French Open 2007

Rain, rain, go away! Let there be some tennis today!

I should inform you that I will not be posting much for these next few weeks. Obviously it will be because of tennis. Therefore I should make my predictions before the tournament really gets on the way (and thus my predictions are not really predictions anymore).

My best guesses
Men's winner: Rafael Nadal
Women's winner: Justine Henin

Other favorite choices
Men: Roger Federer
Women: Serena Williams, Jelena Jankovic

My favorite choices
Men: Novak Djokovic
Women: Amelie Mauresmo

Others that I am rooting for
Men: Richard Gasquet, Gael Monfils, Marat Safin, Marin Cilic
Women: Svetlana Kuznetsova, Ana Ivanovic, Vania King, Dinara Safina

People not participating that I am sad about - Mario Ancic, Andy Murray, Tatiana Golovin

Accomplishments?

Some important stuff happens every day, except I usually don't care. I am such an asshole.

Firstly, we went out to Arbor Brewing Company to celebrate the award I won. It's kind of funny that I won the undergrad "Best 3rd Year Student" and Becky from our lab won the grad "Best 3rd Year Student". Anyway, my professor is always interesting conversation. Him and Becky are great (maybe with the aid of alcohol or maybe not). Anyway, I forgot to tell you that another undergrad joined our lab. He's also from Troy. I totally did not know that until yesterday. It was...weird. And now everyone knows that I am studying Croatian and I have to make half-excuses to why I am studying it. Not like I care what they think, but so they can get off my case.

(Shit it is almost 11:30. Why am I still up? Damn class. But only 3.5 weeks or so left!)
So I learned how to use the stop-flow machine, and even operated it a few times myself. And it didn't crash a billion times, or have crazy condensation, or have weird electrical signals. And I was home in time for dinner. Really, after working weird hours at lab, you take things like dinner as a treasured thing. Or lunch. I'm not crazy enough to skip both (unlike some people...ahem).

Other things: AC Milan won the Champions League! I rooted for them over Liverpool just because I am an anglophobe, sort of. Actually because I think ESPN2 is biased towards English teams (because most U.S. fans are English fans as well), so of course I must go against the majority. Also, Novak turned 20 yesterday! I must apologize for forgetting his birthday. It's just awful how I'm not keeping track of simple things like that. It's all because of Genetics. Stupid class...

Sunday is the French Open! Sweet! I will have massive amounts of tennis to catch up all the time. This is going to be a fun period...

Stupidity

Stupidity makes me have to run experiments over and over again. Stupidity makes me forget to steal a calculator from the lab for my Genetics test. Stupidity makes me realize that I can only capture analog TV signals on my computer, therefore not allowing me to record TV on my computer. Stupidity makes me realize that I needed to set up an appointment by waiting for a salesperson to respond to my order. Stupidity makes me realize that I should have ordered more than $99 worth of stuff since my French CDs got cancelled. Stupidity makes me realize that I need a pan with taller sides in order to fry food easier.

On a side note, I did well on the first Genetics test. Since I didn't study so much, that is a good thing. Also, there is a symposium today that I should attend but I decided I would be social and also do a bit of labwork today. I'm such a loser. But I'm just growing bacteria again, and hoping that my enzyme reduced overnight. I also am going to study! And fail miserably.

Side note: I'm sort of sad right now because Mario Ancic and Andy Murray won't be playing in the French Open due to mono and a wrist injury respectively. I will be rooting almost whole-heartedly for Novak (he's almost my new favorite since Mario has been absent...I'm awful, I know), since a little of my heart will go to Richard and Gael. On the women's side, I have too many to root for. I guess Amelie takes precedence...she's having a tough year. Then Sveta and Ana... And hopefully Vania gets a nice draw! Oh man Roland Garros is just a little over a week away...this is so insane...

Turnover

Haha I just did turnover experiments on my purified enzyme (FINALLY) and it is working almost as good as the wild type. I know, you don't care.

