I am a scientist not a murderer.

on monday, i had to wake up at 5.50 a.m. in order to make it into uni at 6.30 to meet everyone else so that we could go down to Wollongong together for a conference. that was by far the earliest i've ever had to wake up this whole year. anyway, as i was walking into uni, i passed all these houses that were darkened with their blinds and curtains shut, and realised that every house i passed had at least someone who was still asleep inside of it. it felt a little strange, but not in a i'm-so-jealous-they-get-to-sleep-while-i'm-awake sort-of way, but more like an oh-wow-they're-asleep-and-i'm-awake way.

it felt weirdly nice to think that i was one of a very few souls who were walking through a sleeping world.

anyway, we arrived at Wollongong and the patron for the science conference was this really old scientist who had Parkinson's disease. it was really hard watching this man give a talk to a room full of young able-bodied healthy people, and there he was, hands shaking viciously and body trembling the entire time. seeing him ravaged by this disease yet still plowing strong with his work and passion really made me think about issues like getting old; i don't want to get old and i don't want to (probably) have to suffer like he did. and then, seeing him made me feel ashamed, because, obviously i'm not as dedicated to science as i thought i was. i know for a fact that if i were struck down by parkinson's, i wouldn't be standing in front of an auditorium full of people, giving a speech about what current and future scientists would have to do to advance in research.

i digress. but those were the main thoughts playing in my head all week. i taught 60 students today in rotations of 12 students per time about urchins, how they spawn and fertilise, and their outer and inner anatomy. now my fingers smell like urchin death and are dyed purple by the pigments. also, i poked myself in the thumb with a hypodermic needle and now there's a big hole in it and blood won't stop gushing out. ok i lied, it's stopped gushing. HAPPY DAYS.