(no subject)
Hello world!
Yes, yes, it's me again. I know I havent been around lately...well, I have. But I'm in a little place of no real consequence now. Here, the world doesn't matter. Nor does here matter to the world.
So what am I doing here?
Well, world, I've taken up a doctorate (the Aussie version, not the Yank version). Yeah, yeah, I know. Insanity, right?! I thought so, too. I've been here for almost 3 months now. I can't believe it. I moved here with no prospective income, no where to stay, no friends. Three months on I have no income, a place to stay that sucks out all the money from my lack of income and some people that are maybe moving on from fellow lab slaves to prospective friends. It's taken me a while to feel like I'm settling in, but I'm getting there.
I miss my old life. But I guess I am excited about this opportunity. I'm learning things and doing things I never dreamed of - that is why I moved here to do this, right?
I work with little monkeys - common marmosets. They are about 15cm long, plus tail. There's 19 of them in our colony. Yes, our own colony! I help to look after them. In return they bite me, scent me, hump me, and get in the way of what I'm doing. Well, only some of them bite. A couple don't like coming near me. But plenty of them like to use me as their own personal scenting branch. Catching the bus home sure is a fun experience! And trust me, they do produce quite a smell for such a little thing. Damn good lungs, too - they have a screech that would make your ears bleed.
But they are damn cute. Some of them jump onto my shoulder to watch me while I'm doing stuff in their rooms. Then they like to check out my ears, or down my top, if they're not busy rubbing their smelly selves against my hand and forearm that is. Then when I'm tying things they like to hop onto my hands to get in my way. Fun times.
Today I had to put up a canvas room divider. A father and son were in the room with me. Straight away they found all the gaps that they could use to get to the other side. I'm not sure if I should say thanks for showing me immediately the faults in my curtain, or you smart little bastards! There was one section above their runway which was kind of flapping - the son loved it. Thought it was the best little "cat flap" ever! Then he'd jump onto a branch on the other side of the divider from me and just watch me from over the top, like he was taunting me...Hehe! I can see you! You can't keep me out!
Damn little tiny bodies!
But that's okay. I'm about to get my own back *giggles*
I'm going to be threatening them with potential predators :D My personal favourites are the predators they'll be able to hear but not see *giggles some more*
I suspect they'll hate me by the end of this.
Don't suppose anyone reading this is any good at electronics?
*fingers crossed*
See, I'm presenting my stimuli using a remote controlled box. That bit is fairly under control but I tell you what - it's been a damn pain in the arse! Building it myself (with my dad's help). But see, I was thinking of having the stimuli on a remote controlled car base. So like buy a R.C. car, take off the car bit and put some wood down the middle between the wheels and have the stimuli sit on there. But it needs to be damn big, with a strong motor. The stimuli can range up to around 50cm in length. They aren't more than a kilo in weight. Buying a car that would accomodate that size is bloody expensive. So I was considering buying the parts - get some big wheels, a motor, associated remote control, plank of wood and Bob's your uncle!
But I suspect it's not that easy...
Anyone got any thoughts?
...Oh yeah...it also needs to be a pretty quiet motor...
Yes, yes, it's me again. I know I havent been around lately...well, I have. But I'm in a little place of no real consequence now. Here, the world doesn't matter. Nor does here matter to the world.
So what am I doing here?
Well, world, I've taken up a doctorate (the Aussie version, not the Yank version). Yeah, yeah, I know. Insanity, right?! I thought so, too. I've been here for almost 3 months now. I can't believe it. I moved here with no prospective income, no where to stay, no friends. Three months on I have no income, a place to stay that sucks out all the money from my lack of income and some people that are maybe moving on from fellow lab slaves to prospective friends. It's taken me a while to feel like I'm settling in, but I'm getting there.
I miss my old life. But I guess I am excited about this opportunity. I'm learning things and doing things I never dreamed of - that is why I moved here to do this, right?
I work with little monkeys - common marmosets. They are about 15cm long, plus tail. There's 19 of them in our colony. Yes, our own colony! I help to look after them. In return they bite me, scent me, hump me, and get in the way of what I'm doing. Well, only some of them bite. A couple don't like coming near me. But plenty of them like to use me as their own personal scenting branch. Catching the bus home sure is a fun experience! And trust me, they do produce quite a smell for such a little thing. Damn good lungs, too - they have a screech that would make your ears bleed.
But they are damn cute. Some of them jump onto my shoulder to watch me while I'm doing stuff in their rooms. Then they like to check out my ears, or down my top, if they're not busy rubbing their smelly selves against my hand and forearm that is. Then when I'm tying things they like to hop onto my hands to get in my way. Fun times.
Today I had to put up a canvas room divider. A father and son were in the room with me. Straight away they found all the gaps that they could use to get to the other side. I'm not sure if I should say thanks for showing me immediately the faults in my curtain, or you smart little bastards! There was one section above their runway which was kind of flapping - the son loved it. Thought it was the best little "cat flap" ever! Then he'd jump onto a branch on the other side of the divider from me and just watch me from over the top, like he was taunting me...Hehe! I can see you! You can't keep me out!
Damn little tiny bodies!
But that's okay. I'm about to get my own back *giggles*
I'm going to be threatening them with potential predators :D My personal favourites are the predators they'll be able to hear but not see *giggles some more*
I suspect they'll hate me by the end of this.
Don't suppose anyone reading this is any good at electronics?
*fingers crossed*
See, I'm presenting my stimuli using a remote controlled box. That bit is fairly under control but I tell you what - it's been a damn pain in the arse! Building it myself (with my dad's help). But see, I was thinking of having the stimuli on a remote controlled car base. So like buy a R.C. car, take off the car bit and put some wood down the middle between the wheels and have the stimuli sit on there. But it needs to be damn big, with a strong motor. The stimuli can range up to around 50cm in length. They aren't more than a kilo in weight. Buying a car that would accomodate that size is bloody expensive. So I was considering buying the parts - get some big wheels, a motor, associated remote control, plank of wood and Bob's your uncle!
But I suspect it's not that easy...
Anyone got any thoughts?
...Oh yeah...it also needs to be a pretty quiet motor...