Driving behavior as a (metaphorical) vehicle to psychoanalysis

I've always considered people's driving behavior as indicative of their more primative tendencies. When I'm watching a person drive, to me it's as if he is saying, "If I myself weighed 2500 pounds and possessed the strength of a normally-sized human being many times over, this is how I would act." It turns out most people in Lubbock, if they commanded such body mass, would be pricks.

Just another day at OBU

From an e-mail sent today by the main IT guy on campus:

We have become aware of a problem with outgoing email to any email account associated with AOL. AOL has tagged the OKBU.EDU domain as sending spam to AOL accounts. They are currently blocking all incoming email from our domain. We are working to correct this issue and will keep you informed. AOL's site lists the problem as follows:

There is at least one domain in your email that is generating substantial complaints from AOL members. AOL blocks emails that contain domains that may have been previously used to send unsolicited email or inappropriate content such as personal information solicitations. These blocks mainly target clickable links, but may also block non-clickable domains.

As you can see, AOL's determination to block email from our domain may be due to issues outside of my control. We have initiated contact with AOL to determine the cause and to attempt to rectify the problem. Thank you for your patience and understanding as we work to get this fixed.

QED, folks. QED.

Cats, rain, and "The Departed"

Lubbock weather is such a tease. So many mornings make me think, "You know what? It just might rain today." But by noon the sky is cloudless and the sun is merciless. So much for that. This morning was completely overcast, so I really had my hopes up, only to see them dashed once again. I am, however, happy to announce that, as I type this, it actually is RAINING! With lightning and thunder and wind and the whole nine yards!

Man, I love rain.

Our two resident cats were particularly restless this evening, so I brought out Mum's long piece of yarn and ran laps through the living room and kitchen, with Cricket (the kitten) hot on my trail. He makes me laugh so hard. I've forgotten how funny kittens are.

I was perusing my roommate's movie collection and found "The Departed." I had such high hopes for that one when I saw previews for it, and I even waited in line to see it on its opening day. For some reason, though, I really didn't enjoy it, and for the life of me I could not figure out why. It had everything I would ever want in a movie: a clever plot, rock solid performances by all the main characters, a few gun battles here and there, and more temptingly-quotable-but-hilariously-vulgar one-liners than I could ever want. It's bothered me ever since I saw it (just the one time), so I popped it in again this evening and watched it again. I have to admit, I enjoyed it much more this time around. I suppose I just wasn't in the right mood for it the first time. I dunno.

That's all I have for now. Tomorrow I'm jerry-rigging some time-lapse photography slides for some very stubborn Drosophila embryos. I have to wake up in about 6.5 hours, so I'm calling it a night.

Joan of Ark was burned at the stake on my birthday

Am I a heretic if I believe this?

The 2006-07 school year, in quotes

"That wasn't nearly as popular as their hit single, 'Purifying the Environment.' "
- Dr. Jerry Faught, commenting on a group of singing Tibetan Buddhist monks


"Human body is nothing. You can fry it with a lot of things."
- Dr. Albert Chen


Student: "See, I was right!"
Dr. Chen: "No, you weren't right. I just made mistake."


"This called 'annihilation' process. I call it 'kill each other' process."
- Dr. Albert Chen, commenting on matter-antimatter reactions


"I wish you wouldn't ask me that question, Alfred. That makes me really sad... I bet you didn't expect that would bum me out so much, huh."
- Dr. Nathan Malmberg, in regard to a question about nomenclature of polyfunctional molecules


"In chemistry, 'degenerate' does not mean having loose morals."
- Dr. Michael Jordan


"Hey guys, only... one, two three, four... one, two, three four, five six... only ten more tests, you done with my class."
- Dr. Albert Chen


"I just didn't want you to have this image of a bottle brush sweeping out your poopy rectum."
- Dr. Dale Utt


Student: "So are these all concept questions [on the test]?"
Dr. Chen: "Mostly concept. Depend on how lucky your finger is, so go to church this Sunday. Have good prayer."


"So that's the happy story of pregnancy. You all need to go thank your mothers, because they had you, you little parasites."
- Dr. Dale Utt


"I would be a lousy conjoined twin."
- Dr. Dale Utt


"Cleaning is not a stress reliever. That's called 'obsession.' They make pills for people like you."
- Dr. Brad Jett


"I do not have a man-crush on Alexander the Great. It's a historical infatuation."
- Dr. Bobby Kelly


"Let's be completely irrational for a minute."
- Dr. Randy Ridenour


Student: "Why did you decide to come to a small Christian university, Dr. Malmberg?"
Dr. Malmberg: "Because I'm a small Christian."


"I will not say something not right."
- Dr. Albert Chen