Ecology: Not a Real Science

I like how Ecology, the class that teaches on a huge quantity of theories, ideas, and models (that almost always fails to portray the reality or be supported by hard data) is the class where I get my first non-A.

I can understand completely if it was Zoology or something because that course was legitimately tough. Ecology on the other hand, was pure and utter trash. I haven't talked to a single person thus far that has enjoyed this course or has nothing to complain about it. The labs did nothing to truly reinforce our lectures and were accompanied by a grading scheme that docks more on formatting than it does on actual understanding.

To top it off, the grade curve is akin to a whale that's half submerged in water. A towering 'F' the size of the hump in the middle of the 'C's. Something is definitely wrong when your curve looks like an animal rather than a bell. Unless we're talking about bell-shaped animals like those from the Class Merostomata. But that's not the point.

At least Genetics worked out rather nicely. It also talks about neat things such as Epigenetics wherein a phenotypic change is caused not by a mutation or differences in DNA sequence but rather exterior changes (on the 'epidermis' of the DNA). Through methylation, one of the regions on your chromosomes become incompatible with RNA polymerase and no protein is produced. This means that if for example, a heterozygous person has their dominant allele methylated, they display a recessive phenotype even though they only carry one copy. That's neat.

I actually know a pair of twins that display such awesome science-ness. Hair wise, one's is wavy while the other one remains spiky. One has a type of joint fusion (I assume) and lacks the ability to move in certain ways while the other is rather flexible. Even speech wise and thought wise, there's an obvious disparity that no one would really think these two were twins if they saw the two together.

Speaking of which, I need a mutation in one of my genes. I need that dominant allele. I want to believe.


In other news...


Studying for Zoology after the Genetics final was.... exhausting, to say the least. Five hour crash course from 4 - 9, burning through every single term, phylum, phylogeny, apomorphies, structure, controversies, disease that we could think of... only to do more the next day. Managed to not get any work done after I got home since I was preoccupied with writing something (although I don't blame this in any way). Return to school the next day. Study again. I won't say that the cramming didn't help because it certainly did: there were many questions that I would've probably failed otherwise if we didn't reiterate them so many times non-stop... but after writing the exam, I still felt an awful taste in my mouth. I liked the jacket though.


To be honest, the whole of Saturday was rather... displacing. Studying was stressful, especially since it was Zoology. But it just felt... weird. Every time, I feel like it's not a place that I can fit into, like I'd have to change myself completely to have things feel right. Perhaps it really just wouldn't work out. Maybe it was just amplified awkward. At least for me.


Unlike most people, that actually got to rest the day afterwards... I instead had three straight days of training. I mean, it's good an all but... I would've at least liked just a day to rest first. I don't think it's natural for my arms and legs to hurt when I move them. The four hours of sleep nights maybe, but the pain... probably not.


80 wings are apparently a lot. Especially for four people: one being a female and the other being something that had some dinner before coming out (he should've told me he had dinner before I ordered...). Still managed to eat all of it or we'd have to pay double the price for all the remaining wings. I'm quite sure I had at least a third of them. Haven't karaoke'd in a while either so that was refreshing, even if my singing (as always) is rather sub par. That's with me being a little generous. Also, I think this was my first time driving on the highway since I got my license more than 2 years ago. Rather poor decision what with all the snow and potential ice... but at least I'm still in one piece.


Watched Sweeny Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street the other night. Fabulous movie. I really love musicals, they're so brilliant. The story was really sad... poor people being consumed by revenge. The movie was not scary... but it was really disturbing because of the juxtaposition of cheerful singing and dancing with the morbidity of the content. I'd recommend watching it if you don't mind the random throat slitting here and there. Also, Judge Turpin is a complete creep.


I still feel crushed by the weight of three major things in my life. Well, it's what I get for poor decisions, lack of judgment, failure to speak at the appropriate time, and being.