WTF?

I still have no idea whats the purpose of the above sticker. I just found it near a bus stop.
Reminiscent of our "Juan Valdez logo" but... what is it mocking? how? why?
Give me answers people.

Purdue 4 me 0

2 more friends are leaving Purdue (though dunno how much can I call one a friend when I find out via facebook updates, not by talking)
Anyways two more people are quitting PhD, and I'm still here don't know why... just like I got here, not knowing why :P

I think I should be working on a plan B, but seems I"m too lazy to look into it.

Starting to PANIC !!

So... prelim topic is due in a few weeks.
I have ... just talk to my advisor that I should do something about circadian rythm "biological clock" and cancer.... so I guess I can't study Sonic the hedgehog gene :'(

But the actual topic on which to base my prelim... I have nothing !!!

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

let me repeat that:

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

LOL They don't give up :P

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Kinda cute :D ... is it still safe to reply?:
Yeah, nice try :P

Yikes

6 Biology students are now out :(

This is getting scary... they are accepting more students than last year but same labs with even less funding

Parents visit and presents

So, lets see what I can post before boss starts running around the lab.

So last weekend my parents visited given the special occasion ... and no its not about the longest day on summer... and so I got to see them again.
Which is kinda funny, at the beginning you start laughing at parents being parents again, mom arranging everything and overall telling you what to do... then it gets kinda annoying again :P
I'm such a bad son.

Anyways back on track they visited me, and got to see the University... unfortunately it was a rainy day so we didn't do much walking.


That is the building I'm working at the moment.

Hey I took a picture with my mom also and I can not find it... so I will post about her on the this one.


Taken at Bubba Gump restaurant in Chicago. Yes expensive, but heck... its my b-day :P
I order one of the kids drinks that lets you keep the drink :)

So we also took a tour though the river was pretty nice... and then we had to go shopping :(


Anyways on my way back I got cards and a cool presents from my Bro and sis-in-law YAY.

Grim Fandango, one of the greatest games of all time metabelieve it ... which I thought it was point and click but I have to control my character through Gamepad or numpad... its odd.
Anyways just the voices that they have are funny.

My brother plan was to keep me from WoW... but my new best friend, who I've never met, although rumor has it that might change, decided to give me the expansion :P

Now I have to play both to keep everyone happy :P

Now... to find time for ME and play Company of Heroes... :P

Too many :P

So much to do so little time... in the morning

I got mail

and mail in a real life mailbox... and by mailbox I mean that hole I'm pointing at in the picture.


So not much to brag... BUT BUT... unlike those in Biology or MCMP (I forgot what that stands for) My hole is my hole... not a hole for all those with a last name starting with a C.
SO, you can not see it in the pic, and the close up pic didn't show my best side so I'm not posting it, but the hole I'm pointing at has my name and ONLY my name.

MUAHAHAHAHAHA.... next step... graduation :)

ON an artistic note:

What to do?

You know how we all kid around about how hard and difficult life as a PhD is... complain about the weekend hours, non helpful boss, lack of any life outside the lab... but we know that we really spend our time blogging, not working, and who are we kidding, we wouldn't have a life anyways since we would be blogging and playing video games in our free time.

But what to do when you get to know someone that REALLY REALLY hates her job.
Completely tired of what she is doing, and only in second year.
Hates her boss
Hater her lab
And it is a definite true feeling, no sarcasm

I thought it was just before the qualifiers stress, but that one long gone... still the feeling persist.

What do you say to this person? How can you make their life less miserable?
What would you guys do?

Vandalism :(

Guess I'm not as unlucky as stynky who got his bike stolen... but... why the hell would someone do that to my bike?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!!?!?!
There are not even that many undergrads around, so I'm assuming its not drunken fraternity kids act.

What the hell happen?

Whatever!!!!!!!!

Game deprivation did not get me the A.

So when i come back I will level up my characters, start ranking on CoH, buy C&C3 and pretty much compensate for the useless months of no gaming ...

Sell out U

This pops up using one of the University resources... and I've tried, Netscape, Opera, Mozilla and Safari. They all passed the tests except for one thing.... the browser check... guess which one is the one that passes the test :P

Choosing a LAB

To join, or to drop out of Purdue... that is the question.

After 4 rotation, I'm like "mhe... sure I guess I could work on either research for my next # years" (# cause... u know :P)

So first runner up
Sophie's LAB

Pros:
Organized, has graduated 3 students all ready, 2 went post-doc, one went industry.
Connections in Berkeley, collaborations with Comparative Oncology Program in PURDUE (One that looks to cure cancer in dogs and humans :D)
Only lab with a Post-doc
Lab will be very international (China, Japan, India, France)
Has all ready told me won a grant to support me for 3 years.
Cons:
Lab safety FREAK... I can't walk in with a bottle of water, have to wear coat all time, and seems she can get pretty angry at times :(
After summer when Lesly leaves... gonna be an all guys lab :(


Second Runner up
Claudio's Lab
Pros:
New lab... according to stynky, that means I'll get push to work hard
The guy has read the Dark Knight Returns.
uh...wow running out of things... guess the fact that has new equipment should count, cooler than developing films old school.
CONS
New lab... dunno if he graduates people in time.
Lab mate kind of arrogant.
Funding seems not certain.

Third runner up
Dr Harrison's LAB
Pros:
She is SOO NICE, she reminds me of my grandmother.
and thats about it... the lab is so old, she doesn't know much whats going with her students, the only one that I saw was advancing on her project is an UBERNERD... you would be by yourself in that lab... I still need help, not that independent.
Also lost technician recently :(

Fourth:
Dr Muhammed Lab
Pros:
Coolest lab mates of my rotations (NO, they are no geeks... I'm in biology remember?) But still really crazy and nice.
Cons:
The fancy equipment they have I had to learn how to use it by calling the company...she didn't know how to work with something her lab promotes is their expertise ... kinda dissapointing.
At the beginning she had student waste their time in a useless endevour
Promise a raised to a technician which she never got. They still seem to get along, but there is tension, I feel it.

So you see... That is what I came up with for now, I'll see if something new worth mentioning comes up... so the First lab seems the best.
Any questions?
Comments?
Suggestions?