lotusbiosm

I have, right now, a proposed bibliography listing 18 sources for a 20 page paper. They're mostly short articles, but that's cool. That's enough for one page per source, plus a page each for introduction and conclusion. I might be able to pull that off. Of course, the list will change over time, and some I may read but not cite, but whatever. It's better than only having 5.
I am now going to sleep, so that I can finish the proposal in the morning and then figure out how to get a hard copy of it to appear (my printer seems to have lost the will to print lately).

Yesterday, I slept in, then I went off to campus. Picked up my loan refund check, got blood drawn, deposited my check, got some food (a bagel w/ cream cheese and a Mint Chocolate Chip Frappacino). Went to the bookstore, where I spent over $200 on books, all for one class (11 books). I also got Lemon-Lime lip gloss from Burt's Bees and a hole puncher. Then I headed off to Staples for school supplies, and got a notebook and pencils and some legal pads for my portfolio thingy. Then I went off to see Brokeback Mountain.
Which was exceptionally good. It's beautiful to look at (even with Jake and Heath aren't in the shot). The acting is great by everyone. I feel like it really captured the friendship element of their relationship as well as the romantic. And even though I knew it was coming, their first exploration of that side of their relationship is pretty unexpected. I admit to thinking when Jake Gyllenhaal's character meets Anne Hathaway's character "They'd make really beautiful babies together." And then thinking "yeah, and Jake and I would also make really beautiful babies. They'd have great blue eyes." But it's a great movie- well-written, well-directed, and well-acted. It's also heartwrenching, so take tissues and chocolate when you go.
Then I swung by Radio Shack to get a universal remote because the remote to my VCR is cracked out and will only perform certain functions. This would be fine, if one of them was to program my VCR, since really the whole reason I have a VCR is to be able to tape Gilmore Girls while I'm at choir. (Well, and to watch Disney movies)
Then back here. Where I punched holes in choir music and ate dinner and watched about half of the first season of Buffy on DVD because Firefly hasn't been on lately and I needed my Joss Whedon.

Today I made the very exciting discovery that I have a CD with over 1000 of my photos on it. Of course, there's a high level of duplication, but still, I didn't think I had them here. So I went a little crazy over at facebook and added a whole bunch of photos. And some people.
I also was very excited when I went hunting for my Berlin guidebook (to aid me in captioning some photos from Berlin) and found it, and realized I hadn't cataloged it yet. So I promptly did that.
And now I'm going to eat, because the only thing I've eaten all day has been crackers. (I went down to get food but there were people in the kitchen and I was in sweats and a tank top. And it was really the prospect of making my peanut butter on toast in front of people I wasn't happy about.)

Dear GWU:
Your students pay exorbitantly high tuition. Do you think that we could, in return, get an unambigous list of what the abbreviations on our course schedules mean?
Thanks heaps,
Me

PS-
Would you please, for the love of all that is sensible, install Firefox on the campus computers so that I don't need to open 6 Explorer windows to find the information I need? That would be lovely.

I'm working on this interpretative project for class, and we have to have an electronic component. I decided I'd do a podcast audio tour of the grounds of the site (which happens to be the Frederick Douglass Nat'l Historic Site). I thought that I had a microphone here, but I don't, so I went down to Radio Shack and bought one. (I also then stopped at a restaurant in Chinatown for lunch) This is so super nifty. I downloaded free open-source software last night, and now I'm working on the script, because I realized that otherwise I'll have fits and starts. It doesn't have to be the whole thing, but I need a sample I think at least. I thought for a minute the microphone was broken, and was about to head off to Radio Shack to return it, but since I'd had it work for a minute, I decided to first mess around with Windows, and it does indeed work, it's just that when it's turned on you don't hear it in the headphones unless you play it back. So now it's all configured and I'm going to make an mp3 which I can then take to class. Hooray! What I really like about this idea is the low cost of it- the mic was under $15, the software was free, so basically it's the cost of webhosting so visitors can download it and the cost of the staff time to write the script and record the tour, and of course the computer, but those are all resources the site already has.

So, we have this thing at GW, where you can look up your "Student Schedule by Day and Time", and it goes by the week and tells you when you have class and where it is. Since last week was the first week, and classes started on Wednesday, classes for Monday and Tuesday weren't listed. I assumed that this held true for holidays. If there was no class, it wouldn't be listed. I was, however mistaken. I've just confirmed this by looking at Thanksgiving week of last year. The academic calender was no help, as it just says "Labor Day (holiday)". "No classes (Labor Day weekend)" is listed in front of Saturday, so it's not really helpful. Anyway, because I checked this schedule, and not the syllabus that was posted online in Blackboard, I thought, erroneously, that I had class today. I got up, took a shower, got dressed, had breakfast, and came on down. Well, the building that class was supposed to be in was locked. So I came over to the Museum Studies office and went online and checked the syllabus, which lists next Monday, the 12th, as the first day. And to think, I got into grad school.
You may mock me freely.

