Reality TV - Should You or Shouldn't You?

Ever heard of reality television? Yeah, thought so. Who hasn't, right? Every year they come up with more and more shows based on "real life". Okay, so who's life are they basing this stuff on? "The Swan", "The Apprentice", "While You Were Out" - these are nothing like 'real life'. The current line up has expanded to include some show about gilligan's island castaways with people who look like the original characters. Um, these were made up characters of a show played by actors. Why in the world does a reality show base it's premise on recreating fiction? So much for "reality".

Of course, as everyone else has fallen prey to at least one of these shows, I too have gotten sucked in. I actually set aside time every week to watch.... "The Biggest Loser". Well, except for this week - too damn busy. This show is also not based in reality as most people know it. The premise is that there are two teams of six people and they compete to lose the most weight. This all takes place on an isolated ranch where they do not have contact with the outside world (abnormal situation #1). They are pitted against each other in very random "competitions" (abnormal situation #2). Each team is assigned to a trainer that apparently has given up all other work for the duration of the show (abnormal situation #3). But I still watch to see which person is going to get the boot and root for or against particular "players".

Now the show is planning on a second season (yeay!) and with that comes "The Search". Yes, that's right, they are searching the nation for new suckers to sign up for this grueling test of self-induced pain. Yes, of course I am applying! They ask for a five minute audition tape where we are suppose to express our personality and individuality. Um, yeah, anyone got any ideas about how to do that? I mean, really, does anyone really express a whole lot of anything in five minutes. I made the "mistake" of telling a friend of mine about this idea to make a tape. She got all crazy excited about it and recruited a friend of hers to help with the tape. As it turns out, he does do a fair amount of video shooting and editing. I'm already really excited about what we have taped and it looks like it could really be a nice little five minute clip of my life (if such things are possible).

The only major drawback to this whole experience is being cut off from the outside of the world. I like challenges and competitions (hence my strong desire to do my very best at any game or sport I participate in). And I don't mind strenuous exercise. In fact, I like it. I just don't have time for it with the graduate school demands. (Have I mentioned yet that NO ONE should go to GRADUATE SCHOOL in CHEMISTRY??) For the most part, even being cut off from the world isn't too big a deal. I don't get to talk to my friends or family that much as it is. I work crazy hours and a lot of them are at night (Don't Go To Graduate School!). The only person that I maintain regular contact with is my boyfriend. And here is the (major, major, major) drawback for the reality show - I have been looking forward to seeing him much more when I finish my thesis. If I am on this show, it will be any were from one week to eleven weeks that I won't see him. We don't see each other much more often than that now (last time we saw each other was mid-September) but we talk all the time on the phone and over the internet (e-mail or IM). So my level of excitement is diminished by my overwhelming guilt associated with the possibility of taking off for yet another two to three months. He's been so incredibly patient about my thesis writing, wacky hours, and limited resources. And how do I repay him? Take off for some reality tv show? Sigh. Being on the show would be a one-time chance of a lifetime but it might jeopardize the other chance of a lifetime (a fulfilling relationship with someone I love). Grrr. Darn reality tv that isn't based on reality at all!!

So waddaya think? He'll wait for me if he loves me and go for it? Or scrap the whole idea and accept my life and self as they are? I'm going with this current plan: make the tape and apply then deal with the consequences of deciding later if I am actually recruited for the show (I am not holding my breath - I think my chances are fairly limited).

First Post = Randomness that is My Life

I recently found out about this blogger site. My boyfriend referred me to someone's site and her posts were highly amusing. I do not expect to have the same success as, generally speaking, my writing is miserable. So, if you want a good laugh I would recommend: www.lexablog.blogspot.com

If you just want to read random stories about how you SHOULD NOT go to graduate school in chemistry... well, you have come to the right spot. The other reason you are here is that you know me and feel compelled to read what I've written no matter what. Thanks for the love! I appreciate it.

