Here goes nothing.

Tomorrow is my sinus surgery.

I guess the condition just crept up on me. First it was allergies, then sinus infections, then chronic sinus infections. I never really related the always being tired and just general crappy feeling to it, but evidently that's all caused by it.

Here's hoping that I'll be able to wake up in the morning and not feel tired, I'll be able to study longer, I won't get that dull pain between my eyes that makes me feel sleepy, I won't get debilitating headaches every day, I'll actually be able to get enough air when I'm exercising, and many many more related things. Like taking fewer drugs on a regular basis.

Update when I'm coherent enough.

Screwed Over and Pissed Off!

So, this year I joined the ASDL block for football tickets. Yes, a different experience from Delta Chi, but still a fun time.

They camped out for Notre Dame, we got a great section. Everything was going swimmingly. Until Homecoming, that is.

They camped out again. 15th in line. Turned the vouchers in just like all the other times. Except this time we got a call Wednesday saying they had "given out too many student tickets" and that our block wouldn't be honored.

Exucse me?!?! You're saying you ran out by the 15th person in line? Yeah, right... only if the other 14 were all 100+ people blocks. Oh wait, that's possible. I suppose the more likely possibility is the frats and sororities got priority and we got screwed over. Yep, that seems more likely.

So, we decided to take up a section where we had the most tickets. The season ticket holders in that section were none too pleases, but I wasn't in any mood to care. One guy was boozing it up with his kids (I told him it's a great idea to teach them while they're young.) I'm a firm believer that children don't belong at college football games. This other woman started explaining to me how her season tickets cost a lot.

Oh yeah, lady? I bet your season tickets don't even cost as much as my activity fee, let alone TUITION. So shut up. I understand that the alumni and season ticket holders are important because they bring money in. It still pisses me off that I get kicked out of my $500 parking spot and on top of that got screwed over for Homecoming. Doesn't attempting to create generous and giving alumni include NOT pissing off CURRENT students, who are in fact the future alumni?

We finally ended up in "row 23," a special row made up but actually on some of the tickets. It was just behind the guard rail. The Thugs kept bitching, but the ticket guy came over and told them to shut up cause we were legitimate. Aside from not actually having a seat (which would've been nice during the commercial breaks), it was actually a great spot because I could actually see!

Oh, and just because they won doesn't mean that I have changed my mind about Reggie Ball or Chan Gailey sucking. Cause they do. Immensely.

Goodbye October

I know pronounce the crazy month of October over (well, almost...) Let the celebrations begin!

The last of the tons of work finished today with a 3 hour test. Yeah, right, who am I kidding, Monday I'll be right back at it, beginning with a 5 hour meeting at Lockheed that starts at 730 am. Joy.

But, at least this weekend doesn't have to be spent doing work. The itinerary: party tonight, tailgate tomorrow, game, party, recover/get ready for surgery on Sunday.

I know I'll be swamped with stuff when I'm back at work/school from surgery, but I'm hoping just having it will help me feel better all the time and I'll be more productive since I won't feel like crap all the time. I hope.

15 days after the surgery I'm travelling with my research team to D.C. for a workshop/conference thing. It's at the national convention center, we're staying in Tyson's Square (I think). The good news is that I'll get a chance to attempt to visit my soulmate!! I don't care if it's the middle of the night. Melissa, you've been warned! Oh, and maybe my good friend Cameron too, but I forsee myself swamped with work.

What's even better is that not only do I get to share a room with my most favoritest co-worker, I now have discovered that we are expected to share a bed. According to my boss, this will work because "she's big and you're little." Yeah right, I don't understand how anyone else is expected to be able to fit on the bed. Two kind souls have already offered air mattresses... I'm going to take them up on it.

I wish this sore throat/earache thing would go away so I can party to the fullest of my abilities! I'm going as Hillary. Bill Clinton for First Lady '08!

Headline

This was the leading headline in the AJC today. Not that I subscribe to the AJC. I heard about it on the radio. They were commenting about how amazing it was that with all that's happening in the world, this is the most important. Maybe they were forgetting that a good chunk of the AJC is written by former UGA journalism majors.

I find it all amusing. What's the point if it's not a drunkfest? That's what these schools, and particularly this event, are known for. I know it wasn't the students or alumni pushing for that reputation. But, I guess that's what makes it news. Because it's so shocking!

One of those days...

I had my surgery pre-op this morning at the ENT. It's in Dunwoody. My appointment was at 9:20, same time as all my other appointments. I was usually back at work by 10:15.

Not today. First I sat there for forever, then at 10am they moved me to a room, then at 10:15 the doctor finally saw me (and really scared me about my condition following... ew.), and I was on my way by 10:30. Yep, that was great.

Then, since I was in the area, I decided to stop by Wal-mart. Bad idea when half of Ashford Dunwoody is closed. Then, just after 11 I headed back to campus for my 12pm class.

