We are all an enigma

4. The Wolf Gift by Anne Rice

I was very surprised to see that Anne Rice had returned to fiction after her religious books of recent years, so I was curious and a bit apprehensive when I started to read this. I wish now that I had gotten the book at the library rather than spending money on it. Not only did she take a legend of our nightmares and turn it into an impossibility of philosophizing justice deliverers (kind of like that sparkly vampire drivel), but she got supremely preachy about it.

If you are a fan of the Anne Rice of old, just walk away from this one.

I had watched their Dance of Peace

3. Jane Goodall: The Woman Who Redefined Man by Dale Peterson

I know -- it's pretty sad for me that it's the last week of March and I've only completed three books.

I've been anxious to read this book for a while. I've admired Dr. Goodall for a long time and even had the pleasure of hearing her speak and getting her autograph several years ago. She has most certainly been the inspiration and model for me for putting a more "personal face" on science, making it more accessible to non-scientists. This biography was very informational for me to see how she became the woman, scientist, and activist she is today. I feel like if I read it again, I would learn even more. Definitely a must-read for any lover of animals and the natural world.

New news

I saw an infectious disease (ID) specialist today, and I'm looking at at least eight weeks of twice a day vancomycin by IV plus some other oral antibiotic. I go in next Wednesday to have a Hickman device inserted for the vanco IV. This medication is very harsh and can burn up the smaller peripheral veins (the ones in your arms). The Hickman is a device inserted into the jugular toward the vena cava (much bigger and tougher veins). The other good thing with this device is blood can be drawn from it to gauge my health without extra needle sticks.

Besides having IV vanco twice a day, I also see the ID every single week. If my orthopedic surgeon decides that the rod has to come out, then my eight weeks of vanco starts all over. I won't be able to call him until Monday because he's not in the office of Friday.

When we left, I went and got a chocolate Freddy's Frozen Custard. Screw my diet.

Here's a good schematic of how the device works.

This just keeps getting better and better

Happy day! My leg hole has MRSA!

Listen here you nasty, sneaky little bacterium of doom -- you will NOT prevent my graduation. You might delay it (what else is new?), but you will not prevent it.

*rather loud string of colorful metaphors*

Second star to the right, and straight on till morning

2. Island of Lost Girls by Jennifer McMahon

An interesting, quick read. While not Pulitzer material, it's good to take up a couple of hours while resting from dissertation typing. The ending is predictable (if you're paying attention), but I liked it nevertheless.

I shall either perish or reign

1. Catherine the Great: Love, Sex, and Power by Virginia Rounding

A very intriguing book about a woman who has fascinated me since I took my first Russian History course in high school -- yes, my high school had a Russian History course; and yes, I've taken more than one Russian History course. The Romanovs are FASCINATING!

Is it really about to happen?

I just completed my "Application for Degree", a first step to graduating in May.

Now I just need to:

-- complete my application for a Smithsonian Postdoctoral Fellowship by January 15th to work at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center -- assuming Dr. Denise Breitburg sponsors my application and accepts me as a contributing member of her lab

-- analyze a buttload of data and complete a rough draft of my dissertation by February 6th so my advisor can look it over for me to work more on it

-- defend said dissertation on April 6th and pass my dissertation exam

I can do it. I'm a rock star. *bites nails*

EDIT: Dr. B is interested! Now, just ten days to pull together a research proposal.