Amanda profile picture

Amanda

Your theory is crazy, but it's not crazy enough to be true. Niels Bohr

About Me

Imagine a science geek discretely hidden inside of a socialite. Seriously, you'd never know until you uttered something about hormonally active agents (aka endocrine disruptors), glycolysis, genetic determinism, oxidative phosphorylation, or preimplantation genetic diagnosis therapy. Then watch how excited I get.
If you take a peek in my purse, sometimes you may find my organic chemistry toys.

My Interests

Traveling, hugs, Stella, shooting pool, skydiving, New Jersey, Belgian ales, dopamine, wine, tattoos, unagi, science, Czechs, soccer, Becherovka, snowball fights, the human brain, catalysts, crossword puzzles, fistulated cows, biotechnology, science humor, genetic technology debates, racquetball, sledding

I'd like to meet:

Incredibly extroverted scientists with great senses of humor...chemists, biologists, genetic engineers, botanists, physicists, etc...
I would like to immerse my life with scientists and intellects of other sorts.
I am very much in awe of physicists and chemists, cause that's some hard shit, you know what I'm saying?

Music:

Barry Adamson, The Knife, Plastikman, PJ Harvey, Massive Attack, Thievery Corporation, Bjork, Boards of Canada, Stereo Total, DJ Shadow, Atmosphere, Morcheeba, Royksopp, Prince, Jamiroquai, Ladytron, The Streets, Mercurial Rage, Goldfrapp, Portishead, The Faint, Minuit, Balkan Beat Box, Beruit, DeVotchKa

Movies:

Anything by David Lynch, Kill Bill, City of God, Shaun of the Dead, City of Lost Children, Fear and Loathing, Amelie, House of Yes, Snatch, Secretary, Lost in Translation, Rushmore, Kung Fu Hustle, Run Lola Run, Trainspotting, The Departed, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Amores Perros, Kontroll

Television:

Twin Peaks, Sopranos, Six Feet Under, Invader Zim.

Books:

I read science textbooks for fun. Predominantly books on neuroscience, evolutionary biology, or genetics.

Heroes:

Richard Dawkins, Charles Darwin, Gregor Mendel, Thomas Hunt Morgan, Antoine Lavoisier, James D. Watson, Francis Crick, Rosalind Franklin, Maurice Wilkins, Linus Pauling

My Blog

One More Biologist in the World

So I finally finished a chapter that I began 12 years ago, back when I was 17 years old.  All those fears of having to take classes like Organic Chemistry, Physics, and Calculus were faced and no...
Posted by Amanda on Tue, 20 May 2008 12:27:00 PST

Apparently Depression, Like Vitamins and Exercise, is Good for You

NOTHING in the world makes me more upset than this sort of thing. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/7268496.stm Once again, someone trying to minimize what is a real and awful disorder...
Posted by Amanda on Thu, 28 Feb 2008 12:45:00 PST

If Only it Were Less Invasive to Donate My Eggs...

I would give them up for science research every month. http://www.nature.com/news/2008/080117/full/news.2007.350.ht ml http://www.cnn.com/2008/TECH/science/01/17/cloned.embryos.ap /index.html Onc...
Posted by Amanda on Thu, 17 Jan 2008 02:27:00 PST

Our Lost Possible Selves

This is an interesting article to stumble upon after some extensive reflections I have had regarding my past year in therapy.http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/01/health/research/01 mind.html?_r=1&ref=...
Posted by Amanda on Fri, 04 Jan 2008 09:10:00 PST

Today is Engulfed with Genetics, Im in Heaven

ABSOLUTELY ASTONISHING BREAKTHROUGH, HUGE NEWS IN SCIENCE TODAY! So much news in the world of genetics!  This first article is an amazing breakthrough in developmental genetics.  Scientis...
Posted by Amanda on Tue, 20 Nov 2007 12:20:00 PST

Unknowingly Associated with Creationism. Yikes! Retract! Retract!

Imagine one day sitting in front of the computer at the age of 84 and typing your name into a Google search.  You're a scientist who had published papers throughout your career.  You're curi...
Posted by Amanda on Thu, 25 Oct 2007 01:25:00 PST

Who Is Dr. James D. Watson, Really?

You all know I love genetic technology immensely.  I believe it to be the most fascinating technology that has developed in the past century.  Oh how far the understanding of the human genom...
Posted by Amanda on Wed, 24 Oct 2007 10:45:00 PST

Now Everyone Knows Who James D. Watson Is

Sad.  A brilliant man, a Nobel Prize winner, the founder of the double helix structure of DNA is now known throughout the world as a racist, and all because he chose the wrong words (for the lack...
Posted by Amanda on Fri, 19 Oct 2007 12:02:00 PST

I Wish I Could Personally Evolve

If it weren't for my damned physics class, these last nine months of my undergraduate schooling would be perfect in my eyes.  Genetics, Biochemistry, History of Biology, Evolution, Ecology, and M...
Posted by Amanda on Fri, 21 Sep 2007 11:03:00 PST

The 3 Es - Ecology, Evolution, and the Environment

I just wanted to post links to a few great articles in the realm of science.  Living my life so immersed in science education, it makes me incredibly happy that environmental and ecological issue...
Posted by Amanda on Wed, 19 Sep 2007 11:46:00 PST