Except they decided to close 3 lanes of the highway right after 400 merges... for a good reason? Yeah, right. Because there was debris, specifically a wooden board, in the right-hand lane. What the crap?!?!!

I got back just in time for my class. I feel like the whole day was wasted. Well, except for my signing my life away in case something goes wrong in the surgery. :-p

Lostprophets

Sitting here in the lab on a Saturday morning, supposed to be working on my report but instead and going through the gazillion emails I haven't had a chance to get through in the past few days/weeks.

One is from ticketmaster for upcoming events, and there they are listed, Lostprophets, one of my favorites! Tickets are only $15.50... I'm getting excited.

Oh wait... it's on November 1st. I'll be bedridden. Wonderful.

Hopefully they'll make it back to the U.S. again soon...

Busy

No time, too busy! Grad school is kicking my butt lately... so much so that I'm keeping Melissa hours!

For real update sometime after I sleep, and get some down time... in November.

Surgery: Oct 31

Twisted Taco

Man, it was awesome to be at a bar full of Georgia people when Georgia lost so badly to Tennessee!!! And, then, to celebrate with lots of dancing!

Ok, I need to quit staying out so late. Especially on nights that I need to study or when I need to get up early the next day.

Oh well. Said I stayed in grad school for the fun, right? Can't remember the last time I went out, stayed out late, both nights of two weekends in a row (including Thursday... when I have an enormous test on Monday!)

Let's make it 3 in a row!

Melissa... how's that for your plan of remembering Sunday that I have a test the next day!

Oh, and way to go Jackets. You definitely are better this year. Last year you wouldn't have been able to come back. But, just for the heck of it, let's actually make the spread from now on and not leave things until the next minute.

Love,
Livia

P.S. I love Will Evans and Melissa Scholz

Observation

The other day I heard a story on All Things Considered about Donald Rumsfeld and how he refuses to resign. As of this December, his tenure as secretary of defense will be longer than Robert McNamara's. Is it just me, or is it a bad thing when people compare you with the "prime architect of the Vietnam War?"

Hmm... I've heard of several figures refusing to step down... Chavez comes to mind.

Just a thought.

Amusing Moment of the Day

One of my projects (both research and classes, they somewhat overlap) has to do with the FAA and planning/predicting future environmental impacts of aviation as well as what policy regulation will do to the aviation industry. Very with the times as far as environmental concerns go. Pretty neat stuff.

So today I'm in a class group meeting and my team leader informs that he doesn't believe in global warming. Not only that, but he recommended a (fictional) Michael Crichton book (State of Fear) as his evidence. Not so sure, but I'm not going to use fiction as my evidence. Perhaps instead of engineering my team leader should've looked into punditry.

Then, we're in a review with our Professor, who starts going on and on about the environment, how it will become increasingly more important in the future, and how not believing in global warming is, well... not smart.

Ah, the irony. The team leader of the environmental group doesn't "believe" in it. Doc lectures him on the evidence as to why he's wrong.

That's the only thing that made the impromptu-until-7pm-meetings today bearable.

Now it's time to go out and celebrate Marni's 4th anniversary of her 21st birthday!

Panic! At the Lab...

I guess there's a reason they call this semester boot camp. Most days lately I have this panicked feeling in my chest, the one where there's so much to do that you can't even remember it all and you're so worried you keep forgetting the little things and making stupid errors. Seems like it's a common ailment around the lab lately, but particularly for those of us in boot camp.

On top of boot camp, my RE is double dipping me so I am spread between 2 research areas, one of which has 6-7 different projects/deliverables going on. While the second one is what I like, it's just too much. My brain is full.

I'm in meetings all day, usually for research. While I'm in research meetings, I'm missing meetings for my 2 different group projects. And sometimes classes. 4 of them.

Coming up:
Oct 9: Advanced Design Methods test
Thank goodness I have the 2 fall break days and this week to catch up on everything!
Oct 19: AE Systems presentations (I have yet to make a meeting for this group... I bet they like me already)
Oct 20: Fixed Wing Design project due (haven't started)
Oct 20: Computers/Fortran code due
Oct 24: AE Systems Test
Oct 27: Fixed Wing Design Test

Not to mention the ongoing ADM project that I am behind on. And ONR workshops coming up, Lockheed meetings, a proposal to write and 2 people waiting on me for direction for my EDS work. Oh, yeah, and the trying to get my sinuses fixed which includes repetitive visits to the ENT, ct scans, and most likely surgery.

And I absolutely refuse to give up my life, which includes Will, fun, friends and exercising.

Is October over yet? I'm scheduling the massage that Kristy bought me almost a year ago for Nov 1.

Go Jackets!

Yesterday was a good day to be a Yellow Jacket. I'm bad luck, so I only watched the 4th quarter of the game against Va Tech (and interestingly enough things didn't go as well after I turned on the tv). Regardless, we upset. Which we do well... away. It'll be a challenge to upset Miami at home, but possible.

Go Jackets, keep up the good work!