Ahh, this is the life. Getting some academic work done from the home office. I haven't had internet at home for a veeeery long time. I've never ever had speedy internet at home, in the past it was always dial-up. So this is a new thing for me.
This morning I finished my own abstract for the upcoming AMQUA meeting in August. I sent it off to my advisor (co-author) and she emailed me back in minutes saying it was good to submit and I could register. It's really cool to have an email-responsive advisor. She's the type who checks her email every 5 minutes while she's sitting at her computer, so responses from her are super fast. Now that I have email at home though, she can get in touch with me more often. I guess it's a two-edged sword.
Now I have to walk up to school to take my husband some lunch and do a few things there. Then it's back here for some cleaning and organizing and maybe some more academic work. I have some data processing to do and then I have to put together the AMQUA poster. And writing my thesis!
May 30, 2006
May 17, 2006
HOT!
I'm taking a short break from counting pollen to put my feet up and eat some applesauce. It's been in the 80s here for the past couple of days, and I'm starting to swell. Ick. It's not too bad, but I can feel it in my hands and feet. I could really use a nap right now too, but I've got to stick it out through two more slides. Not so bad.
I'm looking out the window right now and it is so beautiful outside that I don't want to stay in!
Here is a really pretty picture for those of you that enjoy pretty pictures. It's from last summer.
May 15, 2006
Back? Maybe
This semester was really busy, and I wanted to get things done so blogging fell by the wayside. Pretty soon we'll be getting internet at our house, so I will probably post more. I've been thinking about it. Since March we've moved to Family Housing. It's super nice here, we're in a 3-bedroom townhouse-type house. It's taken a while to set up, and it's still not finished. There is still some organization needed, but it'll get there. This past weekend we sort of fixed up the new baby's room. We don't have much furniture yet (no crib, etc.) but we do have a dresser and a rocking chair. I unpacked my old stuffed animals and put them in hammocks which is pretty cute. And we washed all the baby clothes we have so they're all ready and we don't have to think about that anymore. It seems like we're set on clothes for the first few months, until it gets cold.
I'm well on my way to finishing my masters. I'll be done counting pollen this month. Then I have data analysis and writing. I've moved much of my stuff home to the "office" there, and that's where I'll be writing. It should be good, I've always liked working from home, and writing seems easier there.
Things seem to be going well with the baby. I'm getting kicked and punched all the time (right now in fact). It's been fun, and we're both looking forward to having it "outside" me.
I'm well on my way to finishing my masters. I'll be done counting pollen this month. Then I have data analysis and writing. I've moved much of my stuff home to the "office" there, and that's where I'll be writing. It should be good, I've always liked working from home, and writing seems easier there.
Things seem to be going well with the baby. I'm getting kicked and punched all the time (right now in fact). It's been fun, and we're both looking forward to having it "outside" me.
March 02, 2006
Emotional Crumminess
I'm feeling like I really need to post about this (weird!)...
At the end of last summer I posted about telling the new grad student how the lab is. Turns out she just recently got an email from a prospective grad student with questions about the lab. So, she wrote her back and told her what she thinks about the situation here. She was truthful, and I thought she wasn't very harsh at all (she let me see her reply email). Well, apparently she was talking to a couple of our lab-mates yesterday and they yelled at her for being so truthful. They made her feel so bad that she wrote back to the prospective grad student and told her to ask the rest of us (now I have an email to respond to).
I am a little angry because I read her reply email and I thought it was truthful and straightforward without being rude. I feel strongly about telling new and prospective grad students the truth. Why doesn't everyone? Why should new students be "buttered up"? Just to get them to come to your University? Rrrrrr.
At the end of last summer I posted about telling the new grad student how the lab is. Turns out she just recently got an email from a prospective grad student with questions about the lab. So, she wrote her back and told her what she thinks about the situation here. She was truthful, and I thought she wasn't very harsh at all (she let me see her reply email). Well, apparently she was talking to a couple of our lab-mates yesterday and they yelled at her for being so truthful. They made her feel so bad that she wrote back to the prospective grad student and told her to ask the rest of us (now I have an email to respond to).
