Steven is Blogging

Where'd I Leave Off

2010-02-19T12:36:00.000-08:00

Ignoring all the school stuff and my personal life crap, I decided to update my readers on the actual important things about me that have changed since my last post:

1. I have a new blog!! tvstalker.blogspot.com. Come read my thoughts about TV shows. My friend Meggan and I will be sharing posting responsibilities.

2. I "wooo". This voluntary declaration of joy is my new favorite thing. As my friend Barney said "A woo can be elicited many different ways-- from a certain song coming on the jukebox, to half-priced shots, from a ride on a mechanical bull, to...well, pretty much anything." And I do pretty much "wooo" for anything, such as: coverbands playing Britney Spears, hearing "Gangsta Paradise" at a discoteca, scoring above failing on an exam, getting out of class early, finding out that Sprinkles sells gluten-free cupcakes and the list goes on...

3. Gluten Free. A lot of celebrities seem to be gluten free and it sounded like a really fun time, so I decided to join. That and the pain in my stomach after consuming (and by consuming, I mean shoveling food down my throat as fast as humanly possible) any wheat product became too much to bare.

4. I cook. After taking a week off from life to mourn gluten, I picked myself back up and decided to start cooking instead of glaring at the delicious bakery items at Whole Foods and asking the help if I could just hold the cupcake again. Just for a second. I think I also started creeping out my friends by asking if they could please describe to me how that sourdough bread tastes in as much detail as possible. So instead, now I cook.

5. Sleeping. If you don't know about my love of sleeping then you probably don't know me. I have hit some pretty big milestones in the sleep department lately. There was the time I slept for 15 hours (waking up once to wizz and eat string cheese). And most nights before a big test, while all my follow colleagues are cramming, I try to be in bed by 7pm. Unless Amazing Race is on, then I extend to 8pm. But no later.
6. The 7-9am block. While most people I know are sleeping during this time period, I am enjoying my favorite part of the day. Since I do enjoy going to bed early (preferably before it is even dark out), I am generally wake before 7am. Since my class and l abwork don't begin until 9, that gives a good 2 hours to "start the day off right." I usually start with a little Chelsea Lately and then get most of the way through whatever Vh1/E!/MTV/Bravo show aired the night before that I missed because the show airs in the no bueno "double digits" time period (anything after 10).

7. Showtime. Since I don't really enjoy participating in activities that force me to wear pants, adding another channel to my cable lineup seemed like a logical idea. I am now catching up on United States of Tara, Nurse Jackie, The Tudors, and Tracey Ullman while watching amazing films like The World is Not Enough and Charlie Bartlett. Worth every penny.

Embracing Texas

2009-07-02T14:08:00.001-07:00

Since I am going to be a Dallasite (Dallasinian? Dallasan?) soon, I decided to stop complaining (okay not really) and embrace my new home state. I have taken to the interweb and made some great discoveries about my new home...

Dallas is the birthplace of some great celebs, including Aaron Spelling, Demi Lovato (not sure who she is but she is famous and thus important), Jesse Plemons (Landry from Friday Night Lights), Josh Henderson (don't pretend like you don't know who that is), Lacey from Rock of Love (awesome!!), Lane Garrison (who know...the guy from Prison Break who killed someone), Meat Loaf (I always thought he was British...probably because he ran around a castle with a cape on), Peter Ostrum (Charlie form the original Willy Wonka), Tara Conner (did you hear MTV might bring back Singled Out with her in the Jenny McCarthy/Carmen Electra role?), and Vanilla Ice ("no...there's was da da da dada don don and my beat is da da dadada don don"). Also, Kourtney Kardashian went to college in Dallas. And Jessica Simpson and President Bush live there.

And not only is Dallas home to celebs, some excellent movies and TV shows have been filmed there, including Debbie Does Dallas (duh), RoboCop, Barney & Friends (who knew?), Wishbone, Batman & Robin, Boys Don't Cry, and Office Space.

The record high is only 112 degrees.

The Dallas County Sheriff is a lesbian.

The Ritz-Carlton in Dallas was named 2009 Best US Hotel and restaurant inside was named 2009 Best US Hotel Restaurant. Thanks Zagat!

Dallas is home to 15 billionaires, placing it 9th worldwide among cities with the most billionaires.

I will be living 5.8 miles from the nearest Waffle House and 2.2 miles form the nearest Whole Food.

Dallas...I am on my way.

