a lull in posting

Well hello readers! I'm writing today to say thank-you for including me on your RSS feed, or GoogleReader, or just checking into the blog every now and then. I really enjoy it when someone mentions they've read my blog. It helps motivate me to write more often (it's been four days!!), and to be a little more creative with what I post - more than just sharing the news/clips/etc that pique my interest, although there will still be plenty of that. 

As you can tell, it is, and probably always will be, a hodge-podge of different topics. Hopefully that appeals to some of you, some of the time. :)

Yesterday we hit the 34-week mark, meaning - if all goes well - we have between three and eight weeks before our worlds get turned upside down. I'm trying to prepare for the three-week deadline, in hopes that it will be closer to six, but that I'll be prepared, as far as work goes.

So, what do grad students do with their time, besides blog? In the past couple of weeks I've written up the results to one research project, written a draft of a review article, both of which are waiting for my advisor's read-through, so I can make the final changes and submit them. The final changes/submissions will probably take a week or so per paper. This week I'm focusing on finishing up my final research project (the last big project I need to complete before defending my thesis), and trying to find time to work on the last two fellowships I would like to submit (the NIH NRSA and the L'Oreal Women in Science). I figure, if have a 5% chance of winning each fellowship, and I submit 6 fellowship applications, I have a 30% chance of getting something... right??

Okay, on that note, I'll get back to working - I make myself focus in 30 minute blocks of time. It helps keep me motivated and on-task, or at least I tell myself that it does.