7.30.2005

Foraminifera

I thought I would post some pics of what I am studying. Most people do not know what foraminifera are. So, by looking at the different species, there abundance, and distribution, I can determine how sea level has changed in the local marshes. If you take a pencil and draw the smallest dot you can on a piece of paper, that's about the size of 5 of these guys, the area I am working in has particularly small forams.





7.29.2005

Pissed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ok, I am pissed. So Ray, the guy who "just wasn’t happy" is full of shit. When he went back home to Pa for a wedding and to visit friends and family, because of timing of the wedding he was going to be gone for our 1 year anniversary. So, I find out this morning that while he was there (and we were together at that moment in time) he sleeper with one of his friends. Now, I asked him if it occurred before or after our "anniversary", and he will not say. . . which of coarse means before. So, here I am feeling like this stupid moron for believing the "not happy" crap. Why cant guys keep it in their pants?? And why can’t they break up with you first, before doing something like this. Oh and if you want to se a pic of this ass to avoid/attack, look under the April archive, don't ever fall for his shit.
AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

7.28.2005

I got a 22

TRY THIS AND SEE HOW YOU DO
I got 22`
Well technically I got 21, but the answer to question 10 is wrong, so I got a 22.:)


The average person only gets 7 right.
This is based on U.S. info, so use all lobes of your brain. This can
be more difficult than it looks - it just shows how little most of us
really see!

There are 25 questions about things we see every day or have
known about all our lives. How many can you get right?
These little simple questions are harder than you think-- it just
shows you how little we pay attention to the commonplace
things of life.

Put your thinking caps on. No cheating! No looking around! No
getting out of your chair! No using anything on or in your desk or
computer!

Can you beat 20?? (The average is 7) Write down your answers
and check answers (on the bottom) AFTER completing all the
questions.

REMEMBER - NO CHEATING!!!


BE HONEST!!! That means no looking at your phone or anything
on your desk...

Then, before you pass this on to your friends, change the
number on the subject line to show how many you got correct.
Forward to your friends and also back to the one who sent it to
you.



1. On a standard traffic light, is the green on the top or bottom?

2. How many states are there in the USA? (Don't laugh, some
people don't know)

3. In which hand is the Statue of Liberty's torch?

4. What six colors are on the classic Campbell's soup label?

5. What two numbers on the telephone dial don't have letters by
them?

6. When you walk does your left arm swing with your right or left
leg? (Don't you dare get up to see!)

7. How many matches are in a standard pack?

8. On the United States flag is the top stripe red or white?

9. What is the lowest number on the FM dial?

10. Which way does water go down the drain, counter or
clockwise?

11. Which way does a "no smoking" sign's slash run?

12. How many channels on a VHF TV dial?

13. On which side of a women's blouse are the buttons?

14. Which way do fans rotate?

15. How many sides does a stop sign have?

16. Do books have even-numbered pages on the right or left
side?

17. How many lug nuts are on a standard car wheel?

18. How many sides are there on a standard pencil?

19. Sleepy, Happy, Sneezy, Grumpy, Dopey, Doc. Who's missing?

20. How many hot dog buns are in a standard package?

21. On which playing card is the card maker's trademark?

22. On which side of a Venetian blind is the cord that adjusts
the opening between the slats?

23. There are 12 buttons on a touch tone phone. What 2
symbols bear no digits?

24. How many curves are there in the standard paper clip?

25. Does a merry-go-round turn counter or clockwise?



ANSWERS

1. Bottom

2. 50

3. Right

4. Blue, red, white, yellow, black, &gold

5. 1, 0

6. Right

7. 20

8. Red

9. 87.7

10. Clockwise (north of the equator)

11. Towards bottom right

12. 12 (no number 1)