I Shouldn't Be Allowed to Shop Online

2009-04-06T13:23:00.000-07:00

I figured that since I will be spending most of my life in a lab, I needed clothing that shows how much I love science, especially evolution. So maybe I bought these shirts off Etsy this weekend:

Steven Does Dallas

2009-04-03T10:07:00.000-07:00

After exciting trips to UT Southwestern, University of Texas, UC Davis and University of Utah I have finally made my decision. And it was not an easy decision. Dallas was great because I got to see my brother Matt and his wife Meagan and the world headquaters for Chuck E. Cheese. It is down the street from where they live.

Davis was also a great visit. The best part of the trip was seeing my family and friends. My sister and Dad came down one morning to have brunch and it turns out my 15-year-old sister and I have the same sense of style because we were wearing almost identical sweaters. At one point someone even stopped us and asked if we had coordinated our outfits. And yes, she is taller than me. And yes, we are looking at rescue dogs at a Farmer's Market.

To help with this decision-making process, I made the largest pro-con list ever. However this list was only in my head because I did not want this list to get out and thus be judged according to my priorities. (So what if proximity to a Target Supercenter was a big factor?) But anywho...looks like I will be moving to Dallas this summer to start at UT Southwestern!

Why April Will Be The Greatest Month Ever:

2009-03-31T12:54:00.000-07:00

4/3: Premiere of 4 Fast 4 Furious. New model. Original Parts.

4/8: Lily Allen concert
4/8 New season of Real World/Road Rules Challenge: The Dual II
4/9 The Ting Tings concert
4/14- Britney Spears Concert
4/15 Dooce's book signing
4/15 Lupe Faisco concert
4/21 Franz Ferdinand concert
4/22 Earth Day and release of the movie Earth. I almost cried in the trailer.

I can't wait!

"Quit laughing at me or I'll kill you"

2009-02-02T13:02:00.000-08:00

Well, 1 down...3 to go. In my neverending quest to finally leave Provo (seriously...I think I have left for good like 5 times now), I had my first interview for a PhD program at the Universiy of Texas at Austin. And I use the term "interview" loosely because my three interviews with faculty members consisted of chats about Mad Magazine, divorces, and beer.

But overall I really liked the city and the school. I especially liked my day with my buddy Danielle, the Tex-Mex food we shared, and Dualing Piano Bar. But mostly, I like the activities that Austinites participate in. Their time is spent either sitting and listening to music, sitting and watching movies, sitting and eating, or sitting and talking about "life" (music, food, movies, art). And if there is anything I excel at in this life it is: sitting, listening, watching, eating, and talking. So I feel that I could really fit in with Austinians.

However, I have a few complaints. First, I understand how much you love the University. It is a great campus. However, I think it is time ya'll stopped buying all your clothes at the athletic shop on campus. By the end of my three-day trip, I was really to kill the next person I saw wearing a orange shirt with longhorns.

Second, this might not be so much Austin's fault as just a problem with bars and restaurants in general, but can we please just call the bathrooms Men's or Women's? At this one bar, I saw only one bathroom door and it was labeled "Does." I really had to think for second if I was a doe because doe sounds like dude. Turns out, I was a buck. At another bar, I almost walked into "Gulls" because it sounded like guys...but turns out I am a Buoy.

My exciting tuh-rip ended with an outrageous flight home. I settled into my seat and opened up my magazine to read about how fat Jessica Simpson is (Two belts? Mom jeans? Really?). At this point almost everyone had boarded and all the overhead bin space was full. This gentleman (who obviously had the same stylist Nick Nolte used for his mugshot) then boarded the plane and tried to find room in the overhead bin for his garbage bag.

The Utahn sitting across from me jokingly said maybe he should try putting his stuff on the wing. To which Crazytrain responded by saying, "Quit laughing at me or I'll kill you." Needless to say, Homeboy was escorted off the plane while yelling "Where are you taking me?" "What are you going to do with me?" and "Is this because of the ethnicity of my skin?" (he was white).

All I can say is, if all my trips are this exciting, I am in for 3 more awesome weekends.

What I've Been Doin' and Where I'm Goin'

2009-01-23T14:15:00.000-08:00

During my Christmas break (which in my mind should extend to the week after MLKJ day, which is why I have abandoned my blog until now), besides taking a pyramid photo shoot with my siblings...
...my parents pulled me aside to ask when I would finally start getting a real paycheck. This encounter was almost as great as last Christmas' parental intervention when my mom offered the diamonds from her old wedding ring to me...if I should propose anytime soon.

