6 pages down 2 to go... man this is exciting. Well not really. I'm just excited that I am not going to be up all night doing this paper. Crazy, but true. I can hardly believe it myself. Must be the frantic assignment finishing atmosphere of this Engg lab.

State: Still going(amazing considering how little sleep I had last night)

5 pages down... 3 to go... it's getting easier. I really should just come here for my next paper because I have gotten more done in 3 hours here, than I did all WEEKEND! And it is going a lot faster. Mind you I still have to look up the silly references every time someone cites someone else... but I have read so many articles now, that it is becoming second nature.

Anyhow... mini break over! Back to work!!!

State: Oddly motivated to write!

I am officially half-done writing my paper.

WOO HOO! At this rate I should be done by I don't know... but it took me an hour to write the last page so it should only take me another FOUR HOURS to write the rest! How wonderful!

And yes... I realize that is slow. But I don't think I'll be up all night, and *gasp* I might even be able to edit it! Sweet!

State: Tired, but enjoying the intellectual/frantic energy of this engineering computer lab I am working in.

I'm so mad right now. Fuck, I could kill my roommate right now. For the second night in a row she has had people over until ungodly hours of the night. I know I sound like an old biddy, but when you are trying to sleep so you can get up early to go to school and work having people play a loud game of cheat in the room next to you is not very pleasant. So I went to bed at 11:30 pm last night so I that I could be up by 7:00 and at school by eight and have a good 3 hours before class to work on my paper. But the nimrods in the next room saw to it that that didn't happen. I was nicely asleep by about 12:00 am... at 1:15 am they come crashing in, and I don't think they could have been any louder. Needless to say, I was awake from 1:15 until 4:00 am and I am writing this at home, because obviously I didn't make it up in time. I need to have stamina for staying up all night tonight...even though I said I wouldn't do that. You are probably thinking- well if they were up all night, why didn't you just stay up all night last night, and finish your paper. I don't know... lets just say it doesn't work that way.

Now that I am done my rant... I think i will head off to school. Hopefully I calm down a little, because I don't enjoy being this mad at people.

State: Tired and Mad because it isn't my fault.
song: World on Fire- Sarah McLachlan

That's it... I am grounded to the library until Friday.

And then Friday will be the last time I go out until after exams...

Then it is back to the library...

Why can't I sleep? Why? I didn't even have a fun reason for being awake tonight. I simply can't sleep. So this is what it is like to have insomnia. I always wondered, well not really. I think I am finally stressed out. If that makes any stress, I mean sense. This paper I am writing is stressing me out. I was half tempted to get high with my roommate tonight. But that really wouldn't help things at all. In the short run, maybe. But not in the long run. Drugs and alcohol are merely escape tactics, and rarely help the problem and generally aggrevate it.

I did get some work done on my paper though. Not as much as I originally thought I would get done, but I now know how to go about organizing it so that all I have to do is sit down and put all of the research into my own words. I think I have too much information right now, but it is much easier to cut stuff out, than it is to add stuff in when you don't have anything else to say.

So I am hoping that once I fall asleep and sleep for awhile I am functional tomorrow. Because I need to get stuff done tomorrow. I hate not being able to sleep. Fuck it is frustrating. I like sleeping.

This is a pretty pointless point, but I think everyone gets the point: Lisa just wants to sleep.

State: Insomnia apparently
Song: Trouble Sleeping- The Perishers

I know I said I wouldn't post before the 3rd, but I am simply too excited right now to study so I figured I would share my excitement and then go study.

Okay- so we were talking today(Me, Aja, Sarah T. & Sarah K.) and apparently Sarah T.'s mom is going to look for tickets for us to go down to Cuba after New Years!!! And even if we don't go to Cuba- Aja and Sarah T. will mostly likely come down to Calgary for New Years!!!! So that should be crazy fun... this means I get to both see my high school friends and my university friends for New Years. SO EXCITED!!!

Okay- back to studying :)

State: excited but needs to focus.

So, this weekend was good. Friday, I went to an open house at the Cross Cancer center. I am actually thinking maybe I might want to do that. Cancer research that is. But I am not sure... I mean what I am trying to say is I am not sure about anything. I mean, last year that bothered me, but this year it doesn't and I really don't know why. Nor do I care. I guess it is because at the begining of this year, I told myself I would decide whether I was doing my degree in four or five year in the first two weeks. I guess I decided four. But that is only if I don't do IIP. Right now... if I can get myself a summer job in a lab, I am not doing IIP and I am finishing my degree in four and applying to everything I want to apply... if not I will do IIP and yeah. They basically told us- that if you make an effort to talk to the profs before you apply for some of the positions they are more likely to accept you. I just need them to look past my marks and see my enthusiasm.

