Come on ride the train, hey, and ride it

I somehow made it back to MN. Somehow. I'm not exactly sure how it happened.

Let's just say, I don't know that I will ever be taking the train again. Or at least not past Chicago. And definitely not in the winter.

After getting stuck on the tracks somewhere between Battle Creek and Chicago because the switches were frozen, we managed to get stuck in Union Station for eight hours. Yes. Eight. This would have been fine had Union Station been more than about 6 degrees Fahrenheit. I ran all over the place and managed to find myself a cup of hot chocolate while the three of us were waiting for the train to even be taken out of the yard! We had some Pizza Hut for lunch. J and D had a few beers. We played around on the internet. We observed a short black man yelling at a white woman for looking at his MySpace page to which he actually said, "Fear my race, bitch." I was a little afraid that we might have to diffuse the situation when he started talking about hitting her. I'm not really sure what their deal was. Maybe they just enjoy role-playing in crowds...

Anyway... We finally left Chicago at 830 and immediately opened a bottle of wine. The three of us split it and hung out for a bit, before D asked if I wanted to go look for food (J had eaten a second meal before we left Union Station).

So, we couldn't find any food so, instead, we opened up another bottle of wine (we packed well, as you can see). Dean and I proceeded to drink and discuss life and stuff for many hours. Somewhere in the middle of the night, on our third bottle of disgusting wine, we started polling the club car about their views on gay marriage, which got pretty interesting being that Dean's gay and we were sitting next to a bunch of conservatives.

Eventually we made it back to our seats to fall asleep but, um, it was so cold! I think I dozed off for a few minutes somewhere between Tomah and LaCrosse. After Dean got off in Winona, I woke J up to go sit in the club car so that we wouldn't get harassed for not getting off in Winona like we were supposed to. We made it to the Twin Cities at 5:30, after my parents were already up for the day.

So, to summarize: trains are cold and late, but a good way to waste time is by drinking wine.

No worries. I iz. I'm caught up in Grand Rapids with Dean and Juggles for now, but we're on our way.

But when you go you'd better beware / 'cause you can tresspass anywhere

Things that are strange include not knowing where in the world I will be come May.

Llama llama duck!

I'm obsessed with pandas lately.

Look how cute they are!

Lights, camera, action / I think I'm going for it this time

Two down, three to go. Classes, that is. I finished up genetic epidemiology and hospital epid last week. Home stretch: one week, two days to go.

This weekend's a bit of craziness... So far I've written one paper, completed my part of study guide questions, and started another paper. Monday means handing in two papers and taking a test (which I plan to study for tomorrow, assuming I can get this bacteriology paper done tonight)! Then I hope to make it to my friend's thesis defense in the afternoon before I start my social epid paper at night, then start studying for my mechanisms of bacterial pathogensis test. Those are both due the following Monday, but I guarantee the week will not contain much free time -- the test entails memorizing approximately 150 pages of text.

After all the classes are finished, I will have a few days before departing for my magical mystery tour of the Midwest. Dean, Juggles, and I are heading to Grand Rapids for a few days before we hop the Amtrak to Minnesota, where we'll be until the 30th. Then we hit Chicago for the New Year.

I was reflecting on the idea of already being close to ringing in the new year, and was going to type, "2009 will be a year filled with many changes." Then I began thinking back upon the last few years and realizing I've undergone a lot of changes in a short amount of time. But I seem to have really taken them in stride -- though some were definitely easier than others. Coming to Ann Arbor was a great decision for me -- I've really enjoyed my program of study, as well as all of the people I've met. It's so strange to think it'll all be over soon... At least the school part of "it."

And then?

Stay tuned for more... Because not even I know what the script for the sequel will be like.

Don't let your life pass you by, weep not for the memories.

My Thanksgiving was great, thanks for asking. It was a small one this year, with only 8 of us around the dinner table, but it was sure nice to see my cousin Jesse and meet her b/f.