So in my pursuit to finally get a PhD and finally get a real job, I will be spending four upcoming weekends touring some of this country's best campuses. One week from now I will be in Austin, TX...2 weeks from now Dallas, TX...4 weeks from now Davis, CA...and 5 weeks from now Salt Lake City (I am counting this as a trip because I am getting a hotel room). Not only are all the trips free (I am even getting reimbursed for my gas to the airport and parking expenses), but I also have people to visit in each city. Dani in Austin, my brother and sister-in-law in Dallas, my family and friends in Davis, and...okay SLC doesn't count for this one.

And on another note, what do I wear to these things? A suit and tie? Slacks and a button up? An Affliction tee with Ed Hardy jeans? A snuggie?

Young at Heart

2008-11-22T13:56:00.000-08:00

Last night, my oldest brother Ken was telling his 3-year-old son Shane a bedtime story. In this story Ken was telling Shane that his Daddy, Uncle Matt, and Uncle Steven were all once little boys too but then grew up and went to college. At this point, Shane knew something wasn't right about this story and felt the need to interrupt and correct my brother.

"No Daddy...Steven doesn't go to college. He is still a kid like me."

What can I say...the kid knows me.

That time I thought I died...

2008-11-07T12:58:00.000-08:00

In honor of my BFF Stephanie...since this is her favorite story about moi...

Once upon a time, Steven spent his summer of 2006 pretending to study in London. I say pretend because I only spent an hour a week in a classroom. Or less. A few days before I was suppose to fly home, the plot to blow up the planes flying from Heathrow to the U.S. was uncovered. It is because of this plot that we still cannot travel with liquids. Stupid terrorists. We were warned that the terrorists might try a different plot in London that day, so we should avoid the Tube. Since all my London friends had homework and studying, I took off by myself and had a nice little lazy walk around London. So I was walking around the city...on a street that looked like this...

My nerves were a bit heightened because of all this excitement. I suddenly heard a funny noise and turned around to see this big truck driving real fast down a narrow street. Right as the trunk was driving by me, I heard a noise that sounded like a gunshot and right then something really hard nailed me right in the back. I thought for sure I was dying. I reached around my back trying to find the blood and hole that surely was just made at the base of my spine. I kept waiting for my life to flash before my eyes and for the blackness to engulf me.

So...turns out...the truck drove over a water bottle causing the bottle to explode and the cap to hit me square in the back. Well that is what the strangers behind me told me when they stopped laughing.

And yes, as I was dying, my only thought was...I wish I watched more TV.

Life, Libertyland, and the Pursuit and Happiness

2008-10-28T13:08:00.000-07:00

This past weekend I was able to see the Statue of Liberty, Mt. Rushmore, and the Washington Monument all without leaving Utah County. Now where could one go to see all these great sites?

LIBERTYLAND!

So if you happened to be driving on I-15 Saturday afternoon, then yes...that was me riding a roller coaster through Mt Rushmore. If you haven't been, now is the time to go. For $12, you can ride the Rush-Coaster twice, take a spin around the go-cart track, and still have enough tickets left to experience Freedom Fall. And by going on these rides, you will see ever person that works at the park...all 3 of them. The gal who worked the lever on the Freedom Fall was the same gal who pulled the lever on the slurpee machine.

My sister, cousin, and I decided we needed a full redneck day so we also went to Cabela's or as I like to call it "IKEA for hicks." Have you been there? This place has:

Fish tanks

Fake animals

George W. Bush

A shooting gallery

And lots of orange!

Now I don't wanna hear anyone complain about how there is nothing to do in Utah ever again!!

T.P. Crew

2008-10-23T18:03:00.000-07:00

On Thursday, I decided to take a little break from my lab and run up to Thanksgiving Point to visit the J. Crew Warehouse Sale. I thought I could find a little striped or argyle beauty to add to my sweater family. Unfortunately, this warehouse sale was a major disappointment, because:

1. All the clothes looked so sad. If these same clothes had been placed on clean hangers instead, I probably would have bought more. Nothing looks good thrown into a cardboard box.

2. I cannot search for clothing. I am the worst bargain shopper. The clothes need to be placed right in front of me. My hunter/gatherer skills are just shot.

3. I have never seen so many Utah moms in one place. I cannot even begin to count all the conversations I overheard that began,"Oh my gosh, I saw on your blog..." And of course, all these moms brought their little Joyellens, Starlenes, and Brextons with them and let them run all around the store. A little Johoshua even tripped me up as I reached for a marlin swimsuit.

However, my luck changed when I found the perfect pair of sweatpants...blue, soft, and comfortable. Since I practically live in sweats, I thought these would be the perfect purchase. And they were only like $3.75.

