(no subject)

[stillane]

This has been a good day.

Had the last class of my undergraduate career this morning, and wasn't sorry to see it go - the class that is, not the undergraduate career. I've determined I do not speak Geography, and I'm at peace with that. I did get downright maudlin after Shakespeare yesterday, though; the thought of never getting to have the book club classroom experience again was depressing. It's making me do silly things like contemplate going for a masters in English on the side. I can't wait to tell The Advisor that and watch him have fits. I had to play fast and loose with the forms to weasel my way into the second major in the first place. Maybe the fact that I'm really thinking about paleontology for grad school will appease him.

Partook in the tradition of champagne and strawberries for seniors this afternoon. It was fun and communal and slightly damp. Plus, strawberries.

One moment of not good: Discovered the citric acid allergy is maybe getting worse. Crap. Pineapple is still enough to hurt me for a day or so, and now apparently lemonade has been added to the ranks. Again, crap. It was just the fresh stuff that got a reaction before, and this is the first evidence of ouch with the processed goods. If it gets to oranges, too, I'm going to pitch a fit. (Incidentally, it's not enough to convince me not to eat these things. I'd rather deal with the sore mouth and buzzy lips than give up pineapple. No, I'm not all that sane. Why do you ask?)

Went to see The Advisor to ask what thesis defenses generally entail hereabouts. Now, I've been wondering about this aloud for weeks, and my friends have said, "Talk to The Advisor!" To which I have replied, "But I know damn well he's going to look at me straight-faced and tell me there are hot pokers involved. And possibly thumbscrews."

His first answer today? "You're in luck. We've decided against the Rack this year."

Yep. Do I know this guy or what?

Ended the day with an induction ceremony to the scientific honor society Sigma Xi. I'm... still kind of flabbergasted about that, actually. Pretty sure it was The Karen's doing that I got in, which makes the 783rd reason I owe that lady something very, very nice. They had a fellow lecture afterward about asteroids and comets and the likelihood that we're about to bite the big one. He made the mistake of saying that everything bigger than a table got wiped out at the K/T boundary. It was thereafter decided that I should scrap the scale bars on my figures and replace them all with tables (of the four-legged variety). Ah, paleontological snark. Hee.

And that's about it for now. I'm tired enough to crash, but I get to sleep in tomorrow. I intend to wake up late, work on the Hydra Story, and maybe accomplish a few other things. Yay. (Also, feartheotter, I might be up for conversation tomorrow night, if'n you were so inclined.)

So, how was your day?

Comments

[feartheotter.livejournal.com]

Alpha: Yes, I might indeed. *tents fingers evily* Any particular time you had in mind?

Beta: Man. A citric allergy would suck... my sympathies. Lemons are awesome.

Gamma: The line "So basically, you annoyed it into submission." REALLY made me laugh this afternoon. *g* (FINALLY got to reading the printout of that. :x )

Delta: I stand by my supposition that they're more like to use the iron maiden.

Epsilon: Um. Dammit. I was gonna say somethin' else and Law & Order distracted me. Bah. Anyway, hi.

[stillane.livejournal.com]

Alpha: Timing of the convivality-wise, I haven't a clue. I'll probably pop up online somewhere between 10 and midnight. Glee club is demanding some reservoirs of my attention. *g*

Gamma: Hee. I'm kind of inordinately attached to that story.

Delta: You may yet be correct. Only the Shadow knows what evil lurks in the hearts of Clapp. And he's not talking.

Epsilon: Hi, yourself. *g*

[feartheotter.livejournal.com]

Oh yeah.

Zeta: My day was a bit dull, but quite alright, thank you. *nods*

[stillane.livejournal.com]

Glad to hear it. Well, the 'quite alright' part, anyway. Not the 'a bit dull'. Except that dull sounds good, so glad to hear that, too. *g*

[enname.livejournal.com]

Woohoo, long may undergrad finish. It had its highlights, but I have to say the postgrad life is so much cushier, even if they suddenly demand high quality work from you. *looks shifty*

Hm, I am still trying to work out how to do an MA in Physics, history, English, Philosophy, Political Science, medicine and possibly flight theory. The course advisors didn't seem to want to take me seriously ... Bah. :P

My day? Long and filled with being the librarian from hell. It gives me great pleasure to tell people to get the hell out if they are talking on their cellphones. Great pleasure. Perhaps too much.