I am a little angry because I read her reply email and I thought it was truthful and straightforward without being rude. I feel strongly about telling new and prospective grad students the truth. Why doesn't everyone? Why should new students be "buttered up"? Just to get them to come to your University? Rrrrrr.
February 23, 2006
This semester hasn't seen much blogging
I'm sick with a bad cold right now, so I'm sitting here staring at the computer instead of staring through a microscope at pollen. It doesn't feel much better on the eyes. My monitor stinks - I really need a new computer. The one I'm using is old and fryed.
Anyway, there hasn't been much time for blogging in my life lately. I don't have a hugely hectic schedule at school, but during most of my downtime (i.e. not in class or teaching lab) I am counting pollen. It is going well so far. I've mastered the common types in my area (diploxylon pine and artemisia are the big ones, then there are some chenopods, spruce, fir, sometimes a tubuliflorae). I have seen some neato grains, like a linguliflorae, and a caryophyllaceae. I've seen some alder too, which is a nice change of pace from artemisia. I'm trying to power through the pollen.
Last weekend before I got sick I finished counting my charcoal. Now I just have to "analyze" the data - read: blackbox it. I don't want to talk about the black box. Ugh. This is supposedly for a semester project in the class I'm taking from my advisor this semester. Something I can do for that class and also incorporate into my thesis. Not a bad thing, but not too interesting either. I have a semester paper in my other class too, and at first I thought, "Oh, I want to do some more thesis research for that paper too, so I don't 'waste' any time this semester." Then I got to thinking, "How boring!" I like learning new things, and recently I've been realizing that I am really interested in something completely different. So for that paper, I'm focusing on something I'll really enjoy. It'll be a literature review paper instead of a data paper, but that's fine with the professor so that's fine with me. I feel much better for choosing that too, like I'm doing something I want with my time, not just trudging on to the final thesis product.
So I haven't had much time for blogging. I have also been "being pregnant" which is cool. I had an ultrasound last week which was super cool! I also started feeling my baby move around last week, which was also way exciting. I've been feeling it every day since then, and it's pretty cool. Other people can even feel it if they touch my belly - it's already that powerful! So, yes, thinking about mommy-hood is taking up some of my time.
To tell you all the truth, I also haven't felt too much like blogging lately. I don't have time to surf the net, so I don't find interesting newsy things to talk about, and I don't read all that many other blogs. Reading what happened to BotanicalGirl really made me sad too, and that put a wedge between me and my blog. There are some things I have been thinking about related to academia and my PhD (?) but I'm questioning whether or not to put them on here. My husband says I should, because we don't talk to a bunch of other people about our problems/thoughts on academia, so I should maybe get other feedback. But I'm leery about it still. Maybe the next time I get some quality time in front of the computer I will post about some of that.
Anyway, there hasn't been much time for blogging in my life lately. I don't have a hugely hectic schedule at school, but during most of my downtime (i.e. not in class or teaching lab) I am counting pollen. It is going well so far. I've mastered the common types in my area (diploxylon pine and artemisia are the big ones, then there are some chenopods, spruce, fir, sometimes a tubuliflorae). I have seen some neato grains, like a linguliflorae, and a caryophyllaceae. I've seen some alder too, which is a nice change of pace from artemisia. I'm trying to power through the pollen.
Last weekend before I got sick I finished counting my charcoal. Now I just have to "analyze" the data - read: blackbox it. I don't want to talk about the black box. Ugh. This is supposedly for a semester project in the class I'm taking from my advisor this semester. Something I can do for that class and also incorporate into my thesis. Not a bad thing, but not too interesting either. I have a semester paper in my other class too, and at first I thought, "Oh, I want to do some more thesis research for that paper too, so I don't 'waste' any time this semester." Then I got to thinking, "How boring!" I like learning new things, and recently I've been realizing that I am really interested in something completely different. So for that paper, I'm focusing on something I'll really enjoy. It'll be a literature review paper instead of a data paper, but that's fine with the professor so that's fine with me. I feel much better for choosing that too, like I'm doing something I want with my time, not just trudging on to the final thesis product.