For the rest of the day at work, all I could think about was slipping into my plush sweatpants. So the second I walked into my home, I ran into my bedroom and threw them on. But my hand suddenly felt something in my pockets. Something that was much rougher than normal pocket lining...

A KLEENEX!! BUT NOT ANY KLEENEX.....A USED, WADDED-UP, GROSS TISSUE!!! WITH STAINS!

I swear...I almost threw up! My first instinct was to throw the sweatpants into a fire and take a long shower to wash the dirty off. As my friend Rachel Zoe would say "I came THIS close to losing it today." Although I guess it wasn't a total waste. The nice mom standing in line with me gave me a 10% off coupon for friends. I am not sure why she didn't give it to her to buddy Raynette, but whatever.

TAG

2008-10-18T15:20:00.000-07:00

Yippee! I love tags. Now I have something to blog about.

8 TV shows I watch:

1. 30 Rock (it isn't currently on...but Season 2 on DVD is)
2. Top Chef (also not currently on...but I am super amped for the new season)
3. Brothers & Sisters
4. Gossip Girl
5. Chuck
6. Mad Men
7. The Soup
8. Anything on the Food Network. Like Paula's Home Cooking, Barefoot Contessa, Ask Aida...
And the list goes on and on. Like seriously. I could easily list 30 shows here.

8 Things that happened yesterday:
1. Made an AFLP gel for work and ran some great samples
2. Had lunch at the MOA
3. Bought myself a laptop!! The new MacBook.
4. Planned a potluck for work
5. Voted! Filled out my absentee ballot
6. Tried to catch up on all my TV shows for the week
7. Made chicken and couscous for dinner
8. Let Meggan do laundry

8 of my favorite places to eat:
1. Bajio's

2. Mimi's for brunch
3. Kneaders
4. Guru's
5. India Palace
6. Cafe Rio
7. Any Thai place
8. Pendulum Court. I work on campus okay? Don't judge.

8 things I'm looking forward to:
1. Election Day. So all the insanity will stop.
2. Monday...Chuck & Gossip Girl? Doesn't get better.
3. Watching all the shows backlogged on my Tivo.
4. My laptop arriving in a few days.
5. Seeing my nephew next week
6. Seeing half of my family next month
7. The Killers and Britney's upcoming albums
8. The new Bond movie! Nov 14th!

8 things on my wish list:

1. Getting into PhD schools
2. More sweatpants and slippers
3. Bajio's delivering their food
4. A trip to Boston to visit my buddies
5. A higher thyroid dosage so I can eat more and not get plus-size
6. The ability/desire to wake up early
7. More $$$
8. Sitting in sweats all day watching TV and eating the popcorn my Mom sent me...oh wait...already doin' it

What I <4

2008-10-07T17:59:00.000-07:00

"Why 4? Cuz it's more than 3..."

While I am not at work analyzing AFLP gels or setting up field experiments...
...this are the things I am currently lovin':

Remembering how great Chuck and Samantha Who are:
"It's not happening if you don't look at it. Like poverty."

Listening to my favorite artist of the moment, Santogold:
Which I fell in love with thanks to the awesome music found weekly on Gossip Girl (seriously...get this album):
Talking like Rachel Zoe:

"You're shutting it down..."

And obsessing over the fact that I am the same age as the old people on teen shows:Seriously, I am a few months older than the teacher on the show. Next thing I know, I will be the same age as the 30-year-old parents of the 16-year-old characters on these shows. Awesome.

Cuz I Don't Want to Miss a Thing...

2008-09-11T20:04:00.001-07:00

My little family (which did consist of myself, argyle sweaters, polos, DVDs and 6 open Burt's Bees chapsticks), expanded this week to welcome a new little baby: TiVo!It is a decision we all have been thinking about for awhile. I had to assure my DVDs , especially the West Wing seasons, that even though our family is growing, I will continue to find time for them.

But on the plus side, I can now watch every show on my own time! No more watching missed episodes of 30 Rock or Brothers & Sisters online with commercials. As I type this, TiVo is making sure I am not missing one second of Paula Deen cooking pork chops with 3 lbs of butter, Joel McHale ridiculing the The Hills girls ("it was a hamster...now it's a guinea pig"), or Tyra actin' a fool on any of her 5 shows.

It is going to be a great Fall season! I am referring to both the argyle sweaters I can wear AND the shows I can record.