Also on Friday, I went to Pharos for lasagna with Sarah. That was fun. After that, I hung out with my roommates and watched Envy. I guess you could say it was a typical Ben Stiller comedy. Fairly ridiculus... but somewhat amusing.

On Saturday, I did fairly little in the way of work. But I did get all of my laundry done. And I talked to my cousin Kris. That was nice... we are pretty close considering we only talk to each other a couple of times a year. I am actually thinking of going to visit him sometime. I'm not sure when... but sometime.

Monday, I met with Rachel after school. We went for coffee (for Rachel) and hot chocolate for me. We sat down and talked about everything under the sun. It was nice. Some very philosophical conversation... but I need that every once and awhile. Too much science will make your head explode. Just like mine will after these next four weeks are over. But then I can kick back and relax... and not worry about DNA, RNA, or how to manipulate it, isolate it and characterize it. YAY! Until next term... Don't get me wrong, I like what I am studying. And at the same time I find it really dry. I mean lately, all we've studied is techniques. That is hard on a person who would rather do some techniques and learn about them that way than read about them for three different courses. Gag me.

Okay- and for my last night of freedom (tonight) I went to The Incredibles with Aja and Sarah. It was excellent. So good. I highly recommend it. Honestly one fo the best movies that Pixar has come out with for awhile.

I had some cool thing to talk about, but I can't remember what I had been thinking about to post... but it is gone now. All I know is that the amount of work I have left myself to do makes me feel sick inside. Barf.

Oh yeah- I remember. I want some time off school. I am sick of studying and I just want to work for a year and then go back. But that wasn't everything... oh well. For you addicts out there- this is your fix for awhile. I am honestly going out of commission for a little bit, but I might come back on the 3rd of December to post. That is my next day of freedom... so you never know. And maybe if I have a breakdown before then... but I am not planning on it.

Time for sleep.

State: how did I dig myself this deep?
Song: Float On- Modest Mouse

Well...I just forgot what I was going to write about. So I'll just talk about how at 11:30 last night I decided I needed to bake myself a batch of oatmeal cookies. These had to be some of the best cookies (other than my skor bar cookies) that I have ever made. I didn't even follow a recipe. I guess I started with a recipe, tried to half it but forgot to half the eggs so my batter was really runny, so I just kept adding oatmeal and flour unti I got it to the right consistancy. Then I baked them, until they weren't quite cooked - the point that probably would have failed you in foods class, and taste best once you've let them sit. Mmmm so good.

So I got a lot of work done today. Who knows if I know enough for the quiz tomorrow. I'm not going to stress myself out- it's only worth 5 %. I got 100% on the self-test for the part of chapter 2 that we covered in class without even looking at it so yeah. I think I might just go over all the techniques again and make sure I know them inside and out and I should be good to go.

I'm not really looking forward to the weekend, because I know how much I need to get done. I have two papers to write (something I am not used to doing). And I want to study my physiology because I know nothing right now. So I decided it would be best if I didn't go out this weekend. As much fun as I know Bar None will be, I first of all can't afford to go and secondly I need to work. If I get all my work done this weekend, I can reward myself by going to a movie on Tuesday with Aja and maybe Sarah (the one in Cuba)and who ever else we get to come with us. It will be my post-weekend weekend?

I had more interesting things to talk about, but now they are gone. Oh wait- that is right. I have decided that MSN is a procrastinator's heroin. It is. And I am an addict. So... yeah. I guess I fell off the wagon, because I had my habit under control for awhile. And I've gone chronic again... but no more. Chronic use that is.

Anyhow, as we speak I am procrastinating. Darn.

State: Meh... I'm not about to like studying now
Song: Love of the Loveless- Eels

Kill me now. I wanted to poke my eyes out today. I love genetics, but I have found out through having TWO classes on it today that I HATE genomics. Some of you out there are probably like, WTF- aren't they pretty much the same thing? No, not really. When you study genomics it is studying an organisms whole set of genes and sequencing and using computers to find the genes from the sequences. BORING! Well at least to me that is. For me, it isn't so much where the genes are on the chromosome that facinates me, but what those genes do. And I don't mind gene regulation nearly as much as I thought. It is looking really good beside my two genomics classes. yuck... so I have decided that I am not nearly interested enough in genomics/yeast to study this stuff at home, so I am banishing myself to the library for the next little while.

Anyhow...that's all my news. Oh, and I wish this guy in my class was single, because he is totally cute, old enough (as in older than me :))and funny. What more could a girl ask for? Oh right, he is not single that is what is missing.

