Did you doubt it?

A recent facebook chat with my good friend:

Kate

someone just did a dedication on the radio station...

"you are the glue that keeps this family together"

that's so over-used

10:31pmMelissa

yes, that is cliche

10:32pmKate

what about being the covalent bond that keeps the family together?

10:32pmMelissa

you are the intracellular pectin that keeps the family together

10:32pmKate

or the cofactor that keeps the family running

yeah!

10:32pmMelissa

you are the collagen that keeps this family tight

10:33pmKate

you are the laminin in my life

10:33pmMelissa

you are the insoluble fiber that keeps this family running

10:33pmKate

HAHAHAHA

you're like EDTA chelating the kids

10:35pmMelissa

you are the platelets that keep this family from hemorrhaging

10:35pmKate

you're the macrophages that keep this family healthy

10:36pmMelissa

you are the auxin that keeps this family moving towards the light

10:39pmKate

you're like phosphoglycerate mutase, you change this family

10:42pmMelissa

we are nerds

no doubt

Life as a Grad Student is:

Seeing how many days in a row you can eat the same left-overs without going insane.

School so far

Well, its been a while since I've posted last. My mom and I did have a fabulous trip and are definitely compatible travel buddies. I have such wonderful memories, and will forever treasure the time we spent together seeing our great country. It was a long-haul, but we moved my things in successfully, and had a lot of fun in the process. Thanks Mom!! I'll have to write a post about our trip sometime soon...

Its been a month now since I officially moved to Evanston, and I'm really enjoying my new life here. My little studio feels like home (complete with my now airplane-savvy cat), and is nice to come back to after a long day at school. I've now completed two weeks of classes, and have officially decided that they are really great. I'm taking "Field and Laboratory Methods in Plant Biology and Conservation" (which is the equivalent of two classes), and "US Environmental Law and Policy", which is an elective. My field/lab class is really hands-on, and I've been learning so many awesome things. It is team-taught by all the PBC faculty (Plant Biology and Conservation), and its wonderful to have each prof teach us the methods they use in their particular areas of expertise. Every time I go to class I am so inspired about possible research projects I could choose; I know I'm going to have such a hard time picking one. So far we've studied in the woods, the prairie, and in the botanic garden proper, and have done such diverse things as measure flower parts, set up "bee bowls" (where we drown bees and count their limp, soapy bodies), conduct floral density surveys, and use $10,000 GPS devices. The GPS exercises were especially sexy... the possible applications for their use in the field are incredible! I've decided that no matter what, I'm going to do some sort of research that needs one of those devices (even if I have to stretch things a bit!). The program just received a federal grant to create a GPS lab, so all our devices are brand-new and state-of-the-art. We even have a $15,000 device that is precise to 1mm, in real time! Man, I think I'm in love...

As for my Environmental Law class, I think its pretty swell too. The entire grade for the class is based on the final exam, which is a little intimidating, but I'm not too worried. The prof really seems like he'll do everything possible to enable us to pass with flying colors (in fact, we're having a practice final on Thursday). An environmental lawyer, the professor is incredibly eloquent and insightful. Throughout the 3-hour class, he never once refers to his notes or uses a powerpoint or anything, and yet manages to keep my attention the entire time. I've also been really impressed at how well he hides his bias; I really have no idea what political agendas he supports. He simply presents the material, describes how that particular law functions and what it means, and withholds his opinions as to whether it is beneficial or not. I am so thankful that I can just learn the facts without having to sift through political commentary.

My program has 10 incoming grad. students, all of whom are Americans, and 9 of whom are women. I'm not really sure what the male:female ratio is all about... its not like there is anything essentially feminine about plant biology. Coming from Biola with a 1:3 guy/girl ratio, I was hoping for a little better odds at Northwestern... oh well ;) As always, I am the youngest in my group (I think I've been the youngest in every school endeavor since kindergarten). There are also three other red-heads. That last fact really has nothing to do with anything, but is kinda fun. Everyone seems pretty nice, and I'm having fun finally getting to meet people. The two weeks I lived here without school were a little bit slow in the "meeting-new-people" department.

I guess that's all for now! I'll try to keep this blog up a little better...

