxing bag down at the gym, I could do with hitting the crap out of something.
FARK!

Wednesday, February 14, 2007

hands up who gets to go the beach tomorrow. ME!!!

Tomorrow morning is going to be a busy one for me. I'm picking up BT to take him to the gym at 5.30am. He's going to Singapore tomorrow, and doesn't want to drive to the gym and then have to drop his car back home, before coming into the city to catch the bus to get to Sydney, to get to Singapore. So I'm driving him to the gym first thing.

I'm then heading to the last boot camp of the season. It's been a hard 4 weeks. I'm still bloody sore today from yesterday morning with Vince, the hot Jamaican.

After boot camp, I'm into the lab briefly to get some fly work done and to have a shower.

Then I'm off to the airport to pick up the boy.

Then we are going to the beach!!!

We're off to Narooma for two days of sun, wearing a hat, sea, without jellyfish I hope and relaxation, read: shagging. I'm very much excited. Then after the beach it's back to Canberra.

Saturday night we're going to the Stomp at the Albert Hall for some good tunes and the dancing. I think I'll be mostly doing the dancing and the boy will be listening to the tunes and eating his body weight in chips that are usually on the tables.

What's news you ask? I have bruises again from pole dancing. On the tops of my feet no less. I have sore muscles from boot camp. I have tissue culture cells that hate me and don't want to spread out like good little cells. I handed out a lot of flyers today advertising my swing dancing class. ANU, Monday night, at the bar, 6.30pm, $10 students, shit loads of fun. My flyers read:
Good music-guaranteed
Great dancing -guaranteed
Getting laid- guaranteed*
*not a guarantee

It got some giggles and amused me. I hope some of them turn up! Otherwise it's hanging about with Chris and trying to stop myself from drinking lots of beer.

Most importantly in the next little while though is the visit from the boy. I am hanging out to see him. It's been about 6 weeks and I'm ready for a visit. I'm not sure when we'll see each other next, so I'll have to make the most of his visit. Work is going to get very busy from now on and I don't know how much time will be devoted to travelling. But I've rabbited on enough about that already.

Oh, yeah, and I settled with the insurance company today. Give me 6-8 weeks and I'll be richer. How much richer, you may ask me in private.

Saturday, February 10, 2007

why I suck at tissue culture and other stories

I've got one experiment that requires tissue culture left to do. It's a positive control for the really shit labeling system that I was trying to get to work in Drosophila. Unfortunately, I suck at tissue culture. I have no idea why I suck so badly at it, but I do. I had cells ready to go yesterday, but they weren't adherent enough, so I figured I'd leave them for the night and get in early this morning. Which is great in theory, but not so great in practice. I get here at 6.15am and find that the cells are flat, they are all spiky and not looking great. Certainly no good for the labelling steps that were required. FUCK! So now I'm in the process of trying to get more cells set up so that maybe I can do the labelling this afternoon. Maybe. It's so frustrating to suck at something that others find so simple. This time I don't even know what was wrong with the cells. Only that they weren't right. At least last time it was obvious that I had bacteria wriggling around in there.

I even got someone to do the transfection for me so that I wouldn't contaminate the cells too early in the process. I wish I'd been able to convince that same person to get the cells onto the slide for me. Maybe if this fucks up and I don't have any cells to work with I can convince her to do it. It's a massive favour to ask, but perhaps chocolate will be my friend and get me the help I need. Or diet Coke, or sushi?

Onto other stories. Last night we had an awesome thunderstorm. I made it home just in time to avoid the rain. I got to sit inside and just enjoy the fact that the garden was getting some water and that I didn't have to go out again. I had the house to myself. LJS was doing a bomb search (she's in the bomb squad, how cool is that?) and SKW was, as I found out later, in Sydney for some purpose or other. On a side note, SKW has started her new job doon sooth and is looking for somewhere else to live. With the rental market so tight, I think it's been difficult. This has meant that bomb-girl and myself have been asking around for a new housemate. Not to put the mockers on it, but I think we may have found someone. Will tell more when I know more. But it could be really, really good!

So anyway, doggo and I spent the night in front of the teev,waiting for my lamb curry to cook. I've made this curry before, it's from a packet mix from the indian shop, that is below the pole dancing studio. It's a very, very hot curry, or at least, hot to me. But it's so goddamn tasty! I made enough for three meals and added chick peas for a bit of variety. I'm quite looking forward to eating it. It did, however, take a long time to cook. So it was a late one for me last night, which made getting up before six even more fun.