Well I am going to call it a night...

Song: You got me all wrong- Dios
State: grrr genomics suck, good otherwise

Last night, I wrote my annotated bibliography and it wasn't so bad. And when I was looking to make sure I have everything I need- I saw that the quiz on friday is only worth 5%.

I saw my Dad yesterday. That was nice... I was kind of hoping I'd talk to him/see him this weekend.

I guess I'm still impressed with Di's engineering boys. I think it is because a lot of the guys in science are very "pre-med" and seem to have forgotten how to have fun. And they(the engg guys) still get impressive marks. So it just goes to show, you can go out and have fun and still get good marks. Only if you work hard in between though. That mean, starting today I am studying everyday, so that I can go out on friday or Saturday guilt free. Because I have really slacked off, and I am pretty sure it is going to show in the next two marks I get back. I probably need this kick in the ass to get me going again.

State: ready to get my ass in gear...
Song: Trouble Sleeping- The Perishers

Okay- so I don't know how I am awake right now or feeling as good as I am right now... but boy am I happy.

So, last night started off at home when I watched my roommates drink some absinthe they brought back from Amsterdam. That was funny, because Lindsay doesn't like the taste of black licorice and that is what it tastes like so she had to plug her nose and take little sips.

Then, I went to Theater Sports with Aja, Sarah and a bunch of their friends. We also managed to get Eric to come- which is awesome because we have been trying to get him to come for like a year now and finally he has. Theater sports was okay tonight- the ring of shame was brought out. That's the first time I have seen the ring of shame.

Sarah and I were hungry and almost went to get pizza, but then we decided we should go home and get some sleep. And she dropped me off at home- to an then empty house. This was at about 1:30 am.

At my house, I decided it would be a good idea too cook rice and eat it with the curry I made. It turned out to be a great idea... I ate my curry and rice and Lindsay came home and we chatted for a bit. I wasn't really tired though. And I was kind of hyper from theater sports. Di's engineer friends came home and that is when the party kind of started over here. Then they decided to go back to the party, because that was where the beer was.But apparently it was getting lame over there so they brought a juice jug from our place and a salad bowl from the keg party and filled them up with beer and brought them over here.

We then proceeded to play air hockey, watch more engg week video and drink beer into the wee hours of the morning. Started watching Finding Nemo at 5:30 am... but didn't make it through the whole thing- I went to bed at 6:30 am. good times. And lookee here- I am already awake and studying. I have no idea how.

Anyhow... back to learning about blood and forming ideas of how to characterize the proteins that anchor the mtDNA to the inner membrance. Stupid mini grant proposal. Mind you, I have a topic now and three papers I can annotate so I am pretty much good to go.

State: Awesome- I'm still amazed at my awakeness.
Song: Hold on- Sarah McLachlan

Okay... so I am still awake. But I had fun tonight and that is all that matter. Fuck, I don't know how I am going to work on physiology all day tomorrow, but I will.

I should sleep before I feel like I can't... so tired nothing makes sense.

State: Woah
Song: Wrong Way-Sublime

I don't know how I crammed all the time in my first two years of university. It's hard.

anyhow... I must get back to the cramming.... or I won't get the mark I want on this exam.

State: Frantically trying to memorize random details I'll be able to look up in a book in the future...
Music: Cramming music of course (drum roll).... iTunes Classical Radio

So, when I was sick of studying cells last night, I started to do what I always do when I am bored with what I am studying: Read the Calendar. And I found this really cool course. I really want to take it, but it is likely that it is at the same time as a seminar I have next year unless they change the times, which they usually don't because that is the way things work for me. All the options I want to take area always at the same time of as my required courses. The course was: MLSCI 480: Molecular Genetic Approaches to the Study and Diagnosis of Disease. I think it sounds really cool... but anyhow. I should go finish getting ready and such.

State: I'll be happy when tomorrow is over.
Song: Konstantine- Something Corporate

This is going to be a short post. But, before I start my quest to knowing all there is (well all my lecture notes say) about cells, phage and plasmids, I'd like to say that I had the MOST awesome time I have had in a long time at a party. So much fun... more fun than any night out drinking at the bar- more my kind of fun. Not that I don't enjoy drinking- but I prefer to do it in moderation, whilst doing other things.

Sarah and I were already really hyper before we left to go. And we couldn't find the bus stop upon exit of Corona station, so we called Sarah (another Sarah) and asked her to come pick us up. Then the bus we thought we had missed, passed her on her way to pick us up, so we looked really stupid. Then, Aja showed up with the Juice and we made the rum punch. It was quite tasty. So we all chatted awhile, mingled eating all of the wonderful snacks people brought (mmm baked goods). Then the Cranium game started. I honestly have never played that wild of a cranium game before. It was crazy! And we really hadn't had that much to drink!!! We are just crazy naturally. Anyhow... the quiet team (relative to the rest of us) won. Then we had some pizza, and people started to head out. The remaining people stayed and played dice. I love dice- it is such a good game.