Then there was karate, now I shall make my bed and go to sleep. :P Riveting stuff.

[stillane.livejournal.com]

Ah, postgrad. If only I could figure out what the heck I'm going to do with myself, I'd be in great shape. *sigh* I know all about the million and one interests that are all so darn... well, interesting. One of these days we'll find a way to mush them.

And: flight theory? That's a new one. What exactly does that entail?

Finally: Go, you terror of the stacks, you! I imagine the karate comes in handy with the truly unruly patrons. *g*

[enname.livejournal.com]

I console myself with the thought that I shall be a postgrad forever at this rate. Not to mention poorer than the proverbial doormouse as well, but why concentrate on the pessimistic things? No, think of all the fun dammit. :P
Well, I am still arguing with the unversity that a true 'Arts' degree should include all of these things. In the grand sense of a medieval degree I would be finished by the time I am about 36 and at least a Master of languages, medicine, a science and something that resembles philosophy. They still seem to think 'no' is the correct response :P

As I understand the way the offer flight theory here, it is a mixture of engineering (aviation focus), maths/physics and actual flying. Neat little package.

Karate helps with the stealth mode when creeping through stacks too. My inner ninja can come out to play with the librarian. *blinks* Ok, that is a little kinky. Mwahaha, unhand that phone or I will unhand you!

[aesc.livejournal.com]

Yay for finishing undergrad! Though I must say, graduate work resembles that of the undergraduate, only with a lot more paper. I'm sure there are logging companies in the West and down in the Amazon that are eternally grateful for students who have to print out multiple drafts of multiple 20+ page papers.

As for my day... Yesterday was good by default, because I didn't have class. And yet, despite the sloth not having class usually induces, I got things done.

Good luck on the thesis defense. At mine, I vaguely recall being left in a pit with a pendulum swinging above me.

[stillane.livejournal.com]

Yay for finishing undergrad!

Thank you! I'm kind of looking forward to doing my part to rid the face of the Earth of all greenery. Now if I can just figure out where and in what program I want to do that, I'll be all set. *g*

Glad to hear that the perfect blend of productivity and utter lethargy was reached. It takes skill to do that well.

Thanks for the thesis luck. It's scaring the daylights out of me, but I keep thinking that it's an hour of my life and the worst that can happen is they say no. In the words of the Black Knight, I've had worse. *g*

And on a completely unrelated note: I just made the connection between ICMS and Kalamazoo. I saw you mention the former a little bit ago, and one of my favorite professors went but always refers to it as the latter, and it took a while for my brain to catch up. One of these years, I'm definitely going to have to troop out there. If nothing else, I want to watch the Chaucerians in their native habitat.

You've got no arms left!

[aesc.livejournal.com]

It's scaring the daylights out of me, but I keep thinking that it's an hour of my life and the worst that can happen is they say no.

If it's any consolation, I was terrified before mine, but once I started talking and answering questions, it wasn't so bad. The good thing is, most committees aren't out to sabotage you, so they won't say "Well, did you ever think that maybe your [methodologies, sources, conclusions] are something in which only an idiot would find merit?" or use your defense to make you aware of a serious problem in your work.

One of these years, I'm definitely going to have to troop out there.

Oh, you absolutely must. As far as I know, no other time period represented by the scholarly community has an annual gathering at which papers and seminars are, in part, an excuse to have a good time and become amusingly drunk. And dance. You've never lived until you've seen people whose work you've read and respect dancing to "Who Let the Dogs Out."

Re: You've got no arms left!

[enname.livejournal.com]

Butting in randomly - I hear you with the Kalamazoo as well. Just finished reading one of the papers of a Professor I know who went to a recentish one. There had to have been alcohol involved :P