Matt and I had a busy weekend. On Saturday we went out to a movie (Pedro Almovadar's All About My Mother with Kirk and Laura. I had not seen the movie. I was surprised at how good it was. I think with Almovadar films you either love them or hate them. He just evokes that kind of emotion from the viewer.
Last night Matt and I went to the Chanhassen Dinner Theatre production of Singing in the Rain. We got free tickets from Cheryl and Russ. Since we were so late to call and get a table, we ended up in the Director's Box, which was our own private room! The show was good. Considering the last show we saw was Jersey Boys, that is a big complement. The Tony award winning cast and show is hard to beat.
This week is full of new experiments for me at the lab. I just hope one works, as it is getting pretty old having nothing but disappointment.
Gilmore Girls and Veronica Mars, perhaps my two favorite TV shows besides Scrubs, premire this week. I am taking a cardio boxing class that overlaps with GG, so I will be taping both shows and watching them a hour or two later. Hopefully my VCR will not break!
Things are coming along in my course. I have a term paper due next week and a presentation the following one. The good news is that I will have all that out of the way before Karen comes to look for apartments or before the big NDSU v. Gopher weekend.
Well, I better get back to work here. Have a great Monday everyone!

Just killing some time at the lab on a Sunday night. I wanted to go to the gym, but the cells demand to be changed. I can't blame them, they are crowded.
Matt and I had a great time eating at El Meson last night. They had a waitress-in-training serving us, so the order was messed up. We ended up finishing a bottle of wine, getting free coffee and dessert, and enjoying the atmosphere. You know the quality of a place when they admit to their mistakes and compensate you for them. We will definately end up going back there in the future.
Once again none of my illustrious medical school friends could make it. In fact, only one responded to my email. Matt got to enjoy his aged scotch at the Local which I chatted with Matt S. Luckily we missed out of the terrible storms that hit the north part of the town.
This week I will actually have stuff to do in the lab! This is a big change for me, as the last three have just been killing time.
Well, I have to get back to the cells

To All Non-Pet Owners Who Visit & Like to Complain About Our Cat:
> Thomas O'Malley thought this email was funny!
>
> 1. He lives here. You don't.
> 2. If you don't want his hair on your clothes, stay off the furniture.
> (That's why they call it "fur"niture.)
> 3. I like my cat a lot better than I like most people.
> 4. To you, it's an animal. To me, he is an adopted son who is
> short, hairy, walks on all fours and doesn't speak clearly.
>
> Remember: Dogs and cats are better than kids because they:
>
> 1. Eat less
> 2. Don't ask for money all the time
> 3 Are easier to train
> 4. Normally come when called
> 5. Never ask to drive the car
> 6. Don't hang out with drug-using friends
> 7. Don't smoke or drink
> 8. Don't have to buy the latest fashions
> 9. Don't want to wear your clothes
> 10. Don't need a gazillion dollars for college, and...
> 11. If they get pregnant, you can sell their children

I had a walk down memory lane this weekend. I went home to Jamestown for the first time since February. My parents are in the middle of a huge home improvement project. One of the parts of the project is refinishing the hardwood floor that was buried beneath carpet in my bedroom. Because of this, I had to clean out my closet. I have been avoiding this task for the better part of ten years. It was a lot of work, but fun as well. I found things that I had totally forgotten about. I also found stuff that I would have like to forget about! My weekend was not all work. Mom, Dad, and I also included a little breaking and entering into our weekend. We travelled out to Jamestown Reservior to see my cousins Doug and Gary. They just bought a new cabin out there, and my parents wanted to see it. When we got out there, we found out from their neighbors that we had just missed them. The neighbors then proceeded to allow us to go into the empty cabin AND the empty (but really cool) cabin next door. Apparently they don't lock their doors out there in case the neighbors need to get in (wouldn't giving hte neighbors spare keys be safer? Only in ND would this happen!)
Today I discovered that I am currently uninsured. Some bureucrat at the U didn't fill out a job description form, so my health insurance was not renewed. Susan, the MD/PhD goddess is taking care of the problem for me. Boy am I happy I her to help me cut through some of the administrative crap at this school. Hopefully Karen's program assistant will be a quick study.
Well, I have to get to reading. I am studying all day today so I don't feel overwhelmed in lab meeting and class today. I can't start any experiments until Wednesday because John (who know where everything is at) is out of town until tomorrow.
Oh, Matt turns 25 this week. We aren't doing anything too special.

Entrez PubMed

Here is the abstract for my article! It finally made it to press. A three year ordeal is over. Now it is on to my next publication. Hopefully this will be soon.

Good Reads for Fall
I had the good fortune to read a few good books this summer while on my trip to NYC and during the past few weeks before grad school starts. I am going to do my best to rate them here. They are in the order that I can remember, so don't place any value in how they appear here.

Great Starvation Experiment
This book is a great story about what happened to the hundreds of men who didn't feel the need to fight during WWII. Ancel Keys, a nationally known scientist from the University of Minnesota, enlisted 36 of these men to study starvation in the effort to help those overseas suffering from war. This story goes into the minds of these men and the investigators who watched them literally starve for the good of mankind. A remarkable story.

Running With Scissors
This memoir by Augusten Burroughs is very interesting. It will soon be made into a movie, and I am anxious to compare the story on film to what I read.


Killing Yourself to Live: 85% of a True Story
This author hails from my home state and has a fresh voice into some of the everyday things people go through. I can't condone all the drug use in this book, but to story is still pretty great.

Devil in the White City
This is a non-fiction book that reads just like fiction. In fact, parts of it you wish were actually fiction. It is amazing the things that sprouted from the Chicago World's Fair.

MSN - News - 'Crocodile Hunter' Steve Irwin Dies at 44

Sometimes you hate to say "I told you so", but this is one case where you almost have to. No one can work as recklessly around dangerous animals and not get hurt. Why? Because its the one's that you don't think are "that dangerous" that will get you. I work everyday with stuff that can kill me, and I know how easily it can get to write up something that you have used innocently 363 days a year. My condolences go out to Mr. Irwin's family. I hope someone can fill his large shoes and take on his cause to preserve animal's natural habitats.