Summer fun coming to an end : (

Big summer this year. I'm sad to see it end, but this semester should be really good. I've shaken some things up in the lab. Actually, I've changed labs. I am now a member of the Robertson Lab! This means that this might me my last semester teaching at Berkeley, because hopefully, come spring time, I'll be funded by Lynn. But even if I'm not, this change was much-needed and is very much a happy thing.

I'm finishing up an EEG project... or trying to. Why are there always problems with my data? Argh. I'm confident this study will wrap up in a good way, it's just taking longer than I anticipated. This fall should see its completion and a manuscript submitted. Then I can focus on a new track of research in my new lab.

Nathan in the EEG cap

Nathan and I spent all day yesterday rearranging our apartment, because we got a foosball table. A friend of a friend is going to be wandering about the country for a year doing doctorly things, and so we're storing his foosball table. So it's only a loaner, but still pretty cool. Do you know how many ways you can improperly put together a foosball table? Well, I do! After much time spent constructing and reconstructing the table yesterday, Nathan and I played a best of 5 tournament. I killed him in the first match (think 10 to 1, booyah!), but sadly, and I swear through illegal means, Nathan beat me in the next 3 matches. Alas, I lost the tournament. And I ended up with a sore elbow, acquired no doubt through overly- excited and turbo-charged playing.

Whoo-hoo Foosball!!!

The apartment looks really nice now. Nathan and I have created an office space in part of our living room that was previously a box storage spot. So now we've got a desk set up at a window with a fabulous view of the Bay, Cesar Chavez park, Alcatraz, and Berkeley. The foosball table is quite a bit bigger than I was expecting, but we made it work. I actually really like the way we rearranged the furniture and I'm going to enjoy our "new" apartment. In fact, I think I'll get to that now while I celebrate the last day of my summer with a cup of coffee in my Berkeley mug and some Little People, Big World : )

Desk area

View from desk

Can I just say "Oy Vey"?

Man, I'm happy this semester is so nice and easy. Not too many classes, easy teaching, simple research, all the makings of a nice semester. Oh. Wait. That was just a cruelly blissful dream and I'm awake now. Seriously, this is probably the worst semester of my life. I've got three classes, I'm moving into my EEG phase of research, and I'm teaching statistics and research design to undergrads. Oh yeah, and I'm moving this weekend and all next week. AHHHHHHH!!!!!!!! Too much!!!!!!!!!

I suppose if this semester doesn't kill me it'll make me a PhD...in another 3 1/2 years. Proof positive of my dire term: the date of my last post. I enjoy adding to my blog yet I've not had the time to do so for over a month. More proof positive: my multiple panic attacks (and at least one of these is not an exaggeration).

But enough about my currently sad existence. The new apartment Nathan and I are moving into is quite nice. It's actually the lower part of a person's house and it's in the really nice part of Berkeley up in the hills overlooking the Bay. It's two bedroom, has a washer/dryer, access to a cute backyard garden, and a 4-window panoramic view of the Bay! I'm very optimistic that we'll be happy in our new home and will not have to move again the rest of our time in the Bay Area.

The move's not coming a moment too soon either. Our current cruddy apartment has again been overwrought by a horde of vicious ants. The battle has been waged and I was victorious, but it was a hassle none the less. Our apartment complex has also been involved in a tête-a-tête with the neighboring house regarding recycling. I don't want to go into it, but it's rather funny if you can get over how petty it is.

Well, I'm off to fix lunch and write up a lesson plan for next week. I'll post pics of the new place when I get a chance.

Time to put on my business socks

I'm getting down to business today with the help of my handy dandy business socks of flying monkeys. Check it:

I love socks. I never wear plain white socks and I like to match my socks to my mood or goals of the day. Today's socks, though, are inspired by a website I just discovered. An old friend from back in the days of first grade and onward is a Flash animator and has a web cartoon of Space Monkey Mafia. It's really cute and quite hilarious. So my socks today are about flying monkeys.

Flying monkeys aside, however, I am getting down to business, hence the business socks. I'm going to dig into statistical analysis (delicious) and dive into a journal article for class (everyone needs exercise). In addition to the help I will be receiving from my socks, I've also got two kitties to help me along.

Fred's business is sleepy time. Where's he going? Sleep. Sleepy town.

I hope I don't doze off looking at the cute guy's cute face.

Time for another panda post

Due to the looming semester on the horizon of tomorrow, I felt that posting a bunch of cute, fluffy, happy, chubby panda pictures would cheer me through this dark day. Let's delve right in, shall we?

