Slow Blogging Alert now level Orange

It was Level Red last week, although somehow still managed to write the onychophoran post. (also, I think I've spent too much time at SFO Int'l over the last few years; they keep playing that 'security threat level orange' thing over and over so much that you're guaranteed to heed no attention to any real threat warnings. Anyone know how the cichlids in Terminal 1 are doing lately?)

Turns out that the universe doesn't suddenly get all calm and manageable immediately after finals. Who knew. Working in two labs simultaneously is not helping. Nor is wrapping up loose ends from the last term, nor is freaking out over super-urgent course planning as summer classes start - OMG - next week. I'm only doing one a term, but still. Also, seems like everyone and their mother needs me to write various things at the moment, thereby draining my 'writing juices' (I'm sure some MRI machine can be tweaked enough to verify their existence...) Strangely enough, not actually procrastinating all that much these days, so I think I may actually be genuinely busy, as opposed to just failing time management 101. Wow.

Blogging should pick up shortly once things settle down a bit. After all, this week I just rediscovered what it's like to be a n00b in the lab again, and don't have any 'lower-ranking' undergrads to abuse anymore. Damn. (conversely, I don't have to train n00bs either, and that can be quite energy-draining as well...) A lab is very much like one of those social onychophoran groups, albeit too antisocial to actually cuddle. And less cute.

I will write up a cool paper or two tonight though... stay tuned for the next post!

PS: I just started my very first culture! Wheeeee! It's Euglena, so shouldn't die off too quickly... it better not, considering how I spent the bulk of yesterday morning searching for exotic salts to appease their complicated appetite...

Oh, and I did not forget about Part III of Constructive Neutral Evolution. That will happen...soon...


By the way, if you haven't done so already, there are new editions of two carnivals to check out:

Carnival of Evolution #23 - at Evolution: Education and Outreach
Next issue at: Neurodojo. Submit posts here

Scientia Pro Publica #28 - at Mauka to Maukai
Next issue at: Maniraptora. Submit posts here