Bridge or Chasm

Well, I definitely didn't mean to leave the blog hanging with my big "fuck you" to God, whoever that may be. But work on the dissertation intervened and, after 13 hour days in working on my computer, the last thing I want to do is write for myself. 

The data analysis for the species distribution modelling chapter I am working on ended up taking a couple more weeks than I thought it would, mostly due to the steep learning curve of running all of the data cleaning and analysis and model building in R. No matter how much practice I get with R, when I head into a new area, it poses just as many hurdles as the old area did. I did take an excellent species distribution modelling class with Janet Franklin, who literally wrote the book on the topic. And I picked up infinitely valuable R code from that, but adapting it to my somewhat peculiar data has proven very challenging. 

In particular, there are many ways that working with geospatial information in R is challenging, especially if prior experience has been using QGis or another more visual interface. 

Anyway, It's been an intense couple of weeks, where model outputs for the chapter have taken days to accomplish. But I am finally in a position to start writing this weekend. 

In other news, my left eye went on the blink (hahahahahaha) about two weeks ago, due to PVD, posterior vitreous detachment. This is fairly common and nothing can be done about it, but it's annoying, because part of my field of vision is obscured and there are tons of floaters. It does get better over time, supposedly, but one is supposed to take a six week hiatus from running, which sucks. I keep meaning to go to the ASU gym and use the stairclimbers and rowing machines, etc, but I have not. 

Another big thing is that the first three month follow up on my PSA levels was last week and the reading was identical to three months ago, elevated at 4.4, but holding steady. My urologist seems unconcerned, so I am cultivating a lack of concern as well, to the best of my ability. 

It's weird to realize that I am usually in Baja by this time of December, to do field work. I miss it and I miss being able to just split as soon as school nonsense is over but I also feel good about staying on task toward the goal of defending in April. 

Maybe next time I go, it'll be a true vacation