So I successfully presented my research to my department (or at least those who bothered to show up) earlier today. Only about 1/4 of the department actually bothered to come. Which was fine with me, except I was kind of looking forward to showing all their graduate students where the bar should be. Other than talking too quickly, I did a good job. I was able to effectively answer all of the questions (they were a lot easier than I had anticipated). And my advisor (and I) got a nice compliment from one of the faculty members in the audience. He had started it by asking me what part of my research I had actually done… I think he was attempting to try and show that most of the work had been done by someone else for me. Fortunately for me, I was able to say everything but the synthesis of compounds that had been previously synthesized in our laboratory. His only response was along the lines that my advisor had set the bar high for not only master’s students but doctoral students as well. We’ll just have to see what my committee has to say about my research tomorrow.

After a weekend that was too short for its own good, I’m back at work drinking my coffee and relaxing for a few minutes.  Without this coffee I would probably be passed out somewhere.  I didn’t get to bed until late, thanks to Katie staying up late proofing her Thesis.  On the plus side, she is almost done.  No more of these long nights soon enough.

Katie has been on a rigorous job search, but she has come up empty handed so far.  It really seems like companies are dragging their feet on calling her back.  Either that or they just don’t think she qualified.  I did notice when I started looking for a job that companies care about experience much more than your education.  I was lucky to find a great company that overlooked that and hired me.  If it comes down to it, Katie will start looking for jobs in the RTP (Research Triangle Park near Raleigh-Durham, NC).  We really don’t want to leave the Richmond area though.  Oh well, have to follow where the jobs are.  I can get a job just about anywhere we move.

This past weekend Katie, Dustin, and I went to the XL102 (Rock station in Richmond) Chili Cook-off.  Most of the chili we had was disgusting.  I can’t understand how some of these restaurants have won awards for their chili.  The three of us could kick all their butts with the most basic of ingredients.  The music for they had wasn’t bad, but they had no energy.  Trapt and Amberlin were the two bands we saw live.  Neither one of them performed like I would expect a rock band to.  Doesn’t really matter though, it only cost us like $12 to go and we had a pretty good time either way.