With every breath that I am worth here on earth

[exsequar]

So as you may recall, I've had to keep the fact that I've gotten into Jason's lab a secret from the people who it affects, i.e. other people who want to get into his lab. But it's been driving me nuts, having to lie directly to my best friends. So today this happened:

SCENE: Sidewalk, University of Michigan. STEFFEN and ANNE have just left FRANCISCO after lunch.

ANNE: Can I tell you a secret?
STEFFEN: Okay.
ANNE (rushed): I got into Jason's lab.
STEFFEN: I didn't think that was much of a secret!
ANNE: Oh! Why?
STEFFEN: Well, you haven't slit your wrists yet.

Touché, sir. Touché.

We (meaning my whole program - 14 people) had a conversation with our program director yesterday. He's kind of a douche, and we haven't had much contact with him, but he asked us for our feedback on the first year of the program. The issue of how hard it's been to get into labs came up, and we had a pretty good discussion. He highlighted explicitly that we are the first class in this program to run headlong into a fucking recession, and that it's affecting us profoundly, via how its affecting the professors. Everyone's tightening their purse strings, and we're getting a lot of the fallout of that. I personally hadn't drawn that concrete of a connection between the two phenomena, but it was really helpful, I think, because we've been resentful of the older students who are like "Oh everyone always finds somewhere they're happy! Don't worry!" but no, it's a genuine worry this year. Fantastic students are caught in limbo and honestly have no home yet. It's very sad. I am incredibly, INCREDIBLY lucky to have gotten exactly what I wanted. I'm a quite humbled by it, to be honest. Jason had an array of great students to choose from, and he... chose me. I only hope I live up to that huge vote of confidence. (Can I share one amazing statistic? Jason published SEVENTEEN PAPERS during five years of graduate school. SEVENTEEN. Seven in 2002 alone! INCLUDING 4 first author papers! INCLUDING A FIRST AUTHOR NATURE PAPER. How is he real?!???)

Francisco's still up in the air. I'm so sad for him, and sad for me likely losing him. Sigh. :(

More cheerful things! THE AMERICAN IDIOT BROADWAY CAST RECORDING HAS BEEN RELEASED! Yay!!! I just bought it and I'm currently basking in my first full listen-through. It's amaaaazing. *___* I might be a little biased, but my favorite so far is Are We the Waiting - STARK. His voice has this beautiful, subtle rasp to it and unffff. I also really love the Last of the American Girls/She's a Rebel mashup, with the gorgeous cello weaving in and out. Favorite Son is beautiful - it's nice to have a song that I haven't heard before. And Whatshername is exquisite. AW HELL THE WHOLE THING IS AMAZING. I know what I'm listening to for the next month. :DD

valmontheights found a super awesome preview video of the musical, with clips from some of the greatest numbers. UGH IT LOOKS SO AMAZING I WANT TO SEE IT TWENTY ZILLION TIMES. STARK SANDS YER FACE AND YER VOICE OMG. AND YER BICEPS OM NOM. <333

OH AND: A FANGIRL HEARD FROM JON HUERTAS HIMSELF THAT THE GEN KILL BOYS ARE PLANNING A TRIP TO NYC TO SEE STARK IN AMERICAN IDIOT. MY HEART GROWING TEN SIZES, LET ME SHOW YOU IT. :DDDDDDDD

Comments

[musical-emjay.livejournal.com]

OH MY GOD THIS POST.

IS FILLING ME WITH SO MUCH GENKILLRELATEDPEOPLE LOVE.

I CAN'T EVEN.

Firstly: STARK BUNKER SANDS YOUR FUCKING FACE. ♥ !!!!!!!!! Secondly: JON HUERTAS STOP BEING SO AMAZING I CANNOT HANDLE YOU. This is making me wanna bust out my GenKill DVDs like mad. Is it time for a rewatch? I'M THINKING YES.

(Also, that whole business with the labs is super scary :( I had no idea either that universities were being so affected by the recession that it would come to craziness like this. I guess it's good that you're totally amazing smartypants, huh? *smooch*)

[exsequar.livejournal.com]

I AM FILLED WITH SO MUCH WARMFUZZY GLEEEEEE MOYA. STARKSANDS. JONHUERTAS. BOOOYS.

I definitely, definitely need to do a GenKill rewatch. I've read so much fic, talked to so many people about it, I know it will be an even richer experience the second time around. I've rewatched some stuff but I think the whole thing is really worth reliving. Even though I want to throw my laptop across the room whenever incompetence happens, which is ALL THE TIME OMG.

Well, I mean, it's the simple fact that there isn't as much money around. Period. There are less grants being given out by far. So that converts into labs having less funds to support grad students, and the students without labs get the short end of the stick. :(

*mwah* darling. ♥

[queen-geek.livejournal.com]

Let's play a game called "Who is going to NYC in June and plans to watch the hell out of American Idiot on Broadway?" The game is really simple -- you point at me and I do a spazzy little dance.

I don't know if I've congratulated you on getting into Jason's lab, but dude, that is so awesome, especially given the tough odds you faced. YAY!

[exsequar.livejournal.com]

And in return you can point at me and I will ALSO do a spazzy little dance! :DDDD SO EXCITED OMG.

Aw, thank you! I really appreciate that. ♥

[oxoniensis.livejournal.com]

Argh, so difficult if you're having to keep quiet, and friends are still up in the air about their chances.

Are We The Waiting is my absolute favourite too - I play that at least once for every other track on the album!

[exsequar.livejournal.com]

I'm finally able to officially tell people, which is a HUGE relief. I walked into his lab and told my new labmates that I was joining, and they were all so happy! It was a lovely feeling. :D I can't wait to be back there.

Guh, it's GORGEOUS. It makes me get all weepy on my walk to school!