awesomeness

here are your two supremely awesome websites for the week:

Rock, Paper, Saddam

and this will blow your mind:

Rock, Paper, Scissors 25

(more in-depth)

= )

Posted by *erin* | 11:24 PM |

the return of madness, or a tribute to my father

have i ever told you guys about my dad?? i'm sure that some of the people at barnes and noble may have had the experience of meeting him. or at least of witnessing him. i feel motivated by an email he sent me today, as well as by his recent posts here, to write a semi-tribute to him. (although possibly one of the most important essays i have written in my life, my graduate school application essay, was essentially a tribute to him). here goes:

i think my dad is an amazing guy. and completely unappreciated. well, actually strike that. that's not true at all. i think he's very appreciated. (and i in no way want to undermine the bond that my parents share. because judging by what i know of them, they appreciate each other more than anything else in the world. except for maybe me. cause i'm their favorite.) i just think that sometimes his humor and intellect goes unappreciated. or maybe i'm full of shit and don't know what i'm talking about. either way, i think that he is both one of the most mature, eloquent, and intelligent people i know, while at the same time being one of the most goofy, asinine, and childish people that i know. (and i use the word "childish" here not in a negative way, by any means. i think that actually being referred to as "childish" can be a great compliment, depending on the user's meaning) (though i suspect he knows exactly what i mean here)

okay i totally lost my train of thought. point of the story is, i owe a lot to my father. i cherish the times where we can have a deep, serious conversation, only to be followed up by fits of giggling over something very trivial, like a noise he repeatedly made while blowing his nose with a napkin. (it was damn hilarious, i tell you!) or for another example, this post he made to my blog on trilogies and hitchhikers, specifically "salmon of doubt", (which is awesome since he's the one who taught me about hitchhikers early on): "I think Adams was inspired by the Foundation Trilogy, which is a fantastic read, though sometimes mule-ish. I wonder what a salmon of doubt would say to a penguin of destiny, other than *blub* *blub*." that for sure made me giggle.

one trait i definitely picked up from my father is a love of quotations (as you can see from his comments to my last post). so with that segue, i'm going to share a couple of vonnegut quotes that i liked today (and that i imagine he will also appreciate):

"i'm wild again, beguiled again, a whimpering, simpering child again. bewitched, bothered, and bewildered am i"

"you've been sick, but now you're well again, and there's work to do"

and from einstein, as quoted by vonnegut: "the most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. it is the source of all true art and science"


i think at some point i'll continue with the stories and tributes to other amazing, wonderful people in my family, as well as perhaps picking back up that train of thought about my dad wherever it derailed. at a number of points in the past few years i've had the desire to write them all long, sentimental cards expressing to them just how much they mean to me. the thought of them receiving a card like that out-of-the-blue makes me smile. (though when i did send them random text messages that i loved them, they thought that something serious was going on, like i was about to jump off a bridge) anyways, i somehow always manage to not write these cards, probably cause i think that i won't be able to express in writing what i'm really feeling. or i'm afraid that it'll sound forced. or cheesy. anyways, maybe instead i'll just post some stuff here from time to time, and if they happen upon it, it may just make their day. = )


i'll leave you with a quick story from today: i saw a girl at the gym wearing a shirt that read "5th grade class of 1998". to which i thought, "she must be someone's younger sister". until i did the mental math, and realized that, in fact, she was starting out as an undergrad. this blew my mind for three reasons:
1. holy crap i'm old (i know, technically i'm young. but this was my first real "shit i'm old" thought)
2. they make shirts for 5th grade classes?!?
and finally,
3. she's *still* wearing the shirt from her 5th grade class????

Posted by *erin* | 8:23 PM |

madness

man i've been slacking. i've been meaning to write a follow-up to my trilogy rant, cause i got some good comments. mostly people telling me via email that i didn't really say anything, or that i need to explain my thought process more. so at some point i'll hopefully get around to doing that. just not right now.

so i've been in the middle of orientation for a wonderful thing known as "graduate school". and tomorrow morning i get to actually start said graduate school. at 8 am. w00t!!! (that was for m-lissa). guess how many units i'm currently enrolled for??? 26. oh yeah, i'm excited for that! and, no, the unit system hasn't changed, and 12 units is still considered a full load. yikes. did i mention i was really scared to start this whole thing?? doing theater or women's studies is looking better and better every day. hell, working the corner is looking pretty damn good. (i'm kidding jeff) (and mom)

part of my orientation has been TA training, since i'm required to teach for at least 3 quarters to get my PhD. and one of the topics that keeps coming up is passion, and being passionate about what you're teaching. which, naturally, got me thinking about whether or not i truly feel passionate about organic chemistry. and i'm really not entirely sure. yeah, i find it interesting. and yeah, it's something i've been good at in the past. but i'm pretty sure that doesn't constitute "passion". hmmmmmm. so am i going for my doctorate in organic chemistry because it's something i feel strongly about, or is it merely something that i've been able to do fairly well up til now? and if i don't really feel this so-called "passion" for it, should i even be here, trying to get my doctorate?? or maybe i'm just experiencing normal anxiety about starting out this whole daunting process.

well, i guess the moral of this story is that i don't know. (is that even a moral???? good thing i'm not an english major). and that it's okay that i don't know, for now. i just gotta jump in and see how it feels, and hopefully i'll know pretty soon if this is the right path for me. and who knows? maybe i'll be applying for a job as a barista soon....

