The results I care about:
1) OBAMA WON! Yay!
2) California Prop 4 (requiring parental consent for minors to get abortions) has not been called yet. Right now CNN shows 99% of precincts reporting with prop 4 winning 52% to 48%. Messed up.
3) California Prop 8 (banning same-sex marriage) also hasn't been called. CNN shows 99% of precincts reporting with prop 4 winning 52% to 48%, sound familiar? This is unbearably depressing to me.
You know, that means that in California there were A LOT of people who voted for Obama and at the same time voted for Prop 4 and Prop 8. This disturbs me. It disturbs me that people can be racially tolerant and leaning toward a liberal ideology and still be intolerant enough to think that it is wrong for same-sex couples to get married. It also bothers me that Obama not only says he is a Christian but claims that he also defines marriage between a man and a woman. He is quick to defend the rights of ethnic minorities, but he is slow to stand up for other minorities in the states such as atheists and GLBTI individuals. In these ways he does not represent me and my secular corner of America which desires true equality for ALL Americans.
So where does this leave us? Well I am hopeful that with a liberal president and a democratic senate we will be able to get some progressive judges on the bench in the next 4 years. Also, the "No on 8" folks out here haven't given up quite yet. A law suit is being mounted saying that Proposition 8 was unconstitutional to begin with therefore it cannot be added to the California constitution. There is still hope... but I remain thoroughly disappointed in California voters tonight.
**UPDATE**
So since I checked CNN last night things have changed - Prop 4 is NOT going to pass! That is awesome, I'm glad. But I'm still totally ticked about prop 8. Thats just BS...
Hey everyone! Guess what? My blog (you know, the one you are reading) was added to The Atheist Blogroll. w00t w00t.
There are over 800 blogs on the blogroll now, all by atheist/agnostic bloggers. I haven't read all of the blogs, but I am subscribed to a few of the blogs on my google reader. The blogs are very diverse in scope, theme, topics covered, etc. but it is nice to know when you read them that you are hearing the perspective of a fellow atheist. Its refreshing, to me at least, to read posts that cover topics about separation of church and state or being "out" at work as an atheist rather than a post about a blogger's "relationship with God."
The latest 25 posts from blogs on the blogroll can be found on my sidebar, and if you are interested in joining the blogroll visit visit Mojoey at Deep Thoughts for more information.
So here is the long awaited final list of the schools I am applying to (for those who may not know, I am applying to PhD programs in neuroscience). Wish me luck!
- Stanford
- University of Virginia
- University of Michigan
- University of Wisconsin
- Mount Sinai
- University of Southern California
- University of California, San Diego
- University of California, Los Angeles
- University of California, San Francisco
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- University of Texas, Southwestern
- Washington University in St. Louis
Right now I am excited and nervous about applying, but I wish I could fast forward a few months and just know where I got in and did not get in. I want to be a neuroscience grad student SO badly. I love doing research and I want to do research forever. Its scary to think that I might not get in anywhere, so I'm just not thinking about that. Its also just hard to make decisions about my life right now when I don't know where I will be living next year, it all hinges on these applications.
Send me good mental-vibes everyone. Thanks for the support!
I haven't posted in a while, and I have food on the brain, so I thought I would post a few of my favorite recipes that I make at home.
1. Vegetarian Fajitas!
Ingredients:
1-2 Green bell peppers
1 White or yellow onion
1-2 Serrano chilis (to taste)
1 Red bell pepper (optional)
1 Clove of garlic
2 Tbsp of olive oil
Lemon pepper to taste
Salt and pepper to taste
Flour tortillas
Dress with shredded chedder, sour cream, salsa, and/or guacamole
Directions:
Chop onions and peppers into strips, chop serrano into thin slices, mince the garlic
Combine veggies in large skillet with garlic, olive oil and seasonings
Cook on med-high, stirring frequently, heat for 10-15 minutes until veggies are sizzling hot
For "charred" flavor leave unstirred on high heat for a few minutes before serving
Put veggies on tortillas with cheese, sour cream, salsa or whatever else you like!
Serve with black beans and mexican rice or chips and salsa. Mmmm.
2. Better than Veggie Lasagna
This is not your standard lasagna recipe, its better!
Ingredients:
1 Red bell pepper
1 Zuchinni
1 Broccoli floret
1/2 Red onion
1 Cup mushrooms
2-3 Cloves garlic
Italian seasoning blend to taste
Crushed red pepper to taste
2 Tbps olive oil
1 Jar prego (unless you want to make your own sauce)
Lasagna noodles
Shredded mozzerella cheese
Fresh (not powdered) parmesan cheese
Directions:
Chop all veggies into very small chunks, mince the garlic
Combine veggies and garlic in large skillet with olive oil, italian seasoning and crushed red pepper
Cook veggies on low-medium heat until onions are translucent
Boil lasagna noodles
Layer lasagna in caserole as follows:
1) Noodles
2) Veggies and a little sauce
3) Noodles
4) Sauce and mozerella cheese
5) Noodles
6) Veggies and a little sauce
7) Noodles
8) Sauce and both cheeses, with some italian seasoning sprinkled on top
Bake lasagna at 350 until it is heated through and cheese is melty. Usually 30-45 minutes, but allow up to an hour.
