Busy Bee

This week was EXHAUSTING.

I went to Galveston on Monday, and met with DQ, got a project for my thesis and covered in mosquito bites. Project is in Galveston Bay and my plan for my Master's is as follows:

Have degree plan and committee submitted by the 20th class day of next semester.
Have proposal written by May of 2011.
Finish all major classes by May of 2011.
Have all samples by August of 2011.
Have all samples analyzed by December of 2011.
Write and defend thesis by May of 2012.

BOOMSWISH. A Master's knocked out in two years.

Tuesday and Wednesday I taught. It's amazing how much students just want to get in, do the experiment and get out without really learning the concepts or even reading the directions. It pains me but I'm learning to not take it personally. It's their grade and they are the ones that are responsible for it. I just have the task to take off points. And keep those consistent. Kinda hard.

Thursday... What did I do Thursday. Hm. Well Wednesday George came back from NC. I had a hormone induced breakdown about where we're going to live on Tuesday night when he called and ended up having ice cream for dinner instead of the jambalaya I made.

Thursday I guess was mostly working on crap like my chem ocean homework, trying to read stuff and going to class.

Friday I had an NSF meeting for my scholarship. Hopefully I will see my fees repaid to me at some point. Then I can pay off my credit card (sigh). Then I watched George play Ultimate Frisbee with his lab. And tried not to complain because I was hungry.

Saturday I slept in and got up around noon to finally start grading the handouts that have to be returned to my students. And it took. FOREVER. This first lab was heavy in using calculators and there was no key to make because each station would have blocks that weigh different amounts, rocks that would weigh different amounts, so each of their calculations would be different. And I had to go through each lab to see if they did the calculations correctly. The very definition of tedious.

Saturday night was a friend in oceanography's birthday party and since his actual birthday is today and today is Talk Like a Pirate Day, naturally they had a pirate party last night (more convenient to party on Saturday night than Sunday night). It was fun. A little awkward, but I like Adrian. He's a pretty cool guy. I'm not one for big parties, though and I was kinda the wallflower and skipped out early. But that's just me.

Today I got up and started laundry, went to George's parents for lunch, came back and took a nap. I think I'm getting sick. I'm constantly coughing and constantly tired. We went grocery shopping and made dinner (tortellini with greek salad and tuscan cantaloupe for dessert, YUM). I'm contemplating starting the phys ocean homework due on Tuesday but I just don't have it in me. I spend 8 hours a day 5 days a week (at least) doing oceanography stuff. I think today should just be for me to laze before the craze starts up again.

Next on the blog agenda: living situation. Going to Galveston on Monday froze into shock what I would be dealing with if we lived in Houston. A nightmare of commuting for a year. On the one hand, commuting for a year doesn't sound too bad. But at the same time, I don't want to have to spend 3 hours in a car every day. What if I have to stay late? I'll be that much later getting home, and I won't want to do anything but sleep. Which I guess is not much different from now. But that's also with me living 10 minutes from school. Instead of an hour and a half away. I don't want to live separately from George, I don't want to have to pay for two rents when we're trying to save up for a wedding that will probably take place the month after we graduate. It's really hard to think about. I can't think of a winning solution.

George thinks that if we live in Galveston and he commutes up to CS like 2 or 3 days a week and stays at his parents for those nights it won't be so bad. Being the computer scientist that doesn't require physical samples, he can work from a distance. Hell that's what he's doing for IBM. But I don't think I can ask that of him. He hates driving to Austin, and that's twice a MONTH not 2-3 times a week like he would be doing.

So for that, I don't know.

Another thing I don't know: what to do about my last name. If I get published before we get married, and I want to go for my PhD, I think I would have to keep my maiden name, especially because of the whole "oh I changed my name, but this person on this publication is TOTALLY ME I SWEAR." I don't see why I can't legally be Burgess and personally be Lucchese. But at the same time, I know it would make George happy if I took his last name. I thought about having 2 surnames, but I haven't gotten far with it. If anyone has any suggestions, I'd greatly appreciate it.

Anyways, I'm gonna go put the quiche in the fridge and maybe read a bit before bed. Good night everyone!