Need more motor in my motor-vate...

This is bad.  Very bad.

I'm using lab work to procrastinate on class work.  Ok, technically right now I'm using blogger to procrastinate, but this morning the former was true.

I should be studying for immunology (whee! neutrophil enzymes!) and for my systems biology exam on Monday but no....I decided to work on my fellowship application.  Er, applications.  *sigh*  This is dangerous territory.  Yes, I was being productive and the fellowships are due in the beginning of December, so it's not trivial stuff....but if I'm not careful I'll be rocking my lab work and failing all my classes :-(

Oh, for those of you science-minded, I'm applying for an NIH F31 (NRSA) fellowship (application almost identical to an R21).  For those of you non-sciencey people, this means I'm writing a 6 page proposal for a specific project that I want the National Institutes of Heath to give me money to study.  I get to convince them in 6 pages that 1) the disease I want to study is important 2) there's lots of sound science out there supporting my hypothesis 3) I can efficiently test my hypothesis and have backup plans should experiments fail 4) that my idea is innovative.  I also have to convince them that I'm generally awesome, have an awesome mentor at an awesome school and that they are investing taxpayers dollars in the career of a future brilliant scientist.  Riiiiiiiiiight......
I used the plural "applications" b/c I'm actually writing two, which are semi-related.  Which-ever comes out the best will be the one I actually submit to NIH.  These also happen to be the two projects my mentor wants me to develop for my thesis, so it's all inter-connected and will serve an important purpose (project proposal to my committee!)  regardless of my ability to woo NIH into giving me money.

Oh, and it's not like I'd be making bank or anything.....it's really all for the glory of saying "I am funded by NIH". ("bitches" could be added at the end of that, depending on context of delivery.  For example, it would be appropriate to brag "I am funded by NIH, bitches!" to snotty medical students questioning the validity of a veterinarian doing research, but probably best not used for interview applications)

POLL RESULTS:
On a completely different note, the consensus of my dear 5 readers is that the rambles shall continue, un abated.  Well, it was confirmed to me that I actually have more than 5 readers and I should have had the poll up longer, but considering the response I got was unanimous for keeping the blog as it is, I'm not too worried about it :-)  You like me!  You really like me!!!!!

But my professors aren't going to like me if I don't get on top of this studying....so back to the books!