So I've managed to get lots of tedious little chores done this afternoon, while procrastinating homework. Even balanced my checkbook (found that missing $50 which resulted in a bounced check last week. Doh!). And almost settled on a schedule for next semester. Three biostat. courses, and two electives (health care policy/management and international health). Then skipped over to the undergraduate arts and sciences courses and found an english class on literature and culture which features a screening of Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers and the first two Terminators. E-mailed the prof. to see if I could sit in from time to time. I think attending an english class could go far towards keeping my sanity. Also found a philosphy class on the intro. to logic. I've always regretting not taking logic, and I definitely think it would round out my background nicely...but fear adding it to my schedule might be a bit over-ambitious. Played around with my remaining requirements and it looks like I might actually be able to finish up my coursework in two years, which is tremendously cool. Obviously, lots could change in the next three semesters, and a lot of it hinges on what my department decides to offer, but it looks like even worst-case scenario I could pick up one last elective while working on my thesis. So...with a little luck, can pick a topic next year and start working on it the following summer. I'm not in a huge rush to get out of here, but I keep hearing stories of never-ending research projects and I'd really rather avoid the 6+ year plan. In other news, I got a job! I'll be working 5-10 hours a week at the consulting center in our department. That paycheck should cover any leisure activities nicely. Currently, the stipend is covering the necessities without much trouble, but everytime I buy a little extra beer for a party or something I think, that means come end of the month I might have to eat more peanut butter sandwiches and mac-n-cheese. So it'll be nice not to have to make quite such a strict trade-off between fun and food. Not to mention tucking a little away each month for things like xmas presents and plane tickets. Anyway, enough about money. I'd better go start on my cooking for the week, I think the body is indicating that my caffine-to-calories ratio has gotten a little out of whack...