Final Countdown

Well, Mom and I are leaving on the "NEVERENDING ROoAD TRIIIIIIIIIIP" tomorrow (it works best if you sing that to the tune of Neverending Story). I'm very excited and keep getting jitteries in my stomach! I'm really looking forward to the time with my mom, seeing the sites, and moving in to my place. My mom likes to play the part of a delicate old lady, but I think she'll be just fine on this long trip. She's really not old and is tougher than she gives herself credit for (and plus we're not really roughing it anywhere we stay). I think we're going to have a fabulous trip.

Its funny how whenever I travel I get all anxious about leaving something behind. I have to remind myself that I'm not embarking on an expedition through an uncharted jungle. If those anti-giant-chain-store documentaries are to be believed, I should be able to find SprawlMarts all across the fruited plains should I need Listerine or batteries. That is a comforting fact. I'm also encouraged in that the car has been packed for almost a week now, and I haven't come across too many things I forgot to include. Hopefully that means I did a good job. BTW, my dad is a hero when it comes to packing a car. I was convinced he couldn't get everything in, but somehow he managed. In fact, Mr. Engineer packed the thing so well that nothing even shifts if you brake kinda hard. What a guy!

I've accomplished some big things this week in prep for the trip. The biggest is that I finally am the owner of a cell phone! My sweet brother and sister-in-law offered to add me to their plan and share the cost. I am so thankful for them, its such a big blessing! Thanks to them, I'll now be able to leave the "I'm too poor to own a cell-phone" Facebook club. Obviously that's high on my list of priorities. I had fun going with my brother to get the phone: he's kind of a bad-ass. When we arrived, our sales-person showed us the two free phones that could come with the plan. The first was very cheap looking, and the second was only slightly better. My brother grimaced at the first one, brusquely flipped the thin plastic cover up and down a couple times, then muttered to me that they are both pieces of shit. We went and talked with the lady some more, and then he asked, "Can we see your other phones? Do you have anything inexpensive but durable? My sister just needs to be able to call and text, we don't need anything that can launch a space shuttle." The lady thought that was brilliant and kept refering to space ships throughout the rest of the transaction. It was great. I was touched when I got home that night and read my first-ever text message. He wrote, "Welcome to the future. I love you. Best of luck at Northwestern." Is he sweet or what? Aww.

Beyond the cell phone, I also bought a mattress today. Exciting I know. Sears has free nation-wide delivery on top of their 50% off mattress sale, so I couldn't pass it up. I got a very comfy plush full, and I have to say, I'm looking forward to doing homework on a bed actually big enough for my darn science books!

In addition to the mattress, I also went to the dentist yesterday. Its been over a year since I don't have insurance, but it was worth the out-of-pocket money. No cavities for me, thank you very much. I know you were wondering about that...

My librivox.org audio books are done downloading to my iPod now, so I guess its time for me to get off. I'll write about my trip when I can, but it will probably be 3 weeks! Don't get too eaten up with jealousy!

The Plan

So here's the plan for moving me from California to Illinois: drive my stuff out there, drive back, then fly out with my cat. My mom and I are going to do the road trip together (leaving July 25th), while my dad and I are going to do the flight with the cat (Sept. 2). I'm so thankful to have good parents to help me get settled in a far-away land. I don't know how I'd do all this without them!

The road trip with my mom is going to be pretty sweet. We'll be taking a week to get there, a week to get moved in, and then a week to come back. We're going to see 7 national parks and 12 states! One of my mom's life goals is to see all of the National Parks, so its great to see so many with her. We're going to see Zion, UT; Bryce Canyon, UT; Arches, UT; Badlands, SD; Wind Cave, SD; Yellowstone, WY; Grand Tetons, WY; (We'll also pop in to see Mount Rushmore, but that's only a national monument). We'll be staying a few nights at two of my grandma's time-shares, one night with friends, a couple nights in motels, a week in my studio, and the rest in tiny camping cabins (that'll be a first for us). I'm excited to get to see so much of America's finest, and am looking forward to the time with my mom. Feel free to check out our map, it zooms in and out (can I just say google maps is awesome?)

