Date:  2/26/08

  Wow, its been a while since I've updated.  I need to keep up with it a little better :S  

  Since the semester started I've been pretty busy, just like everyone else that I know.  The research that I'm doing involving the estrogen has been disastrous, but that's part of preliminary studies I suppose.  We're going through the process of running ELISA assays on our samples for the first time and its been a bit rough.  On the bright side, however, we're learning and that's always a good thing.  If nothing else we now know what NOT to do.

  At the beginning of February I went on a snowboarding trip to Montana.   Altogether there was a group of 8 and we were ripping it up at Bridger Bowl - it was a blast.  Now over Spring Break I'm going to be headed to Portland to visit some family; while I'm there I'm going to hit up Mt. Hood - I'm so excited!

  Classes have been going alright.  I really like my Evolutionary Biology class.  Being that I'm emphasizing in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology I suppose that's a good thing, eh?  

  This week is Dragon Frost (its basically like Homecoming during the winter) and there are a few of my friends that are up for Dragon Court (basically like Homecoming Royalty).  I went to a few of the basketball games this weekend - the girls won, but the guys lost.  That's okay - we'll get em next time!  Tonight is the dance, but unfortunately I won't be able to go because I have WAY too much homework and studying to do.  I have a test on Thursday and on Friday, so there's no time for play right now :(.  I will, however, be participating in the snowshoe races we're having on Thursday afternoon.  I'll be representing the Student Orientation Counselors and hopefully it'll earn us some spirit points!  

  Well, I'm going to get going on my homework again.  As soon as I figure out how to post pictures I'll do so.  (I'm definitely not very good with computers...something I need to work on)

~ciao!

Date:  1/9/08

   Yay, a brand new semester!  Although winter break was fun its always nice to get back to school and see all of my friends again.  This semester I'm taking Molecular Biology with the lab, Evolutionary Biology, Calculus II, Making Sense of Politics and of course my research.  Today was the first day of classes and I think I'm really going to like my new classes.  

   My research partners and I are finally going to get going with some hard core research tomorrow.  We all had pretty stressful semesters in the fall, but now we're all ready to get underway with some fun stuff.  Our research is on endocrine disruptors and the effects they have on organisms.  We're going to be taking water samples from the Red River later this month so that we can run some ELISA assays on them to try and determine the concentration of synthetic estrogens within the river that could possibly be impacting the environment here in the valley.  

   This Sunday I'm going to be going snowboarding with some of my friends at Andes Tower Hills.  Before winter break I hadn't had my board out in roughly 4 years!  I quickly discovered that I need to have it waxed and sharpened before I go again because my edges were catching really bad.  I have to practice up because I'm going on a trip to Montana the first week in February and I don't want to kill myself on the slopes!  

   Well, I'm off to start getting ahead on some homework.  My New Years resolution was to not procrastinate as much as I did last semester and I intend on keeping it!  

ciao~

Kristine

Date:  12/23/07

   Sigh.....FINALLY its winter break!  Finals are over and now its time to just kick back, relax and hang out with family and friends.  I'm from Fergus Falls, and so I'm going to be heading back there tomorrow to spend Christmas with my dad and grandma.  This is going to be the last time I'll get to see my dad for quite a while - he has decided to go to Culinary school in Arizona and he'll be leaving in January.  He's really excited and I'm really excited for him.  

   I don't have any specific plans for my break; all I know is that I'm going to take a lot of time to relax.  I plan on going snowboarding with friends (I haven't had my board out in 4 years now!)  I'm going to end up having to re-learn how to do it so we're going to Andes Tower hills near Alexandria.  I have a feeling I'm going to be spending a lot of time on the Hawaiian Cruise run because its the easiest.  

   A couple of weeks ago it was my 22nd birthday.  It was a blast!  I had a onesie theme party at my house and a bunch of my friends came over.  We had pie, cake and I turned my papasan chair into a GIANT snack bowl.  I took the cushion off, lined the frame with garbage bags and then I sectioned it in thirds using cardboard.  It was awesome.  As far as gifts go I got some fantastic ones!  Carnivorous plants, a professor chia pet (because I want to be a prof. some day) and some episodes of Bill Nye the Science Guy to name a few.  

   Well, I'm off to do some grocery shopping.  

-ciao!