The lab is more lively now with the addition of 2 people. J.J. joined the lab officially (he's a grad student), and Andrew is just doing his 2 semesters of 398 this summer. At first I thought J.J. didn't like me (I mean, I used to have his bench space), but now we are cool. He's a really nice guy, though he can't hear me at all and is frustrated by that. Sorry! Andrew is alright...I feel bad but I still feel like he is an idiot even though he keeps proving to be a bit smarter each time I talk to him (which is pretty randomly...I most consistently talk with Lance when he is in the lab, but that's because Lance just TALKS). Something about the way Andrew looks makes me think he'd fit the dumb frat boy stereotype. But obviously he can't be that stupid if he is still a biochemistry major. He passed biochem452. Also he's going into his 5th year and he's a German major. Random, but important to note that I am still the only one in my lab under 21. My professor doesn't shy from drinking, so it's not awkward or anything as long as he doesn't offer me any. I'm not a grad student yet; I still think drinking with your professor is a bit weird.

I totally did not tell you anything about how stuff worked when I came back to Ann Arbor. Well, I stayed at a friend's apartment for a week, along with two of her roommates, and it was nice. But I had no internet, and didn't realize they had TV until Wednesday. So I did catch one CL match. Anyway, I went online at the Angell Hall computer lab but I couldn't remember my password for this so I couldn't update. I was actually sort of bored. Lab started slowly since I have my own little project now so I had to start by growing my mutant. I tried to run columns that weekend but it was not very good...wasn't finished purifying until Friday because of the stupid Triton (soapy stuff) in my protein and that SUCKED. I also moved to U-towers, which I am staying for the rest of this summer, on May 5. NEVER move in on Saturday. They didn't have my keys, so my plan to work on Sunday failed because I didn't want to go in and out and have to call Ish about it every time. So NBA basketball and RPGing it was. I was also feeling a bit sick from dehydration (working in a refridgerator does that to you) so I took it easy. Mmmm ice cream.

So that Sunday I finally beat Suikoden V. I'm so glad that I did. The main character of this game was my favorite, because despite being "mute", he was the most expressive of them all. He's sooo cute with his sister and Lyon. I won't spoil the game. Then I started playing Tales of Legendia. It feels so old school. Senel is alright; he's so predictable. Norma is amusing. Since I started the game, I'll have to finish it before playing VP2. Damnit.

I HATE GENETICS. It's like the stats class I never wanted to take. I really used to think this stuff was cool. I don't know how I could have...it's just awful. Test on Thursday, so I should study. I also hate straight scale grading. Damn, where's my cushion? But the professor is amazing. I totally recommend taking Genetics in the spring term (if you have to take Genetics).

I went to a park with a few friends yesterday and we grilled hamburgers. I took charge of the first set; Brian did the second. It was good...mushrooms would have been awesome too but we just didn't have the materials or the preparation for it. Oh well...feel a bit crappy now but that is NOT because the food was not cooked well. Just a bit too much protein at once (but I couldn't help it...I was starving!).

I had Dad replace the curtains in my room, but I still wake up before 7 AM. Maybe I should keep it up...French Open is at the end of this month...but I don't think ESPN2 has early coverage anyway so hmm...

Did I tell you? I've been going to the gym again. The first day back made me really happy. I really shouldn't stop going to the gym, but late June I lose my free pass, so I will probably not go again...I need to buy some 12 or 15 lb. dumbbells someday. But most importantly I need to walk around or something. I have completely lost all cardio endurance.

I went on a shopping spree Saturday morning online and spent all $100 of my gift card. The $35 or so BCS textbook should help my Croatian a lot, which I kind of stopped learning for a bit. But I need those declensions to sink in a bit... What other languages? Haha well I am buying an import CD from a French band named Kyo, so I guess I'll have to learn French sometime...

Internet is back

I am alive. A lot of things have happened since I've last posted, but I will not write about them now. Because I have Cable TV too, and Tales of Legendia.