View Road Trip With Momma! in a larger map

Best Haircut EVER

First, let it be known that I do not usually enjoy getting my hair cut. The small-talk, the neck-tweaking, the bumbled description of the style I want, the tiny hair-shards forever embedded in my clothes... pretty much not my idea of a good time. However, yesterday I found the best place for a haircut (just in time for me to move away of course). Not wanting to look like a scarecrow at my brother and sister-in-law's super excellent 4th of July BBQ, I drove around yesterday looking for a salon that was open. I spied a place called "Cool Cuts 4 Kids", and being desperate, popped inside to ask if they did adult hair. The answer was yes, and I was promptly signed in as a "Biggie". Let me tell you, this place was decked out for kids. The waiting area had 6 little stations with tvs and video games, as well as a little play area with toys. Every salon chair had a booster seat, and some were even little cars that the kids got buckled into. The various haircutting stations were all decorated thematically, and I was lucky enough to get seated at the Disney Princess station. When I sat down, the stylist asked me if I'd like to play video games while she cuts my hair. I almost declined, but then thought better of it. I thus spent the entire time playing Rugrats on X-Box, trying in vain to beat a snowman in a toboggan race for double A batteries. Needless to say, it was awesome. Not only was this a fun place to get my hair done, but the stylist was pretty good too. Since apparently my descriptions of my dream haircut suck, I always bring a picture of what I want my hair to look like. Despite this attempt to simplify the haircutting experience, it seems I never have a stylist who actually studies the picture. I was delighted yesterday when my Cool Cuts stylist not only discussed the picture with me, but even referred to it a couple times throughout the "procedure". YAY! I'll definitely be going back before I move away. If only I could fit in those car-chairs...

Bastanchury Oil Fields

If I could paint my memory of the Bastanchury Oil Fields, this would be it. I am so thankful this artist captured the site before it was lost to urban sprawl. Here's her website: http://www.blackgoldprints.com/

A Brief Chronology, Part I

I've pretty much always liked plants. While I can't remember just one instance that was pivotal in my becoming a plant person, I can think of many many things and people that contributed to my love for these cool organisms. I thought I should jot some of them down, if just for my own sake. I decided I'd break this list into parts, so that each post isn't so long.

Part 1: Grade School
Unfortunately, I can't remember the exact timing of these memories, so I've lumped them together as "grade school". They're in pretty good order I think...

• Kindergarten: One of my earliest memories involving plants occurred at Rolling Hills Elementary School, and involved Lima beans, a plastic zip-lock, and a wet paper towel. I remember eagerly checking on my seeds every day, and was so impressed by fuzzy root and tiny leaves that emerged.
• Orange County Fairgrounds: Being homeschooled, my mom would take my sister and I on field trips during the week. I remember her taking us to the little farm of the OC Fairgrounds. We planted radishes in little Dixie cups, and I kept very good care of them until they sprouted. I know that's not anything incredibly special, but it stands out in my mind.
• Bastanchury Park: my childhood home backs up to a hilly, city park, and my room is the only bedroom that looks out onto it. I spent so many hours climbing the trees in that park, and had many an acorn war with my friends. I especially adore the beautiful, old pepper trees at the top of the hill, remnants of a farm long gone. Other trees of the park in my psyche are the 3 very bent California sycamores (great for climbing), one giant pine outside my window, and the swaying, white eucalyptus along the periphery. In the watered desert of Southern California, I think this park helped keep me in touch with the rhythms of nature. The falling leaves and acorns in autumn, the pine pollen blowing and the tiny green flowers of the pepper trees in Spring... I think these things were good for me to see.
• Bastanchury Oil Fields: Now a cookie-cutter housing tract, the oil fields adjacent to Bastanchury park were a great open place for me to explore some of the natural history of California. While I was only allowed to go there with my parents (bums occasionally inhabited the area, and the oil derricks weren't completely fenced off), I really enjoyed our annual Spring excursions there. My parents would point out the different wildflowers blooming, we'd collect owl pellets to dissect, and a couple times we even caught some tadpoles from a vernal pool to raise into frogs and toads. Once, my dad took my sister and I up there at night to watch a meteor shower (I still remember my how my dad freaked me out by throwing rocks into the bushes and telling me they were coyotes). Even though this plot of land was only a couple acres, surrounded by busy roads, and sprinkled with noisy derricks, telephone wires, and evidence of the homeless, I really appreciate the time I spent there and believe I am better for it. I'm still bitter about those darn boring houses killing the place.
• Grandpa: Its funny, my dad's dad wasn't really a big part of my childhood, but he did contribute to my love of plants. I remember going to his house once and he gave me a spider plant and a Christmas cactus. He told me how he had started them from cuttings, and gave me a water, pH, and light meter to help take care of them. I still have that spider plant, but it was the meter that really impressed me. I liked it so much that I even sewed a fabric case for it. Even though I had no idea what pH was, I diligently measured the moisture, pH, and light levels in the park behind my house, recording the data in a journal. I think that was my first scientific undertaking.

