Sea, Sand, Fun, and the Medulla Oblongata

Well, in three hours I'm off to >>here<<. I'll be back on the 20th, just in time for midterms, which start on the 21st.

I know, I know, I know.

I so totally have my priorities in order.

But it's not like I WANT to go to Phuket the weekend before midterms. I can't help it if my relatives arranged a family reunion for this particular weekend. I tried to shimmy my way out of it -- believe me, I totally tried. I was all, "Hey! I have badass midterms coming up! I can't afford to bask under the tropical sun! Nor can I afford to gallivant through the Andaman Sea with the wind in my hair and sea mist on my face a la a really bad boy band music video the day before midterms! I HAVE TO DO MY EXAM CRAM THANG!"

But no one listened to me. They were all, "Midterms, schmidterms! You can read about neural impulses, synaptic transmissions, and the wonders of the medulla oblongata [which, by the way, is the coolest word(s) ever known to man] in your hotel room while we sip mai tais at the poolside bar, giggling away at all the nudie Scandinavian tourists!"

So I went, "Puh-lease! Like I'm going to Phuket to sit in a stuffy hotel room! And there's no way I'm missing out on nudie Scandinavian tourists!" to which Relatives et al. replied, "Muahaha! The shores of Patong Beach beckon. RESISTANCE IS FUTILE."

And so on and so on. You know how it goes -- when you can't beat 'em, join 'em and all that. So I am. Joining them, I mean. Looks like I'm just going to have to suck it up and lounge by the shores of the Andaman Sea, anyway, much to my chagrin.

P.S. And I totally take back what I said the other day to Daniel about this being Thailand's most pathetic winter ever. While walking to class this morning, my hypothalamus was put to the test when a large gust of arctic wind hit me full-on the face. Dude, I actually SHIVERED. Winter in Thailand = very exciting stuff, ya know. :) My thermoceptors actually danced a happy dance of joy.

Um, yeah. And I guess I'll go before this turns into a full-blown neuro post...

EDIT: Holy hotness! How come nobody told me about this? I'm so totally going! (In between laughing at nudie Scandinavians and reading about the medulla oblongata, of course.)

Currently Reading: Lecture notes galore
Currently Playing: My December by Linkin Park. Fort Minor, Linkin Park's lead singer Mike Shinoda's spin-off band, has a pretty rockin' new album. Do check it out if you can.