Why, you ask, am I writing on this blogger site if I think my writing it tremendously terrible? Well, that same boyfriend that referred me to this site recently posted his own blog. I'm sure you can see where this could go... In any case, it will be interesting to see if we write about the same circumstance/happening. I'm curious if it will be obvious that we are writing about the same thing. Funny how everyone's reality is their own. Oh, did you want to actually check his site out? If so, go to: www.angryorange.blogspot.com

He's going to be coming down to the US for Thanksgiving. He's canadian. I know, I know, trust me, they aren't as weird as you've heard. And they don't all talk with Minnesota accents either. I'm rather fond of my canadian. I do have to say, though, that the weather is a little sketchy up there. I pick on him relentlessly about this subject. I'm surprised he hasn't yet told me to just shut up. Maybe it is because he wants me to move up there. He aways tells me how great it is. But get this... I went up there then second week of Sept. and it snowed the night I flew in. SNOWED in SEPTEMBER. How can I not make fun of that?? Unfortunately, the weather channel is predicting snow for his visit over the holiday (in MI). sigh. Maybe it's us? Anyway, I think he's great and I'm keeping him around for a while. I recommend everyone find themselves a canadian because I like all of his friends and family too. Nice people, those snowmen.

I promised to rant about graduate school and why NO ONE SHOULD GO, at least not in chemistry. I don't even know where to begin. I'm mostly wrapped up in my thesis writing right now so I guess that is as good as anywhere. I am never going to finish. This is not because I am lazy or haven't done work or haven't written thesis chapters but because The Work Is Never Done. I kid you not. There is always one more experiment to run or one more paper to read. I am not the only one who suffers from the "never going to finish" affliction. Most of my peers do as well. If you graduate in four years you are a superstar. Most people take around five and I know two students who are three months into their seventh year! Good grief. That is just insane. I am in my fifth year. I was suppose to defend in august (four years = superstar = not me) and it didn't happen. Setting a defense date is, in itself, a major pain in the, um, rear. With my committee members going off on skiing holidays or chemistry conferences finding a time when all three can sit in one room for two hours is nearly impossible. Because of this wonderful world of committees, I probably won't defend until sometime in Feb. Blah. In the interum, it is expected that I continue to produce papers and/or new research results. Um, do I need to remind someone higher up that I was "done" this summer?? And so, this is the "never going to finish" disease. Some people's symptoms are different. One of the seven year students is here because she wants to get this "major breakthrough" in her area of research. If it happens, she will have a ticket to whereever she wants to go. But in the mean time, she's almost thirty and doesn't have a defense date. Other symptoms include the advisor refusing to admit that you have done your work and are ready to move on, not finding a post-doc position, or not finding a job. The no-job angle can keep someone suffering from "never going to finish" disease for over a year. I've seen it happen. It ain't pretty.

I can't speak about other areas of study. It seems as though they have a better time of it. But, then again, maybe it is just because only a few people go on to grad school in those other fields. I mean, if you remove 80% of the chemistry grad students, you would be left with a good portion who actually like what they are doing. The other thing about areas outside of chemistry (and hard sciences in general) is that they get summers off. We don't. It blows. We are indentured slaves (nearly). We get two weeks of vacation a year but we are expected to work six days a week and we don't get government holidays. The only holidays we get are those that actually affect restaurant and grocery store closings (ie: Thanksgiving and Christmas). I've been known to work new year's eve and I don't think I have ever taken July 4th off. And I am not an extremist! There are far worse stories of people working seven days a week and taking no holidays. At all! Of course, most of these people are from abroad and either don't celebrate the holiday, and/or have no interest in tagging along with someone to hang out with that person's family watching american football and eating food they don't like.

The upside to being in the hard sciences is the whole stipend deal-e-o. Let me be clear - this is not a money-making situation. We get a stipend but only the very frugal people actually save any. Most of us are pretty much paycheck-to-paycheck. Where is the upside, you ask? We aren't going into debt (or more debt in addition to undergraduate studies). Apparently, those happy people in the english department are relying on loans to suppliment their teaching stipends.

Have I convinced you to skip the chemistry (or mat. sci., bio, etc.) graduate school experience? I hope so. But if not, come back again some time when I have posted a few more stories... it is only a matter of time before you see the light.