The next 4 months of my life...

I know it's been a week since my last post...but calm down...there is a method to my madness...or at least a reason (don't be fooled though, I still have plenty of madness). Here's my reason. I had to get through Wednesday to have experienced all my classes and other items that will make up my weekly schedule. So here it is, my schedule and what I think of it so far...

8 - 10 AM, M-F, Core class - this is for all the PhD students in basic sciences. It is going to take quite a bit of work and lots of reading. The lectures themselves have not been to bad thus far, but the material is not all review for me, so I'm going to have to pay attention. I'll get a better feel for the difficulty after the first test (in a couple of weeks).

4 - 5 Pm, T, Frontiers in Pharmacology - small class that is designed to expose students to some of the research in the area of pharmacology. It'll be interesting, but easy. They mentioned nothing about papers, or tests, or any kind of work for that matter, so it's kind of refreshing. Plus, they feed us after each class...yeah food!

4 - 5 Pm, W, Research Ethics - another cake class...and boring too. This is broken into 8 weeks of lectures followed by 8 weeks of discussion group case studies. Grades based on attendance, participation in dicussion groups, and a single two-page paper. I can handle that.

9 pm - 12 am, Bowling - found a league not too far away from campus and about 20-25 min. from my place of residence. It's a scratch league (no handicap) and seems to be fairly competitive. My team is going to be pretty fun and hopefully challenge for the title.

All the other times until the 5-6ish neighborhood is spent in lab. After about 1 week in the lab, I think it's going to be interesting. This current lab rotation is not necessarily doing research the completely excites me (I'm a bit unsure of the applicability of what they are doing), but it is going to be a good lab for me to get my feet wet. I am beginning to get an understanding of what my initial project is going to require and am a little bit excited to start working on it. As for now, I will continue to shadow and work with a research assistant and get some practice.

The evenings are spent contemplating reading, watching TV, or playing video games. Motivation is (always) lacking to read, but that is nothing new and should have been expected. Nothing new, but I'll get it done as usual.

Ok, that's all. I probably should go do some reading or something....

Into the Lab I go...

Yesterday was the orientation session for the graduate school. I now have school e-mail (close friends, an e-mail with the address with be arriving shortly). I have library access. I can sign on to school computers. I have a student ID (and it says PharmD on it...that's awesome!). I have a parking pass (and it's bloody expensive...but I've gotta park...oh, sis-in-law, your I mean my budget needs some adjusting now).

Today, I met with a professor about doing my first lab rotation (yeah, after a year of pharmacy rotations, I have more...slightly different, but still rotations). Basically, he said sure, and walked me through my lab project (lipid mapping: culture cells, add ATP, take samples after x minutes, add a standard, purify, then run through mass spectometry...actually run through MS/MS/MS, then interpret the results and develop a new hypothesis...and create a new experiment). Don't worry, I wasn't positive I understood all of it, but he was really nice and understanding of my complete lack of laboratory skills. In fact, he is going to have me shadow a couple of his researchers to let me get my feet wet and learn techniques. It's exciting and a bit nervous at the same time. I start tomorrow morning.

Class starts on Monday, so things are about to get real. I guess I'm officially a graduate student, huh? I must be nuts...have a goodnight.

Fantasy Football Draft

So today was the draft for my fantasy football league (with fellow grad students). It was a little crazy and hectic at first, but then it got a bit ridiculous as people really tried to think long and hard about who to pick. I pretty much picked quickly (knowing who I wanted when the time came). Each week you start a QB, 2 RB, 3 WR, TE, K, and a defense. The rest of the players are benched and may be subbed in (in case of bye weeks, injuries, or performance). Here is a list of my draft by round:

1. Peyton Manning - QB - Ind
2. Carnell "Cadillac" Williams - RB - TB
3. Marvin Harrison - WR - Ind
4. Joe Horn - WR - NO
5. Jeremy Shockey - TE - NYG
6. Deion Branch - WR- NE
7. Dominic Rhodes - RB - Ind
8. Mike Vanderjagt - K - Dal
9. Tampa Bay Defense
10. Keyshawn Johnson - WR - Car
11. Chris Brown - RB - Ten
12. Drew Brees - QB - NO
13. Antwaan Randle-El - WR - Was
14. Ben Troupe - TE - Ten
15. Samkon Gado - RB - GB
16. Dallas Defense


I know I have great QB's (and might use Drew Brees as trade bait) and pretty good wideouts. I think my RBs are a bit week. Cadillac Williams should be decent if he stays healthy. Rhodes will be good for a week or two, but I don't believe he will be the starter for Indy at the end of the season. Brown will probably fill that role, unless I trade for someone better (which I will try to do). Defense is fair, and I feel my bench is pretty good. My WR core is pretty good all across the board. Time will tell how I fair...I'm sure you are excited and I will keep you posted. Stay tuned....Are you ready for some football???

Some Frustrations.