What else you ask? I'm off to a WIS (women in science) yum cha today. Should be good for a giggle and full of pork and prawns to boot. Last time I went to yum cha in Canberra, I ended up going with a muslim and a jew. You realise how much pork and prawns are in yum cha when two of the 6 people you are eating with, can't/won't eat them. But I love a bit of pig and am not too adverse to the shellfish, so today will be great. I'm looking forward to the pork buns and the various dumplings and all that good stuff. I'm salivating as I type.

Yesterday, thinking of food, I went to the multicultural festival. This predominantly consists of lots of food stalls and displays of various national dances and music on two stages. I was watching some, guessing here, dancers from Vanuatu(?) while eating some souvlaki. I had to leave, though, when the song came on that had approximatly the following lyrics "We're your mate. Something something great." It was really painful to listen to. Give me crazy singing, give me drums, give me interesting instruments I've never seen before. But please, don't go into the 'look at us, we're Aussies, we are. See, we're using the term mate to show how we are totally Aus'. I'm completely convinced that they're Aussie. I don't need some John Howard-esque use of mate and mateship to convince me that you belong here. I'd much rather see you showing off the culture of the country your family came from originally. Even if they came here 200 years ago. You can, I would hope, as an Australian, be proud of where your family originally came from, and be proud of the stuff you get up to here. I know I am. I love all the German stuff, and it is definitely part of who I am. Got to love a bit of bratwurst and sauerkraut and punctuality. I don't know where I'm going with this rant, so I'll stop. Suffice to say, the dancing was great, the song was shithouse.

I'll get into the joys of little britain later and tell you all about my 'I'm the only gay in the village' t-shirt. But for now, I'm off to the fly room to collect me some virgins and yell at the little bastard to breed!

Wednesday, February 07, 2007

little britain

I'm going to little britain live tomorrow, in Sydney. It's going to be awesome! I have a friend who I'm currently doing the pole dancing course with, who went in Melbourne. She loved it. I think I'm going to have to do something to ensure my face doesn't hurt from too much smiling/laughing. Yay!

I had a really good meeting with my supervisor today, huzzah! Looks like I'm going to Europe to go to two conferences. The first is a cell/molecular/developmental biology conference in Dresden and the other is the 20th European Drosophila Research Conference in Vienna. It's going to be great fun. The boy and I are going over together and looking for work/visiting people while we are over there. I'm very excited about it. It also gives me a good goal, get my lab work finished before then. I'm probably going to have to book tickets pretty soon. At least I'll get my ticket funded. The rest I'll have to fund myself, but that'll be okay I'm sure. So, I'll be off in late August and back by the start of October, end of September at the earliest. Yay for science and yay for nature magazine that showed me the first conference, which you can find more information about here: elso2007.elso.org

Okay, what else is news? My friend JJF has actually really decided to leave Canberra, after threatening it for 2.5 years. He's apparently sick of the whole place and is looking to move to Melbourne or Perth. I've got my fingers crossed for Melbourne, but that's just me being selfish and wanting to be able to hang out with my mates. BT is about to head off to Singapore for a family holiday and his delightful girlfriend GT is about to go to Vietnam, then Singapore. Lucky buggers! Because BT is one of three boys, GT gets a lot of attention from BT's mum, and gets lots and lots of really tasty food. I'm quite the jealous. I wish I had someone so delighted by my presence that they cook me really good food.

Oh and as a final note before I go to the gym, we cleaned our carpets on Saturday. The three ladies of chez Scullin hired a steam cleaner after the cleaners cancelled on them. It was hard work, especially as it was hot on Saturday, and the crap that came out of that carpet and not even worth thinking about. But the carpet is now quite lovely and clean-er. I don't think it would hurt to give it another going over. But I'm buggered if I'm doing that again, it really was hard work. Add to that the wet carpet smell that you get after, it'll be a while until I want to do that shit again.

Friday, February 02, 2007

laptops, bootcamp and pole dancing

New things in my life include, a macbook, bootcamp and pole dancing classes again.

I love my new shiny laptop! It's white, and pretty and is going to be dear friend over the next year while I write my thesis and work hard. Hooray! I got it yesterday and am just waiting for the IT guys to come and install all the software I need on it. Then it's bombs away and I'll be going nuts! Wheeee!

