I won an award.

So many things to update on. I've been meaning to post this all weekend, but every time I come here I end up thinking of other posts I want to make and just adding draft posts to my list. Anyway, now that I'm actually here at school, working on my writing, I need something to do whenever I get stuck. I started out today by making one the corrections that Uta had suggested. I need to good short descriptive titles for my treatments and use them throughout the entire thesis. I started doing that, and then got stuck in the wording of my hypotheses. At least I made it through the introduction.

Back on topic, what I've been trying to say, is that last Friday I won an award. The award consisted of a little bit of money and a good am out of honour. I presented some of my research at the Latornell Research Forum and my talk was judged to be the best. This Forum is one of the programs the Latornell Endowment Fund runs annually through the U of G. It was a small gathering of grad students, undergrads, faculty, and people from the conservation sector in Ontario. Arthur Latornell was very interested in supporting the development of young people in conservation careers and he gave his entire estate to the University to set up these programs. I have a really neat little biography about him that I have been intending to read for the past while. Once the April showers (and snowstorms) have passed maybe I'll get to spend some time outback working my way through the dangerous stack of books on my bedside table.



Doug just called me away from my computer to show me this:



Yes, this is a sun visor made out of the skin of Cane Toad which is a highly invasive species in Australia. Doug has been obsessed with Cane Toads for much much longer than I have know him. Every course he teaches includes a class on invasive species biology where he shows a film made in the early 1980's about the movement of Cane Toads across Australia. He even has a preserved Cane Toad sitting on the hearth of his fireplace at home. Somehow, he found this and deems it to be the ideal gift for a invasion biologist. I said he could give, "a toadally serious lecture wearing that disgusting thing". At least then everyone would know he really is crazy.

I have many other items to cover today, but I feel the need to return to my thesis for a bit. I might be back later. Knitting Group is almost over for the summer semester, so I won't be going there tonight. We're having a special session on Thursday this week. I am planning on knitting at home tonight, of course. These little guys will be on the agenda:



More muffin buns! These will be Easter treats for the little puppies that live at my parent's house. They love knitting and they will love throwing these around, for sure. The ears will probably be ripped off the first night. I also need to finish off another accessory for the spring challenge. Luckily my mitred square bag is flying off the needles.

Tomorrow I'm judging the regional highschool science fair, so I'm sure I'll be back with some observations on scientific communication,
Cass