What better way to celebrate the first day of the Year of the Dog than by studying like one?

Tomorrow I go in for the longest exam I've taken in a very long while: it begins at 2:00 and ends at 5:00 (or runs from 14:00 to 17:00, if you prefer the British way of doing things). However you write it, I'm pretty sure that makes it the longest non-GRE/SAT test I've ever taken. It's for 'Taphonomy & Palaeoecology,' meaning that it can encompass pretty much anything about the life, death, and fossilization of extinct organisms. As such, I've been cloistered away studying all weekend, and probably will be a good chunk of tomorrow as well. That can do funny things to you. Trying to think up witty and alliterative titles to these posts has clearly gotten to me as well, as I found myself defining the term 'predator trap' as a site that "preferentially preserves predators."
I'm on kitchen cleaning duty this week, which I only mention here to explain in advance why I will probably be posting tirades about people not cleaning up after themselves in the next few days. I'm sure you all will love that...
Here's something you all might actually have some fun with, though. In the wake of dinner last night, there's been a lot of discussion of the Chinese zodiac in our house. Specifically, most of us can dredge up what sign we are from our elementary school past (I'm a rooster!), but what does it all mean? This site can tell you all you need to know. I have to confess that I don't put too much stock in it, as it lists restauranteur, publicist, and soldier as jobs I might like, though I think it's not much of a stretch to say I'd be a disaster at all of them. It also lists world traveler, which I think would be great, but I'm fairly certain that's not a real career. On the other hand, it's in the Chinese zodiac; it must be true.