I have less than an hour until my last final exam. (Well, technically I have one tomorrow, but I made it a take home exam, so I don't have to actually come in. And better yet, the website that administers the take home exam also scores it! Bonus!!) So at the moment I have nothing to grade, and the stuff on my to do list is long-term stuff that I don't feel like starting, which means that I am typing up some random thoughts.

• Why is chocolate covered popcorn so addictive? Part of why I'm typing this list is to stop me from stuffing more of it in my face. Don't spend $10 for a small container at the grocery store. Make it yourself!! I popped the popcorn in the air popper, and melted half a bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips. Spread the popcorn on a sheet pan, drizzle melted chocolate on top, use hands to mix together and get every piece of popcorn a little chocolate. The hardest part is not eating it immediately. After about two hours, the chocolate should be hard again. Yum!!


• It is wicked cold outside. AND we're supposed to get a ton of snow tomorrow. I'm glad that I did my x-mas shopping on Tuesday.


• X-mas is a week away and I must admit that I'm not very excited. I'm more excited about the fact that I have 5 weeks off this winter break!!!!


• iPhones kick ass. I am completely converted.


• I wore the redeemed slippers yesterday. While they are still not nearly as cute as everyone else's, they do serve their purpose (now that they fit). I think I might try another pair.


• For a committee that I'm on, I volunteered to do a huge piece of work. The other two members of the committee didn't seem inclined to stop me, and were more like "go ahead! enjoy! it can be your baby!" And while it is a lot of work, it isn't that much work and it looks good on more tenure form.


• I really hate that I have to think about everything I do in terms of my tenure form. I still have 3 more years before tenure!!


• Oh, and I think I probably ruined some researcher's x-mas. I had to review a revised version of an article, and while the other reviewer liked it, I hated it. I had liked the original article, but the revisions basically revealed that the research wasn't as interesting or important as the author's contended. The editor used mostly my comments and suggestions in her rejection of the article (well, not rejection... but a second "major revisions needed" doesn't bode well). All I hope is that I don't have to review it a third time!


• Are you watching the panda cam (and other animal cams) from the San Diego zoo? If not, you should be. I've watched all kinds of awesome things. Yesterday, I watched as the polar bear played "catch" with a rubber ball in the water. It was so much fun. I've also seen the elephants playing, and the mama and baby panda playing. It is a great thing to have on in the background when you are bored.