Okay, so much for my plans for today

Lydia just called to complain about the physicians putting together the DOT study. Again, they're nice guys and they have good clinical ideas and they mean well, but I'm not sure that research design gets covered very closely in medical school. I have a feeling that we might not be remaining on this project very long - not unless they give us more control and more money.

She also tells me that, because the schools are closed today for Yom Kippur, she'll be bringing her 8-year-old son in to work with her. She'll be buying some sort of construction toy on the way, to keep him busy. Okay. "He'll probably have to hang out in your office."

Full stop.

"Um, what?"

"Well, there isn't much room in my office."

(This is admittedly true. I have a very large office, larger than Lydia's, able to hold three but a good size for two. Lauren's only sharing it two half-days per week. This afternoon will be one of those half-days.)

"Lydia, I'm not sure how much work Lauren and I are going to be able to get done with..."

"Oh, he's very quiet. He's very quiet."

Uh huh. He's a very quiet 8-year-old boy who won't get bored or loud when asked to spend the entire afternoon in an office.

And one more thing: Lydia's decided that it would be good for us (by which she actually means me) to submit a couple of papers to the Society of Behavioral Medicine's annual meeting in April. I agree - it's one of my favorite conferences. But the submission deadline is tomorrow. "That won't be any trouble, will it?"

Nah, how could it be? Maybe her son can help me write the abstracts.

My first goofy LJ survey

Everyone else is doing this, so it must be the right thing to do. *bleat*

Number of people on my lj friends list: 20
...whom I've met in person: 17
...whom I've met in person more than once:
If you count successive days at the same con as separate meetings, 17. If you require occasions separated by going home (not just back to the room), 10.
...whose house I've been to: 4 (in some cases not their current house.)
...who have been to my house: 6. I think. At least 2 more came to my town to see me, but never saw my apartment.
...whose precise geographic location I know offhand: (city/state?): Allowing the imprecision of "the Bay Area": 18.
...whose full names I know offhand: 15.
...whom I've followed/been in touch with for more than 3 years: 8. That's only counting people I've had personal interactions with for more than three years - there are others whose posts I've been reading longer.
...who live outside my country: 2.
...whose journal I consider myself "addicted" to: 0.
...whom I've lived with: 0.
...whose ex I slept with: Oh hell, I can't remember who y'all have had sex with. Um, I think there are 3 people on my list with whom I have had partner overlap. But I may be miscounting or misinformed.
...who I've done: (done = had sex with?) 2.
...who I've done recently and will probably do again soon: 1. Plus 1 "depends on how you define 'recently,' and 'soon.'" *waving*
...who I'd do (and haven't yet): I couldn't really say, so I suppose you'll all just have to try flirting with me and see how far it gets you.

I just wanted the bobblehead doll

You know how credit card companies set up in public places, and offer you some sort of prize or giveaway if you'll fill out an application? And you get the prize even if later they turn you down for credit?

We went to an Orioles game Labor Day weekend, and they were doing that. Fill out an application, get a Cal Ripken bobblehead doll. I was entranced. I'm not the biggest Orioles fan, but it just seemed like I ought to have a bobblehead doll to put next to my beanie transgenic knockout mouse and my Queen Armadillo. So I filled out an application for an official Major League Baseball credit card.

I expected to be turned down, of course. We had money troubles last winter, and I missed a couple of credit card payments. We've been getting the kind of credit card offers in the mail that they give you if you have marginal credit: secured cards, cards with high interest rates, cards with big annual fees. I had in fact just been turned down for a new credit card at the National Zoo in June. (I wanted the panda T-shirt.)

But it arrived in the mail today. With a much lower interest rate and much higher credit limit than my current (and only) card. Bright red, with the MLB logo and the Atlanta Braves logo at the top. I'm irrationally delighted to see that, apparently, people trust me again. I can transfer my balance and cut up the old annoying card.

But you know, I just wanted the bobblehead doll.