So I haven't had much time for blogging. I have also been "being pregnant" which is cool. I had an ultrasound last week which was super cool! I also started feeling my baby move around last week, which was also way exciting. I've been feeling it every day since then, and it's pretty cool. Other people can even feel it if they touch my belly - it's already that powerful! So, yes, thinking about mommy-hood is taking up some of my time.
To tell you all the truth, I also haven't felt too much like blogging lately. I don't have time to surf the net, so I don't find interesting newsy things to talk about, and I don't read all that many other blogs. Reading what happened to BotanicalGirl really made me sad too, and that put a wedge between me and my blog. There are some things I have been thinking about related to academia and my PhD (?) but I'm questioning whether or not to put them on here. My husband says I should, because we don't talk to a bunch of other people about our problems/thoughts on academia, so I should maybe get other feedback. But I'm leery about it still. Maybe the next time I get some quality time in front of the computer I will post about some of that.
February 12, 2006
no title
"If there is someone on your blogroll who makes your world a better place just because that person exists and who you would not have met (in real life or not) without the internet, then post this same sentence on your blog."
February 07, 2006
The all-powerful 5 things meme
I haven't had the chance to post in a looong time, and then I get tagged by BotanicalGirl! Hehe!
Just so you all know, I've been counting pollen, not goofing off. But it really takes the time away from the blog-reading and the blogging!
Remove the blog in the top spot from the following list and bump everyone up one place. Then add your blog to the bottom slot, like so.
1. Seeking Solace
2. StatGirl
3. ScienceWoman
4. BotanicalGirl
5. K
Then select five people to tag!
1. SithKnits
2. Rhyax
3. Soma
4. B
5. Where's My Tab?
What were you doing ten years ago?
Ten years ago I was in 8th grade. I don't remember a lot of specific events from then (is that bad?), but I had recently started playing the cello, which was awesome. I was really dorky in middle school though, so maybe that's why I don't remember doing a bunch of fun stuff...
What were you doing one year ago
One year ago I was writing grants frantically (well, maybe not frantically) trying to fund my master's research. I didn't write that many actually, only 3. And 2 out of 3 got funded, so I got all the money I needed. I was still trying to get used to grad school and a new place. The new place hasn't been easy. I think I'm still adjusting!
Five snacks you enjoy
1. Animal cookies! I eat too many of these.
2. Cheddar cheese. Yes, just a piece of cheddar cheese.
3. Pistachios.
4. Carrots and ranch dip.
5. Seedless oranges.
The funny thing is that most of these I have only recently been snacking on! Yay for pregnancy. A few month's ago I wasn't eating pistachios or animal cookies or just pieces of cheese. Huh.
Five Songs to Which I Know All the Lyrics
1. Ace of Base - The Sign. Heheh
2. The Beatles - I know lots of their songs...
3. Goo Goo Dolls - Fallin' Down
4. The Clash - London Calling
5. The Ramones - Rock and Roll High School
Five things you would do if you were a millionaire:
1. Move away from here to somewhere I want to live.
2. Build a super-cool dream house there.
3. Buy a car that has a working speedometer!
4. Take a vacation, or two.
5. Save some both for "retirement" and my child's education.
Five Bad Habits
1. Saying "like" too much. I'm no 'valley-girl' but I do say it, and it makes me sound silly.
2. Slouching.
3. Not eating enough vegetables.
4. Being judgemental.
5. Watching too much Star Trek.
Five Things You Like Doing
1. Watching Star Trek. Heheh
2. Taking walks.
3. Hanging out with my husband!
4. Reading.
5. Sleeping.
Five Things You Would Never Wear Again
1. Two pairs of socks, layered.
2. A thumb ring. It's just not comfortable anymore.
3. A skirt that's too short.
4. Tapered-leg pants. I just can't stand them.
5. Jacket that is 2 sizes too big.
Five Favorite Toys
1. My sewing machine. I need to use it more, but I do love it!
2. My computer, with whatever silly games on it.
3. Our Gamecube.
4. Whatever book I'm currently reading. Now it is War and Peace by Tolstoy. I'm serious!
5. Pollen-slide making stuff and a microscope.
Just so you all know, I've been counting pollen, not goofing off. But it really takes the time away from the blog-reading and the blogging!
