Hello again, bloggy friends! I've had an unexpected hiatus from the blogging. Real life kinda leveled me. I am hoping to be able to blog some of...but not now. Because last night something pretty awesome happened.
Jodie Foster "officially" came out.
I think this is fucking fantastic. Not that I didn't know Jodie Foster was a lesbian. It wasn't really a secret. She has acknowledged it in the past when she talked about her breakup with her partner and co-parent. But last night, she said it in front of 10 MILLION PEOPLE. Holy crap.
I've written before about how it can be tough to come out over and over again. I can't imagine how much harder it must be to have to do this when you have been in the public spotlight since you were 3. I think Andrew Sullivan is off-base critisizing her timing or what words she used. Coming out can be hard and emotional. Give her a fucking break. I like the perspective of Dorothy Snarker much better. I think it is great that she felt like she could do this. I could see the nervousness, and I totally related to it.
Hello again! I hope that everyone out there is having a super holiday, no matter what (if anything) you are celebrating!! I have been a little absent recently...I have had some IRL issues that have been taking up all my energy. Seriously. This is one of those unbloggable things (for now) that have certainly tipped my work/life schedule almost fully into LIFE mode. Things are kinda rough for me right now, but I know that it is all for the best. I have been trying to focus on keeping sane and working through things as best I can*. I'm looking forward to 2013, which I hope will bring new beginnings, professional advancement, and a little peace. Of course, being in my third year of the tenure-track doesn't bode well. But really, things in lab are going pretty well. The folks in my lab are kicking ass, and I'm cautiously optimistic *knocks on wood*.
I recently attended the annual meeting for the American Society for Cell Biology. This is a meeting I go to pretty regularly, even though I don't know that I actually classify myself as a cell biologist. Nevertheless, it was a really good meeting. I always enjoy the diversity of research I can learn about at this meeting. It is big, but not TOO big. I even got to give a talk this time! I also took one or two shopping breaks, which was great to outfit my new place and start to catch up on my Xmas shopping. WIN!
But I really want to tell you about my trip home from the ASCB conference. I stayed a little after the meeting, so I was flying home the Friday before Christmas. I was standing in a ridiculously-long and slow-moving line at the airport with a good friend (who can reveal hirself in the comments if ze so desires). Turns out, the woman behind us was one of those crazy cell-phone-shouters. Yay! And she called everyone in her phone book. Because apparently her one-legged cat, Shadow, had recently died.
I was SHOCKED at how many pictures there are of 1-legged cats!
Shadow had a rough life (we heard about it MORE THAN ONCE). First off, Shadow had only one leg - how did s/he walk around?? I have no idea. Not only that, but it turns out Shadow also didn't get along with the other kitteh that was brought into the house to be hir companion. And recently loud-talker (LT) went home, and found the remaining leg was all swollen! Shadow had an bad tumor, so LT had to euthanize the poor critter. The kicker was that LT couldn't bury Shadow in her yard because of her neighbor, Crazy Charlie (srsly, you can't make this shit up). I have no idea why Crazy Charlie would want to mess with Shadow, but this was a major concern for LT. Though she said it so matter-of-fact "of course, I couldn't bury the cat in my yard because of Crazy Charlie". There's a sentence that is a little scary to hear! I was basically laughing so hard it is pretty incredible I didn't pee. It was either that or strangle the old woman, which I did consider.
I'm not exaggerating that we heard this story at at least three (hundred? it seemed like it!) times. And just when it seemed like it couldn't get worse (after 90 min or so)...well, a person with a ukelele showed up to serenade us. In a Santa hat. While we were trapped in line. I was convinced we had hit rock bottom. BUT NO. Instead...wait for it...a dude showed up with an accordian. I am not shitting you. And then the accordian and ukelele played a duet of "On the Road Again". WHILE WE WERE STUCK IN AN UNMOVING LINE. What. In. The. Fuck. On the bright side, after I got through security it didn't seem so horrible when my flight was delayed.
I hope that you all have safe and sane travels this holiday season! See you (more regularly, I hope!) in 2013!
The last week has been heartbreaking to watch as Hurricane Sandy tore across the northeast. The images are devastating, and it is going to take some time to recover from the aftermath. Like many of you, I have given some money to the Red Cross (you can text the word REDCROSS to 90999 to donate $10). I wanted to give blood, but my stupid low iron levels prevented it. grrrr.
But there is MOAR we can do to help. We can help make sure that kids in areas affected by Sandy still have the opportunity to have a great science education. The Science Bloggers Challenge for Donor's Choose has been EXTENDED! So there is still time! And even better, any $ you give will be matched - that's right DOUBLED. Just enter SCIENCE when prompted for the gift/match code. I've picked out some new projects that are specifically aimed to help kids in the Sandy-affected areas. Go to my giving page, and drop a couple of dollars to help them out. Even $1 is awesome, just to show these kids that we care about them now, and also we want to see them win in the future.
Here are the Sandy-area projects I added:
"We need basic supplies " in Paterson, NJ (OMG, the smiley face breaks my heart)
"Help my science guppies find Nemo!" in Brooklyn, NY (this is a special needs class)
"Mission Nutrition" in NY, NY (only $20 to go!)
"Learning through games in the testing grades" in Brooklyn, NY (because you shouldn't only have to learn for the test!)
Let's finish out one or all of these, whaddayasay?
