Celebrating Joe's Qs!

Labmate Joe took his Q exams over the last week or so and last night he passed his orals! Yay!

I'm very excited for him and knew he could do it (he is way smarter than me, and I managed to pass them last year!)!

Last night's celebration was a bit much for me, as I am now old and no longer have the tolerance for alcohol that I had at 21. Or 19. Or 20. Or 22. Or 23. But we all enjoyed ourselves and won $50 at trivia and celebrated Joe!

Congratulations JOE!

(Just 6 months until your proposal is due! Tick Tock, Tick Tock!)

One More Q Thank You!

Thanks Southern Yankee for the BEAUTIFUL flowers you sent!

It was a wonderful surprise!

No one has ever sent me flowers before!!!

I think I will send more flowers to people for special occasions. I love them and they make me happy all day as I sit at my desk! More people should send flowers!

Another thanks!

Just wanted to send another thanks to everyone who cheered me on during the last month and sent their congratulations!

Here are some pictures of the awesome "Q survival kit" that Kathryn gave me (complete with whale chapstick, Napoleon Dynamite Flippin' Sweet Peppermints, clown fish gummi snacks, and many many other treats!) and some congratulatory cookie bars from BJW and his future wifey!

THANKS!!

I passed!!!!!

Free at last, free at last. Thank God almighty, I'm free at last.

Just 2 days after MLK's birthday, I am free at last.

I passed the Qs!

Yesterday was a crazy day that ended with my oral Qs. My department is looking to hire a new evolutionary biologist (yay! more on that later) and I was busy all morning / afternoon with lunches and talks because of the search. Then, suddenly, it was 2:30 and I was in a room with 3 committee members and a speaker phone (because my 4th committee member is now at another university, which is why we're searching for a new faculty member).

It lasted 2 hours, but they flew by. I was talking the whole time and stumbled only a little. My final question was the scariest. Ry's advisor (who happens to also be one of my committee members) had told me to study subjects dealing with neurons in a specific area of the brain during development that are important in reproduction in adult animals. Which I did, and answered his first question with little effort. His final question to me was about the beginning of brain development. Which I have not even looked at for about 6 months.

It was like telling me to study George W. Bush and then asking me about George Washington.

But, I opened my mouth and words just came out. I was able to explain the groundbreaking experiment about early neural organization. I even drew diagrams -- complete with salamanders with smiley faces.

It was weird. I was surprised that somewhere in my brain, I do actually know stuff.

The absolute best part is that I passed -- with no strings attached. Sometimes students pass on the condition that they take another class or give a lecture to undergrads on a topic they stumbled on or write a paper. But I passed!!!!

Now, I promise to never write about Qs again and get on with my life!!! YAY!!!!

And thanks to everyone for their support!! Especially Ry, DancingFish, Hamster_Grrl, mamagumm, Kathryn, Anna, George, BF Kim, BF-in-law, BJ, Dr. D., Joe, V, and the family (who understood that I couldn't be home for the holidays because of this). Without you all, I would have dropped out of school a long time ago!!

Today is it.

The end of the Qs.

I hope.

Finally scheduled!

Wednesday afternoon I will be taking my oral Qs!

I am so happy that they are scheduled, but freaking out because Wednesday is actually very close. And I have been slacking a little this last week, with very minimal studying.

So, for the next few days, it's cram cram cram.

And then, hopefully, I will pass. And be done with this stupid test forever!!!!

Weekend Update!

It was a relaxing weekend, as I decided to stay away from all things biology and put off studying for the next step of my Qs for 2 whole days.

Ry and I spent Saturday together, doing a bit of shopping and having a nice dinner (yay for Holiday gift cards!!!)! It was nice to just spend time with him, not worrying about the work I should be doing. And I think he was happy that I was out of my pajamas and even brushed my hair a little. When studying for 8-12 hours a day, I find no need to actually look nice. Though, deodorant is mandatory. And showering. And teeth brushing.

Sunday we drove down south for another day of football at Dr. D's. He and his wifey always through a great party! Dr. D grilled us up some chicken wings and Mrs. DD's family supplied us with lots of yummy wing sauces! BJ baked a cake for Timmy's birthday, though we knew Tim wasn't showing up. That's how we roll. Oh, and Ry ate about 3 dozen swedish meatballs. Oh, how we eat and drink with Dr. & Mrs. D!

And there was football projected on the wall and lots of relaxing and fun. Plus, my favorite puppy friend in the Little Town!!

And, I have projects on the needles!! I haven't been knitting too much lately, but I do have a few projects started ... one almost done ... but they are all gifts, so I can't give any details yet!!!

All in all, it was a WONDERFUL weekend!! But now it's back to the grind ....

Rumor has it, I actually passed the written Qs, and I need to super-cram for the orals ...

Q -- day 2!

After day 2 of the Qs, I was EXHAUSTED!