Remove the blog in the top spot from the following list and bump everyone up one place. Then add your blog to the bottom slot, like so.
1. Seeking Solace
2. StatGirl
3. ScienceWoman
4. BotanicalGirl
5. K
Then select five people to tag!
1. SithKnits
2. Rhyax
3. Soma
4. B
5. Where's My Tab?
What were you doing ten years ago?
Ten years ago I was in 8th grade. I don't remember a lot of specific events from then (is that bad?), but I had recently started playing the cello, which was awesome. I was really dorky in middle school though, so maybe that's why I don't remember doing a bunch of fun stuff...
What were you doing one year ago
One year ago I was writing grants frantically (well, maybe not frantically) trying to fund my master's research. I didn't write that many actually, only 3. And 2 out of 3 got funded, so I got all the money I needed. I was still trying to get used to grad school and a new place. The new place hasn't been easy. I think I'm still adjusting!
Five snacks you enjoy
1. Animal cookies! I eat too many of these.
2. Cheddar cheese. Yes, just a piece of cheddar cheese.
3. Pistachios.
4. Carrots and ranch dip.
5. Seedless oranges.
The funny thing is that most of these I have only recently been snacking on! Yay for pregnancy. A few month's ago I wasn't eating pistachios or animal cookies or just pieces of cheese. Huh.
Five Songs to Which I Know All the Lyrics
1. Ace of Base - The Sign. Heheh
2. The Beatles - I know lots of their songs...
3. Goo Goo Dolls - Fallin' Down
4. The Clash - London Calling
5. The Ramones - Rock and Roll High School
Five things you would do if you were a millionaire:
1. Move away from here to somewhere I want to live.
2. Build a super-cool dream house there.
3. Buy a car that has a working speedometer!
4. Take a vacation, or two.
5. Save some both for "retirement" and my child's education.
Five Bad Habits
1. Saying "like" too much. I'm no 'valley-girl' but I do say it, and it makes me sound silly.
2. Slouching.
3. Not eating enough vegetables.
4. Being judgemental.
5. Watching too much Star Trek.
Five Things You Like Doing
1. Watching Star Trek. Heheh
2. Taking walks.
3. Hanging out with my husband!
4. Reading.
5. Sleeping.
Five Things You Would Never Wear Again
1. Two pairs of socks, layered.
2. A thumb ring. It's just not comfortable anymore.
3. A skirt that's too short.
4. Tapered-leg pants. I just can't stand them.
5. Jacket that is 2 sizes too big.
Five Favorite Toys
1. My sewing machine. I need to use it more, but I do love it!
2. My computer, with whatever silly games on it.
3. Our Gamecube.
4. Whatever book I'm currently reading. Now it is War and Peace by Tolstoy. I'm serious!
5. Pollen-slide making stuff and a microscope.
January 26, 2006
Passed
My comps are over. This means I get to keep working. Phew!
I'm finding it very difficult to write something now, because in my head I'm being sarcastic and you can't make a blog sound very sarcastic. I've tried before (I guess, I didn't try very hard) and text just doesn't come across as sarcastic. Too bad, because I'm a pretty sarcastic person. Oh well.
I'm finding it very difficult to write something now, because in my head I'm being sarcastic and you can't make a blog sound very sarcastic. I've tried before (I guess, I didn't try very hard) and text just doesn't come across as sarcastic. Too bad, because I'm a pretty sarcastic person. Oh well.
January 19, 2006
the before-comp weirdness
My comps are next Wednesday 9am. I'm still studying feverishly. Studying so much makes me forget to do simple things. I can't stand too much of it. My brain is so full of whatever that I am always behind or late or confused.
Anyway, besides that we heard our baby's heartbeat again yesterday. The doctor said it sounds very good. The ultrasound is scheduled in a month!