Posted by *erin* | 11:31 PM |

reasons why "the matrix" can't be considered a trilogy

i'm not sure if there is a true set of rules for what defines a "trilogy", but i'm gonna go ahead and make the decision that "the matrix" movies should in no way be referred to as a trilogy. don't all of the movies in a trilogy have to be of equal quality and value?? you can't have one good movie, and then make two shoddy sequels and call that a "trilogy". it just doesn't work that way. (plus wouldn't you be playing into all of the not-so-hidden christian symbolism of the matrix movies by calling it a trilogy??)

"indiana jones": trilogy. "star wars": trilogy. okay, set of trilogies. "lord of the rings": trilogy. "godfather": (apparently) trilogy. (i know, i'm a horrible person cause i've never seen the godfather trilogy) (it's something i have to live with every day of my life). "police academy": not a trilogy. (octilogy???) it's not like you can just run around calling all shitty movies trilogies just cause there's three of them. "american pie" movies? not a trilogy. "tremors"? not a trilogy. "terminator"? no way a trilogy. "back to the future"? oh yeah, that one counts. and i will contend that even though the second one is simply a remake of the first with a bigger budget, and the third is no way has the title of the first two, the "evil dead" movies certainly qualify as a trilogy. (and a damn good one, at that).

okay, so i just actually looked up the definition of a trilogy, and i probably have it all wrong. but i'm sticking to my guns here!! supposedly the true definition says that a trilogy has to "develop a single theme". hmmmmm. so i guess that "star wars" and "lord of the rings" certainly count. and if you follow that definition, then "matrix" would also make the list. (but "indiana jones" and "die hard", probably not) but, again, i'm going to maintain that if you want to call a set of movies a trilogy, they all need to be of equal caliber. sure, you can argue over which movie in the trilogy is superior, but you can't have a single movie carrying the team, so to speak.

now which set of movies would win out for the best trilogy of all time??? that's a tough question, and i don't think there is one right answer. (and i definitely don't think i'm qualified to make that kind of a decision). i think to even be a contender for this title, the movies have to be considered truly epic. people may complain about episodes 1-3, but "star wars" is one hell of an epic story. and "lord of the rings"? epic. and i don't think there's any way to judge which epic-ness is superior. (and yes, epicness *is* a word. at least in my world).

and as a random note, i love the fact that the hitchhikers series is referred to as trilogy. (an "increasingly innacurately named trilogy"). genius.




and as a post-script, since i can't stop thinking about epic trilogies now....the "batman" movies don't count. maybe if they kept one actor as batman through the series. maybe. but, i think that the new "batman" has the potential for creating an epic trilogy, if they keep with the same cast. cause "batman begins" ROCKED! (and i think i've had a thing for christian bale ever since "newsies") plus michael caine? there's a genius actor. all they need to do is get rid of katie holmes, cause i found it very hard to watch that movie without constantly thinking "she's dating the crazy guy". that, and she can't act.

"jurassic park": no way a trilogy. "harry potter"? had potential, but 7 just won't work as a trilogy. "beverly hills cop"? ha! "home alone"? i guess that goes back to my previous comment about making one decent movie with two shitty sequels and calling it a trilogy.

now good potential trilogies..."spiderman". definite potential there. the "bourne" series? maybe if they had even attempted to have a story line resembling the original book for the second movie, but i think they screwed themselves over on that one. "x-men"? for sure! (i'm actually hoping they don't stop with just three on this one, provided they keep the same quality with future movies) (and i'm not just saying that cause hugh jackman is hot) (though he is)

okay, seriously, i'm addicted to talking about trilogies. must stop. but i am curious to hear people's thoughts on the subject.....

