Tuesday, September 27th (?)

It feels like being home again: no internet and writing my weblog in word.
So, let’s start with a quick work update on the progress of my experiment. I finally managed to sign up participants for the participant pool on Monday (and gave my apologies to the coordinator for pestering her on Friday, she managed a joke which was even funny so I feel better about that). So, I checked every hour on Monday until T told me to stop because I was getting so depressed. J told me to wait until today before worrying. So now I can worry, I have 7 signups, I have booked a lecture hall which will be filled with 7 students. Yes, it turns out it’s exam time, the coming two weeks. J shrugged his shoulders. What can we do…
Think of more experiments I guess, he came back from his journey to Europe with another idea. I am now writing an IRB for 3 studies, all to be run before I leave. It’s a lot of work but his new idea is exciting, I really enjoyed thinking about it this morning. And perhaps I could run the other one (which is most problematic) when I am home. And at least we have discovered I can run my follow up study in authorware, that makes a big difference (now all I have to do is translate my entire experiment. I asked whether we couldn’t find an RA for the Dutch translations. I am so funny…).
Tomorrow I have my psychological development class. We had to list our skills and talents in all areas (I am good at tennis writes me). This kind of homework does not surprise me anymore since having to look at a list of achievements and publications of one of the staff members here while at a staff meeting. Everyone was asked to report anything important that had happened in the past year, he had this list with articles written, in progress, talks given and symposia organized etc., which he had photocopied and handed out to us. I’ve kept it.
Today I had stats class with a well known statistician (yes, David Kenny indeed) who is very funny and sarcastic. I keep having to giggle at his jokes (even if I am sometimes the only one. I am also the only one to ask a minimum of 2 questions every lecture, so reputation ruined anyway – I’m not only a nerd I also suck up to teachers by laughing at their jokes). He can actually be very sarcastic about himself, which I really like (given, for those of you who don’t know, he is one of the top statisticians in the area, I mean who doesn’t quote Kenny’s site when reporting mediations?). I went to his office yesterday to ask him a question. He was in a bit of a rush but wanted to be helpful, only for some reason he often (actually hardly ever) does not understand my questions. By the time I had explained it to him I had turned brick red and splodgy (did that in front of J today, think he felt rather bad about it and tried to get rid of the colour by relaxing me which did not work so he had to look at splodges for 40 minutes, after that my roommate got to enjoy them). But anyway DK ended up apologizing for not understanding my question which made me feel even worse. But we finally managed to connect and he answered my question and I went off to do my homework. To my amazement I still enjoy his classes, I have never liked statistics…
Otherwise not much to say. I miss my running incredibly, it’s my distraction and relaxation. I am not sure whether my knee would get worse if I ran, given that the soccer seems to be the cause. I am in dubio as to whether to give it a week’s rest and be on the safe side, or to give it a try and see whether the running is ok as long as I don’t do soccer yet. It certainly is not back to normal. So right now all I do is work, and play with the dogs (maybe I will give the running a try tomorrow). It’s difficult to turn off the work, especially when there are new ideas (or participant pool worries). I realize the new idea keeps mulling through my head and exciting me – which is not a bad thing only it keeps on when I go to bed.
Well, I guess that’s all I have to tell. My sweety comes over in 2 weeks and 1 day!