Most of my weekend at home, admittedly, was spent either writing a 25-page paper or procrastinating about doing so. I ended up missing out on seeing some of my friends, which was quite unfortunate.

The one fun outing I did allow myself was the Henry Sibley High School Class of 1998 Ten Year (gas) Reunion up at Sweeney's. Beforehand, Kevin, Shaun, Beth and I went up to Boca Chica to enjoy some delicious Mexican goodness to gain some energy before we embarked on our journey down memory lane. The reunion itself, was A-OK. I was glad to see some of my old friends and classmates.

Here are some pictures I stole from Beth's Facebook.

The dance girls: Alicia, Alesha, Beth, Shannon


Alicia and Shauntastic


And one I stole from Kelly's Facebook.

Alicia and Jaime


All in all it was a good time. My parents even sent me home with a wonderful present of the stomach flu, which I noticed sometime late Monday night as I was projectile vomiting. I spent all of Tuesday in bed and retreated from my shell today where I could function for brief periods of time. The one big issue here is the fact that I have waaaaaay too much to do to waste time sleeping!

So, since I'm actually awake right now, I should probably get to the studying for the tests and the writing of the papers and that stuff.

Never gonn give you up, never gonna let you down, never gonna run around and desert you

Best Part of Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade:



Cartoon Network just Rick Rolled a nation, ladies and gentlemen. Classic. They're my heroes.

Hava nagila ve nis'mecha

In recognition of being a month from Hanukkah, I present you with the absolute worst "Hebrew" videos of all times for the song favorited by both you and me.... Hava Nagila

WTF Slut Hava Nagila...


Indian Hava Nagila
(I think they stole their dance from MC Hammer)



A Hard Day's Hava
(just wait for the old lady to toss her panties on stage...)



Hand fart Hava Nagila

Meet me at the altar in your white dress / we ain't gettin' no younger, we might as well do it

There's been a lot of controversy surrounding the gay marriage issue over the last few years. As you most likely know, Prop 8 just passed in California, changing the State Constitution to define marriage as an act between a man and a woman, thus overriding the decision made earlier in the year about the Supreme Court.

I found the following graph helpful in explaining the consequences of gay marriage. I think it paints a very clear picture as to why Prop 8 passed in California.



Wait... why did Prop 8 pass?

I live in America with a pair of Payless shoes / The Upper Peninsula and the television news

Michigan's Upper Peninsula is a diverse society of people. I've gathered that there is some sort of disconnect between the UP and the "hand" that is the rest of Michigan. Of course, this disconnect also seems to be between the UP and Wisconsin. I'm not really sure why that is. Nonetheless, from my nonextensive travels in the UP, I have gathered that Yoopers are fairly conservative small-town folk who have a strong affinity for the Green Bay Packers, shooting forest animals, and eating pasties.

That being said, I'm currently eating chocolate in the shape of the UP, thanks to my favorite Jonathan who brought it back for me last time he was up in Escanaba. Be it a Yooper bar or Macinac Island Fudge, the UP is okay in my book for its production of chocolate and sweets.

We fail to represent, we fail to be content, we fail at everything we ever even try to attempt

Juggles and I were hanging out for a few minutes before he headed to class and I to the library. He made mention that it seems that everything that we perceive as stable turns to chaos, while everything we think is up-in-the-air usually ends up having a logical pattern. He started talking about his summer -- school, women, work, and frisbee -- drawing examples of both the chaos and the calm from the various subjects.

For some reason, his mention of the chaos and calm triggered a great fear into me of "What Happens Next?" I don't know why it hit me so hard today, but it was a reminder that this graduate school phase is so volatile. We all are here together, then suddenly we are not. Once you start getting comfortable, it's torn out from under you.

Of course I have some ideas of what I'd like to do and where I'd like to go at the end, but it's entirely possible that the economy will be so bad that I'll have to move back in with ma' and pa' because a) there will be no jobs for me, and b) little money will be given to research, thus putting a damper on PhD funding.

