TATA enhancer promoter issues

Yuck. I'm so glad this week is over. Not that it was bad but... well, not my best work I must admit. Wednesday was insanely busy. Messed around with some bouldering in climbing class in between just talking to my classmates. Took another key out test in botany (but thankfully I had 2 of the plants in my collection and had keyed them out already. The 3rd was a rose and totally easy to do. The fourth I could put in a family instantly but wasn't sure on genus so it took a tad bit of work). I only have a little left to finish on my collection and it'll be ready to hand in on Monday! Thursday saw me giving my persuasive speech... the most I'll say about that was I think I did alright and that I'm glad it's over. There's no way I'm going to be picked to speak at the speech contest but I think you and I both know I don't really want to compete there anyway so I'm okay with mediocrity.
Went to try to find the perfect wedding gift for Mel & Adam but ran into a few problems... will be trying again tonight or tomorrow. It's so difficult to pick just what to get since I want it to be something they want, need, and will use but also something I think is cute, classy, and worth while. So basically I should just get them a sheltie puppy right? Hahaha...
Genetics test this morning was horrid. I thought going into the test that I was on pretty stable ground and mostly knew what was going on but I suppose I just deceived myself. I think I actually just barely passed that test which is quite the opposite end of the spectrum from the last test on which I made an A. Let's have a round of applause for inconsistancy!!! (oh and the title for this post is genetics-speak)
Mum's been bugging me for a list of things I'd like for my birthday and I'm at quite a loss for what to say... Any suggestions??? It'll be my 21st so I'm sure there'll be something alcoholic around but other than that I have few original ideas yet asking for socks and candles seems a tad pathetic. I guess I'll have a brainstorm or something. (I really hated it when our Mock Trial sponsor in HS made us use the big sheets of paper to brainstorm about topics and questions. It really ticked me off but I couldn't tell you why since it seems like a logical thing to do and I'm typically all for the logical things in life . To this day when I see a bubble chart thing it makes me shudder and I get irked.)
Oh, more randomness! Dork and his prom date are both wearing white. Completely white. Funny, huh? But I bet they'll look cute so if it makes them happy and gives me something to laugh about then it's all good. Well, and I better be allowed to take all the pictures my little heart desires. I hope and pray that his Junior prom leaves him with happier memories than mine gave me.
Made up a bouquet of roses, honeysuckle, and a white flowering bush from our yard this morning and can already smell the honeysuckle all through the livingroom. Yay! I love spring!
Happy weekend everyone!

puppy court

Just a note

Wow, this is going to be such a busy week. Sorry if I don't update more than once. You know how it gets at the end of the semester, right? Chaos doesn't even begin to describe it...
Had a great weekend and lots of fun. Hope ya'll did too! Love and best wishes to all!
Oh and it's Jenna's birthday!!!! Yay for 21st's!!!!!!

Another day in paradise

Puppy news! Okay, well there really isn't much news for them... Still eating, pooping, and sleeping as usual. Loki did very well at night after just a bit of a ruckus. My aunt and uncle's puppy may be named "Rio" now? He is not taking nights quite as well as Loki but hopefully he'll settle down quickly. There. News as if world peace depended on it.
Apparently I'll be giving my persuasive speech in public speaking class over the importance of staying active in your community. Yeah, I'm really going to change lives with this one. Totally.
Gilmore Girls last night was GREAT! It was Lane's wedding and totally awesome except Lorelei (spelling?) got drunk on 8 tequila shots and then wanted to do her toast to the bride and groom. All I have to say is, if I ever get that drunk and still want to talk please someone grab me or the mic and make sure I don't do anything too stupid. Thank you very much. Oh and Yummy. Woo!
There was a hilarious commercial on yesterday. A nice looking woman is running beside a pond and thinking loudly... "Wow, I'm so forgetful these days." Then she stops running and gets a thoughtful look on her face followed by a smile, "I wonder if I'm pregnant." Yeah because isn't that the FIRST thing you think of when you forget things??? "Wow, I might be preggers." Yeah. Right. But funny...
Anyway. Not much new happenin'. Got half of my Regents scholarship switched over to pharm school, now just have to call and get the other half done too. It was so weird to cancel my enrollment. It was online so I was just doing it at home but still, it was like, "Are you sure?" and I was thinking, "Um, huh? Yeah I think so? Maybe???" Rather nerve racking since I've been forced to give up control of something in my life that I could control before. Crazyness.
Okay well, ya'll have a great week! Yay!

Puppy Pictures!!!

