The Ramblings of Austgen

The winter blues…don’t really have them (gottcha with that title). But I tell ya, I’ve been busy. Wednesday, had my seminar for the department. Friday my dissertation proposal was do. The seminar was suppose to be 45 minutes, covering the inital stages of my research. Well, I went 47, and remember most of what I wanted to say. I don’t think I wowed anyone, but enough to please the right people…I hope. As for the proposal, I think that will please the committee as well. I may have been a bit weak on the hypotheses, but I believe that the rationale was sound. I get to defend it on Wednesday and there’s a faculty meeting afterwards, so it should only last a few hours.

One downside to me working so much….if it wasn’t for Thanksgiving, I think I’d put in 60-70 hours a week for six week, was that I really haven’t gotten to do a whole much. Hung out with Dana Sedai tonight for the first time in ages….saw “the lion, the witch, the wardrobe, and the kitchen sink”. Dug it…dug it hard. Any movie that features a harpy is awesome in my book. I need to go read all the books, though….can’t figure why an interdimensional portale would be in the back of an oak closet.

However, in reply to my last work, where I bemoaned my lack of companionship, I actually got off my duff and did something about it. For descreetness (is this speled rite???), I won’t reveal her name….only refer to her as “the girl”…something may be there, but it’s early. I’ll see what happens into the new year. ROOMIE PRIME is still going strong, and ROOMIE ALPHA has a feller in her sights (she’s with RIGHT NOW!!!). ROOMIE OMEGA may be in dire straights with her feller…but time will tell. All may be well in the HOUSE OF AWESOME…for once. If we all survive the New Year, it may call for one hum-dinger of a Valentine’s Day.

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So Dana Sedai is upset…again. Not that I blame her. Check out her new post. You’ll get the drift, but to add, yes, I think something’s not right. But I’m gonna wait and see with this one before I say anymore. Anyways, Science is going pretty good. Starting to get some good data, got an abstract published, working on a proposal, starting to work up a seminar, and outlining a grant. You could say that I’ve kept busy. And will be until, oh, next semester starts. But I tell you, Jan. 15th, academics getting smoother…

Of course, that’s when said play begins. So this year, the church folk are doing one called “UPON THIS ROCK!”, which is an abridged form of Acts of the Apostles. I get to play one of the main Apostles, Justus, and Stephen, and maybe more. So, I get martyred. Yea. Ok, now I’m gonna say something about the play. I wonder about some of the casting. Granted, of the 700-odd people that regularly attend church, there’s about 30-40 that do a lot of the stuff. And of that, about 30 tried out. So, everyone who tried out knew each other. But in looking at the cast list, you just gotta wonder at the choices. Like when the BEST singer gets a bit part. But, this girl can act (like Ed Nortonish, or Alex Guiness….can create any role). Also (as I always play the Devil’s Advocate), I didn’t sit in on the cast decisions, so (I HOPE) there are probably good reasons for doing what they did. But, I got a decent role, and I’ll get to ham it up a bit….and i’m one of the writers, so I can maybe influence my parts some more.

I can’t remember if I said earlier, but my younger brother got seperated from his wife. Damn I’m pissed. I’m not the greatest Catholic, not by far. And there’s a lot of stuff that the Church stands for that I don’t…but in all, it’s not so bad. One of the things I really believe in is upholding the marriage. Not who can get married, but staying married. I don’t know…

Also (and this is really, really just me complaining), I need to find someone in this town. Hell, ROOMIE PRIME found a girl that is a complete dork like him….hell, she can beat him at X-Box. ROOMIE ALPHA seems to have her eye on someone, and ROOMIE OMEGA ain’t hurting either. And, they’re all gone this weekend, so I’m sitting home cleaning…..just like at RJ’s (man, this is really pathetic…I sound like a 12 year old girl with a skinned knee). Perhaps I should get off my duff and ask someone…but what if they say no???? I CAN’T TAKE THAT KIND OF PRESSURE!!!! BAAAAHHHH!!!

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Ok, so this may not be funny….more really odd. So, this past weekend was HOMECOMING…and after a great football game and a decent nap, I went downtown to meet some of the med school folk. Jon Haffner, MD, calls me up and directs me to Quinton’s…which was the only about a 20 minutes wait to get it (and Shiloh’s was maddness). Luckly, we moved to Teller’s, where there was not wait and it wasn’t 100 degrees. Having a good time when a group of girls walk in. I would describe these females as “artsy” folk…some by there dress, but more that you wouldn’t expect to see them at quater draw night at Harpo’s. Anyways (the description is bad), after looking in there direction, cause they’re women, one of them, a wee indian type, comes up to me and asks…more threatens “are you stareing at something????” I answer with a meger “no,” cause I have no clue what the hell is going on. Sure, I was sizing them up, but I wasn’t taking measurements or anything. The girls move to a back corner, and after a bit, I think I figured out why I was accused. Among the women is a 40 year old dude that is not doing a good job of hiding the change in apperance. I figure that’s what’s going down, that little miss inquisitor is “protecting” her friend from the evil frat boy looking dude (me). After confering with Morgan, who knows these folk, I was absolved of all wrong doing….Finally, I was innocent…for once. That doesn’t happen to often.

