My lab partner just told me she is leaving this school at the end of the semester. She went straight from undergrad to grad school, and will have only finished her first year. I really like her, she's down to earth and came from an environmental science background. She doesn't get along well with her adviser and finds school very stressful. It was funny how easily I could tell she'd made the right decision--her energy just seemed so much brighter, and lighter. She won't have a degree, but at least she doesn't have debt from this, either, so she'll be fine.

Then, a couple of MS-PhDs told me they are considering stopping after their MS. I can't blame them! It's so funny. I am very at peace with where I am, but I have just eight months left. Exciting!

I also learned about a new, more sustainable fertilization method-- human urine (a *sterile* product). It's a rich source of N and P in it, which are often limiting. This is often done in Asia, but the stigma here leads us to being more wasteful. We take the nutrients out of the soil, and flush them down the drain, where the concentrated nutrients make trouble elsewhere. Some are investigating a method of precipitating the essential part of urine into a solid form. This might help with the stigma, and make it easier (lighter than liquid) to transport. Very cool, once we examine and question our assumptions! Humanure is cool too, but more issues with pathogens. Humanure also helps close the loop!