All of these are also in my album at photobucket if you know that link...

'Cause Girls Just Wanna Have Fun....

So. I hurried and scurried to get my genetics paper done and come to find out that it isn't even due until 5:30 tonight. Not at 10:30 this morning as I had thought. (This new info thanks to Em from Botany class who happens to be in the 8:30 section of genetics) What I have in my saddlebag right now is a copy of my paper that is mostly great and a couple of pages yucky as a "just in case I can't get it done beautifully and/or printed between climbing and gen." I shouldn't procrastinate about this sort of thing. And really, I had all my resources together a couple of weeks ago, so I guess it was only self-defeating action that I was employing instead of true procrastination, right? Score one for the self defeatist!!!
After I posted my little political rant on my xanga and myspace I got a lovely little message from a crazed political... fanatic? I don't know whatelse to call him or her (since I don't really know the person or related gender) so fanatic will work. The profile page that went with the message was quite... interesting. Glad to know someone thinks about politics 24/7 so I don't have to, right? And I couldn't really tell if he/she/it agreed with my stance or just was so happy to have found a fellow political crazy to hang out with that a message was just inevitable? Maybe I could join his/her/its cult???
Easter was GREAT!!! Mum and Dad got a new puppy, a sheltie that will someday, hopefully, answer to the name of Loki. I say someday because at seven weeks of age he really doesn't listen very well. For someone so cute he's pretty much a ditz. I'll post pics when I get home from classes today (I couldn't last night because, duh, genetics paper!). Also, my aunt and uncle got a little puppy too!!! (It was totally a puppy weekend!) Theirs is a Havanese (spelling anyone??) and very sweet. Little boy too but no name yet to share. I'll keep you posted on the new babies as if world peace depended on it (well, as best I can living in another city and thriving on second hand knowledge of the cuteness!)
Okay, on to climbing! This morning I managed to finish that medium I was working toward. The kicker of the climb was that the place I kept getting stuck last week, well this morning I wasn't even thinking at all and made it through it. Of course right after that move I was stuck a bit again... I don't know if my instructor will count it or not because it took me a while and I may or may not have hangdogged for a while (refering to just sitting in your harness on the rope to rest for a sec or two or to scope out your next move.) Either way, now I KNOW I can do it so it should come easier, right? (Man, I really should get some pics of the wall and post them so you guys know what I'm talking about... lol how nerdy am I?)
Now I'm off to Genetics! Check back later for pics (later being either after 1pm or 5pm depending on how much I need to snazz up my paper during my lunch break). Love and laughter to all!

Moved from Xanga

In regards to this illegal immigration issue that has recently become such a large, looming point of contention, it is so so so hard for me not to fully speak my mind, especially in response to people who so slanderously and maliciously preach their doctrines born of ignorance and full of greed backed by immorality. What does it have to come to before they learn to temper their speach with humility and ethics blended with morality to appeal to those things that are best in man? Just because we sometimes disagree doesn't make it alright to condemn to hell those who would stand up for the moral but often silent majority and say, "Hey, what you're doing isn't right! You need to stop. Now." Granted you could take my words for a grain of salt since, hey, she's just a stupid little midwest, hick-born girl with no sense of reality and even less sense in general, oh and let's just call her unpatriotic and unAmerican while we're at it. "America was founded on these princicles and now I'm going to tell you what you think..." No. That doesn't cut it for me. Take this for what you will but I urge all of you to really, honestly think before you start shouting out praise or jeers for those who are called leaders. Make your choices for yourself. Check and double check your facts before you start ingraining into your kids that something "is the devil".
And please, just for my peace of mind, stop taking out your frustrations on the President of the United States. He is one man. Whether you love him or hate him, he does not rule our country as a monarch or tyrant. There is an entire bicambrial legislature and a judicial branch to be held accountable too. As much as we all love to have a scapegoat to pin the tail on, are you so blind to our country's system of government that you don't realize he is not up there scheming and plotting to hasten the end of our country as we know it??? And even if by some small chance he was, he certainly isn't alone as the sole ruling body of our country? Please wake up and come to your senses. Life isn't perfect and no one human is perfect either so get a grip on your moaning and groaning. Act like the adult that you are and if you are uneducated as to how our government works or what you're voting for in elections get out there and research what's going on. There's internet available in every public library I've visited in the last dozen or so years so I'm sure there's at least that resource; if you need help using the internet don't be afraid to ask for help.
And for all those underage orators out there voicing opinions like tiny puppets, stop just going with the flow of what's cool or shocking. Sure you want attention and to be noticed but if you have no idea what you're talking about or you're going on second-hand knowledge, or worse, then just keep your mouth shut and listen to the world around you. Hopefully you're mature enough to realize the difference between right and wrong. If not, then you still have much growing and learning to do so quit being annoying to the voting population who actually cares about what's happening to our world. Don't be afraid to research the issues you have questions about but make sure your sources are knowledgeable and as little biased as possible. For example, of course pro-choice people are going to tell you how safe and right abortions are. And of course pro-life people will tell you how terrible those same abortions are. There are at least two sides to each issue so be smart enough to make your own choice based on facts and your own research.
This has turned into quite a rant and for that I do not appologize. I have the right to write what I wish to write on here. And you may comment as you wish. The likely-hood of you completely changing my mind on what I've said thus far is highly unlikely since I believe I've refrained from speaking my opinions on specific topics and thus have not asked for your interpretation of the facts. Just so you know... To recap, please just be informed. Be tolerant but know your rights and don't put up with being ground into a pulp just because someone else has "opinions".
And to all of my friends, I love you and wish you a lovely Easter holiday and very enjoyable weekend!

