Missing out & other RBOC

• Today was the first day that the department was REALLY deserted, because just about everyone is at Big Giant Conference. Aside from H and I, I think only two other people are not going. This is the first time I've missed it in over 10 years. My favorite part of the conference is seeing old friends from grad school (and going out drinking with them!) This year, would have included a blogger meet-up, too. How sad.

• We had our big annual undergraduate research forum today, so I went to the mentor lunch and went to see posters from other students, as well. I am very disappointed about what happened with my student's poster. I had sent her a big ppt file with 10 megapixel photos and 300 dpi maps. Somewhere in her cutting and pasting of the files or when they had it printed, the image sizes were dramatically reduced and looked all crappy and pixelated in the finished product. It just makes me mad, because I spent all the time to make the maps for her to use and then someone along the way screwed it up. How irritating. 

• I am also not pleased about last night's email. I agree it is better to hear this now than in August, but it's still such a bummer. I had really looked forward to working with this student and now I'll have to scramble to find someone else. Of course, I can't actually do that yet, because s/he hasn't officially pulled out, either. 

• Tomorrow is a work-at-home day, but I'm thinking of taking the day off and doing some shopping. I don't like spending the whole day alone in the house right now (H teaches tomorrow) and I have gift cards for Kohl's and Talbot's that I've been hanging onto. I guess I'll see what sounds like fun in the morning. I wish I had someone to meet for lunch, but everyone is working (of course). 

• I've decided to give myself the next few weeks to not worry about how I'm eating. We only have two more weeks of classes, and the end of the semester is never a good time to try to eat healthy! After that I am thinking of going back on WW. I don't know if we're going to try to get pregnant again later this year, but either way, I could stand to lose some weight. I lost 20 pounds last year and have only gained about 5 back, but I would like to keep going. I would be healthier to get back to where I was after D was born. (or even in grad school) I'll have to do a post over at The Active Academic soon...