My 2+ seconds of fame!

my officemate just showed me this video:

look at 1:11 (don't blink, or you'll miss it!)  :)  

it's my video debut (in an uncredited, non-speaking role)  haha

Waste of Space (temporarily)

I am realizing today that I have been a waste of space:

1. I haven't accomplished much this semester (if anything) regarding research.  
2. I did manage to take two classes but eventually dropped one of them due to bizarre issues.
3. I started a blog (heehee).
4. I don't respond to emails in a timely manner.
5. I have been forgetting important deadlines and am having to give lame-o excuses to compensate for being such a chump.

I'm sure there are others not listed, but I'm telling you this b/c it stops today! Everybody is somebody, and right now I'm nobody...and the realization stinks. I'm not depressed, so no worries :) I'm just really seeing that I'm in a research slump (and have been in one since the new year), and I need to snap out of it...or I'll never EVER graduate (and we can't have that)  :)

...so, I'm going to think about how to improve my situation and get back to you in a bit 

PS-it's so hot out today, that I'm actually wearing shorts in public

Paranormal Desktop Computer

As I watch "Paranormal State" on A&E, I'm reminded of my paranormal desktop computer incident from today...

I've killed computers before with my strange electric touch, so it was no surprise that the desktop computer at my office wasn't turning on today.  I pushed the power button at least 15 times to try and turn it on, wiggled the computer cords, held the button in just in case it was in sleep mode...but nothing worked.  It's been on the fritz for a while now - literally taking at least 10 minutes to completely boot up, slow as a tortoise when any program is executed, known to moan every now and then - so I thought to myself "well, it's finally died".  I accepted it's sad fate, said some silent thoughts to myself about the desktop (e.g., "you've been good to me), and then I pulled out my laptop so I could begin checking my email and finishing a project.  I even started an email to send to our computer support person to tell him that my computer has died so he could come haul it away.  I got sidetracked and never sent the email (it's still in my draft folder!).  Then...maybe 4 hours later, the desktop computer turns itself on!  I looked around to see if it was a joke someone played on me, but no one was around!  too strange!

Moose and Ice Do Not Mix

Nari sent me this story about a moose getting stuck in some soft ice on a lake in Washington. Fortunately, firefighters were able to successfully save the poor moose!

Here is the amazing story: Dramatic moose rescue caught on tape | NECN (Thanks, Nari!!)

This proves that moose and ice do not mix :)

The Sound of Silence

I heard a cover of "The Sound of Silence" (originally by Simon and Garfunkel) yesterday, and it made me think about my idiosyncrasies involving silence.  Sometimes I crave absolute silence (e.g., when I'm trying to sleep), and sometimes I can't stand silence (e.g., anytime I'm writing).  

I am that person that cannot fall asleep when there is a leaky faucet or when there is a clock ticking.  I can't even sleep when I hear someone else breathing while they are sleeping - it makes me crazy!  Sometimes I'll sleep with earplugs, but they make the inside of my ears itch.   We have an oscillating fan in our bedroom that acts as white noise for me (for B, he needs it because "(he) gets hot in (his) sleep").  I remember being annoyed by the fan on several occasions when we've set it so it wouldn't oscillate (you just push a button).  I get annoyed because even though it isn't rotating anymore, the motor in the fan still makes a sound like it is oscillating.  You can hear it change (well, maybe only I can with my superhuman hearing), and I can't take it!   I have a special way of dealing with this - aggressively moving the head of the fan around to stop the motor from trying to oscillate (I'm positive it helps).  I have it "set" now so that you can't hear the motor...I just have to make sure B doesn't touch it :)  (and he doesn't) :)

I really think silence is deafening when I'm working on a paper.  When I really need to crank something out in a 4-6 hours, I usually play a movie on my DVD player while working.  This can't be just any movie...it has to be a movie that I've seen thousands of times.  When I was an undergrad, those movies were "You've Got Mail" or "Step Mom" (heehee).  I don't have copies of either of them anymore, so currently it's any one of the following: "The Fugitive" (haha), "Bridget Jones's Diary", "Center Stage", "The Long Kiss Goodnight", or "Baby Boom".  Strange variety, I know.  But, it's amazing how much work I get through when I have those movies playing.  When I'm working at the office, my productivity really spikes when I listen to Justin Timberlake or Ladytron.  Two very different genres of music, yet I can work like no other when I'm listening to them.  I'm really no different than I was 10-15 years ago...I was always studying and/or doing homework while watching TV or listening to my CD player.  Old habits never die, I guess (or do they die hard?).

I do wish I wasn't still so addicted to TV...maybe next year I'll give it up for Lent...we shall see :)