Yikes! Mid-December Update

The month is half-over, and here is how the goals are coming along:

• Finish draft of Experiment 1 paper and get it to advisor (ASAP!)
  Done! The draft is complete and it is off to the advisor. He told me yesterday that he "forgot" he was supposed to be reading it. Sigh.
• Collect HALF the data for Experiment 2
  I have started collecting data .... but have a LOT more to go!
• Finish getting replicates for Experiment 2 (just 1 or 2 more!)
  If my fish would just ... lay eggs ... I would be a happier person.
• Start draft of Experiment 2 paper
  It's in my head, just not written down yet!
• Finish getting replicates for Widow paper (3 more!)
  Again ... if my fish would just f...
• Get CR field paper from co-author, edit & submit
  This is really starting to annoy me. I wrote up this paper on data from another scientist ... and got it to him 6 weeks ago ... and he hasn't even bothered to look at it yet. If I don't get a response about it in the next week, I am going to have to get on this guy!
• Apply for 1 more job (until post doc season starts)
  Actually managed to apply for 2, but hope more will be posted and will be able to apply to those too! I am really hoping to hear something good about all of these applications soon!

Here's hoping I have a super productive week and get a crazy amount of work done before Christmas and traveling to Buffalo for New Years! I have a committee meeting in 4 weeks and have to convince my committee to let me graduate in May. So I gotta get my ass in gear!

December Goals

It's only 3 days into December, but I am totally distracted by Christmas and other non-work things! It is time to get serious!!

Here are this month's (far too ambitious) goals:

• Finish draft of Experiment 1 paper and get it to advisor (ASAP!)
• Collect HALF the data for Experiment 2
• Finish getting replicates for Experiment 2 (just 1 or 2 more!)
• Start draft of Experiment 2 paper
• Finish getting replicates for Widow paper (3 more!)
• Get CR field paper from co-author, edit & submit
• Apply for 1 more job (until post doc season starts)

I need to have a committee meeting in January and give a seminar in February, so I need to stay on track! And avoid the distractions of Christmas and wedding planning!

November is over!

I blinked and November is gone!

Here are those goals I set for myself:

• Analyze ALL data from Experiment 1b
• Write significant draft for Experiment 1 paper and send to advisor
• Collect HALF the data for Experiment 2
• Finish getting replicates for Experiment 2 (just 1 or 2 more!)
• Start draft of Experiment 2 paper
• Finish getting replicates for Widow paper
• Assist old advisor in finishing & submitting Pesky Thesis Paper
• Edit & submit CR field paper
• Give two guest lectures
• Apply for 2 more jobs (until post doc season starts)
• Apply for fellowship for Spring semester
• Write 10,000 words for InaDWriMo (as part of the above goals)!

I'm giving myself a score of 57.167%. Not great, but I am giving myself 10 extra bonus points for each of two goals: (1) Not only did the Pesky Thesis Paper get submitted, but it was accepted! and (2) Not only did I apply for the fellowship for the Spring semester, but I was awarded the fellowship!!! Yay! With those bonus points, I am at 77%, which I think is outstanding!

Let's see how December goes!

Mid-month goal post, November!

How is it mid-month already??? Jeez! I need to stop thinking about Christmas shopping and Wedding planning and get back to work!

Here's how I'm doing so far this month:

• Analyze ALL data from Experiment 1b
  I swear, this will be done THIS week! Or I will die trying.
• Write significant draft for Experiment 1 paper and send to advisor
  It's half done! Once I get the data analyzed (above) this will get finished and contribute to my final goal of the month!
• Collect HALF the data for Experiment 2
  OK ... haven't even started yet
• Finish getting replicates for Experiment 2 (just 1 or 2 more!)
  Sigh ... still waiting for my fishies to ... spawn
• Start draft of Experiment 2 paper
  Will start soon ...
• Finish getting replicates for Widow paper
  Down to the last 3!
• Assist old advisor in finishing & submitting Pesky Thesis Paper
  Submitted!!! Finally!!!! Woohoo!!!!
• Edit & submit CR field paper
  Out to my co-author ... as soon as he gets around to it, I will work like crazy to get it submitted!
• Give two guest lectures
  Done!!
• Apply for 2 more jobs (until post doc season starts)
  Done!! (Though I should apply to at least 2 more before the end of the month)
• Apply for fellowship for Spring semester
  Done!! (Please keep your fingers crossed for me! If I get this fellowship again, my final semester will be so much easier!)
• Write 10,000 words for InaDWriMo (as part of the above goals)!
  It looks like this is only minimally started, but I swear the numbers will jump in the next week or so!

