Hello All,
I recently got the most amazing news, and totally unexpected, but the shortest paper I've yet written, and one that promises to be quite controversial, was accepted for publication in my favorite peer-reviewed journal! Whooo! I am so surprised because I wrote it last Christmas on a whim, and the first journal I submitted it to, a very respected German journal for evolutionary biology ("Naturwissenschaften"), turned it down hardcore. Like 2 of the peer-reviewers just flat-out said it was the most ridiculous scientific paper they'd ever read! This journal, which will remain nameless at the moment, is THE top journal for those whose work is at the intersection of biology and philosophy. Imagine my surprise that I submit the paper there-- with no editing by the way because my thesis adviser said she thought it looked fine!-- and the Editor-in-Chief e-mails me back A WEEK LATER that he likes it a lot and just wants me to trim it down by a couple of hundred words! I mean, it is almost unheard of to have a paper accepted that fast. Rockstars like Richard Dawkins and David Haig get papers accepted that quickly, but a totally (as of yet!) unknown theoretician?! A mere Master's student?! Typically, if you weren't aware, peer-review takes up to 4 months. The journal you submit a research paper to sends it to 2-4 people specially picked (usually well-known professors in the areas your paper touches on) who are likely hostile to your research and asks them whether it's any good...
Regardless, it's pretty damn nice to see that someone besides my professors here at USF think I'm on the right track. And, any publications will make it much more likely that I get in Harvard this year for my PhD. They (and 6 other schools!) turned me down last year when I applied for their PhD program in OEB. Turns out they had to cut their graduate admissions in half in fact because of the financial meltdown. With Harvard, they told me flat out that any other year I would've gotten an admission offer. But, anyhow, one publication is what I need right now, to get me started on the path of getting all of my papers accepted. So another year in Florida is turning out to be a good thing.
I have 3 more papers that are in peer-review as I write this, each at a different scientific journal, so let's keep our fingers crossed that these reviewers see what the Editor-in-Chief who accepted my most recent paper saw...
In other news, I moved into a luxury condo building across from my old nemesis, USF's Residence Hall One, and I am lovin' it! It's just me, no more annoying alcoholic roommates with bad taste in music, beer and life in general, and the place was mostly furnished. Now I also have a nice swimming pool and work-out room to make use of. I'm definitely enjoying my freedom here to read a lot, write a lot and generally kick-back knowing some peasant slime (aka my old roommates at the dorm) won't bother me ever again. It's nice... My place overlooks the pool and, more often than not, when I wake up I can look out the window and watch some big-breasted hotties with tattoos swimming around in fairly skimpy bikinis. There's a bunch of these girls living in my building because of this Aveda hair salon training school down the street.
Well, when I get the editor's proofs finalized for the paper I promise to post it up here for you all to read!

Finally, everyone vote for Dublinkat to become a bonafide SG! She is sooo friggin' gorgeous and she sings opera and has awesome tattoos. I mean, damn, that is like my dream girl, a buff bipolar opera loving hottie, and I'm sure her husband and small child think the same!
Alright, ciao!