Hobbies outside of research.

I've mentioned many times before that I am a runner. Never really did track or cross country, but I've been running off and on for most of my life. About a year and a half ago, I decided to run with the goal of running a half marathon in mind.

Well, I have my first half marathon in a little over a month, and I am so excited. And nervous.

Being grad students that have other things to do other than train non-stop, Running Buddy and I are somewhat prepared. I did 9 miles on Saturday. I've never run 9 miles in my life. And I not only ran 9 miles, I ran 9 miles in the rain and up and down many, many hills. My dad (who has run the NYC marathon three times) thinks that if we both can complete two 10 miles runs before the race, we will be fine.

I am so thrilled that for once, instead of thinking about it, I am actually running a half!!!

And Running Buddy and I both agreed once we're both back in GSU-city, we're going to try and go back to consistent running, since our rotation schedules derailed us consistently running together.

Anyone have some advice on running or on carving out time in grad school for things like hobbies?

Woooooo!

Undergrad visit was successful (data-gathering wise). My papers should be submitted soon.

Awkwardness occurred due to current PI and my PI for my next rotation in that they fake fought over me. This is awkward. AWKWARD. Current PI keeps on making comments like "You need to work for me, not NextPI." Next PI keeps on making comments like "CurrentPI won't mind if you come work for me." I've decided this is only slightly funny, and mostly awkward. Especially since I haven't even worked for NextPI yet.

Classes started. Let's put it this way: AHHHH HOLY CRAP HOW CAN I BALANCE ALL OF THIS WORK WITH ROTATIONS AND FELLOWSHIP APPS. One of the classes will be simultaneously really cool and filled with so much work. The other 2.5 will be vaguely cool, but still filled with work. Ugh.

But drumroll please....

I'M ON MY FIRST GRAD SCHOOL PAPER!!!

Essentially, some side work I've been doing for one of our lab's collaborators on a different protein is now going to be published. I just found out yesterday, and I'm pumped. My mentor's now joked about "fastest grad school paper publication ever."

This means I'll probably have a publication (this paper's pretty cool and where we're submitting it to is probably going to accept it) and two submitted papers in time for my NSF. Yay! Best early birthday present ever.

CAT

CAT.

Guys, I'm getting a cat to take with me to GSU!

Marie (not her real name, she has also been referred to as my best friend from home, or BFFH) called me about a week ago, telling me that she and her husband couldn't take Calvin with them to their new apartment. I asked the roomies if they would mind getting a cat a few months earlier than we'd planned. Well, I got their permission yesterday!

He's so cute! Calvin is a 3 year old black and gray tabby with BIG green eyes and a sweet temperament. I love cats. Don't get me wrong, I love dogs too, but I have a soft spot for cats and their independence. I lost my kitty about a year ago (he was 16, so he lived a good long life), and I've missed him a great deal since. Having a cat is something that I've really been looking forwards too, and it's even better getting a cat who I've known since he was a little kitty!

Yay!!!