You'd be surprised how tiring it is writing for 12 hours ....

coupled with the inability to sleep for a few nights and a few shots at South Side Steel!

I hope I passed.
The last section was especially difficult.
It was the subject I was least comfortable with, there were far too many questions, and I just wanted to be done.

Here's hoping I'll be allowed to take the orals and move on with my life!

As for this weekend, Ry and I are going to relax, do a little shopping, and head to Dr. D's tomorrow for some football!

No studying for me ... until next week!

A good sign for Q day 2?

Not that I really believe in such things .... BUT ....

Aquarius
January 05, 2007
Provided by Astrology.com

Today you will reach your destination, but you might not realize that you've arrived. With all the energy you've been directing toward the journey, your vision is blurred as to the reality of your situation. So wait things out today, and don't make any rash decisions -- you've got to give yourself time to settle into the way things are and fully realize that you are finally, undeniably done! To make a change now would be shortsighted.


Wouldn't it be wonderful if I passed and I could stop blogging about Qs?
Oh, and move on with my life?

Q, day 1 = done!

I survived the first day of my written Qs.

Here are a few words I was able to work into the 6 hours of writing:

• ubiquity
• speciose
• vigorously
• equivocate
• utilize (used correctly)
• unlikelihood
• impetus

I am sure there were a few more words along with those, but I barely remember at this point.

It wasn't so bad, just tiring.
And I have a full 6 hours tomorrow that I need to desperately study for tonight ....

One more day until it's over ..

Oh, yeah, then the oral Qs. But that's OK ...

Ry and I are going to spend Saturday looking for green shoes.
Green shoes at the oral exams will surely equate to success!

Qs

Wish me luck!

24

In one day, I will be starting my written Q exams.

12 hours of testing over 2 days. Then, if I manage to pass those, on the 15th I will spend hours in a room with my committee, trying to show them that I know enough about their subjects to be considered a for a PhD.

I am starting to question these hoops that I must jump through.

This test is seeming more and more pointless the more and more I study.

I just want to watch some fish swim!



Well, must go ... only 23 hours and 45 minutes left to study ....

20 in 2007

Happy New Year!!

Ry & I rang in 2007 with some champagne, a view of the Little Town fireworks from my living room window, and some fun phone calls from my friends!

All in all, a wonderful start to 2007!

In light of the new year, I figured I'd set some goals for 2007. I know many people feel that New Year Resolutions are "lame". But, the Babylonians did it 4,000 years ago and the Romans continued the tradition -- they can't be all that bad.

The generally theme of my 2007 goals is "To be a better ...". Which I guess is what resolutions are all about -- being better.

Lately, with my focus on the Qs, I have felt like I haven't been the best Sneks I can possibly be, so I hope this outline will serve as a motivator for 2007!

Be a better:

Person
1. Exercise 3-4 times a week & eat better
2. Save 10% of my income
3. Clean the apartment every Sunday
4. Take a photo everyday (see The Oddity Effect: Project 365)
5. Read a few non-science books

PhD Student
6. Pass the Qs

7. Be an awesome Animal Behavior Lab TA

8. Send out 5 manuscripts for publication
9. Write & Defend my dissertation proposal (by the summer)
10. Work Harder!

Girlfriend
11. Tell Ry I love him everyday (because I do!)
12. Be as kind to Ry's family as he is to me
13. Encourage Ry to work hard and finish up his dissertation soon (despite wanting him to stay in the Little Town with me)

Friend & Family Member
14. Call back everyone promptly
15. Visit my family in Buffalo at least 4 times
16. Visit BF Kimmy & BF-in-law in VA
17. Send letters & cards to my friends that are far away
18. Take Vacation with Ry & friends
19. Visit The Southern Yankee and Baby Katherine
20. Knit more -- especially gifts!

20 goals for 2007.
Too many?

Freaking Out!

It's the last day of 2006.

And I am spending the day freaking out.

This stupid Q test. Just 4 days away now. And I am not ready. Not at all.

And this whole holiday season has sucked. I wish I could have gone home for Christmas to see my family and I wish I could be down in Virginia with my friends tonight.

It was super nice to see Anna & Gorgeous yesterday! They stopped by on their way down to visit BF-Kimmy & the BF-in-law, who have an exciting New Year's Eve party every year!


But, seeing them was bitter sweet, because they left for the party, and I stayed here to study some more ....


I am conflicted about the test. I want to do well, because everyone wants me to do well and I want to please them; and because I gave up my winter "break" for studying; and because I want to get a phd, teach college biology, and do awesome research. But, at the same time, I have NO motivation to study. I can only read and write and study for a few hours before I just start crying and have to take a break. It's just too much for me at this point.

I just hope I know ENOUGH.

Please keep me in your thoughts/prayers/mediations these next few days.
I could use a bit of luck!