A Good Name

My parents enjoy bird-watching, and have set up fountains throughout our yard to attract the little fellows. Today we were outside at dusk playing cards, and I noticed some smaller visitors were imbibing. I thought it was cute, so I got out my camera. Looking at the picture, I was reminded of my good name, as Melissa means both "Seeking One" and "Honey Bee". (Side note, I've always thought the honey bee part was especially apropos since I plan on studying plants for a living). Anywho, just thought I'd share this with you since a), I've always liked my name and thought you should know how cool it is, and b) honey bees have a cute side that should be publicized more often.

What the girl needs now, is cash, sweet cash.

Its the only thing, that there's just, too little of. Okay, okay, enough of sappy 70's song make-overs. But seriously, I could really use some cash, and lots of it. Today I accepted my Federal Student loans for Northwestern. While I have a goodly fellowship to attend, the money I was given does not even cover all of the tuition, much less room and board, mandatory health insurance, transportation, books, etc. The really sad part is that my new Federal loans aren't even enough for that, so I'm going to have to take out a few thousand more dollars in a GradPlus loan. And all of that goes on top of my Biola loans from undergrad of course. Oh the joys of education.

All of these sad sad woes were rolling in my brain one late night about a week ago when I decided to email Harrison Ford. Yes, I emailed Harrison Ford last week. Before I continue with this thrilling tale, there are a couple important facts to keep in mind: a) it was kind of late at night, and b) I had had a single raspberry/pomegranate beer and am sort of a lightweight. Thus it was in this slightly altered state of mind that I was conducting a desperate search for school money. Clicking disappointing link after disappointing link, I accidently discovered that Harrison Ford was recently awarded the prestigious World Ecology Award for his work with Conservation International. Now I'm definitely not much of a celebrity follower, but I have to admit that I've had deep crush on Harrison Ford my whole life. Actually, I've had a deep crush on Han Solo, but tomayto tomahto. Anyways, when I learned that he is environmental enough to win awards for it, I was done for. Out went my rational, scientific self, and in came the long dormant schoolgirl dreamer. Thinking that maybe this was my answer for school money, I began a new google search, this time for his email. I finally found what I still think is his correct email (several fan sites had the same one listed), and I began my bold begging of my favorite celebrity. With all sincerity, I thanked him for his good work with CI (and as Han Solo), and then told him it would be really helpful if he could give me some money for school. I explained my future dreams of working for the Nature Conservancy, and even had enough clarity to include my financial aid "estimated cost of attendance" for Northwestern as well as my home address. I told him I'd understand if he declines on the money, but did let him know I'd be happy with an autograph. And now its been a week with no response. I can't really blame him , and hey, it was worth a shot.

But man, it would be so sweet for a sarcastic, low-belted, environmentally-minded, space cowboy to pay for my school! I would soo write "I love you" on my eye-lids if he did that.

Gah, my own place!

I just filled out a lease agreement for my very own studio in Evanston, IL (my very first place alone). Talk about adulthood milestone! Phew. The last month or so I've been having lots of fun buying the necessaries for my yet-to-be-found studio, and its so great to finally have a "face with the name" so to speak. The apartment search has been sooo long and tedious, and full of Google-Earthing, and I'm glad to finally have a place nailed down. Its a little freaky because I haven't actually seen this place in person and I haven't yet secured enough money in student loans to pay for everything, but I think it will be ok. Its in a cute old building in a downtown area, and just a few minutes walk from the free Northwestern shuttle (an important fact, seeing as I'm not bringing a car). Now I just have to move in!