13. Left

14. Clockwise as you look at it

15. 8

16. Left

17. 5

18. 6

19. Bashful

20. 8

21. Ace of spades

22. Left

23. *, pound

24. 3

25. Counter

7.27.2005

No sleep for me

Well its official, I can not sleep. Now, this is not a new thing, it has been going on since the end of Ray and I. I have tried everything, sleeping on the couch, sleeping with the TV on, sleeping with a movie on, reading before bed, warm milk, exercising before bed, I even went out and bought new sheets and stuff for my bed, and not one thing has worked. I basically lay in bed/couch till I pass out, that normally does not occur till about 5 or 6 am. I usually try to get up between 7 and 8. So, needless to say I am not getting much sleep. It is hard getting used to sleeping by yourself, when you have had someone to cuddle up to every night over the last year. I even leave the fan on while sleeping (ray cant sleep without the sound of the fan, it used to bother me, but now it is comforting), it makes me feel better but it does not help me to sleep. Hopefully I will be able so fall asleep at a normal time soon, classes will be starting back up Aug 25th, and I will no longer be able to show up to school at noon without missing something or without questions being asked. :(

7.26.2005

My advisor as a "GOOD EXAMPLE"

Today was entertaining. Charlotte and I "stole" the university truck for the purpose of moving a bed from New Orleans to Slidel. There is a new Chinese researcher, who speaks little English and has no furniture, so the bed was for him. Technically the university vehicles are only for research or departmental work, which is why we had to "steal" it. The department is very strict about what the vehicles are used for, if the main campus finds out that they are ever used for non-departmental work they would probably be taken away:(

We were about half way to New Orleans when Charlotte looked at me and said "Here I go again, making you do things you are supposed to do." On previous excursions we have trespassed on private property (we wanted a sample from the marsh), parked in numerous no-parking zones, been locked into private boat docks (it was open when we got there, we didn't know you needed a key to access the area), pretended we were not strong enough to carry the big carboys to and from the boat (isn't that what deck hands are for), charged alcohol to the university credit card (they didn't itemize the ticket so, "how will they know"), and played dumb "we didn't know it was private property", and I am sure there is more that's just all I can think of off the top of my head. And for whatever reason Charlotte's husband (a geochemist in the department) thinks that we are going to get into trouble every time we go out. GO FIGURE!!

7.25.2005

A BETTER DAY

Today was better than the last two days. Well, mind you it wasn't great but it was good. I started it off by waking up at 11:00am, which is the latest I have slept in a long time, and boy was it needed. I then went into school and spent some time with my forams. I am currently learning foraminifera from the Pearl River marsh, so I am trying to figure out what these little things are and I have never seen them before. So. . . Lots and lots of reading for me:).

One great thing is that none of the biologists are currently in need of the microscope camera, so it is all mine:). No more sharing, or at least for a while. Another great thing is that Mississippi universities finally did something right.

The state school of Mississippi realized that if they compiled all of their subscriptions to online journals they could have a really good Science Direct subscription! So, I now have access to online journals going all the way back (or at least as far back as they have been digitized). Now, I know that the fact that this is exciting to me just proves the fact that I am a HUGE dork. But, I am fine with that. Honestly, I cannot wait to start looking up journals (that's one of the things I am doing tomorrow).

Another great thing that happened was that Charlotte (that's my advisor) said she liked my music. The way we run the lab is that whoever is in there first chooses the music. Normally I am the only one in the lab but, since it is summer and Charlotte does not get paid by the university, she refuses to do departmental or university things and just works on her research. So right now she is spending almost all of her time in the lab, she is rarely in her office. Today I had my laptop randomly playing music; the killers, some of Tools "softer" songs, REM, . . . and Charlotte actually said she really liked some of the songs. Now, I don't play the heavier (System of a Down) stuff, I know that wouldn't go over well, but the fact that she liked the stuff I played was quite surprising. Apparently the Mr. Brightside song by the Killers is great foraminifera counting songs.

So, a simple but good day, just me, Charlotte and a couple hundred foraminifera. :)

7.23.2005

BAR >> JENNY (CONTINUED)

So. . . I get a phone call at 3:00 in the morning from ray. Where he is very drunk and asks me "What do you want", and then yells at me for having bothered him, and expecting him to leave the bar to come help me. He then tells me I will have to wait (which I expected, seeing as how he was drunk), and to not bother him. He then comes over at 7:00 am completely mad at me, without the thing for my knee, puts a bag of ice on my knee and shortly after leaves. So, there I am stuck on the couch where I have been all night, now with ice on my knee. Still unable to walk without my knee giving out. He leaves, so I call him, and he says "Well what do you want" and yet again inform him that my knee brace is at his place or in his car and I need it. He then starts to raise his voice and go one about how I guilt trip him into things and how that's why he doesn't want to be around me. So apparently calling someone saying I need help is a guilt trip.