This guy is in a bind, but you gotta love that fluff butt.

There's nothing better than yawning in a tree.

When my boys stand like this, I call them gopher kitties. This guy looks more like he's doing tai chi.

Geez, these frickin' guys are cute, and helpful.

More cubby panda butt.

To me, this guy looks like he's doing a dangerous downhill cartwheel.

Just how much chubby cuteness can you stand? Because I'm almost at my limit.

Oh for crying out loud.

This guy looks sad to me. All alone with a ginorm bootab.

I like this dude's nosicles.

And finally...? I don't know what's happening here, but it reminds me of The Mystics from "The Dark Crystal".

The final hurdle

Test grading. Hmph. Start the "Chariots of Fire" music and let me at them. I am going to grade tests like there's no tomorrow. Final exams, re-take exams, entering of grades, work, work, work. I will get to my winter break!!!

The jibberish above is attempting to convey the sentiment that I'm not really wanting to grade, but I do want to start my relaxing, and so will suffer through this last hurdle. Is a necessary post? No, probably not. Am I doing it anyway? Umm, are you looking at it? Yeah, I'm doing it anyway. Am I a bit aggressive currently due to my distaste for my present predicament? Indeed! Careful, Nathan, don't get within fist reach.


By the way, there are no pictures for this post. You'll take it and like it!

I'm helping!!!

I'm helping Nathan write his papers right now. Nathan's had a bit of a hard time getting to work, so I implemented my love for violence and punching to motivate him to start. I told him (as he perused facebook with glazed over eyes) that I would punch him every 5 seconds until he got to work. I then sat in a chair behind his chair and counted down "Five, four, three, two, PUNCH!" and punched his arm. Don't worry, I was gentle, I didn't bruise the precious little peach. "Five, four, three, two, PUNCH! Five, four, three, two, JAB! {poke in the rib} Five, four, three, two, CHOP! {karate chop to the arm} Five, four, three, two, TAP {smacked the top of his forehead}" Needless to say, he's now working. Hooray ME!!!

Side note: He was so cute and twitchy with fear as he got to work. Man, I'm a good wife!

Look at him go!

Presentation time, booyah!

Today is the day of my big fMRI presentation. Well, not "big" per se, but presentation is true enough. I'm still a bit nervous, but I practiced a few times last night, ran through it with my advisor and got his feedback this morning, and have practiced it a few more times on my own. So now I'm feeling ok. It will not be phenomenal, but it will be pretty good.

I wonder what a presentation by Chuck Norris would be like...

"Chuck Norris is currently suing NBC, claiming Law and Order are trademarked names for his left and right legs."

"Scientists have estimated that the energy given off during the Big Bang is roughly equal to 1CNRhK (Chuck Norris Roundhouse Kick)"

"Chuck Norris counted to infinity - twice."

"Contrary to popular belief, America is not a democracy, it is a Chucktatorship."

"A Chuck Norris-delivered Roundhouse Kick is the preferred method of execution in 16 states."

"Chuck Norris doesnt shave; he kicks himself in the face. The only thing that can cut Chuck Norris is Chuck Norris."

For more on Chuck Norris, visit chucknorrisfacts.com .

Fact: Chuck Norris was the best man at my uncle Kenny's wedding.

fMRI presentation : (

I would love to slack off for the rest of the long Thanksgiving weekend, but I have a presentation to prepare. Boo! I have to present an fMRI research paper to my fMRI class on Monday, and I believe I'm the first unlucky soul to present. So that's what I'm doing today and tomorrow. I guess it's a good thing I finished all of the Stephenie Meyer books I was reading, because now I can concentrate more on my work (though I am going through intense withdrawal from the books).

I've never presented fMRI work before, and I'm supposed to comment on the methods and their appropriateness. Since I'm not a pro in fMRI methods, hence my taking this course, I'll try to gloss over those details as much as possible. I don't really mind standing up in front of the class and presenting, but this will count as almost all of my course grade, and that does make me nervous.

At least I can have "Frasier" on while I'm working.

Plans for the weekend

Grade Midterms, play soccer, read about fMRI, knit and watch Netflix ("Project Runway" and "Friday Night Lights")...oh, and drink coffee. I guess the good outweighs the bad, but I really, really, really, really, really, really hate grading exams! Bright spark, I grade with "Frasier" on, which helps keep me sane and offers distractions when I need a nano-break.