So, I walked Juggles to class, fairly silently as I was processing this stuff. Then I had my head tipped down as I was walking toward the Diag when I suddenly felt an arm hard in my stomach. It was Steve passing by on his way home from lab. He scared the crap out of me. The thing with Steve is that he's flighty and filled with laughter, but somehow still solid -- making his opinion worth a lot. He somehow has this way of clearing my mind, even when he doesn't know there's something on it. I'm glad I've gotten to know him over the past 6 months. I told him what was on my mind in small detail, and he somehow worked his Steve magic by mocking me and whatever. Walking away, I continued my thought process, realizing that it's really not worth freaking out about now... There's nothing I can really do.

I arrived at the library and knew what had to happen. Before I started writing my presentation, I had to listen to the following song... Because it always makes thinking about the future a little bit easier, and reminds me of home.

I’m on fire and now I think I’m ready to bust a move
Check it out I’m rocking steady
Go!

Betty won’t stop listening to modern rock
How she hates to be alone
I try to compensate her lack of love with coffee cake
Ice cream and a bottle of ten dollar wine she says hey
I rock the Haro sport
I rock the cow girl blues
I rock too fast for love I’m footloose in my Velcro shoes
What’s up with Will and Grace?
I don’t get drum and bass
The future freaks me out

I’m on fire and now I think I'm ready to bust a move
Check it out I’m rocking steady
To the beat in my head
It goes oh, oh-oh-oh
I know that she’s the only one
I’d rather waste our time together
Yeah, ‘cause we can get down

Betty can’t quit carving question marks in my wrist
How come we’re so alone
We waste away the days with nicotine and television samples
From an era we hate to admit we embrace
We fail to represent
We fail to be content
We fail at everything we ever even try to attempt
And so the story goes
As only Betty knows
It’s time to take control
(Get Down)

I’m on fire and now I think I'm ready to bust a move
Check it out I’m rocking steady
To the beat in my head
It goes oh, oh-oh-oh
I know that she’s the only one
I’d rather waste my time with her

Betty, I need you
I miss you
I’m so alone without you
To call up on the weekends with my cellular phone

Betty it’s so hard to relate
To the whole human race
I don’t know where to begin
I don’t know where to begin
If we can both find a way
To do the things that we say
We might not sit in our rooms
And drink our daydreams away
Betty, I’m a dreamer
I’m not a vicious schemer
Oh Betty won’t you.. ah fuck it

I’m on fire and now I think I'm ready to bust a move
Check it out I’m rocking steady
To the beat in my head
It goes oh, oh-oh-oh
I know that she’s the only one
I’d rather waste our time together
Yeah, ‘cause we can get down.

Motion City Soundtrack, "The Future Freaks Me Out"

Rah rah rah for ski-u-mah.... ?

One positive thing is that Michigan finally won another football game. Unfortunately, it was against Minnesota.

im in yur pollz, votin' fer change.

Happy Election Day! One hopes this day will end in joy.



That aside, I am writing this post to report my newfound love for all-things pumpkin-flavored. Ever since Geoff got pumpkin pancakes at IHOP a couple of weeks ago, I've wanted to seek out such delight for my own meal. However, time has been an issue. So, this morning, I bought a pumpkin pie latte. Let me tell you: delicious! MmmMm!

Sweet surrender / is all that I have to give

If I ever get hitched, I'm getting my cake from Cake Noveau.

Check out some of these designs!










I'd have to get hitched in an art gallery in order for those cakes to fit in. That's a whole lotta MmMmmmmmMmmm!

I believe I can fly; I believe I can touch the sky....

Two things.

1. After many years of experimentation and observation, I have deduced that it is absolutely impossible to look "cool," "slick," or even "normal" while running with your backpack on.
   
