Research Update

I found out that my advisor did not get the Department of Ed grant that she had applied for the Brainwise project. It's really difficult to get grants on the first round. I'm afraid that she won't reapply. She's so busy that the next deadline might just pass her by (she starts so many things, but it seems like very few actually come to fruition). So there is no GRA available for me next fall. That's okay, though. I really wasn't that interested in the Brainwise project, and I didn't want to drive down to The Big City to test kids in dangerous parts of the city. I'd much prefer to stay in Cow Town (even if it does smell). Either something else will open up or God will provide (He always does!).

I met with the other prof today. I really like this prof. I found out, however, that he isn't going to be teaching Structural Equation Modeling next Spring, but that Scary Instructor is going to be teaching it in the Statistics and Research Methods department. I really don't like Scary Instructor. Last time I was here during my Master's program, I took a class with her in which she emailed an assignment without telling us beforehand. I didn't check my email and therefore didn't have the assignment done. When I tried to explain it to her, she wouldn't believe me and insinuated that I was a slacker. I've been irked at her ever since and I have a sneaky suspicion that she bases her grades on how much she like students (depending on their work ethic and intelligence). She likes my boyfriend because he goes out of his way to work hard for her classes (and he's smart :), but I assure you, he deserved that 'A'). But, she already formed a bad impression of me, even if it wasn't correct. There is no way I'd take another class with her (she requires more work than is reasonable, I believe). So this is a very bad omen because I desperately need to take SEM. The prof suggested I talk to the Department Chair. But, I already unsuccessfully tried talking with him about having the class offered in the fall, and so I think that no matter how much the Department Chair likes me (and I know he's on my side) this sort of thing just might be out of my hands.

I also talked with the prof and found that he does have e-prime! But, I'm not sure that he knows were it is and it wasn't installed on any of the computers in the measurement lab. He thinks it might be in another prof's office (who doesn't work here anymore) and apparently it will be my job to find it (Oh, I laugh!). He has some data entry for me and some software and test inventory for me to create. Luckily, he also has another project in which I could do a lit search and write the intro if I wanted to (as extra). I don't know why, but I always want to do the hard stuff! It seems like both my advisor and this prof are presenting projects to me that have never been completed. I will now transform into my superhuman alter ego, The Finisher!, and get these done for them. But, I'm not sure how much of a finisher I am because I still have my own projects from my Master's that I never wrote up for publication. I want to do that as well. Hmm..it appears that some heavy duty work is set before me. I better stop pretending I'm on vacation and start doing it!

In other news, my boyfriend started his series of flights. He will arrive in The Big City very late on Saturday. He's never able to sleep the night before or during the 15 plus hours of flights he has to take. He'll probably go two days without sleeping. He'll stay with his friend in The Big City on Saturday and hopefully sleep late and drive back to Cow Town some time on Sunday afternoon. Safe travels!