As per usual

I am leaving for AGU (in SF) tomorrow ... and as per usual, rather than spending the day cleaning and packing, I chose to go Christmas shopping and get coffee with a friend.  So now that it is 10pm I have a whole lot of things to get done before I leave in the morning, but rather than actually accomplish anything productive I am watching Law and Order SVU and drinking a beer (Winter Warlock Oatmeal Stout from Colorado Springs ... thanks Chris)!!!  All of my clothes are currently spread out on the floor of my living room, and I know that everything will not fit in my suit case ... but to be honest I am just not in the mood to care.  I should be excited about this meeting and about going home for the holidays, but I am feeling lazy and tired and bored (yes all at the same time).  I have yet to actually figure out which sessions I plan on attending at AGU and all I can really think about is going to the Monks Kettle on Thursday with a friend from High School.  Why am I such a mess all the time???

Lately I've been having trouble motivating myself.  Maybe I am still burnt out from working so hard this summer?? Maybe not.  I think that I am pretty much just sick and tired of my research and I need to move onto a different topic ... It has been hard for me to get myself excited about anything lately.  Skiing last weekend was fun, but when I got tired I thought it was more fun to drink beer than actually ski.  I did have a really good time going to see the Sounds with Matt ... but I didn't really want to leave my house that night and if I hadn't already bought my ticket I know that I would have just put on  my PJ's and watched a sappy movie.  

I keep telling myself that next year will be different and that I will be more productive, and settle on a a decent (normal 9-5) schedule.  

On a completely different  note, a friend of mine brought to my attention today that I probably have trouble getting dates here in FC, because I put absolutely no effort into looking good or putting myself out there.  She also mentioned that maybe I should stop complaining about being single, and actually do something about it.  I guess that I have become super lazy lately ... I mean I go to work wearing jeans and a workout t-shirt every day, I almost never brush my hair, and makeup is well ... something I have kinda just forgotten about.  I think maybe my New Years resolution this year will be to actively try and make myself look a little better and try to be a little more confident about myself.  Its about time.

Anyway, I am going to finish packing and try to figure out what I am going to do at AGU.  This might be the only time I go to such a huge meeting (unless by some miracle I am invited to give a talk in the future)

Help!

Does anyone out there in blog world want to help me figure out how to make my blog page cooler/fancier looking?  I deal with computers everyday, and I can code all sorts of crazy physics stuff up ... but when it comes to dealing with software and learning how to use it ... I kinda just freak out and give up easily.  I also have no idea how to attach pictures to my page ... I realize that this should be fairly easy ... like a monkey could probably do it, but I am lazy.  

My phobia of electronic things is also why I don't know how to do anything cool with my phone, or chat with people on skype without accidentally calling them first.  Why am I such a dork??

Oh and by blog world, I probably mean Anna or Laura ... the only people who actually read my blog :) (hint hint)

Totally Random

So I was walking to the gym this afternoon and I passed a guy who was wearing one of those home arrest ankle bracelet things ... I don't know how they work exactly ... maybe he can go to and from school?  But all and all I thought it was pretty funny thing to see and I thought I would share

Book Chain letter thing

So Laura tagged me in this blog chain letter thing.  I normally think these things are lame, but this one sounded fun, so I am passing it along.  

Go to your nearest bookshelf.  On the top shelf (or highest shelf with books) what book is fifth from the right and why did you love it?  Now go to the bottom shelf (or lowest shelf with books).  Tell us about the fifth book from the left.  Then tag five of your blog buddies - link please! - do the same.  Be sure to link the person who tagged you too.

Top shelf fifth from the Right - 

This Side of Paradise by F. Scott Fitzgerald.

