Quick Update.

We went to the Linkin Park concert in Houston last week before the craziness of studying for exams settled in for me. It was an awesome show, and we left feeling a bit deaf, but it was a price I was willing to pay. The Toyota Center in Houston is designed with special rafters that reflect sound back down on the audience so the bass was RIDICULOUS despite sitting as far away from the stage as one possibly can be.

Despite hearing the songs over and over again (thanks G) for weeks leading up to the concert, I still wasn't familiar with the new album, A Thousand Suns. It's a lot different from their previous albums, but it grows on you every time you listen to it. Seeing a majority of the album performed live, along with a bunch of oldies that I'm well acquainted with, was truly an amazing experience. I'm glad we went, and I'm happy that we can scratch them off our list of bands to see in concert.

Who we've seen so far:
- Linkin Park
- Green Day (also in the Toyota Center)
- Franz Ferdinand
- Puddle of Mudd
- Sevendust
- 10 Years
- Three Days Grace
- Buckcherry

Still need to see:
- My Chemical Romance
- Breaking Benjamin

Exam Stuff:

Geological oceanography exam was yesterday. Prof said to use the objectives heading each lecture as a guide for studying. So I did. For three days I did almost nothing else. Felt pretty confident that I understood the concepts outlined in the objectives. Get to the test. Stare at it.

I have never seen such a disjuncture between what we talked about in lecture and what was asked of us on the exam. I did my best, but honestly, I don't feel that I passed at all. The only other time I've felt an utter crippling of my self esteem because of a test was in Biochem II. This was torture. And what made it worse was all of the geo ocean majors were all "that was so fuckin easy, omg." STFU GEO OCEAN MAJORS. I HATE YOU ALL RIGHT NOW.

I talked to other students (who aren't geo majors or have geo backgrounds) and they reassured me that that's just how the class is. The prof rarely gives out less than a B unless you really just don't do anything in the class. So why am I still freaking out? Because you never know. I like to do well. I like to have solid ground when it comes to my grade. I don't like to count on a curve or generosity for trying.

I'm still angsting about it even after talking at length with Alicia, who had a similar encounter with her test yesterday. Drowning our sorrows in margaritas and mexican last night was wonderful.

I had even been up since 5 am because A) I couldn't sleep for worry that the test was going to be awful. I was right in thinking so. And B) G was talking and laughing in his sleep, and stealing the covers. I honestly don't remember what he said. I think it was combining with my half dreams about geology and resulted in my hearing complete nonsense.

Tomorrow's bio ocean exam (I will get my revenge, geo majors. I WILL GET MY REVENGE.) and then I plan to go home and crash on the couch with a glass of wine and my netflix queue.

I haven't been grading data forms lately because I've been busy doing homework and keeping up with my own classes. And today a student noticed and sent me an email asking me why I haven't graded her make up yet.

Students. I, like you, have other shit to do. The difference? I need to keep my GPR up for financial aid, and not fail out of grad school. On top of taking 3 graduate courses, two of which have exams this week and one of those assigns annoyingly tedious homework assignments that take up A LOT of time, I have to teach 3 classes. And grade. SIXTY DATA FORMS AND SIXTY QUIZZES EVERY WEEK.

Granted, that was my choice. However, sometimes, my own shit comes first. Deal with it.