Anyway, besides that we heard our baby's heartbeat again yesterday. The doctor said it sounds very good. The ultrasound is scheduled in a month!
January 12, 2006
Comps studying
Ok, here I am studying for my comps. Actually taking a short break to write this post. I hope you all notice the La Nina post below. What might happen to you in a weak La Nina? Well, if you live on the Gulf Coast you will see it a bit drier than normal, and if you live in the northern Great Plains and Montana you will see it a bit cooler than normal (yay). In the Pacific Northwest it should be a bit cooler and wetter than normal. These things you can expect for the spring.
Anyway, I was going to write something about the daunting amount of reading I have piled in front of me. I realize it is not really THAT much. It could be worse. I have a binder devoted to climate papers - including Teton specific glacier stuff, other Rocky Mountain glacier stuff, ENSO papers, PDO papers, and decadal-to-millennial scale climate variability stuff. Then there's the geography binder (which is thin) and it has stuff on Western settlement geography, grazing history related to settlement, bioregional history stuff, and a little National Park Service historical geography. I've also read a few books which can't be in the binder. Then there is my vegetation/fire binder which is very thick and it has postglacial vegetation papers mostly from surrounding my area, Western US general veg history, charcoal methods papers, tree-ring methods papers and other tree-ring studies in my area, fire and climate stuff from the Western US, a source-area paper or two, and a copy of the Federal Wildland Fire Management Policy and Guidance Overview. My next binder is just as thick and includes all the papers we read in the Vegetation History class I took, and lastly I have an archaeology binder that includes some random papers of Jackson Hole archaeology and pages copied out of *the* volume on archaeology in the valley. Oh, and last but not least I have to go over my notes from my Quaternary Geology class and go over a glacial and Quaternary geology book to get my bearings in Quaternary geology again. I keep forgetting about that! Ugh!
I have to go over all the old papers I haven't read in a year or 6 months, and finish reading the geography stuff. I'm hoping for January 25th or thereabouts for the test. I think I'll be ready.
Anyway, I was going to write something about the daunting amount of reading I have piled in front of me. I realize it is not really THAT much. It could be worse. I have a binder devoted to climate papers - including Teton specific glacier stuff, other Rocky Mountain glacier stuff, ENSO papers, PDO papers, and decadal-to-millennial scale climate variability stuff. Then there's the geography binder (which is thin) and it has stuff on Western settlement geography, grazing history related to settlement, bioregional history stuff, and a little National Park Service historical geography. I've also read a few books which can't be in the binder. Then there is my vegetation/fire binder which is very thick and it has postglacial vegetation papers mostly from surrounding my area, Western US general veg history, charcoal methods papers, tree-ring methods papers and other tree-ring studies in my area, fire and climate stuff from the Western US, a source-area paper or two, and a copy of the Federal Wildland Fire Management Policy and Guidance Overview. My next binder is just as thick and includes all the papers we read in the Vegetation History class I took, and lastly I have an archaeology binder that includes some random papers of Jackson Hole archaeology and pages copied out of *the* volume on archaeology in the valley. Oh, and last but not least I have to go over my notes from my Quaternary Geology class and go over a glacial and Quaternary geology book to get my bearings in Quaternary geology again. I keep forgetting about that! Ugh!
I have to go over all the old papers I haven't read in a year or 6 months, and finish reading the geography stuff. I'm hoping for January 25th or thereabouts for the test. I think I'll be ready.
Cool climate stuff
NOAA predicts weak La Nina!
This is cool because just last week when we were in Jackson, WY, and a bunch of moisture was happening in CA and a bunch of fires were happening in OK, TX and NM, I was wondering if this year will be a La Nina or an El Nino. And, I'm studying up on ENSO for my comps, so I'm all into this stuff.
This is cool because just last week when we were in Jackson, WY, and a bunch of moisture was happening in CA and a bunch of fires were happening in OK, TX and NM, I was wondering if this year will be a La Nina or an El Nino. And, I'm studying up on ENSO for my comps, so I'm all into this stuff.
