Summer school started today, and with it, my time in the lab will also increase. I’m taking Quantitative Analysis, a chemistry course that emphasizes lab technique and accuracy of measurement. Unfortunately, that’s not my strong point. In a class where your entire lab grade is based on the hundredths place in a decimal, I’m a bit worried. I shall somehow overcome, though.
I’m not taking summer school because I need to catch up or anything, just in case you were suspicious. The opposite is actually true; I had run out of courses to take in the fall. So why am I taking this one out of my limited remaining pool? It goes like this. Because I knew I was staying an extra year, I needed to take something in the fall and spring (12 hours worth to be enrolled full-time). I asked my advisor, Dr. Nagle, what I could do to stretch things out a bit. He found that because my current degree program is a research-oriented Microbiology set, it already included almost every course needed to complete a Chemistry degree as well. So with just three more courses, I’d graduate with two degrees and my three minors (French, Computer Science, and the History of Science).
The RA job in the summer takes barely any of my time. I am in the office once a week, from 2:30-12:00, and that’s it. It doesn’t pay a ton, but it keeps me from having to find a place to live while I take this class, and it gives me lots of meal points to spend on tasty things.
(I’m typing this on Sam’s computer, which needs a hard drive replacement. So while it’s backing itself up to my iPod, I wrote this. iPods are great data shuttles; their drivers are ubiquitous, they’re compact, and relatively fast over USB2.)
(Also, I have no clue how I ever typed QWERTY. It’s so clunky compared to Colemak. My finger strain has eased a ton since switching. Check it out. I retain most of my QWERTY accuracy, but little QWERTY speed unfortunately; down to about 40-50 WPM vs. my old 90-100. I type about 120 WPM in Colemak though.)
There's something to be said for deriving happiness from small things. Peanut butter and honey sammiches. Gel pens. Soft fuzzy blankets.
A big part of what I’m doing this summer is working in one of the microbiology labs here on campus. I’m isolating and identifying a group of bacteria from fecal samples taken from autistic children. Ours come from another lab in Chicago.
My grad student mentioned that we needed some control samples from healthy individuals to compare to the current samples. At first I started thinking about where to order said material… but then I realized: the tone of her voice was unmistakable.
I guess I’m providing some samples.
Greetings faithful blog reader. Today we have a special offer just for you. You may cut out this special offer and carry it with you wherever you go as a souvenir. Or you can give it up in exchange for foods… it’s your choice. Empowerment!
Yes yes, I am a terrible blogger when things get busy. Rather than try to fit everything into a post, I will take the Sam way out and make a list. You like lists, yes? Oh, you are still too busy printing and cutting out your coupon. Feel free to make some for friends too… one per customer though.
See, here is a list. Remember, you like lists! Okay, pay attention to the list instead of the coupon for a second. Coupon will still be there when you are done. Coupon does not expire for a long time. Coupon has no cash value. PUT THE COUPON DOWN ALREADY I’M WRITING D:
- I update my Twitter more often than my blog, recently. It’s what appears on the stickynote at the top of the blog when I’m not at something that’s scheduled on my calendar.
- I am a summer RA at OU over the summer. I don’t have to pay for housing or classes, and I’m getting in more volunteer hours at the hospital and lab hours for my major. Plus, I’m getting a nasty class— Quantitative Chemical Analysis— out of the way in June and July.
- My new room is very tiny, and it is not three rooms. This is distressing as I am used to three rooms, and my own bathroom. I like not having to wear clothes to go to the shower
I just like not having to wear clothes.
- The lack of cafeteria over the summer sends me foraging out into the wild for food. My diet is not particularly healthy at the moment. There’s a lot of ramen, Easy Mac, and peanut butter involved. Sam convinces me to go out to eat occasionally.
- I enjoy finding coupons and going to Wal-Mart and getting things for cheap and free. I get laughed at by various friends, who call me a “housewife with my little envelope of coupons”. I just laugh at them as I buy 300 frozen pizzas for eleven dollars and then make the store pay me 18 cents to take their cereal off their hands.
- FatWallet sent me a t-shirt and some Silly Thinking Putty for linking them on my blog awhile back. I wasn’t even trying to shill for them; they just post fun deals ^_^
- I am still working out five days a week on the same workout plan, with my ever-wonderful friend Val. Having a workout buddy is all that keeps me from just smashing the alarm with the nearest large object and hiding in bed for another hour.
- I wish people would come visit. I promise to feed you and give you a reasonably soft place to sleep.
- I like having something to do over the summer instead of wasting away bored!
I finished my Celsius workout study yesterday with the completion of a second day of max testing. After 10 weeks of training, I was ready to see results. And I did! My…
- Body fat dropped by over 2%
- Oxygen utilization effectiveness increased by over 15%
- Resting heart rate dropped by 15 bpm
- Muscle mass increased by over five pounds
- Wrist got shaved… again
This really was the most life-changing thing I did this year, easily. Exercising was never really a burden because of the time or effort committment; instead, it was just because I really didn’t know what I should be doing to exercise effectively. Now I know!
Celsius Exercise Plan
Monday, Wednesday, Friday: Cardio training. 35 (increase to 45 by Week 20) minutes at 65-75 (increase to 70-80) percent of heart rate reserve.
Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday: Strength training. 8-10 reps of 75% of the 1-rep max for the following:
- Bench Press
- Military Press or Overhead Press
- Lat Pulldowns
- Leg Press or Squats
- Prone Leg Curls
- Bicep Curls
- Tricep Pushdowns
- Sit-Ups
- Back Extensions
Spreading the Lurve
About halfway through my training, I started going to the gym with two of my RA friends, Val and Becky Jo. I would work out earlier in the day at the training facility, and then go to the student gym with them later to take them through the same sort of exercises I did. Now that the study is over, they’ll be my workout buddies!