and thus trumpets the victory of the english graduate student: first semester DOWN

- Golden Globe noms are out and LOST has a single "Michael Emerson" nomination. Ouch.  Michael Emerson remains the only claim to legitimate fame LOST has and it's BS you guys

- I've noticed that every time I've come into the grad student lounge the past few days, a certain undergrad at the front desk has followed me in, resulting in a fresh pot of coffee.  Is it Pavlovian? Am I an unrealized coffee tyrant? I confronted her today.
She stammered, "Um .. I always brew more when you come in, because you always drink coffee.  It's better fresh?"  She thought I was mad at her, when in reality I was trying to restrain myself from bursting into tears right there in front of Peter Logan and everybody. 
She has been added to my Christmas card list as "Coffee Queen" and we are COFFEE BIFFLES 4 LYF

- I trained for two hours yesterday at my new part-time job that will keep me fed over winter break. Most of the hours (based on my lazy availability) will be spent at the front desk of the fitness center, across from the cafe.  I am okay with this.  There is Internet and desk space to hide books, and there are definitely still free smoothies.  However, I am officially reevaluating my life:
The person training me gave me a quick tour of the center, indicating that on the rare occassion I see anyone improperly using a machine I should definitely call a trainer's attention to it.  Then she glanced over at me, LAUGHED, and said, "Oh, I'm sorry, I'll make sure you get an orientation session with each machine.  We'll schedule that next time."
I literally LOOK like I don't know what "working out" is.  20 minutes of "yoga" twice a week is clearly not doing anything for my delusional body image.  And I now work at the gym downstairs that I have free access to. 
Thus, a shameful, shameful New Year's resolution is born.

 - I hate when you get in the elevator with 6 other people and each of you hits a different floor number.  I hate that.  It adds like 8 seconds every floor the elevator stops on, and I inevitably am going to the uppermost floor of any building I enter.  The only socially acceptable option, once you've exhausted the light reading you've brought for the upward transit, is to curl up quietly in the corner of the elevator and nap.  To keep the rage at bay.

- Today was my last day as a Fall 2009 graduate student, and it. feels. awesome.