Bootcamp has been going for two weeks now, I've been 3 times. It's been hard work, especially getting up at 5am. I am always nervous when I have to get up early and as a result I end up waking up too early, or having nightmares. I had a horrible on on Wednesday night about dismembered corpses being found in my building. I woke up at 4.30am, freaked out and needing to pee. Buh! But apart from my nighttime silliness, the bootcamp itself is pretty good. Tuesday we have Vince, who is 6 foot, with lovely muscles and a lovely accent. I think he's from Jamaica or somewhere like that. He rolls his r's as he tells us to rrrrun, rrrrun! *roar* He's also really enthusiastic, and that helps with motivation. Thursday is Michael, who I think is pretty bored training us. But we still work hard, just with a little less enthusiasm. I'm enjoying the energetic feeling I get after the early mornings with lots of exercise. But, the evening slump, which had me in bed at 8.30pm last night, is less great. Two more weeks to go and I'll see if I'm any fitter as a result.

Pole dancing started on Tuesday night. I have my first bruise of the season and it's all good fun. I'm going with a good mate from work. We laughed ourselves silly and I think we're both looking forward to next week.

Hmmm, what else is news? I'm going to Sydney next week to see Little Britain live. That should be great fun. I'm going with my mate JJF, we're driving up and maybe staying with his brother. That would be good, as the brother has a pool! Whee! We'll be coming home the next day, I have too much work to do to spend the weekend in Sydney, fun though that would be. Work is going well, just a little busy. I'm getting rather excited and have lots of plans. I have a meeting with the supes on Tuesday. I am hoping to be well organised for that meeting and present an outline for my introduction. Anyway, work to to, flies to do horrible things to. Best be off.

Wednesday, January 31, 2007

commitments and timing

So, the PhD is going okay. Not fabulous, but okay. I'm not completely fucking it up as I used to (at least I don't think I am). I'm pretty focused and I have plans. But turns out some of those plans may not work out. My plan was to make it home by July, to write the thesis etc. Thing is, the supervisor doesn't agree with me. He thinks more like the end of the year to start writing full time, ie my lab work will continue for the majority of this year. The thought of spending another 3-4 months in Canberra, away from the boy, makes me very sad and frustrated. We will have then been apart for the best part of 4 years. 4 years is a very long time.

The other problem with this is the following: I said to a dear friend that I would go to a swing dancing event in Perth in April. But at the moment, if all my experiments go well, I'll be working very hard in April. Like 2X a day, every day (7/week) in the lab, regardless of weekends and the like. I had promised previously to travel to this event. But circumstances, both timing and financial had prevented me. Now the finances will be fine (my insurance payout is going to be significant), but the timing couldn't be worse. I feel awful. I really don't want to disappoint a good friend, but my thesis and my chances of getting home by July have to come first. Fingers crossed they'll understand. Even better if I could actually afford the time off because the flies are going faster than expected. I don't know, stuff sucks sometimes and it's hard to sort it all out.

Apart from the depressing idea of being stuck in the 'berra for another few months, things are going well here. Boot camp is hard, but fun. Pole dancing started last night. One housemate is planning on moving out, and while that sucks in one respect, at least with such a tight rental market we are likely to get a decent replacement. We can finally afford to be choosy. Previously, it's been a matter of desperation. We've done okay out of the current one, but the one before that sucked the big one.

Anywho, I should get back to the thesis and the planning. No time to waste for me, if I'm ever to make it back to Melbourne.

Wednesday, January 24, 2007

Tikka learns about walking

My mate BT is a legend. The man has not only tripled his wage in the last year, go you go thing go! But he has also the most patient soul I know. Seriously, he's so patient. Last night he and JJF came by with Bailey, the blackberry dog. They were out on a walk, and decided to ask if I wanted to come with. Unfortunately, Tikka's lead was in LJS's car, and she was out. I found some rope though, so it was used to keep Bailey in check, she already knows how not to pull. Tikka, on Bailey's lead, was a pulling maniac and BT took over. He managed to get that dog to actually walk alongside him for a little bit. Amazing! She usually needs her gentle leader to get her to stick to a decent speed. The trick, and here's where the patience comes in, was this: everytime she pulled, he'd stop, and make her sit next to him. At first she was only going a couple of steps and then pulling like a crazy dog. But after a little while she managed up to about 6 steps or so. Still not great, but a great improvement.
This morning, I took the Tikka dog out for a traning walk. We managed about 10 metres at one stage of walking alongside me without pulling. I think if I keep this up, she'll never need her gentle leader again. We'll probably go walking with the boys tonight, but I think I'll use the gentle leader. She might actually get some decent walking in then, rather than just around the block.
Enough of dogs though, I have news. I have written an outline for my introduction to my thesis. It's a brief document that outlines the topics I'll cover and the order I'll do it in. All I need now is approval from the supervisors and some help getting it just right and I can start writing the bastard. I've been doing a lot of reading recently, and it's been making me ask a whole bunch of questions, which in turn leads to more reading and more questions. I've got a lot to learn about my gene/protein, it's structure and all about pleckstrin homology domains. Wish me luck! I'm hoping that by next week I'll be actually composing the thing.
Other thesis related news, I have transformants. Perhaps only one, but if the insertion is on the X or II then I'm sorted. For all the non-geneticists out there, sorry, nerd speak there and now too. I'm using yellow+ as the selectable marker, rather than white+ and I'm finding it interesting to pick the transformants. I have one definite, I thought I had a white- fly on my pad, rather than a yellow- white- transformant that was a little bit dark. I wondered how the little fucker had got into the vial, until I realised he must be a transformant. Whee! A boy too, which makes it easier.
Best be off, I have to get up ridiculously early tomorrow, I'm starting boot camp with a mate from work. I have to get from Belconnen to Narrabundah by 6am. Guess who's getting up at 5am for the possible 30 mins scoot south? ME!

