oceantheorem | (no subject)

Today was very good. I learned some cool physics stuff. The only class I had today was Biochem and Molecular Bio with Noller. You know that picture that Rosalind Franklin took of DNA? The x-ray crystallography picture that they've been showing us since sixth grade and saying, "Look, this proves that DNA is a helix," and everyone sort of nods and pretends to see a helix in the cross pattern? Well, Noller started teaching us how to interpret x-ray crystallography today. So we talked about the physics of the technique, how light shines onto the crystalline structure and as it bounces off, if the light waves are in phase, it makes a bright spot on the wall, and by some fancy calculations or whatever (we didn't go all the way into that), you can figure out where the atoms are by looking at where all the bright spots are. So that x pattern Rosalind got is characteristic of a helix, but so is the smear at the top of the picture--that's called a meridianal reflection and it happens because of the way the light waves cross or something (I kinda didn't understand that bit). But you can figure out how far apart the atoms in the crystal are by how far apart the dark and light spots are, and you can figure out how many turns are in the helix by how far away the meridianal reflection is from the center of your picture. So there are ten little dark lines between the center of the picture and the meridianal reflection, and that's how they figured out there are ten nucleotide pairs in a single turn of the helix. Cool, huh? There's a lot more to it than that, and a whole bunch of other awesome theory about how they figured out the angstroms between the nucleotide pairs and whatnot. But since most of you don't care or are confused by now, I'll shut up.

But in short, that was the single best lecture of my entire life. You know how sometimes you'll sit and have a great, informative, interesting conversation with someone about something, and you'll learn something really really awesome that you want to tell all your friends? That was totally that lecture.

I went to talk to Noller after class because I needed him to sign my major declaration form. I've heard a lot of people say that he's really bitter and mean and that he doesn't like students, but he seemed to really like me. Maybe it's because of the schedule I'm taking, or how far I've come in the single year I've been in college, or because I asked him about his research (he discovered the structure of the ribosome and is currently a candidate for the Nobel prize). Whatever it was, I think we hit it off. I really like the guy and I think I'll go talk to him next Thursday about his research. And maybe ask him about grad schools. I mean, this guy is amazing.

Anyway, that's all I've got to report today. Oh, except for one thing.

In eighth grade I read A Little Princess about twenty times. I'd finish it and start over again. I love that book. I haven't read it since, but I started reading it again yesterday and now I remember why I adored it so much. I've worked my whole life to be the main character... And it's just such a heartwarming book. I came home after class and curled up in my bed (it's so cold here!) under my covers and read for a while and it made my heart all warm and fuzzy, and then I just curled up and took a nap. It was the most relaxing afternoon I've had in a long time. I felt filled. The only thing missing was the presence of another human being. At this point I'm not distinguishing between romantic male company and platonic friend company--it would just be nice to have another human being around. And to touch. I miss touch. Just like hugging, you know. Touching arms during conversation. Sitting next to someone on a couch. I feel really isolated.

Anyway. Thanks for listening. Tune in next week, same bat time, same bat channel, for the continued ramblings of Arak the Evil.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Hey, I loved that book too, though I can't say I particularly aspire to be Sara. Maybe Melchisedec...
I was just thinking I should reread it.... strange.

but... Melchisedec isn't a very well-developed character.

I know Sara has flaws, but she's a nice person and she makes the world a better place for everyone around her. Plus, she's smart without being arrogant. I like that.

Eh, Sara's too much of a girl.

You do realize you and Sara have the same number of x chromosomes?

She may wear pretty dresses, but she's still awesome in French and math and whatnot.

Unfortunate about the chromosomes.

"You say 'girly' as though it's some sort of disease." -Clewe

French, much as I love it, is pretty girly. Go into a French class and you'll generally find about the opposite ratio of girls to guys that you find in say, an engineering class. It's a fluffly literature thing, sort of like English. French's only saving grace is that... it's French.

And the math she's doing... You know I hated math until Thin Formal Fat Geometry with Two Rifts, and then I hated it some more until calculus?
Arithmetic/algebra (it's really about the same thing to me) is just sort of mindless and irritating. It's not hard, just annoying.

*laugh* All right, fine. You and Sara are pretty much opposites.

But I still love you both.

Banana.

Spiffy-sounding lecture! And that guy discovered the structure of the ribosome? That's awesome!

Yeah, it's pretty cool. I love UCSC.