Overall, I think I am doing OK this month, but I need to have a very successful week this week! Because then we have a weekend full of holiday fun and in 9 days we head to Buffalo for Thanksgiving!

November's Goals!

Here's what I want to accomplish this month!

• Analyze ALL data from Experiment 1b
• Write significant draft for Experiment 1 paper and send to advisor
• Collect HALF the data for Experiment 2
• Finish getting replicates for Experiment 2 (just 1 or 2 more!)
• Start draft of Experiment 2 paper
• Finish getting replicates for Widow paper
• Assist old advisor in finishing & submitting Pesky Thesis Paper
• Edit & submit CR field paper
• Give two guest lectures
• Apply for 2 more jobs (until post doc season starts)
• Apply for fellowship for Spring semester
• Write 10,000 words for InaDWriMo (as part of the above goals)!

November is also full of non-work things (like Ry's big birthday and a trip to Buffalo for Black Friday ... I mean Thanksgiving!), so I need to really work my butt off this month!

Where did October go?

My goals for October were:

• Collect & analyze ALL data from Experiment 1b
• Write significant draft for Experiment 1 paper
• Start collecting data for Experiment 2
• Finish getting replicates for Experiment 2
• Finish & submit pesky Thesis paper
• Write significant draft of CR field paper and get it out to co-authors
• Get together some lectures for a bunch of classes I agreed to teach the first week of November
• Finish applying for jobs (until post doc season starts)

OK ... so, if I again calculate out a possible 100% completion score for all goals, I am only at 68.667%. That is slightly better than September's score, but still not good!

Totally bringing down my average (with a 0% completion) is the Pesky Thesis Paper. I have sent it to my co-author and old advisor a while ago, and hope to hear back this week about getting it out SOON! I am sick of the paper and have no desire to work on it anymore, so it better get accepted this time!

The rest of my goals were a bit closer to completion. And I am hoping I'll have a much higher score for November!!! Stay tuned for new goals soon!

InaDWriMo 2009

Many of my monthly goals (as I work toward graduation) involve lots of writing. So I decided to take part in InaDWriMo 2009. I have heard about this many times and one of my favorite bloggers (Brazen Hussy) inspired me to make my pledge!

Basically, I just set a goal for the number of words I want to write in November (10,000) and then I track that number on the cute little meter on the right side of this blog. At the end of the month, I hope to have 10,000 words written (basically a whole chapter and a half of my dissertation)!

Stay tuned, because it will surely be a thrilling month of writing!

Mid-Month Goal Post, October!

Here's my mid-month goal update!!

• Collect & analyze ALL data from Experiment 1b
  This is started ... but only just ...
• Write significant draft for Experiment 1 paper
  Also started! Intro & Methods written, and half the graphs and results done!
• Start collecting data for Experiment 2
  Not yet ....
• Finish getting replicates for Experiment 2
  I am getting there ... keep your fingers crossed and I might actually finish this soon!
• Finish & submit pesky Thesis paper
  Well ... I sent it to my co-authors and my old advisor sent an email 2 days ago that almost seemed as though he was looking at it (since he asked me a question about what tests we actually did). Hopefully it will be out to review by Halloween!
• Write significant draft of CR field paper and get it out to co-authors
  Done! Advisor read it, suggested I re-write it, I re-wrote it, he re-read it and liked it, and it has been sent to co-author down south! Hope he likes it too!
• Get together some lectures for a bunch of classes I agreed to teach the first week of November (hmmm... not even sure what these are about really...)
  Had a 3 minute conversation with the instructor about this and he made some vague noises and jumped on my suggestions for lecture topics ... so I guess I will get together some lectures?
• Finish applying for jobs (until post doc season starts)
  Most applications are out! But I am still waiting on some other things before I can get the final ones out!