   
2. Genetics is a great field that everyone in my generation should be interested in if, for the only reason, because there is a gene called Sonic Hedgehog (that regulates many aspects of embryonic development). There is also a protein called Pikachurin that is named after a Pokemon character. Also, of note, is a transposon (a "jumping gene" that moves around the genome) named after Michael Jordan -- the Jordan transposon. Yes, peers, genetics is cool.

Your love is like a rollercoaster, baby baby, I wanna ride....

Sometimes it's difficult to explain ourselves to older generations. I think my parents look at my generation, in general, as immature and lacking work ethic. But, I believe that's truly because we are the MTV generation. We're the video game generation. We maybe didn't have as much expected of us while we were growing up as other generations because we were playing sports or learning the violin or away at summer camp while our parents were busy working. But we learned to bask in leisure, much like other generations learned to get their butt in gear working... because we had to!

Anyway, the above cartoon summarizes falling in love... for my generation. Give us women/men with playpen balls 3' deep in their living rooms, and we will give them our hearts and souls!

The chemicals between us / the walls that lie between us / lying in this bed that chemicals displaced

So, bisphenol-A (BPA) is a huge deal, right? It's in pretty much all of the plastics you use, especially as food and beverage containers, as well as dental sealants. Heating and cooling of the molecules releases carcinogens. BPA is associated with diabetes, liver enzyme disorders, and CVD. (See, September 2008 JAMA. We're currently doing some research on its association with polycystic ovarian disease, and it's thought to be associated with many other endocrine and metabolic disorders.

The good news is that Nalgene, maker of my favorite 32 oz colorful water bottles, has a new product -- the Everyday bottle -- made of Eastman Tritan copolyester, which can be thrown in the dishwasher or microwaved, heated, cooled, all that great stuff. So, I bought two -- a blue one and a red one. Because, quite frankly, I keep Nalgene bottles everywhere -- in lab, in my backpack, in my frisbee bag, and at home.



Yea Nalgene!

Midterms are in full swing. Yikes! Wish me luck.

Happy birthday yesterday, Kevin. And happy birthday today, Mom!

Last weekend. Grand Haven.

Talkin' blues, talkin' blues; they say your feet is just too big for your shoes

I have about a gazillion little things to catch up on over the weekend since I don't have a lot of free time during the week. This said, I also like to have a chance to go and hang out with friends, as well, since I also don't see many of my friends now that our HME classes are separate from the General Epid and IH students.

So, yesterday was a huge errand day. Sure, I could have gotten more accomplished than I did, but I also wanted to do a few things to decompress and relax. This meant that today, Sunday, is my busy day. I gave myself an approximate schedule and even set my alarm this morning so I could get up and get moving. My first stop was the laundry room to deposit two loads of laundry in the washer, then I planned on coming up immediately to start the ruggelach dough (I decided I wanted to try my hand at making chocolate ruggelach, and decided this weekend was a good time for it). From there, homework, some cleaning, some more laundry, frisbe, dinner with Juggles, more homework, and eventually bed (preferably sometime before midnight).

So, stop one. Laundry room. Throw some clothes in the washer and, as I'm about to go upstairs, this man who is down there at the dryer goes, "So, how about that $700 Billion bailout?" This justifies a response, I guess, even though it's over and done with so why bother to bitch too much. So I say something to the effect of, "Yeah, unfortunate, isn't it?" BAD FREAKING MOVE! Apparently this warrants a 40 minute conversation, probably 35 minutes of which was the crazy man, speaking about how it's the people's faults and they shouldn't have taken out the money and going off about everything from California finances and how wrong any slightly socialist reform (welfare, etc) is in his mind. I was livid for a short while and threw my two cents in until I realized that I had an agenda and grew annoyed with this man's inability to shut the heck up. I mean, sure, he made some decent points but, being a Native American, he maybe shouldn't bitch about the welfare system and maybe should pay attention to the fact that no, 7-year olds do NOT make choices about their education, their parents do. Yadda yadda. Free will and capitalism and all that BS.

