One semester of Biochem down...... 4 to 6 years to go..... : )

Locks of Love

http://www.locksoflove.org/donate.html

I have been wanting to donate to locks of love for a while now. However, I thought you had to donate 12 inches, and I just never had enough to cut off 12 inches and still have enough hair to pull back and out of my face (and if I can't get it out of my face... I am NOT a happy camper). Well, last year I cut off 6 inches because my hair just really took off. Then I found out you only need 10 inches to donate. So, I decided if my hair grew as well, I would donate this year. What with leaving Fort Collins and starting graduate school... I did not get around to it over the summer. November came around, and I decided it was time.

Most of it is 14 inches long, but at the longest point is was 16 inches. I got a little over zealous once I decided to cut. I JUST had enough to pull back once we were done. The lady at the local "in and out" hair place did a great job. I'm really pleased. It's been about 15 years since I cut my hair short, and it is a lot of fun to have a "pony" tail that swings back and forth when I move my head. : )

Best Pumpkin Pie Recipe EVER!!!

9" deep dish unbaked shell
3 eggs
1 (1 lb) can pumpkin (or 2 cups fresh)
1/2 cup brown sugar ( I use dark, it calls for light...)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. ginger
1/4 cup milk
1/2 cup heavy cream ( or 2/3 cup with fresh pumpkin)

Beat eggs lightly, add pumpkin, sugar, spices and salt. Beat until blended. Slowly add milk and cream. Mix well. Pour into unbaked shell ( will be VERY full!). Bake 350 F 60-70 minutes, or until knife comes out clean after being inserted into center of pie.
Should serve 8 well fed people...... my family is known to have it serve 4 people, that then feel sort'a sick, but in a good way!!! : )

Maybe I do know what I was thinking....

So Friday was my last official day of classes. I think I have lived through my first semester of Graduate School.
Whoo-hoo!!!

It was a hard decision to move up here and make this change in my life... or I should say, not so much a hard Decision but a difficult thing to do. I left a lot behind in Fort Collins. I was there 18 years (the longest I have lived anywhere), and had a life I really enjoyed. However, I have to say, this was the right choice. I know I am where I am suppose to be, doing what I am suppose to be doing..... so maybe I DO know something when I'm thinking?!?!?!?!

Friday... THANK GOD!

So I went and talked to my Prof after I wrote the blog... it went well... I'm not getting very many points back-- given that I got a few wrong (3 points off for every wrong answer.... +1 point for every right answer I got wrong last time... DAMN!!!). Anyway.... I am here to learn..... or SO I keep telling myself.

Yesterday I was more worried about Po. It got REALLY snowy here on Wednesday, and he got all worked up and did not seem to be eating or drinking well. Why??? Because he is a horse. So, I spent yesterday running back and forth to the barn to check on him (luckily on 4 or 5 miles from campus). He was weird all day, but seemed to be drinking better last night. It got down to 11 degrees below zero last night... so I was REALLY glad he was drinking. He seems much better today, and that makes a MUCH better day for me.

Next week... Finals!

I'm loosing more Biochemestry by taking this class.....

So after creating my blog... and answering e-mails... I got back to the good ol' Biochem. Basically, our Prof. allowed us to correct our own Multiple Choice section of the previous exam to get some extra points ( I'm not even going to start in on "MULTIPLE CHOICE" for Biochemistry???? What the hell????). We knew how many answers we got wrong, but not which ones.... so for every one we corrected we could get 1 point (of the original 3 possible points) back. Sounds like a good way to study and earn some points, eh??? You would THINK so. I spent Thanksgiving with my parents.... and spent 8 hours + working with my Dad (PhD in Psychology- does Brian Biochemistry work...) and even picked my uncle's brain ( PhD in Biochemistry )... and still had questions without a CLEAR CUT right answer (poorly written questions). SO, I spent BOO-KOO time continuing to work on it... and proceeded to answer 13 questions differently.... which is GREAT except that I only got 11 wrong. He had us write up WHY we changed our answers... so I made a note to him that I Knew I had changed 13 when I only got 11 wrong... and I hoped he'd look at my answers and consider the logic. Hell, wouldn't it just be like me to LOOSE points trying to make points... Open Book.... Open Notes... help of TWO PhDs... yep, this class is GREAT for me. Ok... ok, I know one of the biggest problems is my shooting myself in the foot.... if I had JUST given UP earlier and gone and talked to the Prof or TA I probably could have gotten the answer to which ones I was messing myself up on.... but I JUST could NOT believe that I could not figure it out myself... and technically, I thought I would learn more trying to LEARN it.... and if I did not HAVE to get a B in the class for Graduate Questions, I'd be kicking myself a little less.. but right now I have a C... and a good Shot at a B... but the way I read his questions... who knows what the hell I'll do on the final!!!!!! Good god, shoot me now.

If this isn't a good way to avoid Biochem... I don't know what is!!!

Yep, just spending some time avoiding biochem. If creating a blog won't do that, I don't know what will. I happen to have some pictures on my flash drive with me today... and the motivation to waste some time.... so here I am.