Also, an elderly women, who I believe was the mother of one of the bartenders, collapsed. Some say it was a heart attack, while Dr. Jon says it was a “vaso-vagal” thingy….I say it was “orthostatic hypostensive episode.” What I do know is that EMS was there in about 3 minutes…now that’s good response time. But, I think that I may have to drink more at Teller’s. This type of stuff doesn’t happen to me at other bars (well, I dance with random chicks at the Vu, but that happens to everyone…)

Also, I’m on facebook…..woooooo

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So many things to say, so little drive to do it. I think that if I were to just sit at the computer in my room more often, I would write more often. But yesterday was the first time I turned it on in a long time. Now since its on, I’ll write out what’s going down.

Went on “AWAKENINGS” a few weekends ago…I don’t normally go on retreats…ok, ever. but I had a lot of fun on this one. I did meet more people, and become a bit closer to those I did know. And, for a while, I became a bit more pius in my thinking….which lasted about a week. Still there, but not so much as before…

Which is do (due??) to science. Actually going to get a few abstracts done for this meeting, maybe get one done up for something at the med school next month….will really get the department folk of my ass. That and my proposal is starting to come together….I think….but, that’s November.

Otherwise, things have been pretty lame. I need to find someone, or get them back….I don’t know. I’m beginning to hear things about me, that maybe it’s starting to be time for me to move on……….there’s nothing that I hate more then being where I’m not wanted. Only with the research, I’m here for at least another calender year. Maybe I’ll just stop talking….unlikely, but worth a shot.

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It’s chowtime, but I’ve eaten all my lunch, so I write a bit before getting back to work. Reflecting a bit, what was this summer…well, I worked. Yea, I had some down time with people, but I think that this will be the summer that I look back and really turned to corner in science. I’m starting to get some idea on the data that I’m going to look at, and abstracts are coming into my head. I’m not going to have to worry about getting an abstract for the national meeting next spring, and should have a poster in all the sessions at school. This is good, mainly cause I haven’t had anything in so long, my CV was beginning to fade away. If I can get two papers submitted by Christmas, and get them in print by June, I think I can get out of here next year.

I did spend some time out of the lab, hanging out, watching a bunch of movies, and sandwiching in those two Chicago trips. I do think I need to get out of town more often. Well, I will when I get some money (the fault of us all). Now that I’m out of classes, I may be able to do that more, when I can get out of the lab. With the sceduale, though, that might not be possible soon. Maybe in January, I’ll go somewhere….

The new place is going pretty well. ROOMIE PRIME is still ROOMIE PRIME, but ROOMIE ALPHA (ashton) and ROOMIE OMEGA (Erin) have gotten into the fold too. As long as I don’t get sucked into the reality shows that the girls watch (damn you Laguna Beach!!!!) I’ll be cool.

On a sad note, Morgan’s Brother passed last week. He never really got a chance…at well, damn near anything.

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I have once again returned from the great second city, though most of you didn’t even know I was gone (and you’re all bastards for it). Went up Saturday to catch the Sunday game, which featured the retiring of Ryne Sandburg’s jersey. Ryno was the second baseman for the Cubs when I was growing up…and my hero. I was really glad that my buddy Marco invited me up for the game. It was really cool to see Ryno take the walk around the stadium, with all in attendence going crazy. That man is like Ditka…anyone on the northside would give up anything for him…also was cool to see The Sarge and The Hawk raise the flag on the rightfield foul pole.

As for the game, was sitting in the far right of the right field bleachers. Basically, I was within spitting distance of the right fielders. And when Juan “Jonny-boy” Encarcinon was out there, did he get hell…which is normal. It got really bad in the seventh, when Jonny-boy took some tape off his wrist and threw it on the warming track….right under the sign on the bleacher side that said “Keep Wrigley Beutiful”. So, it got worse, with my addition being, “what would your mother say??”…which got the crowd going. Then when Zambrano got up, and roped a triple into the corner, Jonny-boy got another hearful, from the power of Z, JB’s lack of speed, and my quip about Karma, which got the crowd going again. After I predicted Nomar’s double, I think I got the appreciation of the folk. So, I suppose I’m a “Bleacher Bum”, but maybe I need to hit another game out there first….hopefully something early next season, when it’s butt ass cold.

A few other things from the weekend…

Took North Halstead for part of the trip…which holds “Boys Town”, or where a lot of gay folk live…interesting

Was dead to rights by a cop on the way up…but an Impala didn’t slow down (actually passed the cop), so he got tagged instead

SPF 50 does wonders to Irish skin

Hurricanes suck, but why do people report from them….it’s raining hard…yes, thank you

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School started this week, but not for me. I have no more classes to take, so I have finally succumded to fate, and have a “real” job…and any further slacking prevents me making more money.