He eventually sensed my growing annoyance and left me alone, as my washer cycle was drawing to a finish anyway.

Lesson: I need to learn graceful tactics to escape awkward situations like such.tg

Money, it's a crime / Share it fairly but dont take a slice of my pie.

Over the last few decades, women have started to take over the sciences. There are still some fields that are heavy in the Y-chromosomes -- certain engineering specialties mostly, maybe physics -- but, women have really made a huge break into fields like biology, chemistry, and even math.

Though it's clear that there are a lot more higher degrees granted to women nowadays, where have all the men gone?

Business school.

Really, when you think about it, it's a good place for the Type A men-breed who were formerly obsessed with the status and fame related to inventions and such in science. B-school creates men of power and leadership who are destined to make a ton of money. Also, it seems like they don't have to work nearly as hard for it. They just have to wear their Striped Shirts, carry around their two thousand dollar laptops (more power than they will ever need) in their leather briefcases, drive their Audis Beamers, and be willing to shell out $60K a year (in-state) for tuition to one of the top B-Schools in the nation.

My very educated mother just served us nine pizza pies

Yup. Happened to me. Well, not that, specifically, but something similar. Probably involving something else scientific. Maybe ending in a breakup, mutual end to an otherwise good friendship, sumo suit throwdown, or reason to put scorpions in someone's bed because they just don't think right.

Just sayin', this science stuff is serious.

Trickle down pollution, patriarchies reallign / while the ice caps melt and New Orleans bides her time

Airline least likely to get my business today...

Come senators, congressmen, please heed the call / Don't stand in the doorway, don't block the hall

Congress will ban phthalates in children's' toys, but not in regular household items? They're everywhere, man. So, even if they're not in your WALL-E action figure, they're still in your plastic WALL-E cup. Drink up, babies. Enjoy your cancers, moms and pops.

these are your shoes / these are my shoes / we've got issues

So, I, uh, ordered new cleats finally. Without trying them on. Luckily, the website I ordered them from has free shipping and return service.

Instead of getting the Adidas Predators like I had originally planned, I settled on a sexy pair of Diadoras. The reviews tout comfort and support, and that the shoes become broken in instantly. That's a lot to live up to.

Meet Maracana:



The great thing about it is they should be arriving this week, so maybe I'll get to try them out at Wednesday's practice... I'll be a little sad to retire my Nike Air Legends. But, they need to go to cleat heaven soon...


Lastly, and related, I rejoined the UPA for the first time since 2001. Now I can play UPA sanctioned tournaments... such as Motown Throwdown at the end of the month!

And I want to find you when something good happens

Being an adult rocks for at least one reason:

I can buy myself an entire pie, eat it directly out of the pie tin, and eat it for lunch if I want!


Other things:

• Drama in your late 20s is really obnoxious compared to when you're 19.
  
• My parents are coming to visit at the end of the month
  
• I'm going to Chicago to play Sandblast next weekend. I will get to see some of my frisbee friends from MN while there.
  
• Lab is still great. I'm working on bisulfite converting our samples from Mexico City this week.
  
• Kraig moved to an apartment in Kerrytown, so I'm alone for the rest of the summer. We miss each other.
  
• Went to Chicago with Linds a couple of weeks ago and had a marvelous time. I miss my BFF!

Lots more going on, of course, but I have to get back to lab!

Forgive but don't forget, girl keep your head up

Found in the bottom of an envelope of stuff from Mom:

Gemini (May 21-June 21). You're certainly on a path, though it may not have a particular order or make sense to anyone but you. You don't have to explain yourself -- even to yourself. Just keep picking up the next thread and following it.