4:00pm rolls around, mind you, I am still on the couch, have not eaten since my 3:00 snack the day before, and still can not get off of the couch. So, I call him again. Where this time, he is finishing up is grocery shopping and tells me I need to be patient and wait. I inform him that its 4:00 in the afternoon and I still haven't eaten or gotten up off of the couch. He says "why didn't you tell me you needed something', I personally thought I had accomplished that when I called him earlier in the day, and when I called him the night before. But apparently English is not understood. So he finally ~4:30pm rolls around and he shows up with a new knee brace (apparently he couldn't find the other one). He then asks me what I want to eat, and I say "I don't know", which is pretty much always the case. He then yells at me telling me that he was trying to do something nice and make me something to eat, and how I am just being mean and I guilt him into things and then he storms off.

I then call him to say thank you for bringing me my knee brace and basically get yelled at. He tells me how I guilt him into doing things and that he doesn't want to hang out because I make him feel bad . . . I tell him that he is the one who wanted to be friends and has been trying to be friends. I then tell him that if a friend of mine needed help with something, especially something like this, I would have stopped drinking at the bar last night sobered up and gone and helped them vs. waiting till 4:00pm the next day. He then says that I shouldn't make him feel bad for not wanting to leave the bar and how he is tired of the way I make him feel.

So from this. . . yet again I surmise that he considers the bar and drinking at the bar to be more important than helping me out when I need it. Its not like I just wanted him to come hang out, I needed help and unfortunately he is the only one who could have helped me. I hate that, but that is just the way it is, there is nothing I can do about it.

So, here I am, alone in Mississippi, I have friends but not a one in Mississippi, it kind of makes it hard. Basically after I am done with work at school (which I love), I go home and that's it. And at school, other than passing people in the hall (only pass a few), no one talks to me anymore, and I am purposely left out of group things. Life SUCKS right now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

BAR >> JENNY

Ok, well I am pissed... Let me give you some background first...

Ray and I started dating a year ago (from the 4th of july), everything was going well. . . a year goes by and our 1 year anniversary is approaching. Unfortunately ray has to go home (Pa) for a wedding the same week so, we decided to celebrate when he gets back. So, prior to him flying back he tells me that he thinks we would be better off as good friends, mind you I still get to pick him up from the airport. He thinks we should be good friends, and then maybe later we might try to date again. WTF I was totally surprised, everyone I know was surprised by this. And honestly I do not understand why. So, needless to say . . .broken hear. One of the major problems with this, besides the obvious, is that he is actually trying to be my friend, the day after he got back, he shows up at my apartment with Chinese food and wanted to hang out and watch TV. . . Apparently he doesn't understand anything. I can barley stand to be in the same room with him right now. And I told him this. . . but he doesn't understand why we cant just be instant friends. Like there is some switch that can just be turned on and off.

So. . . knowing all this, its been what like a week and a half since we broke up. And needless to say he is still trying to be buddy buddy with me. So, while we are at school (we are in the same department/building) I am nice to him, and pretend to be happy when I am there (which I am not!!). He was at the department before me so, most of the people who I hung out with are his friends. I am here with basically no friends. There is one person who I consider a friend, but she lives on the Louisiana side (45 min away) so its hard to get her to do anything. The rest in the department are just civil to me, I am no longer invited to anything unless there is a mass invite.

I am trying to be "friends", which basically consists of him being buddy buddy and me pretending to be fine and friends, when all I really want to do is curl up in a ball and cry.

