Yesterday Annie and I went to the Sacramento zoo, which was fun and made me feel like I'm some age under 12 again. Annie was, of course, mostly interested in the primates, but there WERE tiger cubs which we spent a considerable time gawking at. The red pandas are cute and we saw the hyenas for all of two seconds, before they decided that it was too bright and too early a day out (being nocturnal animals) and went back to their lairs to nap.
I got a brochure with informations on all the museums in Sac. Future trips to the city is in the plans.
Checked in with Charleen last evening: Shadow'll be ready for his first adoption fair in two weeks (all grown up already!) and then we'll have TWO cats to chase down on Saturday morning and they can commiserate together each Saturday evening. Watched Totoro with Annie-- movie & ice tea combination highly addictive, might be drawn back under its lures tonight.
Planted stuff in the Central Garden this morning too (volunteer work). We were working on the Meadow Garden, I think, and the soil was full of worms. Very confused wormed who did not understand why they were suddenly very exposed and very much in the light. Annie and I were, at one point, trading worms, just for amusement (and confusing the worms even further, I'll bet). We also dug up a paper-white bulb, which we were allowed to keep, so if I'm lucky our balcony will acquire a paper-white plant among its collection of...REALLY random plants. Trimmed Shadow's claws afterwards and he was not happy with us. Fixed cat toys. Will attempt to be more productive later as will have to memorize the structure of tryptophan before Monday.
20070331
20070329
Cat feet
The unavoidable truth about being on a quarter system is that there are too many first days of class.
20070326
The winds of March
Driving in a straight line on the highway has gotten significantly easier when the wind's averaging less than 45 mph. Of course there's still wind. It wouldn't be spring in Davis (or most any other season either) without the wind. I averaged 70mph on the 65mph highway and stopped feeling bemused when I estimated that one car passes me every fifteen minutes, or about that. The funny thing is, I've always thought that the traffic laws were actually laws instead of laws that were more like guidelines. However, the majority of the drivers out there seem to disagree, leaving me wondering about just how difficult it must be for some people to signal before swerving three lanes across.
Ah well.
The cats are well. Georgia was at her most friendly, and therefore most whiny and complained loudly about being left alone with only one cat sitter to come and feed her each day. Shadow attempted to get some attention but hid in the corner as soon as my dad appeared, therefore missing his chance in the "Let's Complain To Her Feet" contest.
Right now though, must leave for work! The teachers are already mailing out the syllabi. (Plural of syllabus? Ideas, anyone?) At this point there's really nothing to wonder about if anyone felt like that spring break was too short.
Ah well.
The cats are well. Georgia was at her most friendly, and therefore most whiny and complained loudly about being left alone with only one cat sitter to come and feed her each day. Shadow attempted to get some attention but hid in the corner as soon as my dad appeared, therefore missing his chance in the "Let's Complain To Her Feet" contest.
Right now though, must leave for work! The teachers are already mailing out the syllabi. (Plural of syllabus? Ideas, anyone?) At this point there's really nothing to wonder about if anyone felt like that spring break was too short.
20070321
Less than 24 hours
Last final is tomorrow morning, and needless to say my bags are packed (all save the lasts few items)--that one good thing about Latin--the finals never took up the total amount of allocated time. I can walk back home from the 8-10am final and still be on time for when my dad will arrive at 10. It is an option, and given the current week's weather, it's a very tempting option. Nevertheless I think I'll bike-- more time before the final, just in case the final's room got changed tonight and I don't get the annoucement until late tomorrow morning (has happened before, but thankfully it was for something else, not a final). Also, more time to make sure I haven't forgotten anything.
There's always something to forget, it seems. I sat in the living room with the two cats tumbling around (literally, given this particular afternoon) and went through my translations a second time because I keep forgetting the difference between the indicative and subjunctive (eram vs. essem). I forgot that 49 is a multiple of seven when we switched from base 6 to base 7 in the green house today, while randomizing the plant orders, and broke a beaker because I forgot that it was in the way when I had to swap the two pots. I have to remember to turn on the alarm tomorrow morning, because there'll be no one else's alarm. I must remember to bring along the charger for my phone even though I just charged it this afternoon. There're still dishes to wash, trash to take out, and litter boxes to change (I hope I remembered to tell the cat sitter everything. Maybe I better leave the contact information for myself and FFO somewhere noticeable. Must remember to tape sign to the door where the cat supplies are located.) I need to remember to take all the seedlings, because the roots are too short yet and they will die without consistent water for over three days (the parsley's died already--the water potential and pot depth did not suit it). Thoughts of tests still show up in my sleep but I can no longer remember why I did this one thing on this question but not on another question and right now it doesn't matter anymore. Oh well. I should wipe off the kitchen counter before I go, and throw away the dill because it's decomposing. The blinds can stay open though because by Monday I'll be home.