Reading that tonight made me breathe a sigh of relief for some reason. It's been a crazy, yet lighthearted despite occasional heaviness, summer. I've kept my head up. Boys confuse me, but that's okay. Growing older, I am so apprehensive because I've met so many guys who have such horrible potential, even when it's not expected. Turn your head for a moment, and they could turn on you. Yes, this sort of distrust has been formed over my 28 years. But, meh, it's okay.

I'm enjoying my friends. I'm enjoying Ann Arbor in the summertime. I'm enjoying my lab work. I love being around SPH. I have a wonderful roommate. I'm enjoying playing a lot of frisbee. I'm loving the laughter, the nights out, the drinks, the random conversations with new friends... Really, despite certain small doubts, I've learned to keep my head up and breathe a sigh of relief throughout life.

I've gone to Chicago twice this month, and will be there again in a few weeks. I went to NYC. My parents are planning a trip out here. I'm planning on going home for a bit.

It's all life. And life's not so bad. I'll post some pictures next, perhaps.

I'll do graffiti if you sing to me in French / What are we doing here if romance isn't dead

A few shots of my favorite graffiti in NYC.

You and I must make a pact / We must bring salvation back

It was autumn... Or was it spring?
It was a season, anyhow. The kind that echoes in the beauty of uncertainty.
The scent in the air is change, and the wind speaks it around you, through whispers to howls.
I guess, what I'm saying, is that it was just a day. Like every other day.
The kind with schedules that never quite work precisely, and tasks that never get fully accomplished. With doldrums turned to excitement, or bliss turned to frenzy.
Around every corner is a ghost, a demon, an angel, or a clown.
There was a boy, like every boy. The ones like you date in high school or college. The kind who haven't quite figured out how to be a man yet, but think they have.
The kind that take their permanent markers and sketch their initials all over your soul, just like they mark their book bags with their favorite band names -- not thinking, just doing, because it means something to them right then and there, and they think it will forever. And maybe, in a way, it will.
In this season of any season, on this day like every day, with this boy like every boy, I found love. Maybe it was love like any love, but I sure thought it was extraordinary love. And maybe this love un/like any love was to be forever. Or maybe, just like every other girl, I just thought so.
Anyway you have it, there was a day in a season, and I was a girl in love with a boy. If anything is eternal from that scenario, it will at least be the memory of the feeling of the moments when he kissed me or those when he looked into my eyes and told me how true he was and would be forever.
Our idea of "forever" changes as we grow up. When we were kids we thought forever might be until we were 10, and when we we were 18 we may have thought it would be until we were 30. Now, at close to 30, I know that nothing may be forever, except change. But the one thing constant about change is the memories that fluctuate through, whose weight may be heavy as iron or light as feathers, but always will be carried in this briefcase in our minds. It's hard to regret things we thought might be forever.
Because, in reality, the memories truly are, ensuring that the time we call "forever" will be somehow reached between us, whether we're holding hands or just holding hearts.

I want to be a part of it, in old New York

I went to NYC over the last weekend of May. It was awesome.


A toast to Manhattan




Brooklyn Bridge


Who said you need a garden gnome?


Saint Anthony, Little Italy


A healthful breakfast in Little Italy


Crepe, almost ready for my consumption


Eagerly awaiting my pineapple-strawberry-nutella crepe



More later!!!

Baby, I'm not always there when you call, but I'm always on time

I love my PI because he sends me emails while he's in meetings. This is why iPhones could be a horrible, very bad invention... You thought we weren't paying attention before?

Here is the church and here is the steeple / we sure are cute for two ugly people

I've spent the last week and a half by myself in lab and have successfully managed not to break or destroy anything. I did a lot of PCR and ran a lot of gels. I played on ensembl.org to check out some genes. I even went in on Saturday... for fun. Because I <3 lab. It's an obsession. I may need to be treated for it at some point in time.

This is the view out my lab windows. It's really not a horrible place to hang out.

To the west:

(Central Campus, toward DT Ann Arbor.)

