On the 3,304

So,
Yesterday I experienced quite a bump in readership. In fact, during that 24 hour period, I experienced 3,304 views. Any why? Because I posted a piece on reddit.... And apparently that is all you need to be successful.... So, enjoy this bit of humor!

On Volunteers/ Pick up your sharpies.

So, one of the most interesting discussions I had at CFICon was on the topic of being volunteers. Jen Beahan had noted the fact that as unpaid students we are all volunteers. 

This comment got a bit of dissent from a few people, and lead to several discussions later in the conference. Now, I certainly understand the idea of thinking of oneself as a member, or as an officer, or as a president (as I usually do). That being said, it is a matter of fact that we are volunteers. The two roles are not aren't mutually exclusive. We do not get paid for our work, and that adds some complexity to our situation. 

I generally feel that my work in student organizations and activism is some of the most important work I do. My job, however, is more vital. Without an income, I wouldn't have money to go to conferences, much less pay for school, or rent, or food. And without rent and food, I wouldn't be much help at all. That is why work has to be my #1 priority, because it is necessary to be able to continue my more important work. And unless you have fiscal support for some other entity, you are in the same position as me. 

And that can suck. It sucks a lot. For instance, I had to miss the Freethought Festival in Madison, Wisconsin because a coworker of mine had a family emergency, and I was assigned that shift. And I was VERY upset, because I was really looking forward to that conference. And going was the highlight of that month. And instead I got to pick up an extra shift. But I had to, because my continued employment is more vital to my continued existence. And all the good that I can do for this movement requires my continued existence. 

So, yes, we are volunteers. And to deny that is simply wrong, because it makes an active difference in how we must operate as groups and as a movement. That is why groups meet at times where students won't have to be in class, or when adults won't be at work. Its also why we can only do so much. Just as we are volunteers, we are only humans. We have a finite amount of time and energy. We can only put up with so much stress or disappointment. 

On Circumcision

I am currently a bit too exhausted to go into detail on my feelings toward circumcision, but luckily Alishba from Secularly Yours stated my general feeling quite well. Then I memed it... Because apparently that is what I do with my life now....

On Puddingology

Recently I have found myself using this argument from one of my favorite blogs BlagHag, so I made it into a meme for easier use. After all, I am from the internet.

Buffalo

So, over last weekend, I had the wonderful opportunity to travel to #CFICon, a leadership conference from the Center For Inquiry. Now, I have been to quite a few conferences over the last few years, and I have never been disappointed, so I was already pretty hyped. Then I found out it is in New York! I have been to New York before, and I loved it. Because New York is

Amazing, Beautiful, Busy, and a marvel of modern society and life.  

Then I was told it is in Buffalo, New York... 

I thought, OK, Buffalo, New York:

Then I was told NO! Its BUFFALO!

So I thought:

But really it was more like:

Certainly not bad, just not New York City.

That being said, the conference itself was at:

Center for Inquiry Transnational

Now, I throughly loved this conference, and had lots of fun, and lots of discussions, so expect a surge of blogging ahead!

Real Life Needs This

So, I really want real life to have scientific commentators. By the way, I am totally stealing this idea from Maki Naro at Sci-ənce!

Think about it, It would be SO badass to have scientific commentators. They could do everything from correct people's ignorance to... Well... Correct people's ignorance. I mean, to be fair, that is really all science does, correct people's ignorance. To be fair, Science corrects Mankind's ignorance, but same difference.

I wonder, who could we get to pay for them?

Why Being A Scientist SUCKS today

 Now that I have addressed why being a scientist rocks, I shall now explain why being a scientist sucks recently. Now, I have been going through some stressful time recently, and there are 4 things that really keep me going.

      1. Friends

(I love these people!)

     2. Food

(I am super hungry right now!)

     3. Science 

(PS I took this Electron Microscope Image of a diatom!)

    4.Song 

(I <3 Florence and the Machine)

That being said, recently the later 2 of my driving forces have been conflicting, and it is bugging the someone-else's-Hell out of me. For whatever reason, my scumbag brain has been noticing parts of songs that are scientifically inaccurate. 

Scumbag brain

Not the blatantly impossible stuff, like Nicki Minaj's Starships, but the just slightly inaccurate things. For instance, I really love the song shake it out, especially if I am in a sucky mood.

Listen to it now...

I prefer the glee version, only because it is more mellow... Don't hate me for this.

It's a spectacular song, and it brings my crappy mood down to a simmer. But recently, my sciencey brain has been saying no to the lyrics. The song's lyrics go like this 

I like to keep my issues strong
But it's always darkest before the dawn
Shake it out, shake it out...

But my brain says this 

I like to keep my issues strong
But it's always darkest approximately halfway between dusk and dawn depending on the conditions of the atmosphere as well as the moon and other celestial bodies
Shake it out, shake it out...

And it is bugging the shit out of me. My stupid brain is choosing to nitpick on a lyric of a song, and I can't get it to stop.... 

And that is why, right now, it Sucks to be a scientist. Because science ruins my music!

Science also sucks by creating a low pressure zone, but that is a different topic. 

Also, I need to buy more eggs.