It's Wednesday, and three different people smiled at me today. They were very nice to me. Hmm...still at Davis.
The cats say 'hi'.
[edit 9:12]
Spoke too soon. Annie left her alarm to go off at 6am. Had to go in to turn it off. Cats dogged every step of the way. I think they were confused.
There's always something to forget, it seems. I sat in the living room with the two cats tumbling around (literally, given this particular afternoon) and went through my translations a second time because I keep forgetting the difference between the indicative and subjunctive (eram vs. essem). I forgot that 49 is a multiple of seven when we switched from base 6 to base 7 in the green house today, while randomizing the plant orders, and broke a beaker because I forgot that it was in the way when I had to swap the two pots. I have to remember to turn on the alarm tomorrow morning, because there'll be no one else's alarm. I must remember to bring along the charger for my phone even though I just charged it this afternoon. There're still dishes to wash, trash to take out, and litter boxes to change (I hope I remembered to tell the cat sitter everything. Maybe I better leave the contact information for myself and FFO somewhere noticeable. Must remember to tape sign to the door where the cat supplies are located.) I need to remember to take all the seedlings, because the roots are too short yet and they will die without consistent water for over three days (the parsley's died already--the water potential and pot depth did not suit it). Thoughts of tests still show up in my sleep but I can no longer remember why I did this one thing on this question but not on another question and right now it doesn't matter anymore. Oh well. I should wipe off the kitchen counter before I go, and throw away the dill because it's decomposing. The blinds can stay open though because by Monday I'll be home.
It's Wednesday, and three different people smiled at me today. They were very nice to me. Hmm...still at Davis.
The cats say 'hi'.
[edit 9:12]
Spoke too soon. Annie left her alarm to go off at 6am. Had to go in to turn it off. Cats dogged every step of the way. I think they were confused.
20070320
Colors of music
My first pause in the finals, with only one Latin final left, has allowed me to start updating my blog again. Though it must be admitted that I'm no where near that strict when it actually comes down to studying. I have been engaged in certain amounts of non-studying activities too in the past few days because, frankly, if I had to do nothing but physics and ochem and bio for four and a half days straight I may very well go insane.
Er. More insane than I currently am, anyway. Or possibly just a more harmful form of insanity. (Psychosis, any one?)
On the other hand, finals always mean that everyone else is nearing the ends of their tethers as well and mass hysteria ensues. The conversations during finals are usually funnier than the normal ones--and the word "funny" might be interpreted many, many ways in many, many context--and I swear it's not just because I'm feeling a little hysterical myself.
Kitchen-fishing music was a conversation topic that came up, following a previously set procession of dish-washing music and chicken-shredding music. Our sponge is about to die and we are still working on making our floor less crunchy and our dishes can't run away with our spoons because we haven't enough spoons to spare. Hello.
Taken out of context, it would appear we're all ready for the asylum. Taking within the context is only marginally better. We're just extremely weird then. And I can go and try to explain calculations in base-eight again.
Er. More insane than I currently am, anyway. Or possibly just a more harmful form of insanity. (Psychosis, any one?)
On the other hand, finals always mean that everyone else is nearing the ends of their tethers as well and mass hysteria ensues. The conversations during finals are usually funnier than the normal ones--and the word "funny" might be interpreted many, many ways in many, many context--and I swear it's not just because I'm feeling a little hysterical myself.
Kitchen-fishing music was a conversation topic that came up, following a previously set procession of dish-washing music and chicken-shredding music. Our sponge is about to die and we are still working on making our floor less crunchy and our dishes can't run away with our spoons because we haven't enough spoons to spare. Hello.
Taken out of context, it would appear we're all ready for the asylum. Taking within the context is only marginally better. We're just extremely weird then. And I can go and try to explain calculations in base-eight again.