OK ... looking better than September so far!

October Goals

I know it is probably very boring for you to read my list of monthly goals. But it is a great help to me! I always have lots of lists taped to my office walls or on a post-it notes in my planner that I gleefully cross-off as I accomplish goals.

But those little notes to myself do not hold me accountable. Posting my work goals on the Internet makes me feel a bit more pressure. Which I definitely need if I am going to graduate in May!

So, thank you all (4 of you) for putting up with my "goal posts" (haha ... sorry).

Here they are for October (let's see if I can be more successful than September!):

• Collect & analyze ALL data from Experiment 1b
• Write significant draft for Experiment 1 paper
• Start collecting data for Experiment 2
• Finish getting replicates for Experiment 2
• Finish & submit pesky Thesis paper
• Write significant draft of CR field paper and get it out to co-authors
• Get together some lectures for a bunch of classes I agreed to teach the first week of November (hmmm... not even sure what these are about really...)
• Finish applying for jobs (until post doc season starts)

Oh ... and everything else that I need to do on a daily basis!
Hmmm ... too ambitious?

Damn. It's October.

Seriously, where did September go?

Here's my goal review for the month. Originially I wanted to:

• Present data at lab meeting from field study in Costa Rica (collected by others). Figure out how we're going to write the paper and how much of it I am actually responsible for.
• Finish collecting data and analyzing data from Experiment 1a and Experiment 1b.
• Get a draft of the paper for Experiments 1a & 1b to advisor.
• Finish getting replicates for Experiment 2.
• (Bonus Goal 1) Apply to many, many jobs.
• (Bonus Goal 2) Finish re-writing old Thesis paper.

Let's just say ... out of a possible 100% ... I calculate that I completed 56.667% of my goals.

Hmm... if 65% is failing, then it looks like September did not go so well. Darn it.

Tomorrow I will post October's goals and I will definitely have to try harder! (Or I will never graduate and I will be stuck here forever)

Also on the goals list ...

... re-write a manuscript for the thousandth (?) time. It's from my Masters thesis (which I originally wrote a long 4 years ago). We've sent it out in many forms and I am hoping this one is the best (i.e., gets accepted for publication).

Would like to get it out to co-authors within the next 24 hours.

Done:

• Abstract
• Introduction
• Methods
• Figures
• Tables
• Legends
• Acknowledgements

Still to do:

• Totally new Discussion
• Update References
• Format (very tedious and important)

Hmm ... I have writing about work a lot lately.

Maybe my next post should be about something that non-academic people do. Fantasy Football?

Keep piling it on!

How am I supposed to fulfill my monthly goals if I keep getting more stuff to do??

And, what's more, I dropped my computer off to have it checked for viruses and cleaned up (because the service was FREE on Saturday) and I still don't have it back!!!!! Luckily Ry just bought a new laptop AND his old one is working AND he has 2 laptops for work ... so I have an overabundance of laptops (did I mention we also have a brand new one that belongs to Ry's dad?) but I am floundering without MY computer! I am going to go call the store ... again ... for the third time ....

September Goals: Mid-month update!

My updated goals for September (previously posted here):

• Present data at lab meeting from field study in Costa Rica (collected by others). Figure out how we're going to write the paper and how much of it I am actually responsible for.
  Data presented and was told I am basically responsible for writing the whole project up. I will be first author, so that's cool, but that means I have a lot of work to do. Have 1/2 of this paper done and hope to have a full draft by the end of the month.
  
