WTF Squid?! Where ya been? What's Going Down?

[Squid]

I was without internet for a while since I recently moved from one apartment to another here in San Marcos, Texas.  I've successfully pushed my way through my first year of graduate education here at Texas State University, but it's not over yet.  I still have one more year to go and a thesis to do.  I've settled on a replication study (if I can get the chair of my committee to give me the thumbs up, I'll go ahead with it) of salivary cortisol as a biomarker for stress in undergraduate college students.

I end my current job as a youth advisor for a local school district on May 30th and begin my new job as a research assistant in the psychology department June 2nd and start my summer class for advanced multivariate statistics on June 3rd.

Now that I have the 'webs back, I hope to pop in more often (I sometimes miss those debates on creationism and evolution - even though it was usually a futile effort) and even update my blog - hopefully.  Although I may disappear from time to time as I work on my thesis project and process or some projects for the lab.

So what's new around here?  Any knock-down, drag-out battles I miss?

[Will]

Welcome back!

It's mostly just the usual this and that. "What makes you an atheist?" is replied to many times by our members and the thread starter never seems to come back... or "I believe that religion is logical and reasonable" followed by "um, no. Here's why..."

[jcm]

Well we have been able to chase off a couple jesus freaks lately. Gosh that is fun.   run!

[SteveS]

Congrats on the progress, Squid, its great to have you back around.

I end my current job as a youth advisor for a local school district

Just don't let them drum up any "corrupting the youth" charges, or convince you to drink any hemlock....  

[Whitney]

Hey...welcome back.

Not much going on here other than some format changes....it seems that once any decent discussion starts with a theist that the theist leaves for unknown reasons; so no interesting discussion of that sort have occurred (that I can think of).

[Squid]

Cool...good to be back around again.

[McQ]

Hey, buddy! Welcome back. Thanks for the update. Sounds like things are rolling along ok with you. Not much to report here. I've been avoiding any evolution/creation stuff because it is so damn futile, as you mentioned. It's just too depressing when people argue biology and genetics and they don't have the slightest clue about either one, except what they've copied from "Answers in Genesis".

[Squid]

It can be a lesson in seeing how long it takes for your patience to wear thin.  I always found it paradoxical that some many in this country hold science up as being important yet much of the populace lacks even basic knowledge and the importance only applies to things that they like or that don't offend them in some way.  Quite sad.

[MommaSquid]

...I've settled on a replication study (if I can get the chair of my committee to give me the thumbs up, I'll go ahead with it) of salivary cortisol as a biomarker for stress in undergraduate college students.

Wait...you're going to ask stressed-out undergrads to spit at you?  And then study the spit?      lol

Seriously, though, I envy your ability to stay in school.  I really should go back, but I'm totally lazy.  

Welcome back to the forum.

[Squid]

Nothing better than a lab refrigerator full of vials of spit!