Oh, and enjoy your New Year's Eve! I am lucky in that I have the BEST boyfriend in the whole wide world, and he is giving up his New Year's fun to hang out with me while I study some more.

There will surely be some champagne involved!

Christmas, in the Christmas City

Well, it's Christmas Eve Eve and Ry and I are going to celebrate our own little Christmas, here in the Little Town. We have lots of presents under the tree from my family and cookies and chinese food to eat!

I wish I were home in the Snowy City with my family.

Stupid Q exams. I have less than 2 weeks to cram everything into my brain, so 15 hours driving back and forth to see my family just didn't seem like the wisest choice ...

Back to studying ...

The semester is over! Time for Christmas!

YAY!

My semester is officially over!

I handed in my faux grant proposal this afternoon (after staying up until 3am finishing!)!

And, yes, I used the word ubiquitous. And, yes, I shamelessly cited one of my own stupid little papers.

Now, I will be totally focused on studying for the Qs! 16 days ....

Here's a picture of the beautiful christmas tree that Ry & I put up a few weeks ago!

It's a very full douglas fir and smells amazing.

It just makes me happy about christmas, despite not being able to travel home this year to spend the holidays with my family.

Here's the tree in the light, with all of the wonderful presents my family sent us home with at Thanksgiving! The silver garland was hung by Ry and the ornaments are some green glitter balls we bought together and all of my favorite ornaments from throughout the years!

I convinced Ry that white lights were the way to go and I purchased some of the LED lights this year (despite owning about 5,000 regular white lights -- I am my father's daughter). They save energy and are SUPER WHITE! They're beautiful. The blue LED lights are also gorgeous and I might invest in some during the after holiday sales next week!!

Hope you're all getting into the Christmas spirit too!

pjs and papers

An entire day in my pjs and I am 97% done with my faux grant proposal! I am staying up until it is complete and I am turning it in tomorrow, for sure!

Once this is turned in, I'll be able to be completely focused on the Q's.

Oh, and celebrate the holidays and what not.

I'm a joyful girl

Actually, I am just one lucky girl.

The final I thought I failed on Monday due to a cold medication-induced haze (and my subsequent lack of studying/remembering anything), I actually passed.

Technically.

I didn't do well, but when the answer key was posted on Wednesday, I had trouble recalling the answers I had written on the exam. Perhaps this was due to a second (or was it third) cold medication-induced haze.

That led to a sleepless night yesterday, knowing that I would be in my office and have to face the professor and the test. I was so saddened by the fact that I had actually failed a test and was going to get a bad grade in the course.

But, this morning, I sat down with the professor and he gave me the test and I actually passed!! I was so happy that I got higher than a 25%! He seemed slightly annoyed that I was pleased with my poor grade, but compared to what I thought it was going to be, I was relieved.

He also seemed relieved that I didn't actually cry in his office and that I didn't hate him.

And that I am very pleased with my B-!

YAY!

B- in Sensory Neurobiology.

Happiness.

Now just a faux grant proposal and 3 solid weeks of studying for the Qs!

Let's hope that my luck holds out.

Study-hibernation

I know, it's awful.

I blow NaBloPoMo and I stop writing.

It's just that since I have been back from the most wonderful visit to Buffalo, I am FREAKING OUT about the amount of work that must get done in the next few weeks.

So, the cell phone ringer has been off, the blog-checking has been kept to a minimum, and I am officially in study-hibernation.

It seems about time for study-hibernation, with the cold front about to hit the Little Town.

And thus, I apologize for posting sporadically. I'll try to keep the focus and update as frequently as I can!

Working from home ... sorta

So, with the Qs approaching like a freight train (or maybe a supersonic jet), I decided to work from home today in hopes of actually accomplishing something. I have to go in late in the afternoon for a seminar and to see if my fish laid eggs (yes, my life revolves around fish having sex). But I had hoped to get lots done at home first.

But, I had to run some errands this morning because normally I am at school from 7am until at least 5pm, so places that have "normal" hours never get a visit from me. With the opportunity to go many places, I went to the bank (to desposit the check I have been waiting for which FINALLY came) and the post office (to FINALLY get stamps -- Gorgeous, sorry your birthday card is now 2 weeks late! I kept forgetting to get stamps!!). Then, of course, the grocery store is right there, so I stopped in to pick up some staples (e.g., diet coke).

I should mention that day-time grocery store customers are very polite. I sneezed a few times and 4 different people said "bless you". And a lady gave me a coupon (for cat food, so I didn't use it, but still, it was a nice gesture). And a guy (that did not work at the store) took my cart when I was done and put it in the coral. Very nice all around. I usually shop on Saturdays when the store is CRAZY or at 10pm, when the store is DEAD. I am going to try to shop on weekdays more often.

But I digress ...

So, after my productive (yet not productive enough) morning, it's time to hit it hard and get some work done.

For a couple of hours ...