Between a Rock and a Hard Place

2008-08-28T17:56:00.000-07:00

In my new capacity as a Visiting Research Associate, I will be spending more time out of the lab and in the field. My first opportunity to journey into the wild came last week on a little trip to Southern Utah, Arizona, and Nevada. Now at first, I was a bit worried about this trip because 1. I had no idea what to wear (went with Banana shorts and an Urban top) and 2. I am not exactly an outdoorsy-type of person. I knew I was the odd man out when I was the only person on this trip not wearing Chacos and carrying a Naglene bottle. But the trip could not have gone better.

The main focus of the trip was to collect soil samples from different locations in the area. However, since the collecting only took a few minutes, we had plenty of time to enjoy the outdoors. And I actually liked it. On one small hike, we were able to catch a glimpse of Zions National Park and see a wonderful little waterfall. A snapshot from this hike reveals a sight only few have seen:Steven Harrison wearing a hat. Now this rare treat only occurs about once every twelve years when the conditions are right (...no shower...bad hair...the need to protect my eyes...).

Later that day, we went spelunking at the Mammoth Caves. It was an eerie feeling to turn around and see complete blackness behind you. Seriously, some creepy little creature could have totally snuck up behind me. At some parts, the cave was only 2 feet high or less so we had to crawl on all fours through mud and bat droppings.

Overall, it was a very enjoyable trip. It was great to be able to escape from my windowless lab and remember what nature is.

Same as it ever was...Same as it ever was

2008-08-12T14:50:00.000-07:00

Alright, just go ahead and ignore the last post about moving out East soon and all the other posts about Johns Hopkins. After quite a bit of thinking and looking into the program more (something I should have done months ago), I decided that the program was not really going to help me because of its lack of research oppurtunities. Sooo....I am staying put for another year, continuing my research, joining the esteemed BYU Faculty as a Visiting Research Associate, applying to a PhD program to start next Fall (so be on the lookout for another pro-con list about the potential PhD schools), and catching The House Bunny in theaters August 22nd. Should be another fun year full of TV watching, gchatting, lunching, hanging out, and working when I find the time. Yippee.

Last Trip West Before Heading East

2008-07-22T09:56:00.000-07:00

So I haven't blogged in awhile because I have been busy taking trips to California. I figured I better get all my visits in now because it will be harder stop by once I move across the country. So here are a few photos from my trips to CA:

I wakeboarded

I golfed

I went to a Giant's game

I saw a group of segways

I went to Alcatraz

I beat up a printer

I hung out with the coolest kid ever, my nephew Shane

I saw my brother fall off a skateboard and get life-flighted out in a helicopter

Yup, my brother stepped off a skateboard and got two compound fractures in his leg. Since we were staying outside Tahoe and a hospital was a long, bumpy drive away, he got life-flighted out in a helicopter that landed next to the golf course. The landing interrupted many golfers and resulted in our family being the talk of the town for the rest of the weekend. This little accident was my brother's second hospital trip resulting from a skateboard. On a trip home one summer, my brother had a bad fall and ended up in the emergency room with a concussion. That accident happened to also be the same week I decided to jump off the roof with a sheet as a parachute and ended up in the emergency room. Ooops.

TV-On-DVD Man

2008-06-23T22:35:00.001-07:00

When I was younger, I was obsessed with X-Men and their powers (but I never read the comics...honest...I only watched the show and played with the action figures). I sincerely believed that if I tried hard enough, I too could have mutant powers. For hours at a time, I would try moving the TV remote from across the room to my hand by sheer will. All I had to show for that were headaches from staring at the remote all cross eye for too long.

After watching a superhero movie the other night, I got to thinking about mutant powers again. As a diploma-ed geneticist, I reasoned that not all mutations could be used in a fight, like the X-Men. I mean how you are going to fight alongside Wolverine's animal claws when your mutant power is making animal calls? Will your ability to boil water in a watched pot or the power to do long division in your head really keep the evil forces away? It is like that poor kid on Captain Planet that fought with the power of Heart while everyone else had Earth, Wind, or Fire. Lame.

I realized that I too have one of these non-fighting mutant powers. I have the ability to watch TV shows on DVD quicker than anyone else. I am being serious. I have the uncanny ability to make any show fix the schedule I want. I may have to leave for campus in 17 minutes, yet some how I am able to watch a 22 minute Will & Grace episode before leaving. I swear I can watch 4 episodes of the West Wing in the time it takes most people to watch 3 episodes.

The picture at the top is one I took in London almost 2 years ago with Bryan Singer, the director of the X-Men and Superman Returns movies. At first I had no idea who he was, so I called over some official-looking woman to find out. After demanding to know if she was famous too, I was informed it was him. I see it as proof of my evolutionary progress.

As I once told my Dad when he said I was self centered and demanding, "yes, Dad, I do believe that the world evolves around me."

