And the semester comes to an end...

It's almost over, my last fall semester at GT. All that's left is one class tomorrow morning, two final exams, and a take home exam. Then I start my last semester here. My last semester, can you believe that? I can't...

I'm pretty excited about next semester, though. Double A and I have lots planned... we're going to have dinner making parties and go to the gym and just have a generally awesome semester. At least all of that will make up for the crappy classes I have to take. I am really not looking forward to taking field methods or data analysis. Field methods would be okay if it weren't purely chemistry field methods, which will be no help to me in a geology career. And somehow, I have to finish my research and write two theses... somehow. But I'm auditing a French class! That should be exciting, right?

But, I still don't know what I'm doing after I graduate. I should figure that out...

Two spaces or not two spaces?

I've finally finished the first drafts of my three NSF essays. I must say, I really did not enjoy it. It's so hard to incorporate "broader impacts" into it all like they want. Writing these essays gave me a headache, which I still have.

And in this whole writing process, I learned that I have been wrong about something all my life. Apparently it's wrong to use two spaces at the beginning of each sentence! I've been doing this since I can remember, and now it's just second nature. It supposedly went out of style when they switched from typewriters (which use a monospaced font) to computers (which use a custom spaced font). I don't know what to think anymore.

I think I'll keep my two spaces, thank you very much.

Updates...

I visited a potential grad school this weekend. I really like it there, everyone seemed pretty nice. I hope I get in...

Meanwhile, we are still waiting on microspheres for my research with Joe. And I think we will finally start sieving my Colorado samples this week (progress!). I was really getting tired of the waiting around to do stuff. And is it just me or does the word "sieving" look like it is spelled wrong?

We have our second field trip for structure this weekend. It's mostly "show and tell" I am told, but who knows for sure? Kurt does, but he's not saying anything. And, we're getting t-shirts made for structure! I got to design them, so I'm really excited to see them.

I've been looking at buying a new camera. I have found lots and lots of good reviews for the Panasonic FZ35, but they recently came out with a new model (the FZ40). I'm a bit wary of buying a new model before it's had ample time to have it's flaws pointed out, but then I feel like I should not buy the old version because it is the old version.

Random thoughts of procrastination

My desk has more rocks on it than anything else.

Why is it so hot in October? I dislike this weather.

What are you supposed to wear for an interview to a geology school? I feel like business clothes are not appropriate for geology, but then you should dress up for an interview.

When is the next GT Observatory night? Did I already miss it?

How am I supposed to remember 35 notecards worth of test material?

Grad school... where to go? No one ever replies to my emails. Except for the guy at UTK. He's super awesome at replying. Can I get into CU Boulder without talking to any professors first?

Why are the GTPD such jerks? And why are they so creepy? I mean, why would you sneak up behind some innocent pedestrian in your cop car, and surprise them with a loud "BEEP!"? And why do they feel the need to set off their alarms at 3 in the morning for no reason?

I didn't realize Bruno Mars was so short until I saw him on SNL. They really fool you in the videos.

I don't want to study, but I guess I will..... maybe...........

Nostalgia

Right now, I am feeling just that, nostalgia. A desire to go back in time, to go to where I once was. A need for a rewind button. Maybe it has something to do with the cool weather...

A chilly breeze reminds me of wandering around Queenstown and Christchurch aimlessly. Drinking tea reminds me of the night in Te Anau where my friend and I sat by a cozy fire and worked on our module assignments, sipping chai and sharing good conversation.

The clear fall sky reminds me of panoramas of wide open spaces fringed with mountains in Colorado. Watching picturesque sunsets with rainbows of color outside my window only remind me of the evenings spent in Colorado watching the sunset change from color to color. The nights spent braving the cold for the smallest bit of contact with the outside world.

I want so much to go back...

Making connections

I've been working on "networking" with geology professors at different grad schools recently. What an ordeal it is! Write an email, reread said email 15 times, attach super long CV, send, and wait for a reply. The waiting is the worst. Some professors reply the next day. Others, not so much. I've been waiting five days for one of them to reply. And I know he's in his office. I saw him give a presentation last week when I was in Colorado. Does it really take that much time and effort to say, "Hey, I got your email and will look at your CV when I have time." Or just cut to the chase, "Hey, I'm not accepting MS students right now." Just let me know something.

So, for those who don't reply to my emails, I'm going to take it a step further. I got the idea from one of the professor's websites. It said, "Please try good old U.S. mail if email isn't working!" So this is my plan. I will send them a letter in the mail. Hopefully, it won't get lost or ignored like an email might. I mean, they may get 3o emails a day, but only 2 or 3 letters a day. And soon, one of them will be from me.

Pictures from Colorado

I have uploaded photos from Colorado.

http://picasaweb.google.com/kwarrell/KeckColorado2010#