I've finished the hat I was working on, and I started the scarf last night. I might unravel that though, I'm not sure how the design is going to look. It's just a 3x3 ribbed stripe pattern all the way up, because I thought (and Nathan agreed) that the basket weave pattern that I was planning might be too feminine. I love the basket weave ("I love Santino!" ~that's for you, hon). I've made myself three scarves of that pattern. Take a look.

The coffee just a-finished a-brewing, so I'm gonna get what I want, which is coffee. Adios.

I'm gonna get my knit on!

I friend of mine is living in Michigan now, and because the weather is leaning into winter that far north, I'm going to knit him a hat and scarf. I've been thinking about adding a series of posts about my knitting projects anyway, so I'm going to start with this. Here are the colors I chose:

I'm going to make the hat striped brown and green, and the scarf will just be green. If I have the energy, I'll do the scarf in a basket weave, otherwise I think I'll just do a really basic one-side knit one-side garter or chunks of rows of knit then garter repeating. Anyway, I'm excited to get started, I haven't knitted anything in about a month.

On the sadder side, I'm going to start grading 100+ pop quizzes now. Boo (not Halloween "boo" but sad "boo"). Thankfully, this grading is mindless enough that I can have "Frasier" on while I'm doing it. Being set in Seattle, this show is the appropriate choice for this evening. After I'm done grading, Nathan and I are going to watch some "X-Files" and I'll start my hat. Yay! I'll post some pictures as I progress (on the knitting, not the grading).

Blah!!! I hate doing homework

I haven't written for a looong time because I've been so busy. My mom was out visiting for my birthday. That was fun and took up all of my time. Then after she left, I had mucho work for school. And now I'm having to do another batch of delicious bullshit essays for the class I'm teaching! YAY! I teach my sections on Thursday, which means I cover material immediately after it's covered in lecture on Wednesday. Because of this, the students are rarely well prepared, and this becomes a much greater issue before a test like now. I'm supposed to hold a review session this Thursday for chapters 4-7. We haven't even started discussing chpt 7 in lecture. The essay questions for chpt 7 have not been posted yet. But I'm supposed to be well prepared and be able to cover all that in two days. What's wrong with this picture? I'm pointlessly ranting right now to avoid writing out these essay questions, but every second I waste I can feel my stress level increase. So adios.

sad and crazed

Why is grad school so much work?

Can't they just give me my PhD already? Ugh, I'm so tired! My mom is coming out to Berkeley this weekend for my birthday, which is great, but that means I'm going to be severely limited in time to do my work. I'm a pretty bright spark, I figured this out before she got here. I've therefore been working like a drunk panda on crack for a week to get ahead of the work curve (I don't really know if drunk pandas take crack or if they work harder than non-crackhead sober pandas, but it feels appropriate). Inebriated pandas aside, I taught my three weekly sections this morning and have finished mounds of reading, so now I'm looking forward to a few days of relaxing and eating birthday pie.

My little study buddy

My kitties don't understand the concept of mom working. I'll be reading an article or textbook and they will walk on top of me and lay down for a nice long nap. George likes to lay on textbooks in particular. Here is George helping me study earlier tonight:

And here's my view of his fluffiness:


On a related subject, George was helping his dad both study and eat his lunch earlier.

What a good helper!

Free bluegrass music in San Fracisco

This weekend is the annual Hardly Strictly Bluegrass free concert at Golden Gate Park in San Francisco.

Aerial view of Golden Gate Park

Elvis Costello is playing tomorrow at 2:30, but we're not going to be able to go. I'm stuck grading midterms, analyzing EEG data, reading articles, and trying to get to my fMRI book a little, and Nathan always has loads of reading for his school. Boo! In lieu of said concert, I will have to gaze at this picture whilst listening to a cd.

Test grading

The undergrads in the class I'm GSIing just took their first midterm today. This means I've got hours and hours of super outrageous fun grading!!! {quiet sobs}

Thankfully, they don't have to write a term paper in this class, which are like 3 times harder/longer to grade than tests.

I would rather be in the park playing soccer.

What I'm reading

Martin, A., & Chao, L. L. (2001). Semantic memory and the brain: Structure and processes. Current Opinion in Neurobiology, 11, 194-210.

Levine, B., Turner, G. R., Tisserand, D., Hevenor, S. J., Graham, S. J., & McIntosh, A. R. (2004). The functional neuroanatomy of episodic and semantic autobiographical remembering: A prospective functional MRI study. Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience, 16 (9), 1633-1646.

Ashby, F. G., & O'Brien, J. B. (2004). Category learning and multiple memory systems. Trends in Cognitive Science, 9 (2), 83-89.

