Cloning?

Backstory: So, the department offered me the position of Graduate Teaching Associate Coordinator for next year. It's a fancy title, right? Mainly my job is to help graduate student teaching by finding/developing resources, running seminars, and covering classes. I start in August. Also, in August, I begin working on a poster to present to the National Science Foundation to show them how we used our funds for a research project I work on dealing with the Middle East. Apparently, they want me to begin these jobs sooner, but I am working at a summer camp until the beginning of August, so it's not happening.

Anywho, today I ran into our department chair, who asked if he could clone me.

My silent reaction: "Cloning? WTF?"
My actual reaction: "Really? Why?"

His response: "We need you for July!"

My silent reaction: "How do I respond to that statement appropriately?"
My actual reaction: "Ummmm...I think cloning is still illegal in the United States..."

His response: "Well, see if you can come up with a solution to work in July."

My silent reaction: "Please, please don't be serious."
My actual reaction: "Ummmmm....ok?"

The cloning thing is a not a good idea. Not because of the ethical implications, but because I don't want the department to start thinking they can expect me to do the work of two people.

So, I am sort of keeping up with the goals...

Ok, so actually, I've sucked at the goals. I blame Memorial Day Weekend or as I have now termed it, "The Weekend of Social Obligations." Well, obligation is kind of a negative conotation, however, my presence was somewhat required at several things.

Highlights from this weekend include:

1. Seeing the Batmobile driving on 270-W. (It was like a Michael Keaton/Val Kilmer era Batmobile. Not the sweet tank Christian Bale drives.)

2. Drinking margaritas at Abuelo's with Naomi during a thunderstorm.

3. Eating a lot of delicious food. (Five Guys, Tip Top, Mike's Graduation Party, Plank's, Press Grill)

4. Finding out that at J.Crew I'm a size 2. Holla!

5. Receiving a poncho and a box of Alfajores cookies from my parent's Buenos Aires trip. (If you have not had a, I highly reccommend them. Quite possibly the best cookie I've ever had. Don't let the fact that quince marmalade is an ingredient put you off.) I'm hesitant about my ability to pull off the poncho. Since most of my wardrobe consists of like polo shirts and t-shirts, I think that just showing up in a poncho would be weird. I think I'll just wear it around the house.

6. Running into a bunch of people from high school that I hadn't seen in years (and having it not be awkward).

7. Beautiful weather.


In terms of the cooking goals, I did make a new banana bread recipe last night. I am also seriously considering buying an ice cream maker, because I'm really intrigued by a lot of the ice cream/sorbet recipes I see each day on tastespotting.

I also attempted to work on walking Aspen last night. By the end of the summer, I am either going to have a really buff left arm from trying to restrain him from pulling me, or a dislocated shoulder from said pulling. This would be a lot easier if his response to everything was not "terror!"

Updated...like after months

So, I've essentially crapped out on the old blog. It got me thinking that I need to start setting some goals for my day to day life (aside from waking up on time, being marginally productive, and limiting my junk food consumption). So here is the list of goals for the near future. Some of them are professional, others personal (in an attempt to bring some pleasure and/or sanity to my life since grad school constantly chips away at both). Here goes:

1. Finish and defend my thesis by August.

This one is both professional and personal. Professional in the sense that as much as I complain about grad school, I don't want to have to get a real job. If I don't defend my thesis before October, I will no longer be making "reasonable" progress, and then the department can cut my funding. Defending is also personal, because I want to move on to other projects. I'm a bit bored with this one, and would like to pursue other sociological interests.

2. Cook one new recipe each week.

I realized as I was eating my umpteenth freezer meal in the past month, that I've really missed cooking. I also realized I've been making a lot of standbys, so I need to take some more culinary risks. I'm hoping to branch out in terms of techniques, ingredients, and flavor combinations. In order to achieve this goal, I forsee multiple trips to Bed, Bath & Beyond, Sur la Table, and Williams Sonoma, because I will need new gadgets and specialty utensils and pans. Although, now I have a valid excuse to buy that madeleine pan I've been wanting for years....Oh, and a microplane zester! Some of the blogs I will be using to help me with this include:

http://www.tastespotting.com/

http://simplyrecipes.com/

http://enlightenedcooking.blogspot.com/

3. Update/post to this thing at least a couple of times a week.

I'm hoping that using my blog on a regular basis will help me get into the habit of writing everyday, so that I can just start cranking out articles and grant proposals. Side benefit, perhaps I can enter it into some contest and win money or get a television show deal. Once again, things to prevent me from getting a real job.

4. Seriously train Aspen.

Ok, so my dog is agoraphobic and anthrophobic (especially men). I would like him to eventually get to a place where he does not completely spazz out when he leaves his "safe" places (my home, my parent's home, and my car). I'm not sure how doable this is, because since he's a rescue dog, I don't really know what his life was like before I adopted him. I don't think he will ever be the type of dog that runs downstairs to greet visitors, but as long as he doesn't view people and places as possible sources of terror, we're moving in the right direction.

Part of my feels like I should come up with one more so that I get to a sensible number like 5, but I think that this puts enough on my plate. The goal list can be an ongoing project that evolves over time.