• Finish collecting data and analyzing data from Experiment 1a and Experiment 1b.
  Finished collecting data for 1a, but just realized I coded it wrong when I entered it in to a computer program so now I cannot analyze it. This means I need to figure out how to re-code it OR I have to collect all of the data over. As it is 27 hours of video (which will take about 50 hours of work to get through) I'd like to take a few hours to consider how to re-code and then analyze.
  
• Get a draft of the paper for Experiments 1a & 1b to advisor.
  Since I could not analyze ... draft is looking grim ....
  
• Finish getting replicates for Experiment 2.
  I have the least control over this and am therefore still waiting ....

Additionally, I need to add to the list:

• Complete and submit at least 6 (maybe more??) applications for jobs by October 10th

Wish me luck!

September Goals

As I am trying to graduate this May, I am setting monthly goals for myself. And by "goals", I really mean "If I don't get this certain thing done this month, I am screwing myself and won't be able to graduate".

For September, I just need to:

• Present data at lab meeting from field study in Costa Rica (collected by others). Figure out how we're going to write the paper and how much of it I am actually responsible for.
• Finish collecting data and analyzing data from Experiment 1a and Experiment 1b.
• Get a draft of the paper for Experiments 1a & 1b to advisor.
• Finish getting replicates for Experiment 2.

That's all!

Give it up!

Ah, Lent.

It is upon us!

While I have many issues with religion (which I won't share, because no one really cares), the idea of Lent is OK. Sacrificing for 40 days is probably something everyone could benefit from. I think the "no meat on Fridays" thing is stupid, but, overall, I think everyone should give this Lent a try!

So, you may wonder, what am I giving up for Lent?

I reflected on it all day yesterday (as it was Ash Wednesday).

Here's what I came up with:

1) BEER. While I enjoy it, I know I should not drink it so often or so much! Giving it up will save me money and calories, so all-in-all, it seems a very beneficial sacrifice (But why is St. Patty's Day always during Lent? Sigh.)

2) SLEEPING IN. As a 4th-year non-teaching grad student, my schedule is pretty flexible. As in, I have a lot of work and I usually have to work everyday, but I never have to be anywhere at any certain time. I used to be at my desk by 7am during my first two years here. Last year I started to slip towards 8 or 8:30. This year, I have even come in to work as late as 11am!! Crazy! (Not that I slept till 11am, but I did sleep till 9am, then did computer stuff for a while at home) So, I am getting back on schedule. Gym at 7:00, work by 9:00. No more sleeping in till 10am on weekend either (Sorry RY!!)!

3) LAB STRESS. I am not going to be angered or annoyed by anything at work.***


I think giving up these 3 things will make me a healthier, happier person. Decrease calories, decrease laziness, decrease stress and anger. All sound like good things to me!








*** Edited to protect my life.

Must ... publish ... must ... publish ...

Why do I need to publish?

2 reasons:
(1) I want a job some day.
(2) My advisor has this ... goal ... for his students -- "publish 10 papers in grad school" (10 is a lot). Then, 2 guys actually did it (eventually). So, my advisor said to me when I started "publish 10 papers ... no including your dissertation". I decided that this would be a good way to achieve my main reason for being in grad school -- to get a job. And I'd be the first person (and woman) in the lab to do it. (Have I ever mentioned I am slightly competitive, in a non-cut-throat way?)


Thus, I have been working hard on this quest for the "Big 10", and this summer I managed to get out quite a few papers:

1) Great study on Jamaican fish that provides evidence against a hypothesis that I really disagree with. Data from Summer '07. Status: Being published in a very good journal! Available online now!!!

2) Cool study about one endangered species endangering another. Data from Summer '06; second author. Status: Being published at cool journal of short articles!

3) Random little study on zebrafish. Asked to assist due to my amazing zebrafish sexing abilities, but ended up doing quite a bit of work on it. Data collected from Spring '06 until recently; second author. Status: Accepted at an OK journal after many revisions.

4) Awesome study on convict cichlid parental care (wow -- almost related to my dissertation). Data collected in Costa Rica January '08; second author. Status: Being published in a second very good journal! Will be out in January '09!

