haters and complainers

Why do we all complain so freaking much? I’m doing it right now. I’m complaining about complaining. We complain about things that are going wrong, but we sit still and don’t do anything about it. I think we forget sometimes that we can always get up and do something about something that bothers us. Instead, we just sit here and talk and whine and complain.

I’m tired of hearing people say “I had no choice.” You always have a choice! No one is holding a gun to your head and forcing you to do stuff. Maybe you only have sucky choices, but you do have choices and you do have control over a lot more than you think you do.

And hating – pointing out the negative aspects of a person, place, or thing, without good reason. We all do it, me too. But I’m gonna try to stop. Or at least recognize when I’m doing it so I can gradually phase it out. Negativity isn’t fun. It just happens to be in style.

No offense if you’re a hater. I’m one too. It just gets old sometimes.

Fire in GRB!

Remember the scene at the end of Office Space where the disgruntled employees of Initech watch their office burn? I had an eerily similar experience today. A chemical fire on the third floor of my building caused an evacuation and a whole lot more chaos. I returned to the building and saw my lab gathered outside watching events unfold. Fortunately, no one was hurt. Unfortunately, I'm sure some research was ruined. Fortunately or unfortunately, depending on how you look at it, we were all sent home for the day.

Remember our favorite disgruntled employee:

Milton Waddams: "...but then, they switched from the Swingline to the Boston stapler, but I kept my Swingline stapler because it didn't bind up as much, and I kept the staples for the Swingline stapler and it's not okay because if they take my stapler then I'll set the building on fire... "

I couldn't help but think of all the disgruntled grad students around the world... but no grad student would actually destroy years of scientific work for any reason. Never.

Pluto???

A large body of astronomers are meeting in Prague and one topic of debate is the planetary status of Pluto. Here is a good NY Times article that clarifies the issues involved. In short, Pluto is tiny, has an eliptical orbit around the sun, and orbits at a different angle than the other planets. Including Pluto as a planet would require raising its moon, Charon, and a couple other celestial bodies to planetary status. In the future, more "planets" could be added to this group, making our solar system even bigger. It could end up like the periodic table, which seems to get bigger and bigger each year.

On the other hand, Pluto is a cool name for a planet that many of us have grown attached to. I say Pluto is an oddball, and should be classified as a "dwarf planet." But Pluto is still cool.

I was thinking that it would be the coolest thing to be hanging out in bars in Old Prague listening to astronomers debate the status of Pluto. Tremendously cool.

amazing grilled cheese

This past week at the Advances in Tissue Engineering Short Course, we got to eat lunch at the Faculty Club, aka Cohen House, on campus. It was there that I was blessed with the opportunity to try what just might be the best grilled cheese sandwich ever.

Two tasty pieces of sourdough bread were dabbed generously with peach butter (yes, you read that correctly). These slices were then filled with huge chunks of Vermont cheddar, which is white, not orange. Simple, tasty, delicious.

Talledega Nights

Will Ferrell is a comic genious. Nuff said.

The Great State of Texas

Look what I found in the GSA Loan Closet. Its a cutting board in the shape of Texas! I was so excited to see this, I had to buy it. It cost $1. Sadly, its a bit warped and the shape of my great state isn't very conducive to cutting tomatoes or other juicy veggies. Nevertheless, I will make use of my new acquisition with pride, perhaps to slice lemons to go with my Shiner Hefeweizen, or some pepper jack cheese (my favorite) for some crackers. Who knows, the possibilities are endless...

Let me also give props to the wonderful ladies of the Faculty Women's Club who generously offer their time and energy to help the poor graduate students of Rice via the Loan Closet. Thanks.

More good food

I had two excellent meals this week. On Sunday night I went to Daily Grind and split a vegetarian muffaleta and the greek salad with a friend. Both dishes were awesome. Absolutely awesome. The fries on the side of the sandwich were also quite tasty. I've only been to this
place once, so its not on my tops list yet, but I'm sure to return very soon.

On Monday night I went to Black Walnut Cafe in the Rice Village with my roommate. Its a place we both go to quite often, and I usually get the same thing each time - the 67 Greeks Flatbread. For some reason, I really like the combination of a small dish and a small salad. I can't really do a whole salad, and sometimes too much of a main dish can be just too much. At any rate, it was delicious. I also recommend the gelato, which is always tempting.

Love...Choice...The One

Once upon a time I believed that there was "one true love" for each and every person. I thought I found that person, the one. I re-evaluated this idea after she reached into my chest, tore out my heart, dipped into a tank of liquid nitrogen, and threw it against a brick wall to watch it shatter into a million and two pieces. Just kidding, it wasn't that bad. She just broke up with me, and for good reasons, but that could be the topic of another entry in this blog.

While I was recovering from this blow, I read a book called "The Road Less Travelled" by M. Scott Peck. Among other things, he addressed the topic of the one. He challenged the idea that there is one perfect person for you out there, and I came to my senses and agreed.

What I understood from this part of the book was that true love is a choice, not a pre-determined phenomena. Being attracted to someone, having the hots for them, wanting to jump their bones, etc. are primarily motivated by our human need for procreation and is something we don't have too much control over. Attraction, or "falling in love" with someone, is natural and biological (and great), but is not something that can be the foundation of a long lasting relationship. Once you get past "the hots," you may find that emotions settle down and your feet return to the ground. At this point, you have to make a choice about your significant other. If you choose to love this person, and you want to make it last, you have to commit to that choice and make that choice everyday. I think taking ownership of this choice makes being with that person for the rest of your life that much easier.

Going back to the idea of "the one," I am reminded of "The Matrix." Morpheus believed that Neo was "The One." Not in a love kind of way, but that he would be the savior of the human race. Neo didn't believe this. The Oracle told him he wasn't it.

It wasn't until he believed that he was indeed "The One" that he actually became "The One."

So now apply this concept to love. When you find that person who you think is the one, don't expect he/she to be "The One", make them "The One." Its a choice you make, and if you believe that they are that one special person out there for you, then they really are.

Just my opinion...