So this brings us to tonight (finally, I know. . . I apologize for all of the whinnying). Most of the students are going out the the beach bar (hole in wall bar in the town I live, one of the few things to do on a Friday night). And of course Ray is there along with all of his "friends", who are not my "friend", so basically it is going to be another weekend where I hang out by my self and do nothing. Well, I come home from school and I am walking up the stairs and my knee gives out (comes completely out of socket), so I pop it back into place and hobble up the rest of the way, and plop onto the couch. So I hang out there watching TV for a while and then decide that I am hungry, so I try to get up of the couch and . . . my knee is yet again out of its socket and I crumble to the ground. So I pull my self up onto the couch, hang out there for a while more and try this again, and get the same results. Now I try this a total of 4 times before I decide to stop trying. Normally this is not a big deal, I have a thing to put on my knee to keep it in place. However, this is in the trunk of rays car (we used his car the last time we went to the gym (prior to breakup)). So, I call him and tell him that I cannot use my knee etc... and he says "well what do you expect me to do", so I tell him I need the brace for my knee and he tells me "you don't need that, all you need is ice", I inform him that I really cannot make it to the freezer to get ice (im not about to drag myself, and hopping would just cause my other knee to do the same). So, I ask him if he could come and help me and all he says is "What do you expect me to do". Now mind you, he is the one who wanted to be friends, and if one of my friends called me saying they needed help like this, I would be over there asap.

So, more words are said. . . and basically what he tells me is that he doesnt want to leave the bar, so no help for me. And like I said, there is really no one else for me to call, they are all at the bar with him, and the one person who would help me is 45 minutes away and has likely been in bed for a good couple of hours at this point. I then ask, "if you are to drunk to drive, would you stop drinking, and sober up and in a couple of hours when you can drive, come and help me". I get a big old fat "no I am not leaving the bar".

So here I am it is now midnight, I haven't eaten dinner yet, I cant get off of the couch (I've tried a few more times), and if at some point I have to go to the bathroom. . . Well that's going to be interesting.

So, that is why I am pissed off, apparently the bar is more important.

I apologize is this is a little scattered and if I ramble on a bit, but like I said, I am a little pissed and angry and hungry!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

7.19.2005

You know your a mississippian when. . .

How to tell if you are a true Mississippian


* 1. Your idea of a traffic jam is ten cars waiting to pass a tractor on the
highway.
* 2. "Vacation" means going to a family reunion.
* 3. You've seen all the biggest bands ten years after they were popular.
* 4. You measure distance in minutes.
* 5. You know several people who have hit a deer.
* 6. Your school classes were canceled because the weather was too cold.
* 7. Your school classes were canceled because the weather was too hot.
* 8. You've ever had to switch from "heat" to "A/C" in the same day.
* 9. You think ethanol makes your truck "run a lot better."
* 10. Stores don't have bags; they have sacks.
* 11. Stores don't have carts; they have buggies.
* 12. You know if another Mississippian is from South, Middle or North
Mississippi as soon as they open their mouth.
* 13. You see a car running in the parking lot at the store with no one in
it.
* 14. You use "fix" as a verb." Example: I'm fixing to go to the store
* 15. All the festivals across the state are named after a fruit, a vegetable
or animal.
* 16. You install security lights on your house and garage and leave both
doors unlocked.
* 17. You think of the major four food groups as beef, pork, beer and chicken
* 18. You carry jumper cables in your car...for your own car.
* 19. You know what "cow tipping" and "snipe hunting" are.
* 20. You only know four spices: salt, pepper, ketchup and Tabasco.
* 21. A carbonated soft drink isn't a soda or cola. It is "COKE," regardless
of what flavor it is.
* 22. Going to Wal-Mart is a favorite past-time known as "goin' Walmartin" or
"goin' da' Wally World."
* 23. The local paper covers national news on one page, and requires six
pages for sports.
* 24. You think deer season is a national holiday.
* 25. You know which leaves make good toilet paper.
* 26. You find 90 degrees Fahrenheit "a little warm."
* 27. You know all four seasons: Almost Summer, Summer, Still Summer and
Christmas.
* 28. You actually get these jokes, and forward them to your fellow friends
in Mississippi.

7.16.2005

Taurus

How appropriate is this

Taurus :
Now that you have gotten a solid hold on your situation, unexpected things may be coming to change the rules on you, dear Taurus. You may find that the chair you just got comfortable in has suddenly been pulled out from under you. Don't get angry, just realize that this is probably a sign that you need to move on. Don't become stagnant. Keep things new and exciting. Share your thoughts and ideas with others.