My Science Must-Reads List

For those of you who don't know, I was a student in the Torrey Honors Institute (a Classical great books program) at Biola University. When you are a junior or senior in the program, you have the ability to propose new specialty classes that you and others can take instead of the traditional courses. A couple years ago my friend and I were tossing around the idea of a class on Science and Literature. While we never got far enough to actually propose this "Meta-Torrey", we did have some good conversations on how science and scientists are presented in classic works of fiction. As we were discussing possible books, I came to realize that there are very few pieces of fiction that present a scientist and his endeavors in a positive light. I guess that's because science-gone-wrong is terribly exciting, but I found it a little disturbing nonetheless. This revelation lead to a conversation with my wise mentor Rafe Payne, who gave me quite a few suggestions of good science books, and who also emailed his good pal John Janovy for suggestions. The result of all these interactions is what I call my Science Must-Reads List. It includes many of those infamous works of fiction, as well as works of non-fiction that are more sympathetic to the scientific process. The suggestions from John Janovy and Dr. John Bloom (whom I also asked for suggestions) are just copied and pasted from emails from them, so that's why the formatting is a little strange. I've also included the entire email from Dr. Janovy in case you're interested in his explanations. Once upon a time I was also interested in a Meta-Torrey on the Theology of Nature, so there are some books from Dr. Fred Sanders on that topic at the bottom of the page. I also dredged up the reading assignments for another meta-Torrey (one that actually took place) called Christianity and the Nature of Science, and I've included those books as well. I've been talking with quite a few people about this list lately, so I thought I'd post it up here for the benefit of posterity (because I just know so many book-worm science buffs read this blog). The list is annotated with the dates of any books I've finished, but as you can see I have a long ways to go. Enjoy!

Science Must-Reads List:

From Rafe Payne:

• Yellow Legs by John Janovy
• Darwin’s Autobiography
• Origin of Species (read 1/08, for which I earned a steak dinner from Rafe)
• Log of the Sea of Cortez by Steinbeck (read 1/14/07)
• Lives of a Cell by Lewis Thomas (read 6/22/07)
• The Structure of Scientific Revolutions by Thomas Kuhn
• Moby Dick by Herman Melville (read 7/6/08)
• Lessons of History by Durante (read the chapt. On Lessons of Biology)
• Double Helix by Watson
• The Future of Life by E.O Wilson
• Panda’s Thumb by Stephen Jay Gould (read 6/14/07)
• The Flamingo’s Smile by Stephen Jay Gould
• Rocks of Ages by Stephen Jay Gould
• The Blind Watchmaker by Dawkins
• Creator and the Cosmos by Hugh Ross (read Fall 2007)
• Silent Spring by Rachel Carson
• Pilgrim at Tinker Creek by Annie Dillard
• Sand County Almanac by Aldo Leopold (read 8/3/07)

Baja Books (if you go, you must read some of these):

• Log from the Sea of Cortez by Steinbeck (read 1/14/07)
• Vermillion Sea by John Janovy (read 12/06)
• Forgotten Peninsula by Krunch
• Almost an Island by Berger
• Baja Highway by Minch and Leslie
• Magnificent Peninsula by Williams

From Dr. Bloom:

• Meaningful World," by Wiker and Witt. (read Fall 2007)
• Bacon would be positive also, as a classic scientifically-oriented author.

From Jeff Conn (my friend with the Meta-Torrey idea):

• That Hideous Strength by Lewis (read 2001)
• Frankenstein (read 7/2/07)
• A Brave New World (read 6/22/07)
• I, Robot (read 7/3/07)
• The Island Of Dr. Moreau by HG Wells (read 6/10/09)

From John Janovy Jr.:

• Peter Matthiessen's "Far Tortuga."
• "The Mind's Eye," a book I believe was edited by Douglas Hofstadter.
• Hofstadter also has another book entitled "Metamagical Themas."
• Richard Adams' "Shardik,"
• Paul Thereaux's "The Mosquito Coast,"

Email from Dr. Janovy to Rafe Payne (forwarded on to me).

