evolution schmevolution

this week is a special evolution schmevolution week on the daily show, and i must say that it is amazing. the debate between evolution and intelligent design being taught in schools as described by jon stewart. definitely worth watching every night this week. (not that that is a problem since i don't actually do anything exciting in the evenings) i love it! as a scientist, and specifically a biologist, it's hard to understand how anyone can think that evolution is complete bullshit. i mean, it's been shown to occur in a lab setting. the origin of life from little nitrogen bits and a spark of lightning has been recreated. yeast cells have been shown to adapt and evolve into different yeasts. by having selective pressures act on different colonies of yeast that started out the same, scientists have caused those yeast cells to evolve into different forms of yeast that are no longer compatible for mating with each other. maybe that's just a very small example, but i think it's pretty impressive. anyway, the daily show is always worth watching, but i think this week it is a must.

and here's some music that i've been listening to as promised:
-british sea power - i really like these guys. kind of similar to the stars. poppy and fun. i'm excited to see them in concert in a few weeks.
-ok go (new album!) - i don't like it as much as the first one because it's less upbeat. but still awesome. i think i will like it more as i listen to it more.
-bloc party - i like these guys too. it's true that some of the songs blend into each other, but i like the music for background music, so it's all good.
-architecture in helsinki - these guys are weird but i think i like them just the same. again, similar to the stars and arcade fire (not as good as either of those bands). i think i have to listen more and i will grow to love them.
-hot hot heat (new album!) - i've only listened to this once, but so far so good.
-the black keys - i'm not sure about these guys. there seems to be a lot of 80's influence in my opinion, but who knows. i will be giving them another listen
-jump, little children - love love love. i missed the concert last saturday because it was so last minute. but i'm enjoying these guys.
-22-20's - eh. not so sure about this one. after my first listen i was not terribly impressed.
-the futureheads - pretty good, but not fantastic. we'll see if i change my mind at all later.
-snow patrol - i downloaded the album after one of my new friends recommended them. a little slow at times, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. in general they seem pretty good.
tv on the radio - a little bit too trancy/technoy at times but generally ok. again another listen is needed for these guys.

i've also downloaded a bunch of stuff that i haven't really listened to a lot yet: the rapture, human television, the hold steady, robbers on high street.... maybe another music post will happen in the future. we'll see.

in terms of life, things are good. my harry potter gryffindor scarf continues charming. i will probably finish it by the end of the week. and then i get to make about three more for other people. i may try to just teach some people how to knit instead of making a million scarves because i will get bored of it at some point. again we'll see how that goes.

i picked my first lab rotation! i'm going to be working in susan ferro-novick's lab this semester. she studies vesicle trafficking and organelle inheritance in yeast. i will probably be doing a project involving some sort of yeast genetics (which is good because i know about that stuff) and hopefully i'll get the chance to work with some tissue culture cells and fluorescence microscopy and fun stuff like that as well. or at least watch over someone else's shoulder while they do it. for my second rotation in the winter, i'm going to be working in michael koelle's lab. he studies a g-protein signal transduction pathway involved in neuron communication and development in c. elegans (worms). i've never done stuff like that so hopefully it will be a fun learning experience.

i'm sorry to those people for whom the last paragraph meant nothing.

tomorrow i'm auditioning for the grad student a capella group. hopefully i'll get in because i am so bored right now. there's nothing to do after class except eat dinner. i've already done all the homework for the week that i have so far. ugh. oh well. when rotations start things will get much busier i hope. and that will be good. i'm still debating whether or not to audition for assassins, which is the undergrad theater organization's fall musical. i can't decide if it's worth it or not. i mean, i really want to be involved in theater, but i think my chances of being cast in the show are pretty slim, especially because i'm a grad student. also, i'd have to find two songs (one upbeat and one ballad) to sing by the end of the week. we'll see if that happens. if anyone has any opinions on me auditioning for this show, let me know.

anyway, that's my life. my gnocchi came out good this time and not like potato-flour paste. they are still very soft in texture; i think i had too much potato and not enough flour. but that's ok because i think they taste good. and really that's what matters, isn't it.

also, i went running today for the first time in about three weeks. and it was awesome. i felt really good. i will probably go running again tomorrow. i kind of want to investigate running up east rock because i miss hills. but i might die if i try that so we'll see.

we'll be seeing about a lot of things over the next week or so, it seems. i'll keep you all posted, oh faithful readers.

fluffies!