Anticipating her grades for her first exams!

After hours of study, I don't know how I did on my exams.
I think I did well on my Genetics exam, as I focused most on this course. Sarah and I spent a lot of time reading, and rereading the lecture notes, listening to the recordings, and making note cards to quiz each other, so hopefully we managed to get good grades.

The Organic Chemistry exam might not have went as well as I had hoped. After doing all the homework, and going to class everyday, I don't know how I managed to miss important test concepts.
I need to review acid base reactions again and resonance structures! Even after watching and following Steve, I think I froze up on the test. I didn't have time to finish the resonance structure problem in the end. I might have done two :( Alexander gave us some free tutoring and it was very helpful, but for some reason we both felt that Dr. Bhomik was being tricky :) He often jokes about how he is not "tricky" and he merely expects us to really understand the material, but under the time constraints of the exam, I wasn't able to visualize the concepts learned while doing homework at a level to repeat the thinking process on the test. Practice, Practice. Next time.

Anyway, we did have fun doing a purification process called Recrystallization. (Picture above), and got some hiking done at Red Rock :)

Rathany is in love with Steve, the free lance Organic teacher.

Organic chemistry is scary to me. So far, I haven't found it to be that difficult, but perhaps I haven't gotten into the nitty gritty of it all. I have heard too many horror stories so I've been careful not to fall behind. I found Steve from Youtube. I really like him, his instructions are so very clear- just they way it should be explained to someone who has never been exposed to organic chemistry, and doesn't have a very good memory. Professor Bhomik has a very heavy Indian accent and I can't understand his lectures. I tape record them and still can't understand it:( I know he is a very knowlegeable and helpful professor but I needed to find a quick solution to my problem. Steve offers a pay-if-you like lecture/tutor via Youtube. But lives in Berkeley. I would love to visit him before my final :)

I searched Resonance Structures on youtube, and found him. You can reach his videos from him website as well. http://www.freelance-teacher.com/videos.htm, but these are the lecture videos I have been watching. I am now a resonance structure drawing pro :) Thank you Steve! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S9AMWGN_pyY&feature=PlayList&p=A0D83886239F1E58&index=0&playnext=1.

It feels just like a classroom when you put Youtube on TV at home.
I can pause, rewind and repeat as many times as I need. It is especially helpful because I can't always be away from home because Herbie has not been able to get accepted into Infant University yet ;-)

New Schedule Fall 2009

Left: Distillation of mixture of hexane and toluene using a Hickman Still.
Right: My new home at the Palms for the weekend.


I have been pretty busy getting adjusted to my new schedule of classes, and my new home on the weekend, which is a super nice "Technology Center".

My new schedule of courses are:

Organic Chemistry I - Dr. Pradip Bhomik
Cell Physiology Bio 445- Dr. Frank Van Breukelin
Molecular Genetics Bio 304- Dr. Andrew Andres

M BIOL 304 830-945 OCHEM 10-11:15 BIOL 445 2:30-3:45

T CHEM 241L 11:30-2:30

W BIOL 304 830-945 OCHEM 241 10-11:15 BIOL 445 2:30-3:45

R Study

F Work
SS The Palms

I have rarely been able to find the time to do anything other than school, Herbie, study and do Bikram yoga whenever time permits (I have done it 3x's this week, go me!) and of course go to work. It's been a pretty rigid schedule but I like keeping busy. It helps me keep my focus.

Herbie is beginning to crawl, but hasn't figured out exactly how to do it. He has been able to get on all fours. http://herbinatorii.blogspot.com/

Herbie's grandmother and great grandmother visited him this month. (Lucy and Doris) I was able to get my sushi fix more than enough times this month :)

Kanpachi, from Sumo Sushi. Spices for Garam Masala, and then toasting.
We also had another super nice treat at Roy's: Tuna Poke, Tuna Sashimi, Sirloin.

But, eating in has been favored so I took on a new task to learn how to cook my favorite food, Indian. I attempted to make Saag Paneer, Chicken Masala. I have become an expert at making Basmati Rice.