In thinking of literature in which nature is an essential character and in which the human characters interact with that nature in a manner almost metaphorically like scientists do, i.e. chasing something (an idea, an ideal, an answer to some problem, a livelihood in a way not too dissimilar to the way we scientists use our curiosity to carry us through a career, etc.), of course "Moby Dick" comes to mind, as does Peter Matthiessen's "Far Tortuga." Melissa might also try a copy of "The Mind's Eye," a book I believe was edited by Douglas Hofstadter. I loaned my copy to a student and I'm not sure it ever returned, or I'd look through it and find the specific references. But in one of those chapters there is reference to a story (fictitious, I believe) in which an individual, perhaps this case an engineer, makes toys that express emotion. He makes these toys because his daughter has had brain surgery and simply does not seem to be the same afterwards. One of the toys is a beetle that screams, cries, and leaks blood when it is abused. So this person is actually using technology to explore a part of nature. Hofstadter also has another book entitled "Metamagical Themas." One time years ago I made a list of several books mentioned in that book and tried to find them in the library (unsuccessfully), but that was before Google and Amazon, so next time I'm up at school I'll try to remember to send you that list (there is no guarantee those books are actually real, given the nature of "Metamagical Themas"). There's also Richard Adams' "Shardik," set in primeval times but nevertheless very much about nature and the decisions we make in our interactions with that nature (again, using nature for something other than food and shelter, something spiritual). I'm also thinking of Paul Thereaux's "The Mosquito Coast," which is stretching the assignment a little bit, maybe quite a bit, but I distinctly remember thinking that the father character was caught up in the idea of this adventure in much the same way that scientists get caught up in the adventure of their explorations (Searcher?), whether those explorations be of the microscopic or the intergalactic.

Dr. Sanders’ suggestions for Theology of Nature:

• Calvin and subsequent discussion: Susan Schreiner's book Theatre of His Glory.
• Barth Vs. Brunner on natural revelation -iffy
• Collingwoods' Idea of Nature
• Alister McGrath's 3-volume scientific theology, the volume entitled Nature
• Colin Gunton - the Triune Creator.
• Bergmann, Creation Set Free, "an ecotheology of liberation"
• Ted Peters on proleptic creation from God the World's Future

Christianity and the Nature of Science Metatorrey Reading List

• Miracles by CS Lewis
• Christianity and the Nature of Science by JP Moreland
• Reason in the Balance: The Case against Naturalism in Science, law and Education by Phillip Johnson
• Physics; On the Heavens; On Genearation and Corruption; On the Generation of Animals, all by Aristotle
• A History of the Warfare of Science with Theology by Andrew D. White
• The Soul of Science: Christian Faith and Natural Philosophy by Nancy Pearcey and Charles Thaxton
• A Historical Introduction to the Philosophy of Science by John Losee
• Science in Europe 1500-1800, by Malcolm Oster
• Christian Ethics by Norman Geisler
• Faith, Reason and Earth History by Leonard Brand
• But is it Science by Michael Ruse
• Intelligent Design: The bridge between Science and Theology by William Dembski
• Darwin on Trial by Phillip E Johnson (Read Fall 2006)
• Faith form and Time by Kurt Wise
• Signs of Intelligence by William Dembski
• Mere Creation: Sceicne, Faith and Intelligent Design by Dembski
• Three Views on Creation and Evolution by Moreland, Reynolds, and Davis

Botanists are Boring

The dear friend who inspired me to start this blog suggested "Botanists are Boring" as the title. While I ultimately went with a more romantic name for my blog, I really do appreciate the self-deprecation of her suggestion. As a student of plant biology, I've encountered many people who groan when I tell them I that I study plants. The most memorable of these was a woman I met a couple years ago in the Sequoias (the Sequoias of all places). She started a conversation with me, telling me all about how she and her husband enjoy mountain biking, and hiking, and exploring the natural beauty of the area. Our conversation continued, and when she learned that I was in college, she began an impassioned rant on the importance of higher education for women, and how she is so proud of me. She then asked me what I was studying and what I wanted to do with my education. I was surpised to note her sudden change in demeanor when I told her I was studying biology with the hopes of going to graduate school for plant ecology and conservation. She didn't say anything for a few seconds, and then with face full of drama and a heart of spite, she asked me, "No offense, but WHY? Isn't that one of the most boring subjects? I mean, I guess someone has to... but botany.... wow." I was dumbfounded, and I realize now that sometimes I am too nice for my own good. I mumbled something polite like, "Well, I really enjoy it" and that was pretty much the end of the conversation. If I were one of my older siblings, I could have really ripped her a new one about her hypocrisy and ignorance. Instead I just think these things to myself, recreating the senario in ways that leave me the witty, sarcastic victor. Probably my silence has contributed to the idea that botanists are boring, because aren't smart asses more interesting than peace-makers or perhaps cowards? Oh well. I'm sure I'll have future encounters with people who just love nature and the empowerment of women, but just can't understand why a girl would actually want to study plants. Maybe then I'll have something to say.