Great served with garlic bread and a salad!
3. Veggie Side Dish #1
Ingredients:
1/2 Broccoli floret
1/2 Zuchini
1/4 Red onion
1 Clove garlic
Italian seasoning blend to taste
Black pepper to taste
1-2 Tbsp olive oil
Sometimes I add a little lemon juice or crushed red pepper
Directions:
Chop the veggies, mince the garlic, combine all ingredients in small skillet and heat
This is great as a side dish when you are lacking green foods in your meal.
4. Veggie Side Dish #2
Ingredients:
4-5 Cherry tomatos
1/2 Broccoli floret
1/4 Red onion
1 Cup baby spinach leaves
2 Cloves garlic (beware of breath after you eat, but it tastes so good)
Italian seasoning to taste
1 Tbsp olive oil
About 1/4 cup red wine (merlot works)
Directions:
Cut the broccoli and tomatos into small pieces, cut the tomatos in half, mince the garlic
Combine all ingredients but the wine in a pan and heat until spinach wilts
Add wine then cook for about 1-2 more minutes
5. Whole Wheat Macaroni and Tomato Sauce
This is an old recipe of my Mom's. Some people don't like it much, but for me its a great easy comfort food.
Ingredients:
1 Cup whole wheat elbow macaroni
1 Cup plain tomato sauce (thats right, tomato sauce, not marinara sauce)
2 Tbsp butter
Lots of black pepper
Directions:
Boil pasta and drain, then add the rest of the ingredients and stir well.
Most of my other recipes are kind of standard, like garlic red mashed potatos, so I won't post them. And of course sometimes I just eat pizza bagels or a lean cuisine, or order a thin crust vegetarian pizza like tonight.
Update: August/September 2008
Labels: biostats, CMC, daily life, graduate school, gre, literature, organic chem, thesisI know it has been a while since I have posted, things just got really busy in the past month.
In the beginning of August visited Oklahoma and then came back to California. It was nice to see the family but overall I did not enjoy my trip home. I was going to write a post about the trip, but I decided not to as what I have to say could be considered 1) whining and/or 2) offensive to people I know back home. Lets just suffice it to say that I love my life in California.
Once I got back to California, though, I had jury duty - and I was actually put on a jury! The trial lasted about 2 weeks and it was at the same time very interesting and incredibly boring. It was a medical negligence case involving the death of a diabetic 25 year old who was survived by her three young children. There were a lot of factors in the case, but we ruled that the doctors were not at fault for her death. Now I'm off the hook for duty for 1 year, and if I am never on a case again that would be fine with me.
As soon as jury duty was over I had training for my IT jobs, then freshmen orientation happened, and ever since my life hasn't slowed down for a second. My classes are going to be challenging this semester, if not only because each class is going to take many hours a week.
I am taking:
1. Applied Biostatistics - I don't expect the course to be overly challenging for me as I have a respectable background in stats, but I do expect to spend at least 5 hours a week (maybe more) doing problem sets.
2. Organic Chemistry - This class is going to be a challenge, I know. Not only because o-chem is hard for everyone, but because I find chemistry exceptionally challenging (even though I adore science). It is also going to take A LOT of time per week to do problem sets and study. Luckily I have already made plans to spend a lot of time with my friend Tori, the only other senior I know who is taking o-chem. I may or may not also live in my professor's office. Wish me luck!
3. Senior thesis - Surprisingly, I am not at all concerned about thesis at the moment. Most of the other members of my class are in a frenzy about it, but I have already done the brunt of my research and I have 2 semesters to write about it. Plus science theses are not overly long.
4. Jane Austen (Literature) - I am at once very excited about and nervous about my literature class. I am taking it not only because have put off my humanities general education requirement until my second-to-last semester of college, but because I have loved what I have read of Jane Austen and because I love the professor who is teaching the class. The reason I am nervous, though, is that even though I used to love literature and do very well in the subject in high school, majoring in a hard science has not helped me in my literature reading abilities. I do not feel confident anymore that I can read a novel and analyze it critically and intelligently. Even the research assignments for the class have me nervous. Writing a 20 page science research paper, even if it is not primary research, is cake compared to writing a 5 page literature paper. The standards are different. Besides, papers for science classes have a very rigid format, tone, and organization whereas I think of literature research papers as more organic. Plus I am always intimidated by knowing that a literature professor will be reading my grammar. I can just picture her cringing at every comma splice.
Hopefully, though, I will make it through and be better for it. If I can just maintain all A's and B's this semester that will really help me in my graduate school applications (that reminds me, I also need to get the GRE over with...). Wish me luck, and good luck to all my friends with your semesters!