Posted by *erin* | 6:51 AM |

whew

well, i'm still alive. and actually, my big test today went really well. i don't know what i spent so long stressing about!! this was the calmest i've ever been going into and taking a test like this. which was kind of a surreal feeling, since i'm used to panicking and feeling very spastic and stressed over tests, especially big ones like this. kind of a nice change. and even though i feel like i spent way too much time worrying about this, i'm really glad that i prepared as much as i did. in the past 5 months, i've read almost two whole organic chemistry textbooks. so while i may have prepared *way* too much for this one test, i actually feel pretty ready to start grad school now.

maybe i'm just having an 'up' day, but i'm really feeling ready for all this. i got a really good TA assignment, the professor i've been working for is a great guy, and wants me to join his lab group, and i get along really well with everyone i've been working with this summer. so even though i was dreading moving to LA, i think i really made the right choice. which is a damn good feeling.



okay, enough mushy stuff. here's a random link for you to entertain yourself with...

evil twins

and if that's not enough, see how well you do with this quiz...

sex or something else

k that's all from me for now. (and amie, i keep waiting for a new post!!!!)

Posted by *erin* | 9:34 PM |

this is it...

this is my last night before life as i know it changes. before i find out what i'm in for for the next 4 or 5 years of my life. tomorrow morning i officially start graduate school. and right now i'm this weird mix of nervous anxiety and complete nausea. well, maybe it's not that bad. but i keep flipping back and forth between feeling ready to jump in to see what i'm up against, and feeling like there's no way in hell that this is what i want to be doing with the next 4+ years of my life. i feel both serenely ready for my exam tomorrow morning, and scared to death about it. i wish i could somehow wake up and have the test be over with, and get to just move on with things. arghhhh. i think it's just this waiting for the past few months that has been killing me. i'm hoping that once i get in the middle of it all, i'll find my balance and be able to handle it. (sounds so easy, right?)

the good news is that i guess the class i'm TAing is basically a survey of organic for environmental science majors. or as it was told to me by the guys in my lab, "organic for retards". lovely. those guys really do have a way with words. (and lots of tact, too). so i guess i'll be in charge of leading discussion sections, and most likely coming up with homework and quizzes for them. but at least i can be totally confident that i will know much more than them. i had these nightmares of some undergrad chem student asking me questions i couldn't answer, and feeling like a complete moron. i guess there's always the chance for that to happen, but at least now that chance is slim to none.

so everyone think smart thoughts for me at about 10 am tomorrow, cause that's when i'll be taking my placement exam. gotta love the fact that we have to take a test before we even start. and if things go really horribly, maybe i'll just pack up and head back to slo to be a barista again. = )

Posted by *erin* | 9:23 PM |

photo from cancun

Jeff and Erin in Cancun

Posted by *erin* | 10:38 PM |

back to the states

well, i survived cancun. and i didn't get alcohol poisoning. and, believe it or not, i actually got some sun on my body. apparently, i am capable of getting a tan. who knew?? cancun was amazing, and jeff and i had a wonderful time. though it is actually possible to get tired of sitting by a pool all day drinking beer. i know, i found it hard to believe myself. just be grateful that i was able to do the experiment so that you didn't have to. that's just the kind of person i am.

we flew out of LAX at 11pm last saturday, and through charlotte, north carolina on our way across the border. well, somewhat out of our way, but that's how airlines are. so we didn't actually arrive in cancun until 9 am the next morning, central time. we promptly crashed, since it's next to impossible to get any kind of real rest on a crowded airplane. we woke up to rain pouring down, with some flashes of lightning far off. but even though it was a torrential downpour, it was still beautiful. it eventually stopped raining, and we were able to walk along the beach at night, watching the lightning across the carribean sea. i wish i was a more talented photographer and able to have caught some pictures of it all, but that's one memory that will have to stay inside my head.

the next day was more rain, so we sat in the hotel lobby, and i read vonnegut and drank daquaris while watching the rain. and honestly, i couldn't have been happier. i was just worried that we wouldn't get a chance to see the sun at all, and i'd have to return from a week in cancun as white as when i left.

luckily for us, tuesday was a picture perfect day. we spent it laying poolside, drinking beer, and reading. it was absolutely wonderful. and tuesday night we decided to brave the mexican night life, and went with some people from our hotel to a club called "coco bongo". all i knew about this place was that it was known for being crazy and for people dancing on the bar. needless to say, i was a little worried. it turned out to be probably the best night club i've ever been too. besides being a kick ass club, there was some awesome shows that went on all around. they're described as vegas-style shows, and they were awesome. for example, they'd show a clip of the matrix, and then people would come soaring through the air and they'd battle it out midair and on the bar top, all with loud music and *lots* of special effects. they also did musical medlies, like one with madonna with the videos playing in the background and people acting them out in front. anyways, if you ever get a chance to go to cancun, i strongly recommend going to coco bongo. for $35 bucks, you get admission and access to an open bar for the evening. it was well worth it. (again, i wish i'd thought ahead to bring a camera)

wednesday was more of the gorgeousness and drinking by the pool. thursday we went sightseeing, and went to a beautiful natural aquarium called xel ha where we got to go snorkeling in a huge lagoon with tons of fish, and then we went to a mayan ruin site called tulum, which are the only mayan ruins sitting on the carribean sea. i got lots of good photos from there, and at some point i'll post them all online for your viewing pleasure.

friday we woke up early to catch a sunrise over the ocean, since we're so used to seeing it set over the ocean but not the other way around. and by the end of friday, we were actually ready to come home. so after a long day (14 hours) of travelling yesterday, we're back in los angeles. and after a week of drinking, reading a bunch of vonnegut, sightseeing, and getting tan, i'm all ready to officially start grad school on tuesday. or so i'm trying to convince myself......