20070310
Click, enter, repeat
As a result of the lab I got to take home more plants yesterday (that have been pulled out to measure the plant length and so forth to determine the harvest date, but it's still whole and alive) and they are, so far, doing just fine. Of course this may be a result of the cats not having discovered them yet.
Ah yes, cats. Today's the first day I've left my room door open. Georgia wandered right in and made herself at home at once. Shadow's...getting along with Georgia well, but doesn't see the necessity of venturing past his comfort zone, i.e. my room, to explore the rest of the house. Annie watched them this morning and when she left it was with the comment that they (the cats) haven't done anything interesting at all, not to mention the explicit command to let her know if Shadow ever comes out of my room.
Currently Shadow's sleeping by my feet.
The adoption fair's canceled again this week and so I had time to go to Farmer's Market (being able to finish all my homework by Friday night also helped--all except the studying, of course) this morning. Kate came along and we even got flowers. (Well, Kate wanted flowers and I was picky about what flowers we can get.) Have got baking chocolate to make comfort food, AKA brownies, tomorrow as we once again enter the nightmare that is the finals.
Plugged in my camera today though, and as a result I bring to you--photographs!
This is Shadow, AKA Hippo.
And this's Georgia, appreciating the flowers we bought from Farmer's Market. Or at least, how they taste. (Note to self- must train cat away from vase.)
Ah yes, cats. Today's the first day I've left my room door open. Georgia wandered right in and made herself at home at once. Shadow's...getting along with Georgia well, but doesn't see the necessity of venturing past his comfort zone, i.e. my room, to explore the rest of the house. Annie watched them this morning and when she left it was with the comment that they (the cats) haven't done anything interesting at all, not to mention the explicit command to let her know if Shadow ever comes out of my room.
Currently Shadow's sleeping by my feet.
The adoption fair's canceled again this week and so I had time to go to Farmer's Market (being able to finish all my homework by Friday night also helped--all except the studying, of course) this morning. Kate came along and we even got flowers. (Well, Kate wanted flowers and I was picky about what flowers we can get.) Have got baking chocolate to make comfort food, AKA brownies, tomorrow as we once again enter the nightmare that is the finals.
Plugged in my camera today though, and as a result I bring to you--photographs!
This is Shadow, AKA Hippo.
And this's Georgia, appreciating the flowers we bought from Farmer's Market. Or at least, how they taste. (Note to self- must train cat away from vase.)
20070304
The last stretch before the count down
It's amazing what I can find time for, when I really want to. There is no incentive like personal incentive when it comes to pushing yourself another notch up in terms of efficiency. It is stressful, I know, but one might argue that I'm addicted to stress (and it wouldn't be entirely false). It's not healthy on the long run, I know, but I try not to do it too often and overall, the results are so worth it.
Afterall, I'm pushing aside my schedule to make time for fun things that, if I missed out, I know I'll regret. What an excellent way to measure your choices, you say, by seeing what you'll end up regreting. And yet I say this is possibly still the best way to make decisions, because I know far too many people who are measuring out their lives in regrets (measured in the numbers of sighs and "only if"s per moment per day per life time).
But the day is sunny, and the forecast predicts a few more days of sunshine before the next rain, which will not last. Spring is coming "hither o'er the southern sea" and the trees are beginning to bloom again. Davis is still what it was: quiet, soothing, and despite of the issues of campus expansion and schedule adjustments, everything still feels like it once did. I still don't know what the heck I'm doing with my life, but I am most definitely not alone in that, and in the overall scheme of things, we define ourselves not only by ourselves, but also relative to others, so is it wrong of me to feel tentatively optimistic?
Cicero's words live to confuse another generation.
Afterall, I'm pushing aside my schedule to make time for fun things that, if I missed out, I know I'll regret. What an excellent way to measure your choices, you say, by seeing what you'll end up regreting. And yet I say this is possibly still the best way to make decisions, because I know far too many people who are measuring out their lives in regrets (measured in the numbers of sighs and "only if"s per moment per day per life time).
