Rats.

Waiting for rats to habituate is about as exciting as watching paint dry on a Friday night. It really wouldn’t be so bad if I didn’t have to check on them every half hour or so to make sure they haven’t done anything stupid like accidentally hang themselves — oh, and so they get used to the door opening and closing. So now it’s 6:30 on a Friday night and two of my rats are sitting in their lovely little turny bowls in the other room just chilling. Thankfully this is the last round of the day so I can go home — around 9. I will probably end up changing all of their little cages before I go home because I feel bad that they walk around in their own shit all day, even if they don’t seem to mind a bit. Hell, they piss on their own food.

Emily and I had a nice little chat about all the PIs in the department and what to look forward to when choosing between the 4 choices I have:

Choice A: Work between two labs, like I’m doing now (coincidentally the same two labs Emily started working between), and most likely get annoyed at the fact that the two PIs will probably not communicate well, with one overbearing the other. Apparently most PIs in this department have an ‘Ooo, shiny’ reflex.

Choice B: Go back to work where I was for the first half of the project with solely that mentor. That would be great, but for some reason I feel nervous about that choice, and the thought of doing Westerns for years makes me kind of feel sad.

Choice C: Stay in the lab that I’m in for this half of the project. I like that idea because I get along with everyone in this lab, I thus far (granted, it’s really only been a week that I’ve been here) have no nervous feelings about this lab. This lab is also doing work in which I’m interested in (Aging/Alzheimer’s), which is a huge bonus. Cons: Apparently this PI is a pushover and the techniques used in here I have no idea if I’ll like… But I’ll find out that part of the equation next week.

Choice D: The lab in the Psych department. She’s most definately neuroscience oriented, and very influential in the field. She’s sort of doing work I’m interested in (dementia, but in AIDs/HIV patients; as well as treatments), but again I don’t know if I’ll like her techniques. Cons: Word on the street is that she’s never around, guidance is at a minimum, and the lab is big. Apparently her two grad students from my program are on their 6th years. I’d really love to graduate before that. Oh, and I’d be on main campus, which would blow.

Of course, if I keep doing as miserably in my coursework as I have been, I won’t have to make any choice because I won’t be allowed in the department.

Cleaning lady just scared the SHIT out of me. Fuck.

Two more hours… What the hell am I going to do with myself?