Isn't life funny that way?

It's weird how you can go a month where nothing much of anything happens, and then in the course of three days your life changes drastically? Well, I guess life can't drastically change over a month--then it would be a gradual change. . .but still.

I think it was wednesday that I just got up the guts and e-mailed Ned to say I'd like to join his lab. I'd kindof known it in my gut for some time that it was still where I wanted to go to do my thesis work, but I really wanted to give all my internships a fair chance. I've been having a fantabulous time in my last lab, but I still want to work on my glowin' bacteria. So I e-mailed him.

On thursday, he e-mailed me back to tell me he was delighted that I had decided to join, and that he'd be in madison the next day and that we should get together and chat a bit about the future.

On friday, I was late getting in because I couldn't find anything I wanted to wear, but I made it to lab eventually. I had a talk with Laura (my current PI) to let her know about my decision. I was pretty horribly not poised and stuttered alot, because I wasn't sure how socially kosher it was to have decided, and I just get nervous generally all the time. But Laura had apparently figured that was where I was going all along, so it wasn't a big deal--her lab is going to be backed anywho.

I met with Ned later that afternoon, and we chatted about what seems now like a milllllion things. There are all kinds of exciting opportunities coming, all sorts of interesting work to do, and lots of big and important things to think about now. The part of the talk I remember the most was where he told me I could be a Principle Investigator someday, and that if he thought I wasn't capable of it, he wouldn't have asked me to join his lab. He said he didn't know how to teach students who weren't intelligent and highly motivated. Some moments in life are just sooo good like this, in between all the moments where you think you're fucking up and you've just faked your way into the midst of all these really gifted people, and someday they're going to find out you're just really good at memorizing things and pretending you understand. It's the rare moments like this that keep you from just quitting.

Saturday has been weird, because I had a weird dream last night. I was in a big dining hall full of people, and Sam came in and I gave him a big hug and told him how much I missed him. He gave me a video which turned out to have these four chicks singing on it? I just remember feeling all teary. I know I miss Sam, but it was just one of those dreams where you wake up feeling like you've talked to them, and it makes you miss them just a little bit more.

Oh, so other than getting compliments and having weird dreams about Sam's music videos, life is just going on, and I don't have anyone's christmas presents ready, but that's not too different from any other year (present-wise).

In other news, I finally got my ass in gear and made a hair appointment, so who knows what fetching new do' I'll come back with. One of my grad-friends recommended this lady, and it's an Aveda place, so hopefully this will end well . . .