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[jaydub]

A nice infographic on the topic: The Long and Winding Road to a PhD

I like the bottom line, "For many, taking the long, winding road to a PhD is still a worthwhile pursuit, all things considered.  But it is extremely important that you weigh all the downsides, difficulties and risks before committing to that first step."

Most especially worth noting, "The 2-Body Problem"

[wombat]

Granted that my background and experience may not transfer to every other field, but my advice is that a person should not get a PhD unless they are so passionate about a topic that they can't imagine living their life without doing it. At this point, success in academia has odds that are comparable to someone whose dream is to be a best-selling author or a rock star or a famous athlete. So you have to have that kind of drive and insane focus, where this academic subject is basically your art. You can't see it as a way to get a normal job.

I did not read all of that blog but what I did read is quite accurate about the practical aspects of the actual experience.

[jaydub]

a person should not get a PhD unless they are so passionate about a topic that they can't imagine living their life without doing it

The same can be said about marriage.  I was considering going into that in my earlier post

[jay-ell]

I think there's something in the water here that turns women into 1950s housewives or Martha Stewart clones or something.

I took a free gardening class at the community center on Saturday and learned a bunch of stuff about gardening that is specific to our climate and the challenges of working with our heavy, red clay soil. I learned tons and got all fired up about growing veggies again. I feel like I did OK with some of the stuff I tried to grow last year and definitely learned what not to do on the plants that failed.

Between yesterday and today, I spent about nine hours doing various work type things in the backyard, mostly while the kids "helped." I made a pine crate (you may have seen it on Facebook) that I am using as a plant stand to elevate some of the pots in my container garden for a nice bi-level effect. It can be used with the open end down as a table or stand (as I am currently using it) or turned open-end-up, lined with rocks for drainage, filled with dirt, and used as a deep planter. It cost me $17 in lumber and a few hours of time, I'm pretty pleased with it. Danger Boy was fascinated with this process and took to calling me "Mrs. Fix-It." Who is Mr. Fix it, I wondered aloud? Grampa, of course, he quickly replied.

I also decided I am going to try in-the-ground gardening this year, so Chaos Girl and I spent a few hours digging the top two feet of clay, roots, and rocks in the ancient garden bed we discovered under a thick layer of wisteria last fall. We loosened it up, tossed out all the big rocks and cut out the larger roots, mixed in a 40 gallon bag of garden soil and turned it under. Then I mulched over the top with some half-decayed leaves that have been sitting under the deck since last fall. I'ma let that cook for a coupleafew weeks and by the time we're ready to plant watermelon seeds (which came in the mail today, whee!) it'll be nice and blended.

We also started a compost bin, dug up some worms and talked about how they help the soil stay loose, discussed the differences between "clay," "sand," and "loam," and generally got plenty of fresh air, sunshine, and education.

[theinevitable]

none of those things sound like a 1950s housewife to me. 1950s housewife drinks something strong in her house-slippers and makes a black person tend the garden.

[KeithHernandez]

Don't forget about speed. 

And valium!

[jaydub]

I liked it, but then I grossed out the dog by farting so loud yesterday.

[greenkoolayd]

I liked it, but then I grossed out the dog by farting so loud yesterday.

must have been hella disgusting/impressive to gross out a dog.  [[high5]]

[theinevitable]

I forgot how much more alive the city feels during nice weather. Everyone is out on their porches. At lunch the diner was really busy, the windows open to a nice breeze, jazz music on the radio, and the Korean chef yelling at his waitresses for not knowing where the dumpling wrappers were. Got in a nice conversation with this lady next to me at the counter about good late-night dining spots. Felt like I lived in a bustling city. For some reason St Louis has multiple diners that are owned by Korean families, and serve bibimbap and bulgogi along with their normal diner fare. I am a big fan.

[Nabubrush]

Just now I realized I left my NR headphones on the Christing plane. Mackerel that is a pisser.

[pmcd9]

Just now I realized I left my NR headphones on the Christing plane. Mackerel that is a pisser.

Did Ash hack your account?

[Choop]

...wake up to a pollen count of juuuust about three thousand. this is my car.

[jay-ell]

For us, the Yellow Haze usually hits right around Easter. But my allergies are already killing me, it might come early this year.

[Nabubrush]

Choop, nice work on the piccie!

[theinevitable]

my roommate and another friend did a bar-crawl for their joint birthday. The room-dude ended up basically crying into his beer and telling us about how he has been a wreck ever since his girlfriend dumped him. I... would not have guessed.

Also, in honor of hot weather, I was wearing a hot weather outfit. button-down shit tucked into short khaki shorts, with sockless leather shoes. A girl approached me and asked if I knew I looked kind of preppy. How do you respond to that?