But the day is sunny, and the forecast predicts a few more days of sunshine before the next rain, which will not last. Spring is coming "hither o'er the southern sea" and the trees are beginning to bloom again. Davis is still what it was: quiet, soothing, and despite of the issues of campus expansion and schedule adjustments, everything still feels like it once did. I still don't know what the heck I'm doing with my life, but I am most definitely not alone in that, and in the overall scheme of things, we define ourselves not only by ourselves, but also relative to others, so is it wrong of me to feel tentatively optimistic?
Cicero's words live to confuse another generation.
20070301
A cat by any other name
The new cat-in-residence in my room is named 'Hippo', which I've changed to 'Shadow' for the time-being. I thought it'd be good to train a cat with a name that I can actually pronounce with a straight face and, all things considered, 'Shadow' seems a much more fitting nickname for a black cat who spent his hours cowering in the shadows of his cage than 'Hippo."
Yep, he's black. With yellow eyes and the most amazing coat of fur that I've ever touched on any short-haired cat (despite of the fact that I've never taken care of a cat before this year, I've petted quite a few growing up). It's thick and soft almost to the point of being plush-like which, I suppose, was understandable given the fact that his sister, Rose, had soft medium-length fur. It'd be nice once he get used to being petted. Right now he's going through the feral-kitten-bipolar stage (Rose went through it; I'm not sure if Georgia ever did but then again, I didn't socialize her) where he can't decide whether he trusts me or not. Consequently half of the time he hisses at me and the other half of the time he comes up and asks to be petted. When and what reaction apparently depends on the weather, the local noise level, and the alignment of Saturn with Mars.
Georgia's not very happy about being locked out of my room. Especially when she's getting locked out because I'm spending time with another cat. She spent the first night outside of my door, alternating between crying and scratching on my door, which in turn induced crying and fidgeting from Shadow, which meant that when the TA handed the schedule with "nuclear physics" printed on top yesterday morning at 8am I felt like life had just dealt me a handful of cards that contained nothing but 3s.
On the other hand, post physics quiz and bio midterm today (it was a pretty hardcore morning) I get to go home early because the Latin teacher is sick. Although I hope he gets better soon and regrets that he is sick, I do appreciate the break since school sometimes feels like a full-time job that you have to pay about 2K per quarter to work in (and it's one of those jobs that has work that you have to take home with you each day, double the load on weekends). It's a good thing that the knowledge we gain's worth it, right? (Ahem.) (It takes Pt, hydrogen, and about 2000 psi in terms of pressure to convert benzene to cyclohexane, though cyclohexane is no where near as useful as benzene which is also, by the way, possibly carcinogenic.)
Also need to oil gears on bike, as soon as I know for a fact that the rain season's over.
Yep, he's black. With yellow eyes and the most amazing coat of fur that I've ever touched on any short-haired cat (despite of the fact that I've never taken care of a cat before this year, I've petted quite a few growing up). It's thick and soft almost to the point of being plush-like which, I suppose, was understandable given the fact that his sister, Rose, had soft medium-length fur. It'd be nice once he get used to being petted. Right now he's going through the feral-kitten-bipolar stage (Rose went through it; I'm not sure if Georgia ever did but then again, I didn't socialize her) where he can't decide whether he trusts me or not. Consequently half of the time he hisses at me and the other half of the time he comes up and asks to be petted. When and what reaction apparently depends on the weather, the local noise level, and the alignment of Saturn with Mars.
Georgia's not very happy about being locked out of my room. Especially when she's getting locked out because I'm spending time with another cat. She spent the first night outside of my door, alternating between crying and scratching on my door, which in turn induced crying and fidgeting from Shadow, which meant that when the TA handed the schedule with "nuclear physics" printed on top yesterday morning at 8am I felt like life had just dealt me a handful of cards that contained nothing but 3s.
On the other hand, post physics quiz and bio midterm today (it was a pretty hardcore morning) I get to go home early because the Latin teacher is sick. Although I hope he gets better soon and regrets that he is sick, I do appreciate the break since school sometimes feels like a full-time job that you have to pay about 2K per quarter to work in (and it's one of those jobs that has work that you have to take home with you each day, double the load on weekends). It's a good thing that the knowledge we gain's worth it, right? (Ahem.) (It takes Pt, hydrogen, and about 2000 psi in terms of pressure to convert benzene to cyclohexane, though cyclohexane is no where near as useful as benzene which is also, by the way, possibly carcinogenic.)
Also need to oil gears on bike, as soon as I know for a fact that the rain season's over.
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