Good Thesis Advice

In the weeks leading up to my thesis defense, I have received several suggestions and well-wishes for success. Most of them have been about what you'd expect.

"You'll do great!"

"Don't worry; they're all just regular people too."

"Don't be nervous; it's really an examination of your committee chair, not you."

But, my favorite was from a co-worker. I told him that my defense was coming up and he responded, "Oh, are you going to wear a ninja mask?" And he proceeded to go through and tell me all the ways that a ninja mask might be advantageous considering the occasion. Unfortunately, I am not wearing a ninja mask. But, I have dressed in black, so possibly if things look really bleak, I'll be reminded of a ninja dressed all in black, and I'll feel a little better.

The Defense List

I am now prepared for my thesis defense. This is the playlist for the drive to school. I realize that I have pathetic taste in music.

Party in the U.S.A. - Miley Cyrus
If You're Going Through Hell - Rodney Atkins
Remember the Name - Fort Minor featuring Styles of Beyond
I Wanna Rock - Snoop Dogg
Comedown - Bush
Extraordinary - Mandy Moore
Wonderwall - Ryan Adams
Need You Now - Lady Antebellum
Both Sides Now - Judy Collins
Fair - Remy Zero
I'll Be Waiting - Lenny Kravitz
Live Like We're Dying - Kris Allen
Ready or Not - The Fugees
Sometimes - Britney Spears
Consider Me Gone - Reba McEntire
I Think God Can Explain - Splender
Drops of Jupiter - Train
Moondance - Van Morrison

I think it's going to be a good day. And, with any luck, my commute will not be long enough to need the entire playlist. I'll be leaving two hours early anyway!

Burrs In The Fur

When I wear shirts with buttons, often Henri crawls up on my lap and tries to bite the buttons off my shirt. I think she thinks that she is "cleaning" me and removing "burrs" from my fur.

The other day I was wearing a plain old sweatshirt. It didn't even have any strings, buttons, or embellishments of any sort. Henri came up to be loved up, and I noticed that she started licking my shirt and appeared to be biting at something.

I questioned her...

M: "Henri?? What the? I'm not even wearing a shirt with buttons?!"

And I looked down just in time to see her snap up some crumbs from a brownie I had been eating. Yep, I'm cool like that.

I Hate Shoes

P&AF and I were getting ready to go to the dentist this morning; he sat down on the floor and then realized that he didn't like putting his shoes on while on the floor. I guess the couch gives him a better angle. I was sitting on the floor in front of the mirror putting on make-up. P&AF then began reading the newspaper after putting on his shoes. 5 minutes later...

P&AF: "I hate this shoe."

M: "What shoe?"

(no response)

M: "What shoe???"

P&AF: "The one on my right foot."

M: "What's wrong with it?"

P&AF: "There's a rock in it."

M: "So take it off and get the rock out."

P&AF: "No, I just got it on. That would take forever."

Inanimate Argument

I was driving to work yesterday, when I witnessed a peculiar scene. There was a man carrying several bags walking on the sidewalk by the Sinclair Station. As he passed the Sinclair dinosaur statue, he dropped his bags, turned to the dinosaur and began to yell and gesture wildly. It appeared that the dinosaur had said something extremely offensive to the man as he was walking by. The argument went on for the entire time that I sat at the stoplight. During a particularly dangerous point, the man actually stood on his toes to swipe the dinosaur's nose. I rather wish I could have heard what they were arguing about. I always thought the dinosaur seemed friendly.