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The trick with monkeys..

2004-12-14 - 8:30 p.m.

Took the first practice final today. Went better than some of the practice tests I've taken in the past. There were one or two really obvious and damned silly errors I made, but I'd pick up on them during my obligatory triple answer check during the end of any exam.

The study session deconstructing the test was also pretty productive. There are several questions that likely be on this year's test, since they aren't covered in lecture material anymore. As far as a few others go, you can debate how you interpreted the question and what kind of analysis you subsequently want to do. Only problems we really fell in to were when people disagreed with my opinion. Arrogant as that sounds, I'm traditionally seen as the one who gets into the 'deep understanding' of the material. In most cases I was confident and helped clarify shit, but in some other cases I just couldn't do the convincin'.

That's what the TA is for during the review session tomorrow, though.

I should be able to get through the rest of my notes tonight. I've already read through the latest section twice, so a third time might not be necessary. I'll see how the 2003 practice exam goes..or maybe I'll do the 2000 first.

What amazes the fuck out of me is the chatter from undergrads about finals. There were a few semesters that I had a big paper due and, say, 3 exams...but some of these people have 5 exams, or 4 exams and 2 papers. Makes me feel weird, just having this one final. I don't think I've become a worse student in the span of 3-4 years. It may just be the complexity of the material, or maybe our brains just compensate when we've got alot on our plate.

I do know that I am getting a little burnt on studying for this final. That seemed to start fairly early this time around..I think because I am hungering for this vacation like a rabid bitch. I've never wanted or needed time off more than right now. It isn't as though I'm majorly stressed out or exhausted or at the end of my rope...I've just been doing this shit day in and day out for months.

(If you're very sensitive about animal rights, I suggest not reading the following)

There's a similar phenomenon with the monkeys I work with, actually. When you've got one in a transport cage and wanna put them back in their home cage, there's a trick to it. You open the home cage, then unlatch the transport cage door mechanism. The doors can be pulled up and out or pushed down to lock into place. Anyway, you pull up the transport door just a little...just so the monkey can see a sliver of light...then WHOOSH, you crank that door right the fuck up. The monkey literally bolts from the transport to the home cage.

I've got a feeling I have that monkey business going on. I can see that sliver of light and I'm getting ansy. Really ansy.

But I've had patience this whole time. I just gotta keep studying, keep focussed on the prize, then tie up loose ends and get out of Madison for awhile.

It'll be good to be back on the road. I still feel like part of me has been out there the whole time, just riding around past the endless hillocks and dewy pastures.

Right, back to the usual.

But incidentally, Adam, if you still read this rag: I apologize for not being able to have ya over to visit back in October. I really wish I could have.

If you don't read this rag, then I'm talking to myself--but that's all good.

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