Unemployed and in DC

I moved back to DC about a month ago and since then have been trying to figure out what to do with myself. Clearly, it has not been blogging. Anyway, some news--I got into the University of Hawaii at Manoa and am going to be studying with Les Watling (a very prominent deep sea coral researcher). I'm very excited (although a little terrified too).
The other day my dad was talking about whether the opposite of "disgruntled" is "gruntled." Then I was talking to someone who said why would you want extra "viganza?" And yesterday I was wondering about extraordinary--why is being very ordinary a good thing? Words are confusing. This is what I do with my free time...I go to the gym and think about the English language.
I need a job. I need money and I need to regain my sanity. Even with doing nothing, I feel like the days pass too quickly and I can't get anything done. Somehow when I have a job, I never feel like that.
I've been doing some artwork though. I think I will post it.

Happy Valentines Day

From Pharyngula--a highly appropriate Valentine

Cuttlefish Waiting for the Ferry

Last night I dreamt that giant cuttlefish and people were in Woods Hole waiting at the Steamship Authority for the Ferry to Martha's Vineyard. There was some sort of festival going on over there. Anyway, some guys decided to beat up the cuttlefish really badly and they had to be taken away on stretchers in an ambulance. They were bruised all over and it was really sad to see them that way...

New Project

Using the results from my last project with the cuttlefish, we have come up with a new project that will build on those results. I am currently working with various substrates to evoke a uniform response. Given that they are natural substrates, I get to spend a lot of my time on the beach collecting good samples :) That is definitely one of my new favorite parts of the day. Even though it has been a bit stormy up here recently, I've come to realize that is the weather I like the most in Woods Hole. The turbulent sky and sea, seeming to fight against each other, the wind blowing my hair...I'll miss that. I'll miss being so close to the water.
I had a strange dream last night that I haven't quite been able to wake up from. I was drinking beer (in my dream) with my friends and I opened my journal which happened to be in front of me. I opened to a drawing of a couple (one of whom was me, I assume) sitting on a bridge. Sometimes I draw comics of what happens in my life, and this was in cominc book form. Slowly, something began glowing behind and underneath the bridge, until I realized it was a volcano. The glow intensified and became blinding (at this point, I wasn't looking at the comic anymore, I was inside it). The walls of the volcano began to fall away and lava was pouring everywhere. The person I was with and I began to run...but it was futile, we were consumed completely by giant technicolor waves of lava. Then, I was an observer again--looking at the drawing in the journal. A little more happened after this point, but it's a bit fuzzy, and less interesting.

Sledding

Yesterday, I went sledding with my friends on the golf course in the dark. It was a lot of fun. I haven't been sledding since my first year of college. I'm going to miss Woods Hole, despite some of the difficulties.
I found out yesterday that Roger is going to go to DC today and will be back Friday (a day I have taken off) and then will be leaving again next Monday for two weeks. When he returns, I will have four days left in the lab. I'm a bit frustrated by this because I will not have as much interaction with him during the wrapping up of my project as I had hoped. It basically means there is no potential for a publication at all, which is aggrivating because I feel I was lured here under false pretenses. Oh well, I have enjoyed the work.
Now I have to start looking for a new job! If only I could find a job that will pay me!

Here's a pic of me sledding (if you can find me--it's kind of small)

Last Trial!!

I just finished my last trial (number 90) and barring any unforeseen problems, I am done taking pictures (for now). Now to data analysis.
There is so much snow today--it snowed at least a foot last night. Everything is covered in a blanket of snow.

Lobster Babies!!

I forgot to mention the new addition to our upstairs lab. The lobster from downstairs is carrying lots of eggs so we have moved her upstairs to a tank by herself where we have warmed the water to make her think it is summer. Exciting!! I've never seen the eggs of a lobster before--it is very cool. She is fanning them with water.