OK, so the major disadvantage to having all of your classes be on the same day is having all your presentations on the last day. The Museum Admin one was the worst, b/c I was up late the night before printing out the paper (and I ran out of paper, though last night while lying in bed it occured to me that I might have more elsewhere, which is good), which was 79 pages, plus a couple supplemental things. Then I had to get up, go to my Archaeology lecture, which often makes me want to *headdesk*, because he asks the simplest questions, over and over again and none of the undergrads will answer, or it takes them forever. And I don't know if that's because they don't know, or because they're still asleeep, or they all want someone else to answer. But it's frustrating, because as a grad student, I don't want to answer too many questions, but I hate sitting in silence for 30 seconds while the professor looks desperate and despairs that his students seem not to be learning anything.
Then I went to the computer lab to print out the pages that I hadn't printed out before, and then I went to Archaeology discussion. Where, fortunately, I didn't have to discuss my final paper, on which I have made no progress. It's 12-15 pages, but I think I can fill at least 5 on methods alone. It's on the history of food, and how and when we started processing it, because I'm intrigued by the fact that we eat food that we can't eat raw (and I don't just mean uncooked, I mean unground and such). But then I came out to find a voicemail informing me that the Powerpoint I'd sent hadn't gone through (which didn't suprise me, as the file is big enough to destroy Tokyo), and so I needed to go and print out the slides on the color laser jet on campus. No big, right? Thank the heavens for gmail, which has more storage space than the Vatican, and had the file in my sent items. I printed, and oh, everything was going well, except that it refused to print one of the slides. I managed to print the slides before and after, but it flat out would not print that one page. Finally, I saved it and the two others that were missing as jpegs and printed them out that way, because I am a computer goddess and all should worship me (also for my ability to use the {printscreen} screencap function to copy an excel graph that didn't want to copy and then crop it down so it just looked like I'd done it right). Which meant, though, that I didn't have lunch.
Then checked some email, had some food, and then off to Anthropology in the Museum, where the final deadline was extended and I did a presentation. Got to use the laser pointer, the prof looked pleased that I'd found new stuff, and impressed that they didn't have to wait for my computer. She made the two of us who'd brought our own laptops go last, but I had the presentation cued up before I even got to the desk so just had to attach the cable and was good to go. I am nifty.
Then I took the bus home (it was a lovely night, so I wanted to sit outside and wait for the bus rather than in the Metro station). I was on a great combo adreanaline crash/sugar high, which was fun. Then I got into bed, watched Jack & Bobby, and went to sleep. I brought my tiny purse to work today because of the heaviness of carrying both my laptop and my big purse complete w/ notebook and papers around all day yesterday. Tis nice. I think I shall stop by the liquor store on the way home today and buy a bottle of wine, as I'm out. After all the papers are in (due next Friday), my admin group members and I are totally going out for a drink. Or several. And then just have to take the Arch final/qualifying exam¹ and I'm done. Just work and internship and cleaning my room/packing stuff for when I get to move. And Gabe comes home the same day as the exam, which is really rather good timing, I think.

1. Rather than the Comprehensive Exam that Museum Studies and many other programs have, Anthropology has Qualifying exams. If you pass, you officially know the subject matter, and have fullfilled the requirement. If not, Woe Unto You. I've already passed the Socio-cultural one, and so when I finish with this, I'll have taken my two required Proseminars, and just have to take Anthro electives. And will only have to take the MSTD comp, and not the MSTD plus an academic.

I registered for courses last semester. And the schedule I saw afterwards showed courses only on Wednesday. Now, I'm looking at my schedule again, and I have class Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. The 8 AM course meets 3 days a week, and goes until 8:50. Now, the only reason that this is a problem is that I was thinking I could leave for Italy on a Thursday and come back on a Monday. But now, I see that's not the case, I have to leave Friday at the earliest and come back on a Sunday at the latest. Of course, if the course is useless, I might be able to get away with skipping it on the Friday before Spring Break, staying for the whole break, and come back the weekend it ends. Which isn't really all that different from my original plan, and will probably be cheaper. But I still feel like a total and complete moron.

It's 8:41 on a Friday night. Do you know where your Empress is? She's at home, alone watching The Real World (Las Vegas, no less). I think some of my loyal subjects need to come and rescue me.

( Fun with interviewing )

( The First Week of School )
( The Case for War with Italy )

Ok, I think those are the major points- job interviews, going to school, missing my boy. It is hot here, and I spend excessive amounts of time hiding out in my room, where there is Air Conditioning. I know I should be going out and doing things, but I have no one to do said things with, and lack the motivation to do things alone. I need an OG to come knock on my door and make me go participate. It's the pitfall of a big city- there's tons of stuff to do, but more effort to do it. Ok, it is now 11 (I was on the phone with [Bad username or site: @ livejournal.com]). I think it is time to get ready for bed. Phone calls this weekend are welcome.