So I read this book when I was 13 and volunteering at the library during the summer and I remember really liking it. This was the start of my "I wish I was a prep school boy" phase and I was reading a lot of 1920s/30s literature (Fitzgerald, Hemingway, Elliot ...) and fantasizing about getting up early and rowing crew on a lake in New England, wearing preppy sweaters and dicking around.  I realize that it is probably a little strange for a girl to dream about being a prep school boy ... but its not that I ever wanted to actually be a boy.  I just wanted to live the carefree life of wealthily playboy in the 1920s.  Of course if I had actually paid any attention to the the books I was reading I would have realized that life was not really what I wanted at all ... oh well. What can I say, I was a little too obsessed with the Dead Poet Society.  I should probably re-read This Side of Paradise again and see what I think about it now!  

Bottom shelf, fifth from the left - (this one is funny)

The Dieter's Guide to Weight Loss During Sex  by Richard Smith.

So before you start getting any crazy ideas in your head ... my roommate in college my freshmen year gave me this book for my birthday.  It was a pretty hilarious gift ... unfortunately for me this book is not really all that useful right now, given my current state of spinsterhood, but maybe one day (hopefully soon) I can start my new exercise regime???  To give you taste of what this book is all about I will now open to a random page and share ...

Page 85 

Consequence of Premature Ejaculation for Male (I swear this is the first page I opened up to)

Activity.................................... Calories Burned 

Cursing...............................................10

Apologizing........................................3

Sniveling.............................................5

Pleading for mercy............................8

Begging for another chance .............15

Haha, this book is filled with other wonderful gems ... and now when someone searched "premature ejaculation" on the internet, my blog will probably show up ... 

I dont really have all that many blog friends ... so Anna and Pete you are it.  

freezing freaking cold

So last week I accidentally left my oven on broil for 13 hrs ... I woke up to an 80 degree sauna in my apartment and it felt great.  I am a little scared to see my next electrical bill ... but i am 99% positive I will never do that again.  

I have been avoiding turning on my heat this year ... but tonight when I came home it was only 57 degrees so I finally caved in and turned it on ... unfortunately other than making my apartment smell funny for 10-15 min ... nothing happened ... the heating vents did not warm up or send any heat into my apartment and it is still 57 degrees.  It is hard to type/work because my hands keep getting too cold.

To make myself feel better I made stuffed bell peppers, home made mac and cheese and a salad for dinner ... no wonder I gain weight during winter :)

I am getting excited about spending thanksgiving in a yurt with everyone ... look for some pictures later this week!

I'm Back!!

So a whole lot has happened since I last posted in August.  I don't really have the time or want to go over it all right now, but I have decided that its about time I start blogging again ... to recap the past 3  months.

1.  I finally defended my Masters on September 9th.  Everything went amazingly smoothly, and I am almost (finally) starting to be proud of my work.

2.  My new apartment has finally stopped smelling funny.  My bathtub was leaking into the apartment below me, which was a problem since I have started taking baths 2-3 times a week.

3. I turned 25 on Nov. 2.  I have decided that this is going to be the best year of my life as of yet, and I am going to work hard to make it come true.

4.  My cousin got married (my cousin i have talked to exactly three times in my life).  He works for AIG, AIG collapsed (or whatever happened to AIG) the day he left for his honeymoon.

5.  I visited Laura in SF and had the most amazing time.  I can't wait to go back in December

6.  I have a hectic winter season coming up: 

AGU in SF Dec 14-20

HOME in LA Dec 20-30

FC for New Years Dec 30-Jan 3

NY for CMMAP Jan 3-10

Israel for meeting Jan 11-19

7.  I am going to be teaching a climate course at Colorado College in the Spring .. YAY

8.  I am just starting to get out of my post masters depression funk ... now its time to find a date!

Thats all for now, will post something more exciting later

Ohh also, I got into a yelling/screaming fight with someone about climate change at the trailhead last week ... it was quite a scene i've heard :)

why today ROCKED!

1) Anna defended today and did an amazing job, I am totally proud of her

2) I submitted my abstract to a drought conference today ... hopefully I get funding to go!

3) We went to the Rustic Oven for Anna's defense and somehow Dave ended up paying for my dinner... who knows how that happened

4) I had Sangria, a Rio Marg, and a Martini

5) Anna Defended today :)

6) Atmos friends ROCK!

7) I am kinda drunk, eating potstickers and posting on my blog

... need i say more???