Guinea Pig

I am not up at 4:55AM because of my one year old, or rowdy neighbors, or insomnia. I am up because I would rate the pain level in my shoulder at 99 out of 100. As many of you may know, I am a sucker for giving back to science via being a guinea pig for research trials involving humans...and a sucker for the cash it pays. Among others, I have earned $300 for taking one dose of a diabetic medication (I am not diabetic) that had not yet been tested on humans, or a placebo. $200 for taking laxatives, or a placebo. $1,000 for going a month without and vitamin B6 and eating only bagels, jello, buttered pasta, and egg burritos for the whole month. And now I am being paid $160 to take part in a shoulder pain study. Day one they run me through these pain tolerance tests, and then have me work out my dominant shoulder until it is totally fatigued. Then the next four days I do the same pain tolerance tests. It turns out somewhere between 36 and 48 hours after the shoulder workout you experience the worst muscle soreness you've ever felt. And that's saying a lot considering I had rabdomyolysis about 2 months ago from trying to keep up with my brothers-in-law in a workout of push-ups and pull-ups. So, now I am awake because the pain is keeping me up. Did I mention I can't stretch or take any anti-inflamatories?
Sorry for the griping. I had to tell someone, and I didn't want to wake up Val. The good news is that I have been in the control group for all of these studies, which means I don't have diabetes, constipation, a B6 deficiency, or shoulder surgery.

Minutia Monday

I know I'm super inconsistent with blogging. I know I only post a blog on average every other week. Don't judge me.
But for real, I'll update soon. I'm currently on a campaign to finish the first draft of this thesis by homecoming weekend (no particular reason I picked that weekend, just that its in October). Hoping to finish or clear prior by December.
The campaign is going terrific so far. Every time I sit down I realize how much closer I am to finishing, and I simultaneously get reenvigorated with my research.
Valerie is also starting to flyer for window washing for me, so I can make some extra money aside from my current job. Long term plans? Well, i don't want to publish those on the internets. Big brother, you know.
On an unrelated topic, Football season at The Swamp starts 7 weeks from this coming Saturday. I won't speak on this anymore right now cause there's just too much to say. Also, HP6 comes out tomorrow night and yes, we will be there sans Carver, although Doug at work reminded me it would have been sweet to bring him with a lightning scar and me and Val dress up like James and Lily, to which I said, yeah, neat if you want me and Valerie to be STRUCK DOWN!
Anyway, see you.