Tuesday, April 25, 2006

<3

I'm in love with the following:
  • Montreal at night

  • The fact that my presentation is going to be over on Thursday and I can stop making myself sick worrying about it. Plus I'm going to be getting completely trolleyed schmammered piss-faced afterwards to celebrate.
  • My iPOD nano (maybe obsessed borderline addicted is more accurate)
  • Crying Won't Help You Now by Ben Harper
"You sit there and call me a liar and a cheat
I just wish you'd pin a rose on me
Now you won't even come out and take a bow
Crying won't help you now"
  • Michael Ryder and The Montreal Canadiens (go Habs go!) owning the Carolina Hurricanes last night in double over-time.
  • Coffee.
Listening to: Morning Yearning - Ben Harper

posted by Joanna @ 2:17 PM 2 Comments

Monday, April 17, 2006

London Calling

So it's official. I booked my Contiki tour this weekend: Berlin, Prague, Bratislava, Vienna, and Budapest.

I've also decided to spend about 4 days in London (England, not London Ontario - eww) before the tour starts. I'll be flying in on the 16th of July to arrive on the 17th and heading out to Berlin a couple of days later.

If any of my Brit blogger and other friends out there want to take me out for a few wee pints while I'm in the land of the Beattles and Bad Teeth, then drop me a line y'all! I have a crazy list of all kinds of touristy things to do and see, and I've even booked a night at the Queen's Theater to see Les Miserables. I'm beyond excited, people will soon be very tired of hearing me say "when I'm in England, I'm going to-" promptly followed by either "get so shit-faced" or "molest the boys", or both simultaneously for that matter!

I haven't gotten around to booking my hostel yet, or my flight for that matter, but I'm going to get on that sometime this week. There are too many hostels in London, so I'm sure I'll be able to find a good decently priced one that's pretty central. The tube will make getting around easy, anyhow, so it should work itself out. WHEEEEEE!!!! I love travelling :D

Listening to: London Calling - The Clash

posted by Joanna @ 11:27 AM 8 Comments

Thursday, April 13, 2006

No More Stats

Yep, that's right people - NO MORE STATS EVER.

I really can't explain the joy that results from being able to say that. I'm sure some of you can relate because no one likes stats, yes it sucks, etc. But I have just finished 8 straight semesters of statistics. Do you know what that's like? Can you now try to understand my complete and utter hatred of this damned subject that's constantly forced down my throat through the misforunate of it being required in Psychology programs?

Well now I never ever have to take another stats class again. My last stats final was yesterday afternoon. Aside from the second part being more of an exercise in creative bullshit writing, it was alright and I'm just glad it's OVER. Plus, a bunch of us went out for drinks afterwards and I got drunk off free beer! woot!

I know I post repeatedly about how stressed and anxious I am. It's part of who I am, and for the most part, my stress and anxiety has helped motivate me to be where I am today.

I read a passage in Grimus, the Salman Rushdie book I'm reading right now (see sidebar), that beautifully articulates an important question that really struck home.

"Your namesake Chanakya, whispered Kamala Sutra to Virgil Jones, could place his right hand upon a brazier of coals and his left hand upon the cool breast of a young girl, feeling neither the pain of the fire nor the pleasure of her skin.

Ask yourself if it is your luck or your misfortune that you could feel both."

Rushdie has such a way of crafting beautiful passages that tap such poignant issues. So I asked myself, would I rather feel as much as I do - even when it sometimes feels like it's too much - or would I rather not be able to feel anything?

It's a no brainer, really. Bring on the hot coals.

posted by Joanna @ 9:09 PM 0 Comments

Tuesday, April 04, 2006

Powerfully Indifferent

So today was the last Psych Theory class of the semester.

We finished the Grant Reviews (thank god), and had our last presentations. While it's been interesting to read people's research proposals and participate in a mock grant review exercise, it's also been extremely frustrating: 4 hours straight every class of reading proposals, critiquing them, and watching people beat others to death with their extremely important opinions. Oi vey, the chuztpah has indeed reared it's ugly head.

The school year has flown by so ridiculously fast. Normally at this point in the year I'm looking forward to a school-free summer. Unfortunately, as a grad student, I have to work in the lab this summer continuing my research. I'm pretty upset about it, because I've had it with this shit and really don't enjoy it, but I'm also resigned to it at this point.

I will get time off, and I will be taking more time off than I "should". But fuck "should". "Should" is for people who care. Right now, I'm powerfully indifferent.

In fact, I'm so indifferent that I forgot my stats final is next week. I got reminded today - and it didn't even worry me. That is how much I don't care. This time last year I would have shit myself, cried for a couple of hours, and immediately gotten down to work. Now, instead, I'm typing this and watching Dr. Phil.

This isn't to say I'm not still stressed - I'm just stressed about different things. Our class took a wee informal stress questionnaire to compare our average stress levels to the normal population. The average score is 10.11. The average score for our class was 20.33.

My score was 32. heh. That's in the Severe category. It definitely made me laugh.

Fortunately I do have some things to look forward to. I'm going another Contiki tour this summer. The one I chose is of Eastern Europe, and spends 2 1/2 weeks going from Germany, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Austria, and Hungary. I'm terribly excited, as I haven't been to Eastern Europe before and I'm really looking forward to experiencing the culture - at least for a little while.

posted by Joanna @ 5:39 PM 4 Comments