5) Little study on Jamaican fish that we did at the end of the Summer '07 field season because we had a few extra days and nothing else to do; second author. Status: Being reviewed at very good journal, will likely be rejected and will then be sent to cool journal of short articles.

6) Lab study on my fish that is the preliminary data of my dissertations. Data collected between Fall '05 and Spring '06. Status: Rejected from pretty good journal, with the option of resubmission. (Reject & resubmit is totally lame and I am waiting to hear back about my compelling argument that my paper is fine how it is)


Because that's only 6, I am currently working on ... 3 more manuscripts. Plus a collaborator is working on one more. And I have potentially a few more than that.

Oh, and maybe I should actually get some data that goes towards my dissertation. Because all of the above articles will be great for helping me get a job. But none of them are helping me graduate! (Can I get a job without graduating?? Hmm ....)

So, if you're bored in the next few months, Google me and you can find some very boring articles about fish behavior to read! :)

20 goals for 2007 quarterly report

At the beginning of 2007, I posted some goals (not because I think you really care about my goals in life, but because I need to be held accountable, darn it!). Here's an update on how I am doing! Hope you're working on any goals you set for yourself this year!

Be a better:
Person
1. Exercise 3-4 times a week & eat better
Well, I try to do 20 min of pilates everyday, I bought an exercise ball, try to get to the gym a few times a week, started to walk at lunch time with the secrataries 3-4 times a week, and I started ballet class again (which kicked my ass). I should give up the beer and french fry portions of my diet though ...
2. Save 10% of my income
Hmm .. I do have a bit in savings, so that's good. But that eBay gets me everytime ...
3. Clean the apartment every Sunday
Working on that
4. Take a photo everyday (see The Oddity Effect: Project 365)
Should update more often
5. Read a few non-science books
I was invited to a book club by Dr. D's awesome wife. But I have yet to enjoy any of the books!! I am a science nerd!

PhD Student
6. Pass the Qs
Done! Passed! Happiness!
7. Be an awesome Animal Behavior Lab TA
Well ... just a few more lab reports to correct .... I hope I was a good TA!
8. Send out 5 manuscripts for publication
1 down, 4 to go
9. Write & Defend my dissertation proposal (by the summer)
Still got time ....
10. Work Harder!

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

Friend & Family Member
14. Call back everyone promptly
Well, I must say I am failing at this one! Darn!
15. Visit my family in Buffalo at least 4 times
Only one trip planned so far (End of May)
16. Visit BF Kimmy & BF-in-law in VA
Maybe early August?
17. Send letters & cards to my friends that are far away
More cards are needed!
18. Take Vacation with Ry & friends
Maybe early August? (Have fun on the cruise that we can't go on, friends!!!)
19. Visit The Southern Yankee and Baby Katherine
Well, baby Katie is only 4 days old, so we are thinking a summer visit is in order!!
20. Knit more -- especially gifts!
I got a few gifts out to Baby Katie and Southern Yankee, but I have lots more to work on!

So, 3 months in to the year, and I guess I am doing OK with my goals! Better than other years when my ONLY New Year's Resolution was to stop gossiping and then BF-Kimmy and I would chat on New Year's Day about the previous night's festivities and that resolution would be shot ...

Adios Costa Rica ...

Well, I decided for sure today that I will NOT be traveling to Costa Rica over spring break.

No, I was not headed on some awesome college spring break. I was supposed to be hanging out at a nature reserve watching fish swim.

One of my labmates is down there doing some research this semester, so it seemed an obvious time to go. But, the week long adventure turned into something more extreme with rented cars and far away flights and staying at an all-inclusive resort. Just far too complicated for me for something that is NOT a vacation!!

Besides, I should be here in the Little Town focusing on my dissertation proposal (see New Year Goal #9) and sending out my five manuscripts (see NYG #8). This year, I also want to vacation with friends and visit the Southern Yankee and baby Katherine (see NYG 18 & 19).

I'll just have to go to Costa Rica to visit the fishies in 2008 ...

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?