Wednesday, January 17, 2007

I can't stop sleeping in!

I've been trying for the last week to get up early. By early I mean somewhere between 6.30am and 7.15am. I have lab work to do and it's been ridiculously hot, so riding early in the morning is preferrable. But can I get myself out of bed before 8am? Nope. I've tried and I've tried, but it just won't work. I blame the hot weather we've been having. It's been over 30 for over a week, every single day. It was 40 one day last week, and no cool change with a lovely storm to get rid of the blistering heat. It sucks! The bom.gov.au website is giving me no joy either. All the temperatures for the next 4 days are above 35 and then above 30 for the next 3 after that. We're supposed to have a storm this afternoon, there are thunderstorm warnings a-go-go. But the chance of rain is only listed as 40%. Looks to me as though it'll be bone dry all day, bloody hot, and then it won't even rain. I can't sleep properly with all this darned heat. BUH!

Okay, I think I've bitched enough about the weather. Onto other things, like what else I've been up to. I went and saw my 'independent medical expert' yesterday afternoon, as part of my insurance claim. It felt like a pretty futile effort. I know that I'm better and he pretty much confirmed that. He was partly deaf, reasonably condescending, and not very chirpy. It was great fun to have to ride in 37 degree heat to get out there. But at least it's done now. Apparently, it's the last thing I have to do before the solicitor gets the final offer from the insurance company. I'm hoping for it to be resolved very soon. I needs to buy myself a laptop, and the cash from this claim should cover it.

Hmmm, what else is news? The Bree dog is moving out. I don't know this officially, as the owner of Bree (SKW) hasn't said anything to me. But I know from a mutual aquaintance that she's going up to Brisvegas next week. I'm not sure that I will miss the Bree dog too much. She's very cute, but can be a little overwhelming at times. She likes jumping up and sticking her nose on you. I was at home working on the thesis last week and I got up to go to the toilet. Bree was on the floor in the living room, where I had been working. I went to the toilet and as I emerged from the bathroom, Bree was sitting outside, waiting for me. It can be just a little full on. Labradors are just a little too enthusiastic at times. But I know that her owner SKW is going to miss her.

My exercise and eating regime continues with great success. I am (when conscious) much more energetic that usual and I don't get major lulls in my energy levels. This eating six times a day thing is good for that. Usually after lunch I'd be lethargic and useless for at least an hour. These days, no problemo! I'm also craving healthy food, even on my 'day off'. Eating well, by which I mean lots of fruit and veg, really is good for you. Who knew? (probably everyone really)

Tonight I'll be going out dancing. I'm going to Balboa class first and then there is a social dance. I plan on taking a large bottle of water with me and a towel, as I can see myself getting very sweaty. Another disadvantage to all this stupid hot weather. Grrr!

Best be off, my timer is about to beep at me and I need to go fix some embryos.

Friday, January 12, 2007

bloody hot

It is bloody hot in Canberra today! The top temperature was 40.5, it's still 39. I had plans to be at the gym today, doing the whole cardio thing. But it's so freaking hot! I think I'd melt. But I might go, later on tonight, after it cools down. Seems to be a theme with me this week. Tuesday and yesterday had me at the gym at about 8.30pm. It was so busy earlier in the evening, I really couldn't get anything useful done. It was pretty good going later, but meant I had to make sure I made myself go. It would have been so easy to stay at home and sleep or watch crappy TV.
Today has been a day of finding out about PH domains. That stands for pleckstrin homology domains. They bind phosphinositides, and help localise proteins to the membrane of the cells. Apparently though, they also help the DH (Dbl homology) domain do it's thing, catalysing the exchange of GDP to GTP on a GTPase. Exciting huh? Go science go! It's very very nerdy, but very very important that I know those things. No doubt I'll get around to reading those papers properly soon, but for now I think I'm going to scoot my way home, eat some dinner and then eventually make my way to the gym. Wish me luck!