The Rest is Still Unwritten

2008-06-04T13:43:00.000-07:00

While interning in D.C., my fellow interns and I would spend hours on gchat talking about important issues, such as which other intern lost the TV remote and if for dinner we should go to Thai Palace or Taj of India. One morning, after watching a fresh episode of the Hills, we started talking about how funny it would be if MTV made a reality show in D.C. about the lives of interns called "The Hill." We laughed about our clever idea for awhile and discussed which of us would be on the show. I mean how funny would it be to watch two staffers run into each other in the Capitol and yell at each other "You're a sucky person...you're a sucky person" or "You know what you did...YOU KNOW WHAT YOU DID!"

I swear...MTV was listening. According to this article by Perez, my joke might become a reality! But on the bright side...since I am moving back to D.C. maybe I can find a way to be on the show! I can be an East Coast Audrina.

And yes, this does answer the question I posted earlier about what college to attend. I will be attending Johns Hopkins this Fall in Washington D.C. And yes, it is Johns not John. I was talking to an academic advisor there the other day and I thought he had a lisp...but no. It is Johns.

Now only if MTV would listen up when I talk about bringing Undressed back...

Tegan & Sara and Brian & Corey & Steven

2008-05-28T18:28:00.000-07:00

Where does the good go? To Thanksgiving Point to see Tegan & Sara, of course! And I feel in love with them even more when Sara said "if we weren't here, we would be at home in sweatpants watching TV" because THAT'S WHAT I DO.

License to Drive

2008-05-24T12:05:00.000-07:00

While I was home in California a few weeks ago, I decided to get a new driver's license picture since my license was up for renewal. My old picture featured a fatter, shinier Steven. And while I do enjoy using the old picture to prove I use to be "husky", it was definitely time for a new one.

So I journeyed down to the local DMV and spent about an hour waiting for them to take my picture. Having my cell phone with me, I spent the hour texting my frustration about being at the DMV (like "wow...the dmv only employs god's chosen people" and "The guy next to me is cleaning his glasses with his tongue").

When it came my turn, I stopped texting, tucked my phone in my pocket, and tried to look as normal as possible. Right as the lady was about the click and take my picture, someone texted me back causing my phone to vibrate. Without thinking, I went to get my phone right as the picture took. I wasn't able to see the picture at the time, but the lady that took it giggled when it popped up on her screen. I knew this was going to be a good one.

Well, now I know what I look like right before I answer the phone.

Into the Wild

2008-05-17T10:32:00.000-07:00

For the past 2 years, I have been researching the genetic diveristy of the endangered species plant Phacelia argillacea. However, to get my research published, I needed samples from this year's population to compare to the rest. So last Friday, I left my lab coat and gloves at home and threw on some old Levi's and New Balances (which I believe have seen the outside maybe twice) and went to the Spanish Fork Canyon (the only place in the world where you can find this plant).

We ran into two major problems while trying to find these little guys:

1. This plant grows only on the steep shale cliffs, so getting to the populations was a little difficult. Yes, I had to hike up cliffs like this:

2. This plant definitely deserves the "Endangered Species" title. Research shows there are only about 30 of these plants left. We spent hours climbing up and down cliffs trying to find these small plants.

In the end, we were able to find enough to continue the study and hopefully work towards reintroducing the plant in the future. I even scored a picture with the my plant. (Note: my shirt has a picture of a milkman and reads, "Who's Your Daddy?....I can find out....BYU Genetics)

The downside was that since I am actually allegric to plants and nature, I then spent the rest of the weekend in bed with a horrible sinus infection. Well, except for trips to El Azteca, Blockbuster, Einstein's, Target, The Dollar Theater, and Cracker Barrell. What?? I'm not an invalid.

"Good Morning Baltimore" or "I Think I'll Go to Boston"

2008-05-05T14:35:00.000-07:00

Now that I have been accepted to both Northeastern (Boston) and Johns Hopkins (Baltimore), I need to decided which is the better fit. If Johns Hopkins was in Boston, this would not even be a contest. So here are my pros and cons for each:

Boston

Pros: Ka-Ryn and Stephanie live there, the accent, loads of fun college kids, I love Good Will Hunting and The Departed, better neighborhoods, living in Boston is better than Baltimore

Cons: Pretending to care more about Boston teams, loads of SMART college kids

Baltimore

Pros: Drugs, having black friends I can watch Tyler Perry movies with, visiting the bakery Charm City Cakes from Aces of Cakes, dancing at the Maryland School of Arts with the Step Up kids, Alison and David might move there