To the north:

(SPH, the hospital, the river.)


My birthday was last week. Yes, I am officially wise. I think that's what happens at 28. Steve wrote me a great card to wish me a happy 21st birthday, since he knew I was not too keen on the idea of turning the corner to my upper-20s from my mid-20s. So, I get to start all over again! I got lots of chocolate, a cheeseburger phone, great dinners, the company of friends, flowers, and I got to meet Chuck Palahniuk... at midnight.


So succexy.


Honest to blog!

I ate at Gratzi on Main St on my bday, and at Seva on Liberty (my favorite vegetarian restaurant ever) the day after. On Saturday, we had a gathering at Kristin's.



Then, Sunday was a scrimmage with Hybrid, followed by a frisbee BBQ, then immediately off to the canoe livery to celebrate Andy's birthday on the water (still in my frisbee clothes!). I made sure not to paddle so I didn't have to risk others' lives.




Later on, after some shut eye and a shower, we went out to dinner at Arbor Brewing Company, then wandered around A2, since Andy had his brother and a WI friend in town. We stopped for ice cream at Stucci's, because Stucci's is awesome.



It's been busy, but it's been great fun! Now, I'm off to the Big Apple on Thrs morning for more awesomeness.

I've been living so long with my pictures of you that I almost believe that the pictures are all that I can feel

That is all. Carry on.

Ayo my quality control, captivates your party patrol / your mind, body, and soul

Week one of working in a lab is el fin! I'm off to a fantastic start.

On Wednesday, I picked up my keys. Now I have access to a lot of the security-laden th and 7th floor labs around SPH II. Rick and I are sharing keys to the 5th floor of SPH I where the really nice, new labs are. I have the security codes for all the doors, too. So, I'm golden there, and feel quite special.

On Thursday, Rick left me alone in lab all day because he had some meetings. He guided me a bit about what to do -- bisulfite conversion on some DNA, etc. I ended up coming back to lab after running an errand, and stayed pretty late to do some PCR and figure some stuff out. I love that place.

Yesterday was the big shot day though. I walked into SPH and got up to about floor 6 and ran into Rick who was walking downstairs. He goes, "I have presents for you!" So, we walked up to lab and he shows me all sorts of neat stuff -- my lab notebook finally arrived, he got me a 3-ring binder and some page protectors for me to put common procedures into, and got this really neat ice-pack-microfuge tube holder so I don't have to run down to 6th floor all the time to get ice when I'm setting up PCR reactions. He also got a few other fun little lab tools.



I ran my gel, which turned out fabulously, and went down to meet with him at noon. He gave me all sorts of power, when he told me how to design and order my own primers, order other supplies (like much needed master mix with hot-start Taq).

So... next week I am all alone, with a few good projects to work on. I love it so far! Love, love, love it!

Its all another phase turning the page in the book of growing up

Minnesota was fun, though somewhat surreal. It's nice to catch up with my friends, and see familiar faces. I always have fun hanging out with my parents, of course. The time spent there was too short, yet just perfect. I can't really explain it anymore than that... I realized that I have a hard time grasping the ideas of place and time, often, and just sort of go with it. Though while I'm there I think of here, and while I'm here I think of there, it all seems so distant. Even today I was reminiscing about that time I was in Minnesota, already thinking it was last week, when in fact I was just there 36 hours ago or so!

It was a good vacation. And now I'm back to reality.

Today I started my lab work with RickAwesome. He's the coolest PI ever in existence, I think. Mind you, it's only been a day, but he's great, even when I make mistakes ("Rick, I think I added the wrong amount of buffer..."). I guess it's good that we weren't using any of our actual DNA samples today, so it was just a learning day. By the end of the day, despite the minor screw-ups, still, he was comfortable letting me do my thang and finish the procedure for the bisulfite conversion on my own. He was really sweet about not looking over my shoulder too often, and just being there when I needed help, or giving me reminders like VORTEX THE PRIMER SOLUTION BEFORE USING!