So, I'm killing time in the GW computer lab in the library (or maybe "a" library, I think there're multiple libraries). I have succesfully navigated the passage from my home to campus twice now, with no difficulty. I was properly on time for orientation this morning, got to socialize w/ other nerds like myself and had a free lunch. And met w/ my advisor and subsquently changed my schedule so that I now have neither a) an 8 AM class or b) the Wednesday from Hell. This is of the good. And I now only have class during the day one day a week, which means I might actually be able to have my weekends free to go visit people or sleep or do homework or whatever. I also now have a shiny new student ID, with which to get discounts or whatever else. And into the library and other fun and fancy buildings. I still have not been on a tour of campus, which is large and urban, and so do not necessarily know where said buildings are, but I am managing to navigate fairly well so far. It helps that most of the streets are either letters or numbers, and so you can figure out which direction to go if you can count and know the alphabet. The streets named after states don't seem to have much rhyme or reason to them, except that they run diagonally and this leads to them coming together at traffic circles where streets like Georgia and Pennsylvania intersect (actually, my metro station is where Georgia and New Hampshire intersect, which is funny). But I am feeling increasingly confident in my ability to find my way around, at least around here.
I have met both of the girls who live on my floor, and they are cool. I must do real grocery shopping soon, to buy grown-up groceries (you know, the kind that require cooking w/ something other than a microwave).
Lunch, which was free, was of the good. We all went around and introduced ourselves. I would say that we are about 70% female (maybe even more). Some kids seem straight out of undergrad, others seem to have spent a few years working. Some intimidated me, but I made everyone laugh w/ my introduction, twice. Which is easy to do when you got your BA from Alfred, as there is much material from which to draw, but it makes me happy. The only snafu in the day was when this dirty unwashed guy who was hanging out in the overpacked room was asked to introduce himself, as he was thought to be part of our program. He went on this little ranty thing, but he wasn't very articulate, and so difficult to understand. But what he did say was disturbing, and not really logical. He was cut off by some of the second-years and then a person I assume was security, who I think was fetched by one of the second-years, came and escorted him very quietly away. It was odd, but I was impressed by how it was handled. I think that's part of life in a big city.
We have a dinner which is also free tonight at 6. It is currently 3:51 PM. Hence the journaling.
Yesterday I took care of my health care stuff and it's all good, and I mailed all the paperwork I know needed mailing today. I also got a shiny new checking account at Bank of America, which will make life easier. Then I went to Friday's, solely b/c they have good milkshakes there (or least at some they do). They only had one flavor listed on the menu, and they were out of milk. Apparently no one had any time to run and get more.... (which reminds me of a story involving a now-closed restaurant and shrimp...)
And I got a lead on a job, which is shiny. I initially applied for a job I wasn't really qualifed for, but then the woman asked if I'd like her to forward my resume for consideration for another post, and I said, um, hell yeah (only more politely, as it was a work related e-mail, and that kind of language doesn't really go). Got an e-mail today from the woman (who had emailed me and who I sent a copy of my newly updated resume to) asking if I could come in for an interview.
Life is good. And just yay. Except that I have to kill time until food. B/c I don't feel like going back to my place, as it is approx. 30 minutes on the Metro, not counting waiting for trains. I shall find some way to entertain myself, I am sure.

So, worked on Saturday, just three hours, but still, it was Saturday at a bank. Coworkers did supply crossoints (sp?) and oj though. Left, went and got a manicure and pedicure -manicure is already chipped, grr- and a brow wax, went to the eye doctor and got new contacts, and went to Harry Potter III w/ eredien. Movie was OK- they left out a great deal of the stuff that I think makes Azkaban the best book of the series- the back story and the realtionships between the characters and whatnot, but the movie's long just trying to tell the major plot, so...
Worked till 9 PM on Monday. Oy. Cut out early on Tuesday- 7:30 (normal quitting time is 6) so I could go to dinner with my parents in honor of their anniversary. Today, we were dismissed at 5. Insufficient logic does not compute.
Got cute pictures and a present from Kate on Saturday- much thanks for that.
Went to a baptism on Sunday, and got to play with babies. It was cute and amusing, but Rochester is evil, and mapquest directions are not helpful. I answered the priest's questions, though didn't answer the one about why catholics baptize babies, as I thought the parents ought to answer that themselves, and b/c I don't believe in it. He was a good priest, explaining things, and including the boy's brothers, and the baby (my cousin Michael's youngest boy, Samuel, age one) enjoyed splashing in the font. It was cute. And I got to see my cousin Jenn's baby Kaitlyn, whom I haven't seen since the day after she was born and who is about as sweet a baby as a mother could ask for.
Cutting out of work actually early tomorrow, to go to Albany for a Simon and Garfunkle concert. Going to NYC on Sat. for a Yankee game, and then hopefully seeing the boy in Albany on Sunday. And seeing Goodbye Lenin on Friday at the museum with Eredien. Good week.
Speaking of NYC- I watched the Tonys on Sunday and am now desperate to see a show. Anyone up for it? Avenue Q and Wicked are at the top of my list, though The Boy From Oz looks good too.
I think that's all.
Oh, got a new e-mail address. Same as alfredalum, but at gwu.edu. I guess that's one step closer to being an actual student there. It's fun. Must get the listserv sent there and send out profile looking for roommate. And send in resume to job I'd be perfect for.
The new title is courtesy of me, as my contest failed to generate more than one reply.
We had a horrific thunderstorm tonight, and when my parents and I returned from dinner, the power was out. So I took a nap. I am feeling vaguely more awake now.