Proposal Lows & Manuscript Highs

I know all of you out there are thinking "Why hasn't Sneks been blogging lately?"



Well, various reasons. Two of which are my dissertation proposal and a manuscript on a side project.



The dissertation proposal has been (as you could probably tell by the title of this post) kicking my butt. I am floundering (ha) with it for many reasons. Like, I am not that excited about it, a tenured professor refused to be on my committee (because of his experience with my labmate and my advisor) (which then leads to further doubt about this research on my behalf), my advisor has given little feedback other than "I hate this part", and I am a perfectionist when it comes to writing, so each word is carefully chosen. Sigh.



But things are going well this week and I have a pretty decent draft in to my advisor that I am happier with. So, the low is getting less-low.



As for the manuscript, it's on the project I did with Dancing Fish my first summer here. We wrote up a short communication (you will not believe how difficult it is to write ONLY 800 words) and sent it off somewhere big. Somewhere BIG. Yes people. The BIGGEST journal (that takes short communications). Yes, that is right.



Science.



I kid you not.



Of course, I honestly think it will get rejected (not because I doubt our research or our writing ... the paper just needs more data that is literally impossible to collect). The chance of us actually getting published is like less than 7% or something. But, it's been 6 days now and we haven't heard anything (usually, papers get rejected within 48 hours of submission). OK, so there was a weekend in there, so technically it has only been 4 days. But still, a good sign. I have gotten other papers rejected much more quickly than this!

So, please keep your fingers crossed for me as I work on the proposal and as we wait to hear from Science (OMG -- I actually have a paper submitted to Science ... CRAZY!)!

Time to finish so I can start

In order to start my actual dissertation research, I need to write & defend a proposal of my research ideas.

I have lots of ideas for work I could do and I have picked a few that my advisor agrees will be good enough to get me a PhD in a few years!

But writing up this proposal is taking far too long. Far too long.

I am usually a pretty efficient writer and I have thought of many psychological reasons as to my hesitation in writing this particular piece of work. There are also a few physical reasons why it's not done (like I can't continue to write while I am teaching, grading, in meetings or in seminars for 20 hours each week). But the main reasons are all because of stupid internal things that I just need to get over.

I decided, this is the week I finish it.

Actually, Hamster Grrl shared with me our Aquarius horoscope for this week and it says that I need to finish it now!!

So, here it is, in writing. A promise that I will finish this week.

OK ... enough blogging ... I need to write a proposal ...

Busy week

This was a very busy work week for me.
Here's a laundry list of the highlights that when on this week in the Little Town:

• Taught my last lab of the semester!
• Helped an oldest labmate J with her dissertation defense preparation
• Tried to be a good hostess for oldest labmate J
• Bought plane tickets for field work in Jamaica
• Bought plane tickets for conference in Monterey
• Booked hotel for conference in Monterey
• Finished review paper edits and sent to Nate for submission
• Almost finished my research slides for the local symposium in 3 weeks
• Had beers and dinner with most-awesome-scientist that did his dissertation work on the same fish I am working on
• Got invited to Costa Rica to do field work with most-awesome-scientist next breeding season
• Also got invited to co-author a paper with most-awesome-scientist on study he wants help with in the field (read -- BIG DEAL)
• Learned how to video conference
• Watched the oldest J in my lab defend her dissertation work and do very well

A busy week, but didn't accomplish nearly enough (notice that I didn't have a lot of research on that list above). How can I do so much, yet have so much to do? Does everyone feel this way, or just grad students?

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!

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!

AH! Sunday already!

Why do weekends go by so quickly?

Perhaps it is because I have spent far too much time changing my blog background and starting the new blog for Project 365.

Though I am SO excited about project 365. You can checkout my new blog "The Oddity Effect: Project 365" and I will have photos up as of January 1 -- everyday (well, at least a photo for everyday, though I may post them every few days)!

But, now I must focus on some GnRH neurons, the star-nosed mole, and, if I can make it, a bit of a stitch'n'bitch this afternoon!

Nablopomo

Yes, you too can make your own official seal at the Official Seal Generator!

Here's one I made for "National Blog Posting Month", as I am still trying to get focused by blogging everyday this month (along with many other bloggers -- see NaBloPoMo!)!!

Blog or Die!

The Big One

The date has been set.

(Not for my wedding!)

For my qualifying exams. Also referred to as THE BIG TEST.

And actually, it's dateS.

January 4th & 5th for the writtens and the 15th for the orals.

Let the countdown begin.

NaBloPoMo

Unbeknownst to me as I made my solem vow to find focus in my life my blogging each day, November is National Blog Posting Month!

And many, many bloggers out there are going to be blogging everyday this month!

Check out more info at fussy.org! And get ready for a month of blog postings!

A little bit of focus ...

OK ... so my life has been a little crazy lately.

Good thing I like crazy.

I am slightly overwhelmed by life right now (perhaps that explains the lack of blogging). I just feel like I have so much going on, which leads me to accomplishing nothing at all.

So I have decided that what I need is a little focus. I keep getting distracted by things that are not important and will never contribute to my ultimate goals (you know -- success, happiness, satisfaction, white-picket fence, a family, a sense of worth, blah blah blah).

And in my pursuit of focus (and ultimate happiness), I am determined to blog each day. I hope that this will keep me focused, rid me of anxiety, and (perhaps) provide some entertainment for you readers out there (shout outs to all 5 of you!) as I muddle through life ...