Cons: Drugs, crime, telling people I live in Baltimore

Dieting

2008-05-05T14:30:00.000-07:00

me: so how is your diet going? lets say whoever starves themselves and dies...wins

Meggan: omg I love that idea I am so damn cranky

me: me too! i had raisens and soy milk for breakfast

Meggan: I have had a lemon propel

me: thats ALLL? you are totally winning

Meggan: ...except for I'm going to be so starving by 10 tonight that I'm going to binge like crazy. that'll be fun

me: i do that too! i am good all day and then come home and eat everything i can find

Meggan: that is what is worrying me the most I'm going home for lunch in a minute to fix a sammich

me: but if you only have healthy food at home...that it is okay to binge...right?

Meggan: I don't really know, I'm new to this healthy world

me: i mean, i am sure binging on flax seed and yams is okay

Meggan: I want to kill myself

me: hahaha i am thinking surgery is more practical for me then dieting

Meggan: amen

me: how much do you think it runs? and which is better...lipo or stapling your stomach?

Meggan: if I had to guess, I would say that the most drastic results happen when you do both

me: maybe they have a 2 or 1 deal...like Payless

Meggan: BOGO

me: yup

Meggan: I want you to post this conversation on your blog

me: haha. maybe i will

R.I.P. Brock

2008-04-06T20:43:00.000-07:00

The world's best dog, Broccoli Florets Harrison aka Brock, passed away today.

Anyone wanna watch "All Dogs Go to Heaven" with me?

Better Than Anything Else Out There...

2008-04-03T12:46:00.000-07:00

If you too have been less than impressed with new movies lately (besides Horton Hears a Who...that was great), go rent 2 Days in Paris. And no, it is not a sequel to One Night in Paris. Which, if you haven't seen though, is worth the rental.

So ignore "21", which is the most predictable movie in years, and rent this lil gem.

"And even if he wakes you up every day by sneezing right in your face, well you love his sneezes more than anyone else's kisses." -Julie Deply

The Boycott is Over

2008-02-09T15:21:00.000-08:00

Until this week, I had viewed those that love Guitar Hero in the same light as people who want to see Fool's Gold and don't watch 30 Rock. My only real experience with the game was playing once at my cousins and watching the very funny South Park episode "Guitar Queer-o". But now, things have changed. After playing about 7 games in a row and getting 98% accuracy and a 173 note streak on Heart's Barracuda, I am in.

Favorite Films of 2007

2008-01-26T12:33:00.000-08:00

In alphabetical order:

Darjeeling Limited

Diving Bell and the Butterfly

Into the Wild

Juno

Mr. Brooks

No Country for Old Men

Tyler Perry's Why Did I Get Married

And the worst? BEOWULF!!

Tag, You're It

2008-01-26T11:07:00.000-08:00

1. What is your occupation? Genetic Researcher for the USDA Forest Service - Shrub Sciences Lab. I'm a nerd.
2. What color are your socks right now? Just good old white.
3. What are you listening to right now? I am in the lab but the centrifuge behind me is humming. When it is done it plays some classical song.
4. What was the last thing that you ate? Blackberry pancakes at Cracker Barrell this morning. Yum.
5. Can you drive a stick shift? No, Ka-Ryn kinda taught me once. But that was years ago.
6. If you were a crayon, what color would you be? Seriously? Hmm. Blue. It's my favorite color. And the shade of my beautiful eyes.
7. Last person you spoke to on the phone? Brian, when he came to pick me up this morning for breakfast.
8. How old are you today? 23
9. Favorite drink? Diet Coke and now Coke Zero with Cherry (thanks Meggan).
10. What is your favorite sport to watch? In person: Baseball. On TV: Football.
11. Have you ever dyed your hair? Nope nope nope. Even when all the cool kids bleached their tips, I refused to join in.
12. Favorite pets? Dogs. I miss my Brock.
13. Favorite food? I am a huge fan of Rio or Bajio salads. Or any Mexican food.
14. What was the last movie you went to? Cloverfield and The Bucket List. Same day. One ticket.
15. Favorite holiday of the year? I really enjoy everyday between Thanksgiving and New Years.
16. What do you do to vent anger? Lay in bed with food and watch TV on DVD.
17. What was your favorite toy as a child? G.I. Joes and Legos. Still love them.
18. What is your favorite, fall or spring? Spring, because after a long winter in Utah, nothing is better than seeing the sun.
19. Hugs or kisses? Depends who it is from.
20. Cherries or Blueberries? Blueberries. I love berries.
21. Do you want your friends to comment on the blog or fill it out on their blog? I don't get it.
22. Who is most likely to follow the rules and put this on their blog? I have no blog fans yet.
23. Who is least likely to do what they are told? I have no blog fans yet.
24. Living arrangements? My own floor in a house. 3 bedrooms. Just me.
25. When was the last time you cried? I don't do emotions. I'm dead on the inside.
26. What is on the floor of your closet? Shoes.
27. Who is the friend that you have the most in common with that will read this? No idea.
28. Favorite smells? I love the smell of soap, the ocean, rain, and gasoline.
29. What did you do last night? I was so tired because I hadn't slept a lot the last few nights that I took some sleeping pills and went to bed at 8:30.
30. What inspires you? Being in the lab. Seeing how smart everyone else is and how cool science can be, it makes me want to learn more.
31. What are you afraid of? Clowns and chicken on the bone
32. Plain, cheese or spicy hamburgers? I love cheese.
33. Favorite dog breed? Black Labs.
34. How many years at your current job? I started here is April 2006, but left for a summer and a Fall. So whatever.
35. Favorite place you've ever been? LONDON. And the Monterey/Carmel area.
36. How many states have you lived in? New York and California. Student in Utah. Intern in D.C.
37. Favorite day of the week? Saturday. Sleeping in and watching tv in bed.
38. Ever driven motorcycle or heavy machinery? I don't think so...
39. Who's your favorite NFL team? I was rasied to love the 49ers. But they suck now. Pretty much in any NFL game, I root for the underdog.
40. Do you have a house phone that is not cordless? Nope.