PreEaster posting

My mind is rather jumbled today... I'm excited about lots of things right now and I can't even remember all of them!!! WOOOO!!!
Thursday went well, especially since I didn't have any classes. Rock on! Work was boring and I wasn't really needed, which left me to keep dozing off and waking up a couple of times until I decided to stand up and try to remember how to do the cha-cha. My patient was asleep most of the time so I doubt he caught me at it. Fun times. When I got home the Beta boys were having a line-night at our house so of course we, Julia, Jenna, and I, ended up driving them back to the Beta house so they wouldn't drive themselves. The only problem with that was since Julia and I left before Jen's group we didn't know that she ended up NOT driving her car afterall (which is what they had been planning on doing at the time we left)... So we got stuck at the House, which is more than 5 blocks from our house, and it's past midnight. Thank goodness for friends who answer their phones that late!!!!!! We owe ya!
Urgh... Genetics is getting confusing again. I made a 96% on my last test in there but am back to being a little lost. YAY! Good thing this stuff is the easier side of genetics and not even the crazy research stuff or I'd be a goner for sure.
Oh, I said I would post a pic of something like Mel's dress, well, I'm lazy so I'll refer you to the link to her page (Mel V) on the left-hand sidebar here so you can go look at her dress! YAY!!!
In other news, I'm back with Skronky. That's right, he's stuck putting up with my insanity for a while longer if he can stand it.
Happy Easter ya'll! I'm heading home to see the family and may or may not post this weekend... depends on if I take some pictures that NEED posting...

