BlogaVlogmas Day 11: Things I learned During My Final

1) Wild type C. elegans actively search for a vulva after penetration until they find it. Actively. Search.

2) If you want to find a blonde, go to Sweden. They're 50% blonde over there (or 70% if you count dirty blondes).

3) Flies can look like bees. You just have to mutate them the right way.

BlogaVlogamas Day 10: Finished with Finals!

But I still have 2 proposals and a fellowship application to do. Ohhh wells. Also, yesterday was the Chem Bio holiday party. That was fun. :)

BlogaVlogmas Day 8: A Week In!

Today, I learned about fly genetics, ate some cashew chicken, and demolished a whole bunch of Milanos.

I also realized that the trick to blogging every day is to not expect to speak volumes of wisdom each time you blog. Between finals and work and class, who has time to impart wisdom? I don't even know if my brain can handle any more information at this point.

Except this: at Starbucks, never get the Skinny Peppermint Mocha. The regular one is great, and delicious. The Skinny is not worth it. Ever. It's watery and gross. Don't do it, people. Just....don't.

And then I saw Kristin Chenoweth speak

(And sing!)

And the world was better.

BlogaVlogmas Day 7: Out of Sorts

I didn't sleep well last night. Maybe I was too warm because I kept waking up all sorts of thirsty. Regardless, I feel remarkably out of sorts today. I haven't felt this way in a long time, maybe since high school or the early years of college. It's the kind of day where I don't feel like talking to anyone, where I'm not happy, but I don't know why. I can turn the feeling off when I'm in class or have to interact with people, but the moment I am alone, all I really want to do is lie in my bed and listen to sad music. There's this sinking feeling in my chest that I know didn't come from the coffee I drank this morning, and if I close my eyes, my thoughts look like dark blue knots of water, if that makes any sense.

This feeling is different from my "need to recharge" feeling. Recharging for me usually consists of watching fun movies or fangirling over people on tumblr. It's antisocial, but I'm still a ball of happy. This is...not the same thing.

It's not that I'm tired. If I close my eyes, I don't fall asleep. I'm not angry. No one has wronged me. I'm not sad. Even though a tear or two leaks out occasionally, I don't have anything to be sad about.

I know that people can't be happy all the time. It's just not realistic. And I embrace what I'm feeling right now. Because I'm not unhappy. Even though I know I can probably force myself to act happy, it seems a little silly to conform this societal expectation that people should be outwardly pleasant all the time, especially when there's no one else around.

So really, I just woke up tossing and turning and don't have a good reason for feeling boneless and antisocial. That's all.

BlogaVlogmas Day 6: Today

Did science. A lot of science.

Went to BM's birthday dinner.

Had a "Little Prince." It was delicious.

Also, took 2 naps. Totally crashed during each of them. I'm not ashamed to admit that had they gone longer, I would have been drool-y. This means I need more sleep.

Goodnight.

BlogaVlogmas Day 5: A Number of Firsts

First, let me say, that sometimes, I write about firsts. I am still young. I am still learning. And I hope that in the future, I will have many more firsts. There are enough experiences in the world so that one can conceivably have a new first every day, but we get stuck sometimes in our mundane lives without remembering that (sometimes terrifying) thrill one gets from doing something for the first time.

Today:

I poured and ran my first gel. I got all the DNA in the wells. Yay me!
[I also watched, with some apprehension, as the plume of what I can only assume was steam came barreling out of the agarose/buffer solution after I took it out of the microwave.]

I plated my first bacterial colonies. There was ethanol. And fire.
[I tried not to smell the bacteria.]

I got started on my first Secret Santa shopping experience.
[I think I got this.]

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I also had my third morning coffee in a row today. I haven't had coffee for caffeine in over a month. It's been...rough times. End of semester. Waking up early. Needed to know things. Bah.

EDIT: IT'S ALSO MY 100TH BLOG POST ON THIS BLOG!!!!