i had a heartstopping moment this morning when i jogged my ibook and caused it to completely shut off -- no frozen screen or spinning beachball of death, just silence, and refusing to turn on again. the only copy of my seminar paper -- due in an hour -- was on the thing, so i hurried to a power outlet muttering all manner of supplications and bargains with higher beings, and merciful heaven, it was only a battery thing, some loose connection or another. (DISSERTATION TIP #3: KEEP AT LEAST 18 SEPARATE SOFT COPIES OF YOUR THESIS.)

Blood pressure through the roof, I went to my committee meeting with the advisor and a slightly sniffly Dr. SB, and we sat there as weird people ate tuna salad sandwiches and tried to poke holes in our proposal. I was very hungry and rattled and pugnacious, especially after hearing about minz's thirty-hour ordeal in siem reap international airport, and wanted nothing more than to give snide and snippy answers; unfortunately, the advisor fielded most of the questions, and my only contribution was to stare and glower and think about lunch.