Date:  11/16/2007

  The last month has been really hectic; when you start getting towards the end of the semester it always is.  The science clubs got done with their annual Tri-Sci-Athlon event and it was a good time once again.  The past two years the biology professors have won overall, but this time the physics profs. prevailed!  

  The Campus Activities Board hosted Dragons After Dark last week and the theme this time was "Pajamarama".  They had pillow fighting contests, free Monster Energy Drinks, Twister, Karaoke, a band and a contest for the best pajamas.  I came in second place for the pajama contest and won a blanket and some leopard print slippers - they're awesome!

  On Wednesday I had my third Organic Chemistry test - it was really hard.  So far in my college career it is the hardest class I've had to take.  Needless to say I didn't do very well on the test :S  I'm not too worried about it though; I've come to the conclusion that one "not so good" grade isn't the end of the world.  I need to keep things in perspective.  

  Well on this fantastic Friday I'm going to go for lunch with some of my biology friends and tonight I'm going to make some supper for one of my other friends and watch a movie.  I'm not exactly sure what I'm going to make yet, maybe some Thai?  Anyway, I have to run.

~Ciao!

Date:  10/23/2007

  Today has been a good day so far.  I had a Pracs screening scheduled at 8:30 this morning and it only took an hour which means I had time to go back home and take a nap before class.  (I don't have a job because I don't really have that much time to work, so instead I do Pracs studies.)  It's actually a nice option for busy students - you go there for a couple of weekends and get your blood drawn then you get money for it.  Basically all I do when I'm there is study (and watch movies).  This one that I'm doing now will give me $800 for two weekends.  

  Anywho, Halloween is fast approaching and I STILL haven't decided on a costume.  I don't have much money so I can't do anything too elaborate; I want something unique - maybe I could go to Savers and get some cheap clothes and say that I'm Marie Curie?  OR maybe I can dress up like one of my professors - I'm not sure.  

  The Tri-Sci-Athlon is coming up fast as well and I'm really excited for it!  Next week everyone that is helping out make questions is meeting at my apartment for homemade spaghetti - its going to be really fun.  Then we're going to revise questions and come up with category names.  We have probably like 15 teams that are signed up now, so that's great!

Well, I need to head to class - I hope that wind doesn't blow me away when I go outside!!

-Ciao

Date:  10/14/2007

Ah, my first blog for MSUM - how exciting! 

This semester has been my busiest semester yet, but its been a blast!  I don't know about anyone else, but I know that when I have a lot of stuff to do I'm more organized than if I don't really have anything going on.  I'm the vice president for Tri-Beta Honors Society and we've had a few meetings so far this year.  Right now we're really working on getting organized for our 3rd Annual Tri-Sci-Athlon; its basically a jeapardy formatted science trivia event.  Its really fun, but there is surprisingly a lot of work that has to go into it! 

For chemistry club we've had a few meetings so far (actually today we have one at 7:00).  We've participated in a Memory Walk (a walk raising money for Alzheimers research) and volunteered at Churches United.  We also made a really awesome float for the Homecoming parade; it was a Dragon blowing "fire" on a skeleton and members wore lab coats and their chemistry goggles.  Chemistry club also participates in the Tri-Sci, so we've been working on that as well.

Homecoming week was AWESOME!  We had tons of events going on the entire week.  The theme this year was "Best Week Ever" (VH1 style).  We had office decorating contests (Peer Advising Center won for their Spongebob theme - it was great), campus picnics, free ice-cream, a hypnotist, the formal and of course the football game!  I would have to say that Homecoming week and Orientation week are the two most fun times of the year.

Well, enough about school!  The weather is starting to get chilly and when the weather gets chilly I start to feel "Christmasy".  Last year I started decorating my apartment for Christmas in October!!  My friends thought I was crazy!  But speaking of chilly - I'm going to be participating in a chili contest this weekend!  I'm so excited!  I'm from Fergus Falls and so I'm going home because the Elks Club is having a chili cook-off and I could possibly win $100!  (Being a college student I could ABSOLUTELY use that $100!)  I'm a vegetarian, so there won't be any meat in it, but I'm not going to tell the tasters because otherwise they probably won't even try it (people in Fergus really like their meat and potatoes!) 

I'm going to take off for now; I have a lab report to write and then I'm off to the Chem. Club meeting.  I'll update soon.

~ciao!