The last few days have been etching tattoos in ice, ink shifting like some ill-mannered volvo that will not accelerate. I tapped, I clinked, made morse code to pavement and fungi.

Metaphor off the floor, I'd been re-re-re-editing a paper I wrote for the Brain Damage class. Weighing in at 20 pages with 7 full figures and 4 pages of references (included). I declared it done at 1:30am this morning.

Right before and on its heels, though, was the presentation OF that paper. Both were due today. Early last night I'd 'borrowed' half of my monday presentation to speed things up. Hell if I knew how to make an encyclopedia bike-ride through the science literature interesting. I had a few epiphanies, finished up the thing, and felt accomplished.

Yet in a way I was cutting it close.

At 1:30am I had both things done, but hadn't practiced the presentation. I got two dry-runs today before giving the thing later on around 3. It was pretty much what I expected: a bunch of molecular biology people taking passing to yawning/falling asleep interest. At least I got 'em to laugh a few times by the wonders of self-deprecation.

After class I decided to head across the street and stare at some purple blossoms in bloom. Things were peaceful; the sun was like an alarm clock on a saturday; and I felt a sense of inner calm after all that compounded madness. On the other side of the ascending stairs there, I saw what will become a photograph of mine one day:

A large, sprawling tree had grown some 20 feet high, with patches of blue flowers like fibre-optic cable twinkling in the sunlight. Green-yellow light shifted, some lazy ocean in an uncharted land. And there underneath the tree was a bench. At first I just starred at the scene, appreciating the composition, but it slowly dawned on me that sitting around seemed like a good idea.

And so I sat. For however many minutes, appreciating silence, sun, and various bipedal creatures making their way.

Sometime after I coasted up the hill of the university proper and walked down to the main street of downtown. Funny enough I encountered Ramia just before The Catacombs. She and I'd made small talk in the Brain Damage class all semester. I came over; we had a typical end-of-semester conversation. I'd always thought she was rather cute, but she's also a fair bit older than I am. And so we parted ways with a handshake, although some unspoken lingering made me think she wanted me to join her and her friend for dinner.

Nice thought, but progress for a strange obsession continues. At least, it will tomorrow.

For now I'm sitting in my apartment, appreciating what dusk looks like. My travel pack clock ticks away methodically in the main room.

All in all, not a bad day. They even had good tiramisu-like cake at the cinco del mayo bash at my lab. I was too busy practicing to take in the festivities much, but it looked fun.

Later on tonight I have the option of staying out 'til 1am drinking with other grads. I've passed on open mic and other stuff for about a month now. But I figure hey: my take home final for stats is due on the 10th, Megan and I aren't meeting to kick the thing's ass until saturday. Why not live it up a little?

'Course on the other hand I kinda sorta need to read through my notes on the second half of the semester for stats. That'd kinda help for an open-book final. Even with another test session on friday, though, I think being prepared by saturday night and still getting my drunk on (I'd wanted to type drink) will work.

God knows I deserve it.

I hope life hasn't spontaneously exploded into shards of suck for you. And if so, all I can offer is consolation and (in somewhat short order) some new photographs.

Yes: I'll actually be doing photography again soon. No classes and no part-time job for summer = more full life, even with lab duties.

It's been a good day.

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