You. Guys. Kick. Ass. The project that I picked out for National Chemistry week (Balanced Meals and Equations in the Chemistry Lab) is FUNDED! You guys are so awesome that it wasn't enough to finish that, though. We also completed "New Supplies for a Music Class". YAY!! Seriously, we have already reached 451 students. Four. Hundred. Fifty. One. Holy crap. Thank you to everyone that has donated to my giving page. Let's keep the momentum going, waddayasay? There are still a LOT of projects that are open, so if you haven't gotten around to it go over there now. One of my favorites is "Hatching Chickens". It is exactly what it sounds like! How awesome would it be to hatch some chickens? I wish I could have done this when I was a kid. I've also picked a few projects for the more pragmatic among us - classrooms that need basic supplies. Really, it is a travesty that teachers have to try to work without this stuff. So get over there and help some kids. For SCIENCE!!
The Heroes (you know you want to join this list!):
Namnezia
Geeka
Lori
Jeremy Yoder
BAM294
Janet Stemwedel
Anonymous
Julie M.
Olivia S.
Emily Hauser
I love chemistry. LOVE it. I am not yet super-villian level chemist, but that doesn't stop me from trying! We are now in the midst of National Chemistry Week (NCW), and to celebrate I would like to bring your attention to this awesome Donors Choose project:
Balanced Meals and Equations all in the Chemistry Kitchen!
Seriously. Food AND Chemistry?!?!!!! Can't get more awesome than that. This project, which is only $148 from completion, will help 5th graders learn practical applications of chemistry and nutrition. A win-win, if you ask me. So go over to my Giving Page and give a couple dollars. Let's finish off this project during NCW, and help these kids get their Chemistry on.
SHOUT OUTS
Thanks to BAM294 for the super generous donation! YOU ROCK
Well, I survived the craziness that is SfN. It was my first time at that meeting, which is GIANT, because my work is only tangentially related to neuroscience (broadly speaking). It was a good meeting, even for how large it was. I had the chance to meet folks that work in my general field but that I don't run into at my normal meetings. And it was great to hear a new perspective on topics that I think about. And, of course, Dr. Becca and Neuropolarbear threw a Great Party (TM). And I got to pick the name of the person that won the Lexus*! In sum: great science and great friends. Yay!
I went to SfN directly from another conference, which was also extremely awesome. And really intense. I'm a little wrecked from the whole thing...I don't know if I will ever piggy-back meetings like that again. And now I'm back at home with a deadline for my next grant LOOMING (say it in a scary tone, cause that is how it is).
ANYWHO. While I was gone there was some important goings on. I'm really excited about these, even if I was only able to watch and not DO so much during the crazy time.
FIRST: Have I told you guys about #AlliesFTW? (spoiler-I totally have) This is a bloggy Q&A that Joe and I are hosting in an effort to figure out some things that we can do to be great allies for queer folk in academia. Leave a question or comment - in a few days we are going to gather everything up and see what is resonating. You can also leave questions or comments on twitter with the #AlliesFTW tag.
SECOND: You guys. It is Donor's Choose time again! I love love love Donor's Choose. This is our chance to come together and help out some kids so that they have a chance to see how awesome science can be! I've picked out some projects that I think are especially good, you can find them on my Giving Page**. I know we are getting a late start, but I think we can TOTALLY beat out our record from last year ($480). Let's DO THIS. For SCIENCE and KIDS!!
A big shout-out to Janet Stemwedel who ALREADY gave money for the kids! Because she is a fucking rock star!
*may have actually been a Nexus. Still, someone won it
** when I figure out how, I'll add the updater to the sidebar, I promise!
At this point, Becca really wanted to hear about the Bears. And Pascale wondered if we were going to wander into on of the fabled Fucking Care Bear Tea Parties. But apparently, no.
I love happy endings...but then things got exciting!
THAT BASTARD TOOK BECCA!
DM kindly skipped the violent bits, so that I wouldn't have trouble sleeping.
OK. I did not see that coming.
QR Gertzin has an awesome job. I can't wait for the investigation!
I woke up this morning crazy stiff from my workout with the new trainer yesterday. And then I just spent a good portion of my day in the dentist office, unexpectedly. It totally, totally sucked. But then the shitty day took a turn for the better when I got some happy grant news! My R01 that went in in June was in study section yesterday - and MY. GRANT. WAS. SCORED!!!! I had been hopeful when I hadn't gotten a "not scored" email last night, and even more guardedly optimistic when it was not waiting for me this morning. But I have now checked into Commons and there is real evidence (you know, a score!). That's right, no triage this time baby! I got a real score! Now, it is probably* not a fundable score, but it is an improvement. And scored means I get a summary statement and then I can resubmit. WOOOT!!!1!!11!!!1!!!!!
*but really, who knows. There is no budget yet, so that doesn't help. But I'll have to wait to see what my PO says about it after I get the summary statement back. Never can tell and all
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And recently loud-talker (LT) went home, and found the remaining leg was all swollen! Shadow had an bad tumor, so LT had to euthanize the poor critter. The kicker was that LT couldn't bury Shadow in her yard because of her neighbor, Crazy Charlie (srsly, you can't make this shit up). I have no idea why Crazy Charlie would want to mess with Shadow, but this was a major concern for LT. Though she said it so matter-of-fact "of course, I couldn't bury the cat in my yard because of Crazy Charlie". There's a sentence that is a little scary to hear! I was basically laughing so hard it is pretty incredible I didn't pee. It was either that or strangle the old woman, which I did consider.
" in Paterson, NJ (OMG, the smiley face breaks my heart)