January 11, 2006
School, again
I hope everyone had a good holiday and that you all got a chance to do something you wanted to.
Today: back to school. Not really for me though, since I only have classes on Monday and Fridays. I am TAing though, so that all gets figured out this week.
I don't have much to say because my brain is packed with things for my comprehensive exam. I studied all break, and I'm still studying. I just really want to get them over with! Very soon. Then maybe I can concentrate on finishing. Heh, fat chance!
2nd doctor's appointment next week! Ultrasound is coming up soon.
Today: back to school. Not really for me though, since I only have classes on Monday and Fridays. I am TAing though, so that all gets figured out this week.
I don't have much to say because my brain is packed with things for my comprehensive exam. I studied all break, and I'm still studying. I just really want to get them over with! Very soon. Then maybe I can concentrate on finishing. Heh, fat chance!
2nd doctor's appointment next week! Ultrasound is coming up soon.
December 20, 2005
No fitting title
A couple of hours ago my husband and I heard our baby's heartbeat for the first time! It was so, so incredibly cool. Wow.
Otherwise the doctor visit went well. I am not at high risk for anything. I am healthy. I've actually lost 5lb since my last visit at the beginning of November. I didn't have to have a pap, just a little bit of blood taken to test my thyroid. All is well.
Otherwise the doctor visit went well. I am not at high risk for anything. I am healthy. I've actually lost 5lb since my last visit at the beginning of November. I didn't have to have a pap, just a little bit of blood taken to test my thyroid. All is well.
December 19, 2005
Thanks!
Thanks for all of your congratulations! I'm excited about having a baby, but sometimes it's really hard to be happy and excited *at the moment*. Like when I'm sick or sleepy at 7pm, or when I can't cook anything because it makes me nauseous, or when I think about how different things are going to be! Silly. I've got a doctor's appointment tomorrow, so I'll let you know how that goes.
I've decided that studying for comps will take precedence over counting pollen. Why? So I can get the darn test over with as soon as possible! Late January, probably. Which will be better than February because I think one of my committee members is going to be gone most of February. So, with a couple exceptions I will be reading constantly for the next month. I'm almost certain to fry my brain. But then, it'll be done!
I'd better start... I'll probably need a new eyeglasses prescription when this is done too!
I've decided that studying for comps will take precedence over counting pollen. Why? So I can get the darn test over with as soon as possible! Late January, probably. Which will be better than February because I think one of my committee members is going to be gone most of February. So, with a couple exceptions I will be reading constantly for the next month. I'm almost certain to fry my brain. But then, it'll be done!
I'd better start... I'll probably need a new eyeglasses prescription when this is done too!
December 15, 2005
Finally posting again
Yes, finally. After a loooong time. Sorry. I am finally done for this semester. This morning I had a 7am final. Actually, it was either 7, 7:30 or 8. I got there at 7:30. I was throwing up at 7.
Why was I throwing up? Well, I will tell you all now that I am pregnant. I got pregnant in October. Baby is due sometime around July 6. I don't know about any of you who have been pregnant in school, but the first trimester is killing me! I've been sick since week six. And I'm so sleepy! Sheesh. Somehow I managed to complete the semester. I'm so glad.
During break, we are going to visit D's dad and family for Christmas. We're leaving Christmas day again (we did this last year). It's fun though. I'm looking forward to Chicago. Then, just after New Years we are going down to Jackson for some more of my thesis research. This time we're going to hang out at the Historical Society in downtown Jackson for 3+ days. I'm looking for old photographs of any areas around the lakes I cored. I want documentation of land-use changes since settlement. At the Historical Society there are also documents and papers, journals, etc. So we've got our work cut out for us, but at the same time we get to hang out in beautiful Jackson in January, and we got a hotel for really cheap!