Tuesday, January 09, 2007

why living in canberra sucks

The boy had a migraine on Friday. He was so bad, he ended up in hospital. He was so bad they thought he had meningitis. He had a lumbar puncture, morphine, spent 11 hours in hospital. He was still feeling shitty today. He went to the doctor. The doctor was so worried about him, they sent him to the hospital in a taxi, with a cab charge. He's there now, doped up to the eyeballs on drugs. The lumbar puncture they gave him didn't seal up again properly and it was making him feel nauseous and dizzy. They are doing something tomorrow to fix him up and he should be able to go home. I hate living so far away from him. Not that I could have done much more than his housemate, Val, has done. He took the boy to the hospital on Friday and picked him up again. He's going to pick him up tomorrow. But I just wish I was there. I'm a little bit over the whole 'long distance relationship'. I'm also a bit over share house living, but that's another story.
Living in Canberra sucks.

Project Healthy

I want to tell you a story, most of you will have heard it from me over the holidays. It's a little funny and a little annoying. It kinda links into project healthy, but not really. I'd planned to attempt the project healthy before Xmas, and before this incident. I was just waiting for Xmas to be over and all that jazz to be over, so I could get myself into a healthy routine, with exercise and everything. So here's my story:

Just before Xmas, I was feeling a little dizzy. I went to the doctor to have myself checked out. Make sure I didn't have an ear infection or something similar. So, the doctor, after telling me that my symptoms were pretty vague, checked out my general wellbeing.
She measured my blood pressure, a little high at either 132/90 or 125/85. She checked my temperature, normal. She tested my balance, good. She measured my height, and my weight, and looked at her chart. There I was, smack bang in the middle of the healthy weight range. Huzzah! She turns to me as we are walking back to the chairs and and says "hmmm, that's interesting. You must have small bones, because you look a little bit overweight"
WHAT THE FUCK?! What part of, demonstrably in the healthy weight range, did you not see, you psycho bitch? What possible motive could this woman have to tell another woman, who wasn't overweight, that she LOOKED overweight? I am still a little pissed off with this woman, and I'm just trying to decide what to do about it. She suggested I come back in a few weeks and get my blood pressure checked again, to make sure it wasn't artificially high for some reason. She also suggested I get the same person to measure it, her, because it can be a little variable with different operators. Question is, do I want to go back to that nasty woman? And if I do, do I mention the fact that it was totally inappropriate for her to say that to me?

Anyway, before she had been so mean to me, I had intended to start a bit of a health kick. I go to the gym regularly, and I try, most of the time, to eat well. But I never seem to be able to run any faster/further or get the gym thing going long enough without a break to get really strong. So, I decided to put myself on a health kick. And drag my parents along with me. So, here for the record, are my goals for the next three months:

-go to the gym 3X/week
-be able to do the splits!
-increase my upper body strength so my pole dancing is better
-get some definition in my muscles
-reduce my fat % (so you can see my defined muscles)
-be able to walk up Black Mountain via the more difficult path, without stopping

If, in three months, I'm getting somewhere near those goals, I'll be pretty happy. It does, however, mean making time for exercise and not making excuses not to go. It means eating well, more often than not. But having goals I think will help keep me on track. And knowing that my parents are trying to get healthier too helps. It shouldn't be too hard for them, if they can give up dessert, and fish and chips for a while, they'll be halfway to their goals. Add a bit of exercise, and they're sorted. One of the dogs, Mac, needs to lose some weight too. About 3-4kgs off his 13.8kg frame. I'm sure they can help each other beat the bulge. But this blog isn't about them, so I'll leave it there.

So, I'm less than a week into my health kick and it's going pretty well. I can't really be arsed to go to the gym today, although it is gym day. But I'm going to go and make the most of it. My food has been healthy and tasty and you'll all be pleased to know that I'm not starving myself. I'm eating 6 times a day and all of it is fresh and chock full of veges and the like. I'm even getting the hang of drinking lots of water. The only problem there is how much you end up needing to pee. Tell me it gets better as your body gets used to it? I will no doubt, occasionally, update you on progress. The splits are still a long way away, but I reckon I'll get there in the end. If only my hip flexors weren't so tight!

Right, enough procrastination, the fly room and the gym awaits. I've spent most of today at home, reading papers and thinking about my thesis/experiments I've yet to do. It's time to get some fly pushing in and some weight lifting going. Grrr!