Found out yesterday that my first two publications will be sent to the Journal of Comparative Neurology (that’s big)

I bought a new bass, football tickets, and free doctor visists for the semester in one week….and now I’m poor.

There are freshman everywhere and I don’t care….does that mean I, too, am accepting my fate (or am I just getting old?)

Fall softball this Thursday…come and watch me hit to the middle outfield!!!

Finally, today is Big Daddy Poth birthday…and he should be here celebrating it…COME BACK POTH!!!!

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Wow…that’s all I can say, as I sit here with my ears ringing and the rest of me sore. 311 still kicks ass. Tonight at the Missouri Ampitheater…or the hill behind Farout, Reel Big Fish, Unwritten Law, Papa Roach, and 311 rocked….well, I didn’t get to see RBF (got hosed with a 30 minute set), and didn’t know much of Unwritten Law, and didn’t really want to see much of Papa Roach, but 311…the last time I saw these guys was Spring of ’98, on their “Transistor” tour. To date this, Sugar Ray opened (and most folk didn’t know they were a thrash metal band…which I would like now), and before them, Incubus, with dreds…but 311 was fantastic. So to now. Mixed in lots of their old stuff (I’ll take anything off the self-titled) with a few new bits. Light show has gotten better, but SA’s voice is all weird. Also, in Chad’s drum solo, the rest of the band were playing long toms and cymbals, so it looked like marching band. And, it cooled off some, so I didn’t lose that much water.

Also, basically completed the move to the new place. My room is a lot smaller then the last, and I don’t think that I can get all of my stuff in here. But, the downstairs is pretty spacey….not now, and there’s boxes and shit everywhere. The girls are being sympathetic so far to our quirks…me not being home at any set time, and ROOMIE PRIME sleeping, but it’s only been about 48 hours…give’em til Sunday…sooner if the downstairs isn’t squared away….the garage, that’s a whole different bowl of soup.

Lastly, an explination of the title….at the show, there were a fair amout of police folk around…one of them was taking a feller up the hill, with a member of the event staff, when that feller to offense to being lead off, and tried to shake off the woman….well, then another man in blue grabbed this feller’s other arm….now, this feller got real upitty, and tried to shake them both off….that lead to this feller getting thrown down to the ground (violently), cuffed and taken off….this was mirrored by another feller, who when grabbed by a cop, was calmly lead away. This takes me to my point. There are times in your life when you must accept your fate. Person two did, and most likely left the premises…where the first will get the book thrown at him. Let this be a lesson to you all, young grasshoppers.

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When you go on a float trip in Southern Missouri, and you only see one topless girl, are you suppose to be dissapointed???

When the Cubs don’t win by, say, six runs every game, but still win, why do people complain???

Where in the world of the Grad student does it say taht you have to work 12 hours on a Monday…isn’t that againts the rules or the geneva convention, or something???

I really don’t want to move…not that I really like it here anymore, but I own to much stuff (ok, Jason owns to much stuff)

Sloppy Joe’s are tasty

Dana Sedai was enchanted by a feller on E…that can’t be a good sign…

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So, some quick reviews…of stuff….

Last night, caught the new Jonny Depp flick, “Charlie and Chocholate Factory, Wilder-lite.” I had a lot of reservations about this movie, as did, I bet, half the known world. Gene Wilder did such a great job with the original, most peolpe would wonder whether a remake would be….needed. Now, supposedly, this movie follows the book more, which I think is a requirement of remakes. That said…I like this movie a lot. Jonny Depp makes Wonka, well…really, really creepy. I would bet that this is what Michael Jackson is like in person. The Umpaloompa’s are hysterical. The characters: the kids, there parents, seem to be fairly two dimensional, but they all work…it’s also been moderized…Mike Teevee, or whatever, plays video games and has a rather violent streak. But, overall, I’d give it 3.5 out of 4 stars.

Also, I bought, and finished the new Harry Potter novel. This, the sixth book in the series, occurs about three weeks after the complition of the last. I really enjoyed this one. Rowling did well to streamline the text, leaving out a lot of minor dialog, so this book was considerable shorter. Harry has made a signifiicant change, as have a majority of the other charaters. In as such, some of the dialog may not be understood by the younger audience, but wold more in the older. Overall, this book started well, ran well, and ended…well shitty…not in the writing, but in the plot twists. When they say a major charater buys the farm…well, I won’t say more… The only thing I really didn’t like about the book, and maybe the series, is the path that Harry has to go. It been obvious from the fifth book that harry must kill Voldemort to live…so he’s got fate and survival…but I think that he’s beginning to get revenge in there too….and as they always say in the movies, what do you do after you’ve had your revenge. I suppose I can see why the right wing christians don’t like this series. But, go buy it, read it, loan it to someone else.

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