Posted by *erin* | 6:00 PM |

my new religion

as some of you may know, i went to catholic school for 12 years. (i know, it explains a lot, right??) so i've had an interesting experience with religion, as you may have guessed. which left me not-so-in-favor of organized religions. without going into a huge rant on religion and catholicisim, let me just get to the point by saying that i think i've finally found a religion that i can support and believe in. it all makes such perfect sense.

so, if you have a few spare minutes, check out this website:
http://www.venganza.org/

and really give it a try. read a little bit. i think you'll find that you may become a believer as well. = ) (and if not, you'll at least get some good laughs out of it)

Posted by *erin* | 7:58 PM |

ughhhhh undergrads

wow. even though not that long ago i was one of them, i have recently started to despise undergraduates. maybe it's the influence of spending all of my time for the past two and a half months around bitter, jaded fourth year grad students who just want to get out of here to start their careers. but it's definitely rubbing off on me. it's 11 at night, and a gaggle of them (undergrads) just walked outside my apartment in search of some party (my apartment building backs on a street that is home to many of the fraternity houses) (lucky me). and just hearing their asinine conversation was driving me crazy. nevermind the fact that it's 11, and, sorry undergrads, some of us actually have to be at work early tomorrow morning, and don't get to spend the day nursing a hangover. (not that that means i'm going to sleep anytime soon). or maybe i'm just bitter that my carefree undergrad days are over, and now that i've been thrown into this new grown-up world i'm yearning for my cal poly days. hmmmmmmmm. too much psychoanalysis for one evening.

but i know i'm gonna miss cal poly. i kinda took it for granted being in a small town going to a (relatively) small school. ucla is a whole different beast. and it's about to get ugly. school's gonna start and this town and campus are gonna be packed. it's also amazing to me how much animosity there is towards the undergrads here, from both graduate students and professors alike. it seems like everyone resents the undergrads, and the time and energy they require. when, in reality, without the undergrads we wouldn't be here. i wouldn't have a job, and i sure as hell wouldn't be getting money to be going to school. yet it seems that to be a true grad student you have to see the undergrads as almost less-than-human. maybe it's just the same way that seniors in high school view the freshman: they're young, obnoxious, and have no idea what they're talking about.

i guess maybe grad school is just an extension of the same power dynamic that is seen played out over and over in life. first in high school with the seniors and freshman, then in college with upperclassmen and lowerclassmen, and now in grad school with grad students and undergrads. maybe it's just something about our society where we feel the need to place ourselves in a hierarchy so we know where we stand and can feel superior over another group of people. maybe we're all just elitests at heart, and believe that the group we happen to belong to is the best group ever. whoa whoa, didn't i say no more psychoanalysis? geez, i don't even listen to myself.

well, i guess i'll just have to accept the facts of life. (and no, not the birds and the bees facts) (and not the show about mrs. garrett and the adolescent girls living with her, either). the fact that lions will always feel like they are the kings of the jungle, and that grad students will always feel like they rule the world.

Posted by *erin* | 11:11 PM |

new look for the e-penguins

holy crap amie and evan are talented!!!! = ) it makes me so jealous, seeing as i have very little artistic ability. unless you count being able to synthesize molecules that produce really cool looking 1H-NMR spectra. cause in that case, i'm a freaking picasso. okay, okay. so i'll just resign myself to being an uber nerd.

but really, i'm digging the new blog look, and hopefully everyone else will too. now all i have to do is actually get my butt in gear to keep it updated. easier said than done...


any children of the 80's out there?? anyone who has a special place in their heart for NES?? cause a video recently came my way that just about brought a tear to my eye. here's the link:
http://www.compfused.com/directlink/874/

and for those of you who appreciate drinking, and the games that are associated with it, here's something else to marvel at:
http://www.compfused.com/directlink/884/

i promise though, i really am working in LA. i don't just spend all my time on the internet. i've just recently decided, however, that sleep is overrated. well, i guess i just RE-decided that. for awhile i was letting myself be deluded into thinking that i absolutely had to have 8 hours a night. i know, crazy talk.


well, that's it for now. hopefully i'll be updating more than once a month. = ) and next week i'm off to cancun, so hopefully i'll get some good stories from down there that i can share with everyone. til then....

Posted by *erin* | 12:14 AM |