"Life is just one damned thing after another.” (according to Elbert Hubbard)

Yeah... I think he was on to something.

So here I am looking pretty exhausted. My "thesis beard" is coming in pretty nicely. What is a "thesis beard" you ask? Well, when all you do for a couple of weeks is sit in front of a computer and write about the work that has consumed your day to day life for the past 2 years you begin to neglect the unnecessary things in life.

For instance, there's no time and energy for shaving these days (hence the unkempt facial hair). When you open your kitchen cupboards all you have left is a few packages of Raman noodles, oatmeal and a bottle of mustard because you don't have time or energy for grocery shopping (and you actually try to consider ways to combine those ingredients into something edible). Laundry... well, that only gets done when you are down to one last pair of boxers, that last pair of socks with the holes in just one of them and the shirt you never wear because it has a distinctly visible stain on the front of it (and even then you are thinking that it would be O.K. to wear that outfit just one more day).

Yep... this is the life I chose as a graduate student. Funny they never included this in the brochure.

***Also... I will have you know that upon the request of a friend I turned off the moderator feature for posting comments on this blog. Now as soon as you post a comment it will be visible on the blog. Let's hope that this does not allow for spam to be posted all over the place now (f&$g SPAMMERS!).

Oh great! Something else for the church to make me feel guilty about.

I doubt anyone really heard about this gem of a news story because later in the day everything was overshadowed by allegations of NYS governor Eliot Spitzer being involved in a prostitution ring (!!! yeah... that one really took me by surprise), but did anyone hear about the new modern 7 deadly sins proclaimed by the Catholic church?

Click here and here to read more about it.

The new list of the 7 deadly sins are as follows:

1. Genetic modification.
2. Human experimentations.
3. Polluting the environment.
4. Social injustice.
5. Causing poverty.
6. Financial gluttony.
7. Taking drugs.

(The bold items I have particular problem with.)

It is things like this that cause me to have problems with the Catholic Church. I want to be clear that it is the Church I have problem with and not the Religion. The Church is run by man who is fallible and subject to political and social influence in order to establish Church doctrine as they see fit.

When I go to church on Sunday am I supposed to feel guilty now because I do not drive a hybrid car? Am I suposed to feel guilty because I am a scientist and believe that human experimentation and genetic modification has lead to advances that have helped improve the quality of life for millions of people? Am I supposed to feel guilty because I am working hard and have a job and am financially well off?

Hmmm... honestly, I don't think I am going to lose a wink of sleep over it.

I'm sorry Pope... I still believe in God and the Religion, but your Church is not going to have this sheep amidst its flock.

Wishes for goodwill and happiness from friends and family on my 25th birthday.

An e-birthday card sent to me from Jon with the following message, "The card says it all..."

He he he.

Thanks for the greetings and kind words on my birthday everyone!

Ohhhhh... the life of a graduate student as the gears grind on.

I think I found my new favorite website to go to for procrastination. They have this amazingly funny (and sad to say... all too true!) comic strip about graduate school. I can certainly relate to much of the topics. The strip above caught my eye because I did the same thing my self!

I can also relate to these comics because RIT is in its second day of its spring break yet I have barely even noticed. All I have done on these two days is put in long full days of research in the lab just like any other day as the gears continue unrelentingly to grind onwards.

VIDEO COMPLEMENTS OF PAT CONDELL: "More demands from Islam"

I have a desire to share this. I am not going to deal with accusations of me being a hate-monger or racist so I am not going to state my opinions on this piece but I encourage you to form your own opinions.