for the last couple of days, i'm sure you'll be glad to hear, my belly hole (so named by karl, who makes the not disproven claim that my belly button is in fact an infinitely deep abyss in which i hide treasures unimaginable) has been itchy. just now, after i stuck my right index finger in to itch it, i noticed that my finger smelled of raclette cheese. i find this very weird and somewhat disturbing.

grant!

10 January 2003 - 10:52 am

whoohoo! i got official word yesterday that i got the grant!

after months of waiting for freakin congress to approves the freakin 2003 budget (which they still haven't done, by the way. i'm not sure why i'm getting the grant anyway, but that gifthorse's mouth is none of my damn business), yesterday went something like this:

• sent off email to NIH wondering when, if ever, i might see some cash
• sent email to business office, wondering if there's any tuition assistance available
• got email from advisor wondering if i'm ever going to be able to quit my restaurant job cuz congress really should have approved that budget by now gosh darn it
• replied to advisor with highly restrained comments about congress
• got email from NIH with news that they have sent a fellowship activation notice for me to the business office
• got email from business office with news that they have received a fellowship activation notice from NIH for me
• got email from advisor saying that business office has received fellowship activation notice from NIH for me
• filled out activation forms
• celebrated

  i know my viewpoint has been skewed because now that $1513/month seems like riches.