if you thought of it, it's probably already been done

here we go again. i finally thought i was making some progress in my research, and then, naturally, as i go looking for a couple more resources to round out the paper i'm working on, i actually find resources that matter, and that may require me to change a huge portion of what i've written already. there really is nothing new under the sun, it seems.

this is what really sucks about scientific research. there's no way to know what's been done and what hasn't, and odds are, whatever you happen to want to do probably already has. and if you don't think so because you can't find any information about it, wait until you're almost ready to publish something, and i guarantee that out of the blue will drop an article from someone who did basically the same thing, probably better, about two years ago.

yes, i'm pissed, and i'm frustrated, and of course i'm still manic-depressive, which doesn't really help. all i want is to get my phd out of this. it doesn't have to be spectacular, it just has to be good enough for me to graduate. that's all i want.

but right now, it seems more likely that i'll get an ulcer instead...