Well, yesterday you read that my one major item went swimmingly (getting internet set-up). Today's two major tasks did not go as well, and actually were quite frustrating. Task number one for the day was getting a CO driver's license. I arrive at the site at 7:40 AM (they open at 8) and was about 30-40th in line (crazy huh). They open and I get to the front of the line, tell them what I need, and they ask for my IN license and my birth certificate, a passport, or military ID. Well, I've never gotten a passport, or been in the military, but I have been born, so I presented my birth certificate. Alas, my copy was laminated (by the state...or at least Marion county) and they don't accept laminated certificates. Horsecrap. They just give me the number for IN vital records. Well, after placing a call the parentals, I try to use a utility knife and peel off the lamination...no go. So, I call the number given to me...and via automated system, get to call another number. I finally get someone and ask how quickly I can get a copy...10-15 business days. So I ask if my parents stop by in person, how long....that day. So I call the parentals and inform them. They kindly go to Indy and in 5 minutes have a copy and get it overnighted to me (should be here tomorrow). So in summation, CO DMV sucks!

The second task was to be present and have the cable guys activate my cable outlet to my TV in my room (that's a lot of my's in one sentence). Anyway, he gets here. Spends 15 minutes (or more) just wandering around looking for were the cable outlet comes into the house. He finally finds it outside, but the wire has been completely sliced through. So, he says he can't really do anything with that, but can run some wire and use a splitter. Geez, I could've ran some wire and gotten a splitter. The only good news is the cost is basically a wash. The service call is comparable to the amount of wire and splitter he used. It's still dumb because I could have ran a splitter and wire and had cable on day 1...or 2....the key is I could have done it.

Oh well. That's how things go. My to-do list is getting shorter, but I still have plenty of CO pharmacy law to learn by Tuesday when I take that test. Well, time to play a game or two before bed....Night.

Courtesy of High-Speed Internet

That's right. This post is coming from my laptop, in my room, at my place via High Speed Internet. Yahoo! This equals the best access to internet that I've had for 2 years. No more waiting to check e-mail until I got to work/campus/my brothers. Now I can check e-mail whenever I want and am going to be back on AIM (same screenname as it is here). I am pretty happy about it. I can download and check websites quickly and easily. Why anyone would choose dial up is beyond me...especially after experience high-speed. With this amazing feat completed, I think that my reading public can come to expect posts more frequently. Of course, I could also get sidetracked and forget to post, but for now, we will go with the increased frequency of posting.

Well, I have many many websites to check...in addition to lots of other things to try and do.

Keep posted.

A Hoosier in the Mountains

Ok...technically, I am not in the mountains, but I am a mile high (on the far eastern edge of Denver) and can see the mountians (they look big!!!). I arrived in Denver on Wednesday and unloaded my dad's SUV and my car. My parents and I then went shopping. Over the course of Wednesday and Thursday, we bought a DVD rack, a bookshelf, a computer desk, and a used and slightly beat-up dresser (nothing duck tape couldn't fix). My mom cleaned up a little while dad and I built things...ok dad built things and I assisted. Anyway, today I used for some more errand running, and still have plenty to do. Things are going well, but I still have that slightly overwhelmed feeling like I'm playing from behind and just not quite caught up on things. In time, I'm sure that will pass. Hopefully this weekend, I can talk with my new roommate/landlord about setting up internet and updating the cable TV (currently a very basic set of channels exists...and I mean basic...NO ESPN!!! It's a shame...gotta have ESPN...we'll see what we can do about that).

Speaking of the roommate(s). The one (the owner) is super nice and just finished the first year of the program I am starting. So it's going to be good to have someone who can help me out with things. The other roommate I've only briefly met (for about 1 minute yesterday evening and a few minutes this evening....before I left to borrow the internet from this coffee shop...don't worry I bought a drink).

Things still to figure out/get done: 1) Bowling league, 2) Church, 3) Car license and registration, 4) Car insurance, and 5) get a local cell number.

I've got the ball rolling on e-mail and parking and things at the school. I also have to buy a chair, and figure out CO pharmacy laws.

See what I mean about feeling a little overwhelmed. Hopefully after this weekend, that list will be smaller, or at least more manageable. I still have a couple of weeks before classes start, so there is time.

Alright gotta check some other things on the internet...check back for more details.

Final Weekend...

As you know I'm moving to Denver, CO and am doing so on Tuesday. Therefore, this is my final weekend in IN (at least for a while). Anyway, it's shaping up to be a fairly good weekend (aside from cleaning and packing...that is). Bowled last night and today in a doubles tournament with my dad. Granted, I didn't bowl overly well, but still had fun bowling with my dad and some guys from Evansville. Tomorrow is the Brickyard (that's grand...go Kahne and Stewart!!!) and then I bowl one more time on Monday. Well, I'm in Terre Haute and need to get back to Indy, so I will be off. Gotta pack up some more...and do a load of laundry.

Alrighty, have thyself a goodnight/day (or whatever time it is when you are reading this).