Fairly random thoughts

(Yes, yes, when do I NOT fill this space with random thoughts)

Running is going well. I've managed to go further two days in a row, now: 2.6 miles yesterday without stopping and 2.7 miles today. I'm trying to run for 30 minutes straight and am nearly, nearly, nearly there. I also seem to have twisted my ankle, which hurts in only a very specific spot when I move it in a very particular way - bleh. At the moment, I seem to be at least in theory capable of going 5K, just not very fast.

Fast, we work on for real later, after the endurance thing progresses a bit more. I'll bring a couple of the kids to the track tonight and probably meet L. there and see what I can do. I do love a flat-out sprint to finish off whatever distance I'm trying to get, though.

Apple has this "buy a laptop and get a free iPod Touch!" thing going, and I'm sorely tempted, but... if what I actually want is a Touch, I should just buy that. Because the house is practically bursting with laptops. We seriously don't need any more. Really.

I need to start doing core (abs) exercise again. The six-pack has gone, and while I don't know when I'll ever be able to get to a regular Pilates class again, the main exercises are summarized handily right here, and I will try and make myself do them once or twice a week. The whole point is NOT lots of reps, the point is to do the moves correctly, sometimes only three times. Because as you go for 20 or 50 of some things, your form falls apart, and then you're no longer working the muscles you're supposed to, so what's the point of that?

I had some agonizing about whether or not to take physics. The Harvard Medical Sciences website says applicants are expected to have done it, in the long list of stuff, and ... I'm not applying to med school. I just want to do a PhD. I registered for physics, dropped the anatomy class registration, then went to the first anatomy lecture and did some thinking about how the hell the logistics of Life In General are going to work this year, and concluded that physics would probably fuck up basically everything. On top of which, I don't want to take it this year. So I dropped physics and re-registered for anatomy.

I've signed up for tae kwon do with two of my kids on Tuesday nights instead. I've signed up for the grad student non-resident meal plan at the grad student "house." I've auditioned for a campus singing group. I've got the last weird little textbook addendum for orgo (Logan has apparently written a new set of problems that are NOT called "Logan Notes," though I'm sure we'll all be calling them that anyway).

Oh! I happened to cruise through the science center yesterday while a science departmental fair was going on, and I spotted the chair of the neurobiology concentration, who I'm scheduled to meet with tomorrow, so I introduced myself and had a very brief chat. Learned that there is a neurobio tutorial open house this afternoon, right before the Visiting Scholar & Special Student reception, so off I'll go to that, whoopee, to meet the professors and see if I actually hate any of them.

This Special Student thing is deeply schizoid. I'm vehemently Part of GSAS, and also vehemently Not Part of GSAS. One is at a loss as to what this means. I now have a special sticker on my ID that says I'm a-okay, but we shall see.

I also got an email out of the blue to pose for a publicity picture with my academic advisor - we would be demonstrating fabulous faculty-student relationships, somehow. Uh-huh. I don't know, but we'll see.

The roofers will be doing more work, fixing decrepit woodwork around the roof edge, for an additional gazillion dollars. I would like to hide and pretend this is not something I need to worry about or deal with, but alas, can not. Fortunately they are industrious but not overzealous contractor folk, so the banging on the house does not begin until after 8 a.m. They're getting paid a flat fee, not by the hour, so it's in their interest to finish up quick and go to the next job. We are pleased.

Must remember to buy anatomy textbook.

On we go. Yay.