Long post; Anti-banana

Seems like forever....
Big Event went really well Saturday! We, my group of ALD folks, headed off to the Food Bank warehouse near the airport to help clean, label, box, and stack huge pallets of canned goods. I don't think I've been so busy in quite a while. I pretty much looked like I had the shortest attention span ever since I kept switching jobs to fill in wherever anyone needed help thus I ended up doing pretty much every one of the jobs there related to the can stuff that they'd let us do. It was so much fun, I really should look into volunteering more often. I can make time for stuff like that, right?
When I got back from Big Event I showered and not long after I was dressed Julia came home with Gavin, Dani's little boy, to babysit and Jenna got her acceptance letter to Nursing. Of course, we had to celebrate a little so we made a poster to put in the front yard!!! ("3 for 3 the Future of Healthcare!!!" Plus, of course, our names and respective colleges of health-ness) [also congrats to Lindsay for Nursing and all of our other healthy-folks for getting accepted everywhere! Can you believe we finally convinced them all that we're as awesome as we so obviously are???] Gavin stayed the rest of the evening, keeping us entertained with his shananagans until way after his (and our) bedtime. Sunday I had work all day so that was fun. Had two patients so I chilled out in the hall between rooms chatting with everyone who mistakenly thought they wanted to walk by (muhahahahahaha!). It's a good thing I was in the hall too since I probably would have dozed off had I been in either room singly - they both slept a lot which meant I would have had a ton of downtime if there hadn't been two of them. I was so ready for bed when I finally got home! (side note: the cafeteria soup with my own added nicety of a mini bag of fritos ROCKS! It's my new cafeteria favorite!!!)
Monday was longish. My climbing teacher sprung the news on us that we'd be starting lead climbing Wednesday... but then only the experienced climbers could make it through the medium she decided we had to conquer before we could lead which meant that only 2 of our class would be leading while the rest of us watched. So... that's been pushed back at least a week. (My belay partner made it through that medium this morning but he's the only one of us newbies to make it yet. I'm pretty close and so is another guy... the instructor said when we two make it up then the class will lead so it's pretty much dependent on how long it takes me to work up to it since I think the guy has it really close... we're both stuck on the same place but for different reasons, mine being lack of height and his lack of footwork. Good times)
Genetics was snoozeville; botany just a key out test that took me half and hour to do just 4 specimens. Yesterday, Tuesday, no classes since speech was canceled so professor could go to an out of state interview. Puttered around and got laundry done. Then went with Mel V and Julia bridesmaid dress shopping in OKC. So funny. Lots of cute stuff out there (well, and lots of hideous too) but my dress is totally wonderful!!! (OH And Mel's is sooooo gorgeous!!! She's going to look like a fairytale princess!!! Man, I wish I had a pic of it to post because it's worth celebrating on its own! I'll look and see if I can find it somewhere online later...) One of the places we went, the moment we walked in the woman working there seemed annoyed with us. Thank goodness we didn't go on just first impressions (I know I was ready to turn around and walk out since dealing with rude people isn't something I cherish especially when doing shopping of this nature. Pretty sure Jul and Mel agreed on that too) since she was able to get over herself and really help us out. We weren't asking for much and certainly not more than the business advertises that it supplys. Guess she was having a bad day? But YAY for WONDERFUL DRESSES!!!!! (The most ironic part is that it's the same dress-style that Julia is wearing in her sister's wedding in June, just a different color!! How funny is that??)
After that adventure, we headed back to headquarters for some Gilmore Girls and Sonic food lovin'. Drama interupted but thank goodness it wasn't knocking for me (Sorry darlin', hope it's better soon! You don't deserve that kind of crap at all. Even if you are anti-banana. I'll help you devise a master plan for making it rain on her everyday or something like that!!!! WOOO)
Then Cory came over and we all had fun watching "Secret Window" with the ever-popular Johnny Depp. What a nice day Tuesday was!!!
This morning just climbing class so far... ran into an old classmate from ER on the way back from climbing. We've been going to school together since fifth grade and most of the same classes all through HS. Hadn't seen him since early freshman year here though. Guess he's heading off for a year in Japan next year with the study abroad program. Sounds pretty awesome to me; lots of fun anyway. Good luck!
Okay, well off to genetics. Happy Wednesday everyone!!!!!

Celebration a go go

My roomates and I are 3 for 3!!! We all got into the Health Science Center!!!!!! Jen just got her letter today!!!!! (Julia got hers last week if I forgot to tell ya'll!) OOOOOOOOOooooo We are SOOOOOOOO excited!!! "And we just can't hide it! I'am about to lose control and I think I like it!!" YEHAWWWWW!

Lazy Friday Afternoon

I love the feeling of a calm, clean, cool house on a rainy day. It's so nice and relaxing to just have nothing I must get done this very minute. I could spend as much time online or reading or napping or whatever as I want to today. (Oh, my test went sooooo well!!! I made either a low A or high B!!!)
Good day. Happy Weekend ya'll! Big Event is tomorrow here at OU!!! YAY!

There must be an angel with a smile on her face...

Wish me luck on Genetics test today! I think it's going to be mostly definitions so maybe I'll do alright?
Cheers to Champagne Thursdays ala "Failure to Launch" even when I can't participate!
"But I'm still dancing with you..." Gotta love country songs...
This week has been good.
Thursday went to see "Take the Lead" with Julia; I highly recommend it! I should have skipped my speech class earlier in the day though because there was nothing I needed to be there for other than attendance. I hate days like that. I know, I know; The rest of my classmates were there to hear me speak Tuesday so I should be there to support them but honestly, my being there doesn't really inspire or help anyone. Just take up space and get sprinkled on by the strange weather.
Life is so funny. Out of the blue Dawn's brother called me just to "catch up"? [And Julia I really think the number is only at 2 not 3 but you're entitled to your own opinion as always.] Another thing that strikes me as funny: a good friend of mine got a tad upset at Julia and I for talking to their 'the Ex' on the bus... Julia was totally innocent but I'm not since I actually sat by 'the Ex' and chatted about the weather and chocolate-covered potato chips (do such things exist?? I want to know...). Oh well, I guess I understand... break-ups are hard no matter how you approach it. Funny number three: the library wasn't as empty at just past midnight on Thursday night/Friday morning as I would have expected. I even got a nod from the desk person when I came in to study. But apparently making noise of ANY sort at the tables in the general area is DISCOURAGED!!!!! I had to pull back the chair to sit down and elicited glares from five people at other tables because the chair, like all the chairs there do, made a terrible screetchy sound. Don't even think about opening the velcro part of your backpack because that will earn you either banishment or at least the cold shoulder and hate glares of death!!!!
Good times.
Sleepy time now. I know I'm crazy for posting this late but I was so wired from studying that I needed time to wind down a bit. Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!!!

