been too long...

I'm procrastinating leaving lab. How silly of me; it's Saturday night, my cells are fed. I could be going home to exercise, play with the kitty, CLEAN MY PLACE (must do quite soon), but instead I'm looking up silly things on the internet.

Last night I had one of those drowsy nights on the couch -- too tired to move (wash face, floss) but not exactly comfortable (Charlie takes up at least a third of the useable sprawling space). And lo, at 2:40 a.m. I was roused by a peculiar sound. At first I thought it was firecrackers going off in Chinatown yet I couldn't think of a holiday that would warrant middle-of-the-night noise-making. I creaked to my feet and went to the window. At least fifteen pops, accompanied by little flashes of white light, came from the building across the back greenbelt behind my building, somewhere behind the leafy tree that is the subject of a current neighbor war. Perhaps it was nighttime fogginess, but I could have sworn it was gunfire I was witnessing, and I must admit I got a little thrill from the thought. I very seriously considered calling the police, yet I waited at the window a good 10 minutes (ever notice how time flies when you're barely conscious?) and didn't hear the approach of wailing sirens nor glimpsed a shadowy figure break through the shrubbery in flight from the scene. And now I've googled and searched and I can find no mention of a Nob Hill shooting. Hm. I was already contemplating the outfit I'd wear to court when I'd appear as witness....

It has been quite a while since last I blogged; I've been in a bit of a zombie-like state since the UCSA Congress nearly two weeks ago. In addition to the ever-present lab to-do list, I now have to finish my UCSA file clean-up, and start the more painfully awkward task of reaching out to friends I've lost touch with in this year of my presidency. A few of the people who knew when my term would end have already contacted me, and it's been lovely to "reunite" with people I care about. I'm not quite sure how to explain to folks how much of my mental energy (and physical health) was consumed by my student advocacy work, but I will have to beg mercy and promise food and drink. Perhaps a dinner party? Hm. Must then CLEAN MY PLACE.

As I drove home earlier this week, a short story sprung to mind. Three (2 male, 1 female) dissipated (no, don't think "Friends") roommates (somewhere between Noe Valley and the Castro) and a mystery pregnancy. I managed a brief and comprehensive character sketch for two of the three protaganists before I crossed Van Ness. The plot was already becoming bogged down by trite social commentary and local flavor I've little experience of by the time I reached for the garage door button. Whew. I think I'll shake that one off, at least until I know what it's like to lunch at the café on the corner every day.

Time to head home now. I'll try to not pick up any more plot bunnies on the way.

too much karma

As of yesterday, 33 of 96 clones screened were positive. This is good. In fact, it's likely too good to be true, my gut tells me, though my brain can't excuse the possibility that I actually do have 33 positive clones. Dani says I must have so much karma built up that this has to be right. I don't know about that one -- I must be sensible or old-fashioned enough to not trust a karma build-up; though I can't bring myself to subscribe to the theory of limited good (that too implies some sort of intelligent design) I can't help but feel that a build-up of karma can only lead to a dearth of it in the future. Certainly I can see that I've been lacking in good science karma these past couple of years, but somehow the idea that karma-null run is over is scary too. Jeez. I might have to start being productive.

And then, not so obviously but apparent nonetheless, follows even scarier ideas, like what am I going to do with myself once I finish this damnable degree? What am I fit for? What's to become of me? I've no flower shop and Freddy to fall back on. I chose this path because I love the science, love working at the bench, but that's not a "forever" option for me. Perhaps I now suffer from an excess of options. And given my family's propensity towards indecisiveness, that means I'm frankly screwed.

Anyhoo, anyone want to place a bet on how many positive clones await me in the next 48?