7.15.2005

So, well it is friday night and i have nothing to do so, personality quiz time :) here are the results from the different quizes.

1. Color Quiz
http://www.colorquiz.com/

Your Existing Situation
Sensitive; needs esthetic surroundings, or an equally sensitive and understanding partner with whom to share a warm intimacy.

Your Stress Sources
Eager to make a good impression, but worried and doubtful about the likelihood of succeeding. Feels that she has a right to anything she might hope for, and becomes helpless and distressed when circumstances go against her. Finds the mere possibility of failure most upsetting and this can even lead to nervous prostration. Sees herself as a 'victim' who has been misled and abused, mistakes this dramatization for reality and tries to convince herself that her failure to achieve standing and recognition is the fault of others.

Your Restrained Characteristics
Circumstances are such that she feels forced to compromise for the time being if she is to avoid being cut off from affection or from full participation.
Very exacting in the standards she applies to her choice of a partner and seeking a rather unrealistic perfection in her sex life.

Your Desired Objective
Wants to make a favorable impression and be recognized. Needs to feel appreciated and admired. Sensitive and easily hurt if no notice is taken of her or if she is not given adequate acknowledgment.

Your Actual Problem
Depleted vitality has created an intolerance for any further stimulation, or demands on her resources. This sense of powerlessness, combined with frustration that she cannot control events, subjects her to agitation, irritation, and acute distress. She tries to escape these by stubborn insistence on her own point of view, but the general condition of helplessness renders this often unsuccessful. Is therefore very sensitive to criticism and quick to take offense.

Your Actual Problem #2
Disappointment and the fear that there is no point in formulating fresh goals have led to anxiety. Desires recognition and position, but is worried about her prospects. Reacts to this by protecting at any criticism and resisting any attempt to influence her. Tries to assert herself by meticulous control of detail in an effort to strengthen her position.

2. What dog are you?
www.tickle.com

jenny, you're a German Shepherd!
No bones, about it, you're a loyal, hard-working German Shepherd. Dedicated and always low-maintenance, people flock to you — they know they can count on you to get any job done, and done well. That focus and attention to detail spans from your personal to your professional life, too. Although you can be a bit of a perfectionist when it comes to the projects you tackle, you still manage to keep cool and laid-back in social situations. You get a kick out of the little things and thrive when you're constantly busy and on-the-go. Easygoing and unpretentious, you don't need constant pampering and reassurance. A genuine, carefree pup, you're a true-blue friend, employee, and partner. Woof!

3. What's Your Cinderella Story?
www.tickle.com

jenny, in your Cinderella story, you'd get to Live Happily Ever After
When it comes to setting goals, you're not afraid to reach high. How else would you explain wanting to be the belle of the ball, winning the heart of the prince, showing those evil stepsisters who's boss, and ruling the kingdom? You're a girl with goals, and you go after them.
Let's face it: You're not one to sit around and wait for life to happen. If the driver has the night off, you'd probably proudly take the reigns of your pumpkin coach and drive yourself to the party. You're not the type to have a team of servants at your beck and call although that wouldn't be so horrible, now would it? But if good ol' Prince Charming has anything to say about it, you won't have to lift a finger when you move into the castle together — unless you want to. And with your varied interests and natural drive to get what you want, you're sure to be true royalty in no time. And that's a happily ever after worth sharing.

4. What golden girl are you
www.tickle.com

jenny, you're most like Sophia
While she may misplace her glasses often, Sophia's still sharp as a tack — mentally and verbally. You don't have to be Sicilian to be a sassy character like Sophia who's got her own opinions and ideas about everything.

Smart and clever, you're wise beyond your years no matter how old or young you actually are. And underneath all that strong will, you've got a soft side and a big heart that makes you great to have around. When you're cooking, telling stories, or cracking everyone up, you're sure to liven up any event. Mama mia!