I have to read these articles for my Learning and Memory course with Prof John Kihlstrom. It's not my area of research, so it's nice to be exposed to the material. However, much more reading is assigned every week than I'm willing or able to read. For instance, one week there were 4 chapters in a book and 9 articles assigned. That's a lot, but I learned my first year of grad school that there's really no way you can get everything done that you want/need to, at least not at the super-high-absolute-best-of-your-abilities level. So that week I only read 2 of the chapters, which were each 30 pages, and part of one article. Recognizing that you can't spend as much time as you would like on all areas of your work is a grad school life saver. When I was an undergrad, I was a super overacheiver trying to maintain my 4+ GPA. That's just not the way it works in grad school, and grades no longer matter because no one's ever going to look at them, not when you're applying for a job nor when you're applying for a grant. So in that one aspect, grad school is less stressful than undergrad. I've shared this life lesson with Nathan, and I think it's helped him a bit with his recently acquired grad school stress level. But that's enough about this, because I've got reading to get back to.

And now for something a little lighter

Why is the Adelson's checkerboard illusion (shown above) an illusion? Nothing looks weird about this image. Right? For instance, checker A is a darker checker and B is a light checker. View the same image below, but now with a homogeneous patch of grey overlaying the checkers. A and B are in fact identical in luminance, but our perception of them is quite different from their physical reality. This is an illusion of lightness constancy.

I'm teaching (as a GSI) a course in Perception this semester with Steve Palmer, and I taught Sensation & Perception last fall with my advisor, Bill Prinzmetal. One of the most striking things I've learned from doing this is just how many illusions there are, and not just visual (if I can figure it out, I'll post some auditory illusions I have). The more I learn about how the body is formed at the cellular level and how the body functions both biologically and perceptually, the more I am amazed by how amazing humans are (and other animals). Yes, there are a slew of illusions that humans are prey to, but we also have overwhelmingly accurate perceptions most of the time. There are so many areas and ways that our system/body could breakdown, and it does don't get me wrong, but it also doesn't a lot. I don't know, I don't really have a point except that evolution has done a pretty good job.


(images acquired from this MIT website)

Timing is everything

When we were in AZ over the summer, our friend Richard introduced us to an internet phenomenon. A youtube video of a song called "What what (in the butt)" by Samwell. I will not post the video here, as I hope to never hear the song again and therefore someday not have it stuck in my head. One of the highly memorable lines from this fine music video is "I won't bite...not that hard."

Ok, now that you have that information, I can tell the story.

After Nathan missed his shuttle today (see post below), he decided to stick around campus with me while I finished up (I needed to attend a practice conference talk for a fellow graduate student). After the talk, one of the girls from the lab had to leave, but she came back when she realized she'd forgotten her keys somewhere. Rather than coming all the way back in the room, she just tentatively poked her head in the door. My advisor then said, "We won't bite" at which point I turned to Nathan and said "Not that hard." A more perfect set up could not be asked for.


The moral of this story: Always keep Nathan around so he can laugh at your jokes.

Coincidence?

A funny thing happened today. Nathan missed his shuttle to school and so missed his class. That's not so interesting, he just left the apartment a bit too late and the shuttle departed a bit too early. What is interesting, is that a couple of hours later (6:15, just before he would have been leaving class), we got a call from his school. Apparently there was some "police emergency" happening on campus very near to where he would have been in class, and everyone was advised to stay locked in their classrooms. We weren't told what the "emergency" was, but we got another call at 8:30 telling people it was now safe to leave campus. Whatever it was, I'm glad Nathan missed his shuttle and wasn't at school today. I'm also glad that Mills College has a functioning emergency contact plan in place for their students to warn them when things like this are happening. Berkeley just started a notification system like this over the summer, but thankfully I've never gotten a call.

This is the view of campus from the steps of Mills Hall (Nathan's building).

Is Berkeley actually pure evil?

I have to ask myself this question practically everyday. Today, I ask it because of my alleged insurance. I was trying to buy new frames and lenses after my appointment, when I was told that I don't have insurance. But I do. As a graduate student in the psych dept I get full tuition and fee remission, including full health insurance. But since Berkeley is pure evil, they're claiming I don't have this. This is one of about a dozen problems I've had with them this semester. Last year was fine (they were fresh out of the wooing me to their school phase), but this year I've spent so many hours in various departments across campus, I could cry. First there were issues with my residence, then financial aid, then getting my friggin bus pass, then registering for classes, and now insurance.

Don't let the picturesque campus deceive you. It seems Nathan was correct in suggesting that I should combine "Berkeley" and "complaints" into a single malicious post label.