On behalf of cat lovers everywhere

Another one (Stars, rising (Barack) and falling (Wall Street) are on my YouTube a lot :P) -
'Fat Cat' : Sleazy lazy greedy evil overpaid mafia type in a sharp suit?

Or this:
Mr. Pasha Puddington, light of my life, fattest of them all, poodiest of them all, wisest of them all, king of fat cats everywhere, they're not fit to be called cats, are they?!

A loving disclaimer.

A comment:
Much as I love Barack Obama (this is not the post to get into why, and there will be no post justifying the use of the word 'love'), I would like to place on record, that if (when) he wins this general election, I will:
- Be ecstatic (reasons to be outlined in future post, stay tuned)
- Be wildly ecstatic (just who I am)
- Reverse my judgement on the judgement of the American people (electing Bush again?! C'mon, people!!!)
- Start to see glimmers of hope for the world (at the very least, he won't go around talking shit)
- Pray that his calm, silversharp intellect continues to work along the lines it has so far.

I will not, however, start thinking of him as 'the leader of the free world'. Under no circumstances does the land of the free have borders. The land under my feet, at this very minute, wherever on earth I am standing, is the land of the free. With all the reflected light and heat of this election, it's easy to think that we're all basking in the glow of the USofA. Well, we're not. He may be good for the world (and depending on who the he turns out to be, he might even wreck it Baby, wreck it!) but he does not run it. Each of us do. And anywhere there is someone who wants it, there is the land of the free.

Aha!!

So, I have been cooking up a storm in the kitchen these past few days. As part of major project to achieve multiple, mutually exclusive and singly unattainable goals, namely:
- Improve relationship (via improvement in general nutrition leading to feelings of personal loveliness leading to significant other noting personal loveliness leading to enhanced cuddle sessions leading to further feelings of loveliness and so on, in an upward spiral culminating somewhere in the stars.)

- Improve academic life (via improvement in general nutrition leading to better ability to sit in a chair and do menial earth-shatteringly large data handling and analysis jobs which require physical stamina!!, grit, determination, clenched teeth and nuclear amounts of energy, leading to stratospheric rise through academia and into above-mentioned stars.)

- Improve culinary skills (via improvement in ability to simultaneously cut, chop, blend, simmer sans singes, leading to acquirement (is that a word?) of basic life skill without which shall starve to death if currently used parachutes (mummy, tesco, bus pass, mobile phone) used to procure food all fail at once.)

- Improve general appearance of kitchen, which seems to work best, aesthetically, when in a state of semi-use (read: washing up done, no cooking at present). It is one of those rooms which, sadly, looks bereft and empty-classroom/train station-ish if you do not use it. So for aesthetic reasons, it must be used.

This project has gone exceedingly well so far.
I have cooked 3 meals, 4 breakfasts and miscellaneous toast-on-cheese sessions (not so good for objective number one, I must admit. )

I will be reporting on progress intermittently.

As proof that this project is in fact starting to show some results, I will report on some success in the area of objective 2: I was up, bright eyed and bushy tailed at 5:30 this morning, with the desire to open up laptop and start work!! On a Sunday! At 5:30! I ask you!! (No, it wasn't indigestion. Many many tins of probiotic yoghurt are being generously used to guard against said malaise.)

It appears, however, that I will need something more. Good nutrition might give one the required energy. However, so far, it has been gloriously mis-spent on blogger, facebook and other related peat bogs for the serious academic.
Ahem.

A list for the next two days.

1. Get over self: You can understand it! In the words of the guy who encouraged my father, decades ago, to pick up that anatomy textbook and study "because if a thousand other donkeys can do it, so can you (I)."
(An aside: this story has been repeated to me so often, that I believe it's lodged itself into my subconscious with the unfortunate result that I now think of a.) Myself as a donkey and b.) A very capable one. Hubris and pride, side by side.)

2. Knock socks off everyone in department by putting together The Folder (story to follow, but don't hold your breath).

3. Stop trying to write sharp, just f.ing write. (Note to self: Repeating the F word does not a piece of sharp writing make.)

4. Consistently keep ass in chair and s.t.u.d.y.


5. And on a more prosaic note (I am a nerd, yes, I do not consider No. 4 prosaic) - Clean the god damn house on Saturday. A weekend sitting in a pigsty will do no favours to the comming week.

(Alternativley, since it's now 13:34, No. 1 should read: Get off Blogger.)

Fingers crossed, this post will be all scratched out by Sunday night.

From ze blog, for ze fraands

... but it actually ended up in an email first, so I 'spose it should be the other way around.. Bah! I niggle. Ze point is zis! -

He-who-cannot-be-named has now mentioned the words post doc (like that, in quick succession, so I assume I understand him correctly and he was in fact referring to postdocs - as in, after the PhD) at two consecutive meetings. Be still, my heart. Oh dear. I knew this moment would come. I can see the horizon of this thesis. And just as I start to see the end of beginning approaching, he starts saying words like postdoc. Oh dear.
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isn't she beautiful?

Look, listen and take heed

Your result for Are You a Jackie or a Marilyn? Or Someone Else? Mad Men-era Female Icon Quiz...

You Are a Bette!

You are a Bette -- "I must be strong"

Bettes are direct, self-reliant, self-confident, and protective.

How to Get Along with Me

• * Stand up for yourself... and me.


• * Be confident, strong, and direct.


• * Don't gossip about me or betray my trust.


• * Be vulnerable and share your feelings. See and acknowledge my tender, vulnerable side.


• * Give me space to be alone.


• * Acknowledge the contributions I make, but don't flatter me.


• * I often speak in an assertive way. Don't automatically assume it's a personal attack.


• * When I scream, curse, and stomp around, try to remember that's just the way I am.

What I Like About Being a Bette

• * being independent and self-reliant


• * being able to take charge and meet challenges head on


• * being courageous, straightforward, and honest


• * getting all the enjoyment I can out of life


• * supporting, empowering, and protecting those close to me


• * upholding just causes

What's Hard About Being a Bette

• * overwhelming people with my bluntness; scaring them away when I don't intend to


• * being restless and impatient with others' incompetence


• * sticking my neck out for people and receiving no appreciation for it


• * never forgetting injuries or injustices


• * putting too much pressure on myself


• * getting high blood pressure when people don't obey the rules or when things don't go right

Bettes as Children Often

• * are independent; have an inner strength and a fighting spirit


• * are sometimes loners


• * seize control so they won't be controlled


• * figure out others' weaknesses


• * attack verbally or physically when provoked


• * take charge in the family because they perceive themselves as the strongest, or grow up in difficult or abusive surroundings

Bettes as Parents

• * are often loyal, caring, involved, and devoted


• * are sometimes overprotective


• * can be demanding, controlling, and rigid

Take Are You a Jackie or a Marilyn? Or Someone Else? Mad Men-era Female Icon Quiz at HelloQuizzy