Then it's back to school. Over break I am also studying for my comprehensive exam, which will be sometime in Feb I think. My topics are: paleoecology, Quaternary history of the greater Yellowstone area, and settlement of the West and specifically Jackson Hole. I have to get on that settlement stuff, because I know nothing about it. I have a couple books already, and I have a list of papers that I have to get from the library. That's next Monday's project. Also over break I have to start counting pollen. I can't decide which is most important - studying or counting. I don't think I'll fail my comps, but I have to learn this settlement stuff and review everything else or I might do so bad they can't help but fail me. However, getting everything done is going to be a problem. I have to decide on a priority, and I haven't yet.
Everyone, enjoy your break (if you get one)! And do take a little bit of time off to appreciate the fact that you are alive. Happy holidays.
Why was I throwing up? Well, I will tell you all now that I am pregnant. I got pregnant in October. Baby is due sometime around July 6. I don't know about any of you who have been pregnant in school, but the first trimester is killing me! I've been sick since week six. And I'm so sleepy! Sheesh. Somehow I managed to complete the semester. I'm so glad.
During break, we are going to visit D's dad and family for Christmas. We're leaving Christmas day again (we did this last year). It's fun though. I'm looking forward to Chicago. Then, just after New Years we are going down to Jackson for some more of my thesis research. This time we're going to hang out at the Historical Society in downtown Jackson for 3+ days. I'm looking for old photographs of any areas around the lakes I cored. I want documentation of land-use changes since settlement. At the Historical Society there are also documents and papers, journals, etc. So we've got our work cut out for us, but at the same time we get to hang out in beautiful Jackson in January, and we got a hotel for really cheap!
Then it's back to school. Over break I am also studying for my comprehensive exam, which will be sometime in Feb I think. My topics are: paleoecology, Quaternary history of the greater Yellowstone area, and settlement of the West and specifically Jackson Hole. I have to get on that settlement stuff, because I know nothing about it. I have a couple books already, and I have a list of papers that I have to get from the library. That's next Monday's project. Also over break I have to start counting pollen. I can't decide which is most important - studying or counting. I don't think I'll fail my comps, but I have to learn this settlement stuff and review everything else or I might do so bad they can't help but fail me. However, getting everything done is going to be a problem. I have to decide on a priority, and I haven't yet.
Everyone, enjoy your break (if you get one)! And do take a little bit of time off to appreciate the fact that you are alive. Happy holidays.
November 22, 2005
I made an age-depth model
Yes, this morning I sat down and made an age-depth model for the one core that I have fully dated. I did get those radiocarbon dates which I was waiting for to see how old my records are, and now I'm waiting on some 210 Pb dates from the tops of the other two cores. When you have both 14C and 210Pb dates from a site, you can put them together and make a pretty graph. So that's what I did. Here is that nice graph:
Isn't it pretty? I fit a 3rd order polynomial to the data (black line) which is the actual "model". Now I use that to make my charcoal data into a time-series. Then I can start doing all kinds of fun statistics on it. I am looking forward to getting my other lakes age-depth models worked out because one big thing I want to look at is possible correllations between lakes.
Isn't it pretty? I fit a 3rd order polynomial to the data (black line) which is the actual "model". Now I use that to make my charcoal data into a time-series. Then I can start doing all kinds of fun statistics on it. I am looking forward to getting my other lakes age-depth models worked out because one big thing I want to look at is possible correllations between lakes.
November 17, 2005
Shot day
Today was flu shot day. My husband and I both got them this year. I can't even remember the last time I had a flu shot. It must have been years and years ago.
Today was also nap-at-work day. Whew! I was so exhausted that I fell asleep in my chair for about 20 minutes. Then when I woke up I was all out-of-it. Needless to say, I haven't gotten much done today other than that flu shot.
I did grade tests, and I'm about to go get some dirt out of the oven and then go to class. I'm still way tired and just sluggish. I'm so glad the semester is almost over!
Today was also nap-at-work day. Whew! I was so exhausted that I fell asleep in my chair for about 20 minutes. Then when I woke up I was all out-of-it. Needless to say, I haven't gotten much done today other than that flu shot.
I did grade tests, and I'm about to go get some dirt out of the oven and then go to class. I'm still way tired and just sluggish. I'm so glad the semester is almost over!
