Boo on ASU

So I didn't get accepted at ASU. Since that was the only school I applied to, containing pretty much the only program I was interested in, I currently have no plans for after the end of April when my current semester ends.
Now accepting any and all offers/ideas of how to spend the next year/rest of my life.

It's Just Your Love, It Creeps Me Out

Today's Tip of the Day: If you are asked if you want your info shared with universities, etc. when taking any nationally recognized standardized test, just say no.
When I took the GRE I said yes, how can finding out about other graduate anthropology programs be bad? Only, it turns out the universities have no way of knowing your intended area of study. I have since been contacted by several universities and here are the highlights:

University of Nebraska: 2 emails, tastefully done, simply asking me to visit their website to find out more about their grad programs

USC of Somewhere School of Engineering: Ummmm....did you guys actually look at my math percentiles? It's my understanding math is pretty important in all things engineering and while I was perfectly happy with my scores, they weren't exactly anything to brag to an engineering department about. Wait...Am I being used to fill a girl quota?

Florida Atlantic University: Got an email today addressed Dear Vanessa. Ummm... I guess you can call me Vanessa, if you really want.

University of Tampa: Full on stalker mode. They have sent several fliers about info sessions and I get at least 1-2 emails from them a week. They are 10000% convinced I should get my masters of education and hang out at Starbucks with them.

So take a lesson from me. If you don't want to be stalked by (hopefully) well meaning universities, Just say no.

Just Call Me The Crocodile Hunter

So this morning I'm sitting on the couch reading the newspaper and hear unusual noises coming from the wall across the room. First I think it is the squirrel that has figured out where the extra birdseed lives just outside the back door, but nothing is on the back porch. The noise continues and I decide it is coming from the fireplace. Sure enough there is a rather large green lizard making all sorts of noise while hanging out on the inside of the fireplace. I guess he climbed down the chimney? Seems like un-lizardy behavior if you ask me, but there he was between the glass doors and the metal curtain. Not really sure how he managed to climb around the heavy metal curtain designed to keep fire out but whatever.
I set about to release him because, silly lizard, that is not where you live. Wouldn't you know he hides on the hinge of the doors so I can't see him nor can I open the door easily without fear of crushing him to death. So I slowly open the door millimeters at a time. Then the next part of my awesome plan involves waiting for him to climb off the hinges and get to a better position so I can scare him into a cup and take him outside. After sitting on the couch and waiting for the lizard to do something for 20 minutes, I figure it is safe to scamper to other parts of the house to get dressed, check email, etc. I go back to check on the situation and sure enough, I no longer have a lizard in the fireplace because I now apparently have a lizard somewhere in the living room. And my hunt continues...

In other unrelated news, if anyone finds themselves in the Pensacola area this evening, my friend Derek is the featured artist at Gallery Coco (www.cocodesign.com) during tonight's Gallery Night. He is a photographer specializing in landscapes and is quite good if I do say so myself.

Project: Grad School

So back in December I applied to grad school at Arizona State. I got everything in/requested (transcripts, test scores, etc) 3-4 weeks before the application deadline. And yes, that was 3-4 weeks not 3-4 hours which I was terribly proud of as I am a highly trained procrastinator. I then immediately proceeded to stalk my online ASU account waiting for word on acceptance or to see if anything was missing from my application (I had been notified early on that my FSU transcripts were missing but they finally got their act together and showed up). When the January 1 deadline passed with no notice of missing items I was relieved - nothing to do but continue to check my ASU account every couple of hours until ASU makes their decision.

BUT WAIT...last week the grad coordinator at ASU emailed me to say they were missing the letter of recommendation I had requested from a professor at FSU. GAAAA!! So I email the professor and waited. And panicked. And waited. After a week of not hearing from the professor, I went today and groveled at the feet of my current osteology professor who didn't even hesitate to say yes to writing a letter for me. DR POPE IS MY HERO!! I just hope this "late" portion of the application doesn't count against me. Well, gotta go, time to check my ASU account...

It's Splanchnocran-iastic!!

Word of the Day: splanchnocranium - facial region of the skull
Try to work it into conversation. You'll definitely get some funny looks.

Meet Bucky: The Friendly Classroom Skeleton!

So last Thursday we had our first test in my osteology class. For those of you keeping track at home, that was in fact the 4th day of class. Welcome back to classes kids! I had pretty much resigned myself to getting a lowish grade but did a lot better than expected and pulled off a rather respectable A. Hurrah!

Also last Thursday after the test, we started playing with actual bones (class up to that point was strictly lecture). We are starting with the skull and have to learn every single lump and dip and hole in every bone of the head. To give you an idea of how much stuff that is, in 2 and a half class periods we gone over only 4 bones. We still have to go over the facial area, part of the base of the skull, and the jaw. This would not seem quite as daunting if we were given an entire skull or at least entire bones for the upcoming tests. Instead, we will be given little chunks lovingly smashed and sometimes burned by our professor. We will have to figure out what bone it is part of, what side it belongs on, and whatever feature a magical arrow is pointing to. Oh, and did I mention that some of these pieces of bone will be in a black bag and we will have to identify the bone by touch alone? Looks like I'll be spending a lot of my free time in the lab feeling bones with my eyes closed.

Today's Random Act of Professor: Dr Pope came over to help a classmate and myself identify a chunk of bone. While she was examining it, she sang a little song. The entire lyrics of the song was repetition of the word "meow." For a good five minutes.

I definitely have to admit that the class would be very dull and extremely overwhelming if the professor was not so much fun. Though I am finding it hard not to just burst out laughing in the middle of class.

Drunk Donuts and Other Lessons From Class

Quote of the day:
Student: Is it bad to crack your back?
Dr. Pope: Well...It feels good. Is it bad to do heroin? I don't know.

Class was definitely interesting today. We learned that bone cells called osteons look like donuts on acid and these cells were then referred to (by the professor) as drunk donuts for the rest of class. We also learned that bone formation is much like the war in Iraq: America (osteochondral progeitor cells) lands on Iraq (cartilage) and calls their friends Great Britain, etc (blood vessels) to aid with the invasion. Soldiers show up with flame throwers (osteoclasts) to take over the interior. Once Iraq has been sucked dry of oil (forming the medullary cavity), America then turns its focus to places like Iran and North Korea (epiphysis/growth plates) to expand its war on terror. See? A lesson in current events and biology all in one post. Don't you feel smarter?

On a class related note, I have textbooks! The bookstore told me they were on back order until at least tomorrow. Hurrah UWF Bookstore!