Monday, December 3rd

    Well I was working on my timeline.  It was difficult to figure out what I would do each day.  I tried to portion it out by subject, but I fear that some topics will be harder to find than others.  Also, I will probably find more than one topic on each webpage.  I hope that information will be easy to find.  Sometimes obscure topics are difficult, but I will see when I start researching.

    Making my timeline also showed me that, although right now two weeks seems like a long time, there is not a ton of time.  I am a little worried about getting it all done and perfected.  I am excited about organizing all my information and making it pretty.  I hope to find some pretty pictures and interesting facts to make page cool!  This journal writing is a little tedious.  Honestly, I'd rather be watching Sex and the City.

Tuesday, December 4th

    I started looking for some good sites today.  Of course, I began at the subscription databases.  They had some information, but it was mostly articles about what Rhizobia is used for.  It was helpful data, but sparse.  I could not find any information that was simply about Rhizobia.  I hoped the encyclopedia would help me but it did not have much basic info either.  I did find a story for little kids where bacteria were people!

    I turned to the free web after much frustration with the databases and quickly found certified sites I could use.  I fear that I will probably end up using lots of websites from the free web which means lots of web site evaluation forms.  I had to do those last year and they are a pain.  They might discourage us from using the wrong site or any site on the free web for that matter.  It sucks when being ahead means spending time filling out tedious forms, but I will do it anyway!

Wednesday, December 5th

    I was going to start making an outline for my site tonight, but I realized that I have no idea how to do that.  I thought about having a link for each category of data, like classification and benefits but I think that may separate my data too far.  What if the location has something to do with the benefits?  I think I will try to get more information before I make an outline.  As I keep looking for site I realize the most prevalent type of information about rhizobia is its benefits and what it is used for so I will probably focus on that. 

    I thought (cool) pictures and videos would be hard to find but, luckily, I have already found a couple.  I found a really pretty colored microscope picture.  I also found a video and a few charts/diagrams.  Sadly the video is ridiculously boring but I might use it anyway because it is highly informational.  It is not really a video, but more like a slideshow with a monotone guy talking in the background.  Now that is exciting!

Thursday, December 6th

    So I am actually further ahead than I predicted I would be!  I plan to do a lot of work researching this weekend, so that I can spend next week organizing and making it pretty.  Having time to work in class today was so helpful.  I have been extremely busy this week but at least I have not fallen behind schedule.  I am exciting about actually decorating and arranging my website, because that will hopefully help make it interesting.

    I have found information pretty easily but a lot of the time it is similar and short.  I continue to find like the same sentence in each article which is basically what Rhizobia do.  I think the hardest information to find will be the interesting tidbits and nutritional requirements.  So far, I haven't found anything close to that but I will keep my fingers crossed.  I am looking forward to a weekend full of research and bacteria!

Friday, December 7th

    My plan was to try and finish up getting all my information this weekend.  So far I am still ahead of my timeline but I am having trouble finding the last few details.  Reproduction and nutritional requirements are hard to find, which is really frustrating.  Most of the websites have a simple overview about Rhizobia that pretty much is about Nitrogen Fixation rather than basic facts about the bacteria itself.  I kind of have to deduct from the information, rather than just finding a list of facts. 

    I think they reproduce asexually because sites talk about how they grow in the nodule.  I am also still not sure how to display my information on my site.  I think I might have different pages like: basic information, positive uses, environment, interesting things, and then photos and other extras.  Sometimes it gets confusing between Rhizobia, Rhizobiales and Rhizobiaceae.  I do not understand what they differences between them are.  I am worried about having a lab report and other homework to do while working on my site. 

 Monday, December 10th

    So I am so frustrated.  I feel like I am so close to being finished with all my information but then there are still pieces missing.  Finding information on history is really difficult.  Most people don't care about the history, they just use rhizobia.  The only place I have really found any sort of history is Wikipedia.  I went to all the links they had, but none of them had any info about history. 

    Otherwise, research is still coming along.  I am on schedule with my timeline but I would like to be ahead.  I did not get as much work done this weekend as I had hoped, but I did a fair amount.  I think the hardest part once I get all my info with be citing.  I hate citing.  Making bibliographies is not one of my favorite past times, but I do it once in awhile.  Hopefully I have organized well enough to make it easy for myself!

 Tuesday, December 11th

    Having a work day in class was really helpful.  I am still having the same difficulties I have been.  I am afraid that having a lab for the rest of the week will be really stressful.  I fear that I am a bit behind schedule.  I am not worried about catching up though.  I will probably have to put in a lot of time this week, but whatever.  I have been really busy this week which is disappointing, but there is nothing I can do about it. 

    I have some ideas for making my website "cool."  I don't know how cool I can make rhizobia though.  Colors might help to decorate it but I have only found like one cool picture.  The rest of my pictures are pretty much just nodules on roots.  I also found that boring but educational short video clip.  Hopefully I will find some more interesting facts or something.  I love rhizobia!!!

 Wednesday, December 12th

    This is getting really frustrating.  I am so close to finding all the information I need, but it keeps escaping me.  I am not sure whether it is harder or easier not having a partner.  It is defiantly easier than being in a group with three people, but sometimes it might be nice to have someone else researching too.  I cannot wait for break!  I want to read Harry Potter.

    My friend, Ben Powell, knows a lot about bacteria because he is one.  He is helping me a lot.  He really likes biology.  I wish I knew someone who worked with rhizobia and knew a lot about rhizobia.  An interview would make my website a lot more interesting.  We will see I guess!

 Thursday, December 13th

    Almost the weekend!  I cannot wait to work on my website.  I can't forget that we have other things due with our presentation.  I will have to make sure I know what all that is.  I missed class today, but I hope that will not put me behind.  I know I need to be working on my lab report because it is due tomorrow.  I am glad it is not due on Monday though, that would really suck. 

    I really do not have much new to report.  I have started to organize my notes by subject.  I think I will have different pages for each category of notes.  That way, it will be really organized and easy to find things.  I think if I add some excitement to my homepage that will help a lot.  At first when they said website, I thought we were going to make a hardcore website with Dreamweaver or something, but I am glad we didn't.  That would have taken so much more time!

 Friday, December 14th

    I am coming down with a cold!  I think everyone is getting sick, which is terrible.  I am looking forward to finishing my website.  I am tired of it hanging over my head.  I feel like I know what I have left to do, but the more I think about it I realize there is more!  I am kind of nervous about the presentation.  I am not sure exactly how I should plan it out...?

    I am nervous too because I don't know how everyone else's is.  I am afraid that I will have too little information and decoration compared to others.  I also have a test and another project due tomorrow.  I wish school ended last Friday, but at least there are only two more days!  Right now though, I am just going to focus on making my website fabulous, which of course it will be.  Now I know all I could ever want to know about Rhizobia, yes!