But people were getting tired so we didn't make it to 10 000. So almost everyone left- except for me, Aja and Sarah. We talked and the decided to watch Pirates of the Carribean at 2 am... I slept through most of it woke up at 4 and talked with Aja until 5- and fell asleep at around 5:45 am. We woke up around 10 ish and got out of the futon (of love) at around 10:30... cleaned up and headed home.

If only every party could be that fun. I want to do something like that for New Years with my friends. Like- crazy but not going out to some bar and getting smashed. But I don't want to be in bed like 10 minutes past midnight. I'm not sure all my friends have the kind of stamina for that. We'll just have to make them sleep all day so they can keep up.

Anyhow... I am going to go shower. I'm so pumped to study now it isn't even funny!!!!! :)

State: Uber happy :) and pumped to study!!! lol

No one appreciates the bad profs until a more horrible one comes along.

Dr. Adames may have been/is a bad prof. There is no denying that. But Dr. Good is an absolutely HORRIBLE prof. I decided this as Sarah and I were trying to go through his notes on lambda cloning vectors and all the different types. Honestly, all I could give him for the exam right now it regurgitate of his notes which is not what he is going to ask- which is what worries me. But he doesn't give us enough information to apply any of the knowledge to a novel situation. Fuck- it's frustrating. Right now, I am using my textbook and notes from Genetics 270, and my notes from Genetics 301 and 304 to try and understand my notes for his class and I still can't. Well, I can't say I don't understand them. No- I do understand them. I just haven't being given the background to understand why it is all important.

Anyhow- I should get back to work. I have another two good hours to study for my cell biology exam, which won't be tricky- I just need to know everything that is in my notes. After the studying, I am going to my friend Sarah's for a party. Cranium fun awaits:)

State: meh

I can't believe I am still awake.
I know it is only 1:18 am.
Fucking plasmids.

State: Irritated
Song: Here's Where I Stand- CAMP soundtrack

Not to take away from my last post- but I almost forgot to add this quote that amused me today. It is from a forward called Zen Sarcasm.

Sex is like air. It's not important unless you aren't getting any.

goodnight :)

As most of you probably have already heard- mini-humans have been discovered on the Island of Flores. I first came across this article: What does it mean to be human? on the BBC news website and I found it to be fascinating. Then I noticed it was a rebuttal to Desmond Morris' article Eton or the zoo?. I found both to be very interesting and kind of reminded me of debates I never got involved in high school.

I've decided- more than once I think, that I am bad at flirting. I could just kick myself sometimes with the things I say. I get so nervous and start talking a mile a minute. Sigh, as such I tend to only attract people I am not interested in. Probably because I am not really nervous around them... and act more flirty- they misinterpret and I am left to let them down. So I did a web search on flirting and I came up with the Social Issues Research Center's Guide to Flirting. It is pretty detailed and I think I will try it tomorrow. I mean I have nothing to lose. If anything, he'll read me wrong and I'll end up with another good friend.

But I am not really sure about this whole attractiveness level thing... I mean the websites says to women if you think you aren't that attractive, you probably are more attactive than you think you are. But really how do you ever know how attractive you are? I mean, I don't think I am that attractive. I am definately not one of those girls that turns head as I walk by, but I guess I don't think I am ugly either. Average I guess you could say? Anyhow- that is enough narcissism for one night. I think I am going to look at some study stuff for a bit.

State: Good... but frustrated with myself :(
Song: Possesion- Sarah McLachlan

So it turns out watching election results is, well, addictive. I'm not sure how something manages to be both boring and mesmerizing at the same time. Probably because I didn't understand how the whole electoral college voting system worked. For those of you who are as confused as I was this is a good website.

Anyhow... I think I might go to bed now. Yes I know that I don't know the results yet. I think I can wait until tomorrow.

Good night everyone :)

State: Unproductive :(
Song: Caring is Creepy- The Shins

I really like this song- Wild Horses. I have just found out that it is originally by the Rolling Stones. It was really bugging me. So much so that I couldn't sleep.

My fav. version (it seems everyone and their dog has covered this song) is the one from the Camp Soundtrack.

Anyhow, I am going to go to bed now.

State: Pretty happy
Song: Caring is Creepy- the Shins

As I as write this scientists have been given permission to do this. What does everyone think about this?