November 15, 2005
Well, well
Another week. I can hardly believe that Thanksgiving is next week! My husband and I are leaving on Wednesday for his mom's house. We're coming back the following Monday. Should be a nice vacation - if I could be assured of not being airsick.
The week after Thanksgiving I have a committee meeting that I have to prep for, and I have another presentation that week too. Ugh. At least the semester is almost over. I'm just looking forward to the break from classes. Yes, I have to work a lot over Christmas break, but at least I don't have to go to class at certain times. I'm getting really tired of that.
I have to go use the printer now to print some papers I need to read for class tomorrow. I completely forgot all weekend, and yesterday, so now I have to catch up. Yay. My brain is addled.
The week after Thanksgiving I have a committee meeting that I have to prep for, and I have another presentation that week too. Ugh. At least the semester is almost over. I'm just looking forward to the break from classes. Yes, I have to work a lot over Christmas break, but at least I don't have to go to class at certain times. I'm getting really tired of that.
I have to go use the printer now to print some papers I need to read for class tomorrow. I completely forgot all weekend, and yesterday, so now I have to catch up. Yay. My brain is addled.
November 10, 2005
Long weekend!
I didn't realize until yesterday that tomorrow is Veteran's Day and that means no classes! No statistics tomorrow, yay! A long weekend will be nice. I don't know what we're going to do, but we'll do something.
I feel like I'm plodding along so slowly in my research. Now I'm supposed to finish by the end of June, and that doesn't seem plausible to me. I still have to count all the pollen samples, and then I have to do a whole bunch of data analysis, and write my actual thesis. I feel like maybe I could finish by then if I worked non-stop. But I can't do that. If I did I would just go crazy. Plus I still have to take classes next semester. Aargh! I'm a little worried about this. And I STILL have to go back to Jackson one more time to look at photographs. I don't even know how I'm going to work the photograph thing into my thesis. Yes, this week I'm supposedly "powering" through another round of thesis questions - so that I really can start writing my intro and methods and that preliminary stuff. I'm kind of stuck though. I guess I just have to sit down and think for a while - something I haven't had time for.
On a completely random side note, the strangest things can cheer me up. Just now, I was thinking about the above paragraph and looking at my desk when I realized that I still have these two fake rocks that are models of rocks on Mars. They're fake because they're not really from Mars and they're man-made. But they're pretty cool! That just made me a little bit happier.
Have a wonderful weekend, everyone! Relax a little...
I feel like I'm plodding along so slowly in my research. Now I'm supposed to finish by the end of June, and that doesn't seem plausible to me. I still have to count all the pollen samples, and then I have to do a whole bunch of data analysis, and write my actual thesis. I feel like maybe I could finish by then if I worked non-stop. But I can't do that. If I did I would just go crazy. Plus I still have to take classes next semester. Aargh! I'm a little worried about this. And I STILL have to go back to Jackson one more time to look at photographs. I don't even know how I'm going to work the photograph thing into my thesis. Yes, this week I'm supposedly "powering" through another round of thesis questions - so that I really can start writing my intro and methods and that preliminary stuff. I'm kind of stuck though. I guess I just have to sit down and think for a while - something I haven't had time for.
On a completely random side note, the strangest things can cheer me up. Just now, I was thinking about the above paragraph and looking at my desk when I realized that I still have these two fake rocks that are models of rocks on Mars. They're fake because they're not really from Mars and they're man-made. But they're pretty cool! That just made me a little bit happier.
Have a wonderful weekend, everyone! Relax a little...
November 07, 2005
To do this week
I had a meeting with my advisor this morning to talk about the dates and the next step in my project. So now I have a list of stuff to get done by next Monday. It's kind of nice to have research meetings on Monday. Here it is:
- rewrite questions in proposal - to get ready to start writing actual thesis
- "play around" with 14C and 210Pb dates from one core and see if they can be correllated
- figure out a temporally equal sampling interval for pollen in all three lakes.
- doctor's appointment Tuesday
- car appointment Thursday
- haircut (!) Tuesday
- read for veg history by Wednesday AM
- statistics test in less than 1 hour
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