Sending April off with a bang!

April has been an otherwise annoying month. Thankfully the end of April is beginning to turn itself around (which still brings high hopes for May, which has some exciting things planned in it). I look forward to seeing what the future has in store.

I'm currently editing a paper in my office. I tidied my desk early (both a form of procrastination, and for my sanity). The paper is significantly better than the previous versions, and I think that that ought to be true, since it was first written by Josh in his second year, long before he had really gotten into his research. Now as a fourth year it seems to be a much more together and focused paper. I'm proud of it.

I got a goldfish plant for the office. Meghan said that she liked it. I really like it, it brings a bit of life to the office, and will make me feel less depressed while working here in the summer. I also brought in a butterfly chair. Granted, it's not as nice as JD's new office chair, it's a real improvement on the current sitting situation in the office. Maybe sometime over the summer I can replace my desk lamp.

Since my last post a lot has actually happened. Some of the highlights include: meeting Jorge Cham of PhD comics, sitting through the first GASP meeting of 2011-2012, booking the first stage of my trip to Colorado, permanently changing my appearance, and spending more time with my fellow classmates (no sign of desirable number one, but i'm pretty sure that that is destined to go nowhere, so i'm glad to at least be seeing more of the others). Sana and I started talking again and I'm glad.

Anyways, back to listening to Parachutes (Coldplay) and editing!

determination

i'm working on this paper in sections, and skipping back and forth between them (it takes a lot of work these days to get through a paper). i'm determined however to get this shit done pretty soon. I'm about halfway through it, page-wise. But I really want to see Devon and Konrad tonight (so I am aiming for 10 pages before I go out), and I want to have lunch with Em tomorrow (which means that by the time I go out / go to bed, this paper not only needs to be nearly finished page-wise, but that it needs to be conceptually near done).

when this is all over i want to post some things from my teenage journals (i used to keep paper journals). i'll either type them up or scan pages. since i've been packing / cleaning my parents house, i've come across these wonderful little finds. they're quite great, i was a pretty passionate teenager (which is a stark difference to my apathetic 20s). they'll also highlight reasons for which it is sometimes better to be apathetic and emotionally stable, then wild and out of control. while i miss my days of more reckless spontaneousness (i still feel impulsive, just in a more controlled way), i don't overall miss my teenage years.

An Important Experiment

Between high school and undergrad I was really happy to move to my cottage for the summer, and be free of all of the social obligations that resulted from having the internet. Unfortunately, I lost this battle early as my parents bought me a laptop for graduation, and installed the internet so that my father could work from the cottage. Disappointed as I may have been to lose my excused freedom from the keyboard, I managed it well. I only used the internet after the sun went down, and only when I was alone without a friend in town. Here we are 6 years later, and yet again I find myself wanting the same things. So I cancelled my internet for the summer... and maybe longer. To be fair the stakes have changed since I was 17. For one, I'm paying for my own internet, for another I have an office with unlimited internet at my disposal all day (I also have to impose a rule on myself to leave the office at a reasonable hour and enjoy all that the summer has to offer), and lastly, I have a phone with a great dataplan that can save me in times of need (sometimes you just need to look something up quickly). To be clear, I'm not cutting myself off, I'm just using moderation.

Giving up the internet means gaining more time, and with more time comes great responsibility (to not waste it elsewhere). As a result, I have decided to make a list of new season's resolutions.

1. Read more (fiction and non-fiction)
2. Write more (fiction and non-fiction)
3. Bike more, explore more
4. Photograph more
5. Swim more
6. Cook more (I want to try a new recipe every day, and why not? I will allow days to be skipped if instead of coming home to cook, I spend time out with others)
7. Commit more (I said I would join the basketball team, and the dodgeball team... now if it would just happen)
8. Socialize more (visit people more)

Wish me luck, I'm going to need it!

South Western Ontario Road Trip!

This weekend I'm hitting up Hamilton, Guelph and KW! Hamilton for some fun with old elementary school friends (one of which JUST got engaged), Guelph tomorrow for the Arkells, and KW on Sunday for TKD, stim making, and homework! It's going to be a long weekend!

I've also just finished my LSA application. So fingers crossed that I win an award so that I can afford to attend the institute this summer!

everlong (acoustic, greatest hits version)

yesterday i told my friend brendan that i feel nothing. he asked if i had some sort of superhuman spy training. man, i wish that were the case.

i felt a bit annoyed today. i was told that my program likely will not include a master's section. i personally would like to get my master's. I'm doing all the same work that the students who get a masters with their phd are doing, so I want the same recognition. i think that that is fair.

anyways, work to do tomorrow:

• finish stats assignment
• start working on LSA statement
• make some stimuli for new study
• contact RA about calling daycares
• start readings for next week
• email marta back
• dishes!
• email students about make up exam