7.14.2005

MISSISSIPPI

The following is the state song for Mississippi. . . This is where i live people, YOU would think that they could be more creative, i mean come on, singing the spelling of Mississippi does not make for a good song. Well, at least they spelled Mississippi right. I would like to hear this song sung by a bunch of the locals and watch/listen as they struggle through the spelling of Mississippi. . . that would be entertaining. Ahh. . . gotta love living in the deep south


Go, Mississippi

Words and Music by Houston Davis

Verse:

States may sing their songs of praise
With waving flags and hip-hoo-rays,
Let cymbals crash and let bells ring
Cause here's one song I'm proud to sing.

Choruses:

Go, Mississippi, keep rolling along,
Go, Mississippi, you cannot go wrong,
Go, Mississippi, we're singing your song,
M-I-S-S-I-S-S-I-P-P-I

Go, Mississippi, you're on the right track,
Go, Mississippi, and this is a fact,
Go, Mississippi, you'll never look back,
M-I-S-S-I-S-S-I-P-P-I

Go, Mississippi, straight down the line,
Go, Mississippi, ev'rything's fine,
Go, MIssissippi, it's your state and mine,
M-I-S-S-I-S-S-I-P-P-I

Go, Mississippi, continue to roll,
Go, Mississippi, the top is the goal,
Go, Mississippi, you'll have and you'll hold,
M-I-S-S-I-S-S-I-P-P-I

Go, Mississippi, get up and go,
Go, Mississippi, let the world know,
That our Mississippi is leading the show,
M-I-S-S-I-S-S-I-P-P-I

7.11.2005

Dennis: fin

Well Dennis spared Bay St. Louis and attacked Florida, and flooded much of Georgia. But yet again my apartment was saved, I was sort of wishing for a window to blow out and soak my desktop, my renters insurance covers my computer very well, so I could buy like 2 or 3. But alas, no broken window. . . . maybe Emily can help with that. Its only the beginning of July and we are on Emily, hurricane season lasts till October, boy its gonna be a long summer full of lots of little vacations.

However, being a refugee was great!!! I played volleyball with Amanda and some of the grad students/ one professor from the university of Louisiana, we painted pottery (I painted a dragon, hopefully he will still look good after being fired), I was shown the gay fireman (Its a Lafayette thing, a gay statue . . . very amusing), toured Lafayette, visited a tattoo/piercing parlor (Amanda needed a new ball for one of her piercing), played with a hamster (I don’t think he liked me to much, I kept disturbing his sleep and he didn’t like that), and visited a drive through daiquiri shop (ya gotta love La, pull up they give you a frozen fruity alcoholic drink complete with a straw, yah. . . raise your hand if you think they usually make it home before they begin to take a sip... that what I thought no hands. . . oh and here in the south, La and Ms, is the only place I know of where the frozen fruity alcoholic drink is a manly drink)

7.08.2005

Dennis IV



These are the projected paths of Dennis, note the red and blue line go directly over Bay St. Louis (where I live). . . ohh this should be fun, thats why i am getting the hell out of dodge :)

Currently Dennis is a category IV hurricane, and it will likely pick up more energy after cuba, there is a large pool of warm water which will fuel the hurricane, this baby may make it to a category V. WOW!!

7.07.2005

Dennis

Cindy wasn't bad, a little flooding, lost a few trees, one tree split in half (that was pretty cool), and now here comes Dennis. If he hits here there will be flooding, the water is high from cindy and the ground is saturated. So i am getting out of here
:), plus it is an excuse for visiting my friend amanda :), gotta love mississippi :)

This is dennis as of 4:30pm central time


From the weather channel:
"Four Atlantic weather systems -- Arlene, Bret, Cindy and Dennis -- reached Tropical Storm status by July 5, the earliest for so many named storms in recorded history. If Dennis makes U.S. landfall as a Category 3 or higher, it will be the first to do so in July since 1936."
The list of hurricane names for the year

# Arlene (no affect)
# Bret (no affect)
# Cindy (little flooding and tree damage)
# Dennis
# Emily
# Franklin
# Gert
# Harvey
# Irene
# Jose
# Katrina
# Lee
# Maria
# Nate
# Ophelia
# Philippe
# Rita
# Stan
# Tammy
# Vince
# Wilma