Well here's what happened.

I didn't mean to take a 5 week break from blogging, honest. It's not that I was super busy, or super unhappy or unwell or something. I just didn't have a lot to say, and then I kept thinking I should wait until I have something super important or interesting to talk about. I still don't really. However I just thought I would write an update (that is potentially non-important, non-interesting, sorry) anyway. Like previously, I've broken it up into three categories:

[via]

Science: Some good news and some good/scary news. The good news is that my first first-author paper has been accepted for publication (old news for twitter followers)! This is a relief, as it had taken a while for it to get accepted somewhere. It will be out next month. The good/scary news is my PhD scholarship has been extended for 6 months. Good in that I will not be poor for the next 6 months, but scary because the confirmation email also included the date the scholarship stops: November 12. This then gives me a very specific date to try and finish my thesis by, and it really doesn't seem all that far away now... gulp. As for the fact that I have no idea what I'll do after that, well that's the especially scary part.

Spouses: Yep, still got one of those (although he's been slightly MIA recently since the release of computer game Diablo III). It's actually Husband's birthday tomorrow, and we're going out to play laser tag, which should be fun / slightly nerdy. We're also going out on Saturday night to a Brazilian BBQ place, which essentially involves being served larged quantities of meat.

Silliness: Well on a whim about two weeks ago I did something I've never done (or planned to do) before: I gave myself a haircut. I decided I was sick of how long my hair was, and impulsively grabbed some scissors and started hacking. After I did the first snip I regretted it immediately, but obviously had to continue. Towards the end I decided I should be sensible about it and used my hair straightener so I could make sure it was all even. It went from being half-way down my back to just above my shoulders. My (post-hoc) reasoning was that I'm contemplating getting a more drastic haircut (see picture below), but I hate going to the hairdressers (I'm sure they're very nice people but I really don't like all the pointless chit-chat). This way when I do go there's less hair to cut and dye, and therefore I'll be there for less time (??). 

[from my pinterest]

Well enough about me:

What have you been up to lately?

Have you ever done something strange/impulsive and you're not really sure why?
Is anyone else afraid of going to the hairdressers?

Husband Quotes: Sleep Talking Edition #3

I find it amusing that I am sometimes able to have a complete conversation with Husband while he's asleep, and he has no idea later this ever took place (until I tease tell him about it, obviously). 

This was said by him in a sweet, laughing kind of voice: "Fluffy, noooooo!"

I of course then asked: "Who's Fluffy?"

"Some sort of half-penguin, half-duck".

"What did Fluffy do?"

"He... peed on me!"

I of course tried to google "half penguin half duck" and unfortunately no such picture exists. I considered either drawing one myself or some sort of photoshop adventure, but I'm neither that talented or motivated sorry! 

So instead here are cute pictures of penguins and ducks, and you can use your own imagination for what Fluffy looks like (in my thoughts, he's also pink for some reason).

[source]

[source]

Someone needs to get this message out there.

It might as well be me...

[via]

That is all.

P.S. Extra credit: Ode to Joy

Here's something you don't want the night before your big presentation...

A message from a random, waking you up at 2am:

This was the night before I had to give my talk at the conference last week. 

Some issues:

1) I don't even have a car

2) I say that it's 2am and so they decide that they should message again?

3) I realise this was an Australian number so they weren't to know it was 2am in New York, but still they clearly didn't look at the number they were supposed to message properly.

4) Yes, I also realise my response was a bit mean. But it was 2am people!

5) In case you were wondering, my talk actually went fine considering the lack of sleep!

Orange playdough man

I have yet another passive-aggressive note to share with you. This appeared on the microwave in our PhD office kitchen a little while ago.

click to enlarge

A few thoughts:

1. There are no cameras.

2. Orange 'playdough' man!?

3. I wish there were cameras, I wanted to see the explosion!

4. I don't know who did it but I do have my suspicions...

5. The note mysteriously disappeared one day.

6. I did send this to passiveaggressivenotes.com and they've never shown it. WHYYYYYYY!!

WTH Wednesdays

World Beard and Moustache Championship; held in Trondheim, Norway.

Click here for SMH article and many more zany photos

Husband and his friends all seem to encourage each other to grow crazy (and hideous) beards and moustaches - much to the dismay of all the girlfriends/wives. This is right up their alley, which is probably why the friend that emailed me this said: "Don't tell [my husband]!"

Seen something weird lately that made you think WTH (not F remember, I try to be PG here people)? Feel free to bring it up in the comments and I may end up featuring it. Or nothing's stopping you from making your own WTH Wednesdays posts too :)