iPod Shuffle

2008-01-20T19:58:00.000-08:00

In support of the Writers' Strike, I decided to not blog for a few months. Just kidding, my life was just too boring to find anything to blog about. But thanks to the Blog of the Week idea and the countless beggings to return (okay, maybe just one), I am back.

With my iPod on shuffle, here are the first 10 songs (no cheating, promise):

1. "Powerman" - The Kinks
2. "Mr. Brightside (Jacques LuCont's Thin White Duke Remix)" - The Killers
3. "Cue the Pulse to Begin" - Burnside Project
4. "Once Around the Block" - Badly Drawn Boy
5. "Forgiven" - Alanis Morissette
6. "Clear the Day" - Imogen Heap
7. "Me & Julio Down By The School Yard" - Paul Simon
8. "Electric Feel" - MGMT
9. "Chills" - Ben Lee
10. "Say Something" - Mariah Carey with Snoop Dogg

Well there it is! And none I am embarrassed by. Except I don't think I know the Ben Lee song. Ooops.

I'm not interesting enough to have 100...

2007-10-04T07:43:00.000-07:00

20 THINGS YOU DIDN'T KNOW OR CARE TO KNOW ABOUT ME

20. For the 4.5 years I was at BYU, I never once went to class without showering. And I had class everyday.

19. I wish I lived in London.

18. I enjoy book shopping for than book reading. I own so many books I have never read. I always end up reading past favorites.

17. I don't eat meat off the bone. No ribs, wings, or anything barbaric like that.

16. I know way to much about anything pop culture related (movies, tv, celebrities).

15. I have the creepiest memory ever. I often lie when meeting people and say we haven't met before when I know perfectly well what class we had together, where they sat, and who they talked to.

14. When I was younger I got trapped between a cheerio and a blade of grass. Honestly. Granted, it was at Disneyworld's Honey I Shrunk the Kids part, but whatever.

13. I broke my wrist in junior high by running backwards and slipping on a fruit rollup.

12. Whenever I am home (even if it is only for 30 mins) I change into sweatshorts and a tee shirt. When it comes time to leave again, I never put back on what I was wearing before.

11. I wear polo shirts like everyday.

10. If I don't scuba dive in the Great Barrier Reef before I die, I will be pissed.

9. I am scared of heights but not flying. Even watching a movie with heights gives me the chills.

8. One of my TAs last year asked me what country I was from. He thought I was from Eastern Europe.

7. I cry in movies that have dogs. If you ever want to see me bawl, watch Fox & the Hound with me.

6. If I do ever have kids, I think I am going to adopt.

5. My favorite pastime is eating. I can eat more than most people I know.

4. I believe there are only 5 people in this world (that I know) that I honestly hate.

3. I screen phone calls. A lot.

2. I am the world's formost expert on the genetic diversity of Phacelia argillacea. Like really.

1. I honestly have zero life ambition. I would be totally content never working another day of my life. When people ask, "if you could do anything, what would you do?" My response: "NOTHING."