Urgh

I just presented the worst speech I've done ever, or at least since freshman year of high school. Crikey that sucked so much. At least it's over, right? (Seriously, could I just act like the college junior I'm supposed to be and pull my act together long enough to just get through a freakin' speech??? I'm so embarrassed that my classmates had to endure that load of bunk that I just gave them. I wouldn't blame my teacher for giving me a barely passing grade on that one just out of pity.)
And now I have to start studying genetics again for my test Friday.
Think a mental breakdown before the age of 21 would be a sign of weakness or just a cry for help??? (really, I'm mostly kidding. Don't worry, I'll okay after some lunch and a short nap.)

Chatter Central

"I'm so excited! And I just can't hide it! I'm about to lose control and I think I like it!" The things I get stuck in my head on Monday mornings...
Stayed up late last night watching the cooking channel with Julia. I wonder if there is a Foodie TVs Anonymous? We should totally join if there is!
In other news, since I'm supposed to turn in a plant collection at the end of this semester and I didn't have anything, oh, collected by this weekend I decided to skip studying for genetics and run out by Lake Thunderbird with Julia to find samples. No matter than neither of us knew EXACTLY where it was, but hey, by the time we reached it we'd already visited Slaughterville just South on one of the crossroads of Hwy 9! Had a fun time just driving around and annoying everyone who wanted to speed on the highway. Visited a little country cemetery by the west side of the lake, had Denver in the title of it. Really nice little cemetery (other than the prickly burrs we pick up in our shoes), well as nice as a cemetery can be. I think we'll have to go again sometime since I only have 6 of the 30 required samples in my press right now... If anyone else wants to get lost with us out in the country, let me know and we'll squeeze you in too!
Wall climbing this morning was rough since I guess I've lost all of my wrist strength that I ever did possess. Our teacher gets a little perturbed at me for not trying harder on some of the medium routes I try that my regular belay partner seems to handle so easily when he goes for them. I just tell myself that since I'm new to this stuff going soft on a medium route isn't so terrible... that and, wow, doesn't that one hold look funny? How are you supposed to hold onto it when you're too busy laughing at it??? I think they did that on purpose!!!
I wish this week would just get done, the first half anyway. Like, I'll live through it as I have to but just make it go faster so I don't have to think or feel too much of what's happening. My speech tomorrow is going to suck. As in, "Wow, Gladys that speech really, truly stank. Let's go get some liquid refreshment and forget that ever happened, huh?" My visual aid is done but I'm not ready enough to even practice with my teacher today during office hours so I have a lot of work to do on it this evening... I so should have taken that intro to speaking class instead of the actual Public Speaking one. Silly me, being overly optimistic instead of the slacker I was born to be! Woo! *~*Overachiever syndrome strikes again!!*~*
Well, I guess that's enough for now... Happy New Week!!! (doesn't that sound less hateful than happy monday??)

Early Morning Review

Well this is lovely. Guess not being on the schedule this morning at work is retribution for not having my schedule in on time, though I do wish they'd told me soon that I couldn't be added for this weekend... Made my Saturday so much more hectic because I assumed I'd be working all day today...
Speaking of which, Saturday was full! Home to ER for a few hours in the morning to pick up some pharm school stuff (and to visit my great-grandmother, who had a stroke Friday, in the hospital). Then back here to go to the Medieval fair with Dawn and Marie. Pretty fun time (but much more crowded than it was Friday when I went with the college crew). Saw some old friends from HS and a few current classmates. Rushed around when they left and helped a friend with a powerpoint presentation, picked out a posterboard at Hobby Lobby, and spent a couple of hours making a poster for my informative speech for Tuesday. (This is one of those things I could have put off if I'd known about not working today!) I chose not to party since I was going to be getting up so early compounded with daylight savings this morning. "Chicken Little" with Jenna and Steve was fun (ooooh! And watching the thunderstorm move through! It was so awesome!)
So yeah. Good times. Now I think I'm ready to climb back in bed and sleep in. Happy New Week!!!!