I think it'll be a fun summer.

Tomorrow, I get my official key to lab, and I've already been told the passcode for 7th floor access, as well as 5th floor. So, I now have access to many of the restricted areas around SPHI and SPHII.

I also signed up for a summer gym membership, despite the fact that I think it's stupid that I have to pay $80 to use the facilities for the next 3.5 months since I give them $35K a year for tuition! But, it'll be nice to have since I will have some down time with incubations and while running PCRs, so I may be able to sneak over for a workout, then come back and get some stuff done.

Anyway, it's long past bedtime and tomorrow's a busy day with labbing and Ignition practice. So, I'm getting some Zzzz's.

Couldn't quite seem to escape myself / Far enough, far enough / Far from Florida

The thing about coming home that is both eerie and awesome is running into reminders of the past. This morning, I got out of bed and found that there was a developed roll of photos that my dad had pushed under my door. Intrigued, I opened it up to find pictures from my trip to Disney World with Dawn back in November 2003 (I think that's when it was).

Memories of said trip include: my first flea market experience, the cabby getting lost when he took us back to our hotel, and my first ride in a shopping cart pushed by a crazy lady. Of course, there were many more, despite the brevity of the vacation because, well, Dawn and I know how to have mad-crazy fun together.

Here are a few cute shots from the trip that I scanned:

Sweaty at Disney


Dawn on the carausal


Hanging out at... Seaworld?


Stuffing her face

You can say that I'm one curly fry in the box of the regular / messing with the flavor, oh, the flavor that you savor

Thus far I have eaten my favorite Chinese (Tea House), Boca Chica, Jerabek's (and I've polished off over half of an entire strawberry-rhubarb pie by myself), and now my dad's making turkey burgers. I hit AFG for coffee, hit the Y for Sarah's hardcore kickboxing class, and taken two walks by the Mississippi. I'm hitting Northeast tonight, Cafe Latte tomorrow, and at least one or two BBQs too.

Next thing I'm looking for is a permanent membership to Overeaters Anonymous. My tummy is pouting, yet my taste buds are thankful, for my time thus far in Minnesota.

Do you think about me now and then / 'cuz I'm comin' home again, comin' home again

Food I want to eat in MN:

• Cossetta's (in ma' belly)
  
• Boca Chica
  
• The only good Chinese place in the Cities
  
• Green Mill (for the company)
  
• Ruam Mit or Pad Thai Grand
  

I'm here. My mom apparently doesn't have an extra ethernet cord, so I can't set up the router, meaning I am stuck on their PC instead of my laptop in the comfort of my-old-room-that's-not-my-room.

Tomorrow night is BFF night. Friday is night out. Saturday is BBQ after BBQ and hanging out with some Pickle Girls in between. Sunday is Mom's Day and then Sibley folks night. And Monday is going home. Short, but sweet.

I'll be back soon enough.

Hi.
I am coming to Minnesota on Wednesday.

That's all you get for now because Sundays are officially "crazy busy ultimate frisbee" days, with 3 hrs of co-ed practice, then a brief break before my league game.

One, two, three, four, tell me that you love me more / Sleepless, long nights, that was what my youth was for

1. I am done with finals. This means I am done with my first year of graduate school. And that means that I am now referred to as a "second-year" around SPH. No more "first-year" status.
   
   
2. I have discovered the greatness of libraries. I couldn't sleep last night and I kept on thinking about how awesome Mother Night by Kurt Vonnegut was when I started it at Border's the other night. So, I went on the internet at 3:30 a.m. and set it up to have delivered to the School of Public Health Library for me sometime this week, so I can check it out and finish it. I also ordered A Man Without A Country, also by Vonnegut, and a Pahalniuk book, as well as a Neil Gaiman book. Until I get those, I'm going to read A Brief History of Time.
   
   
3. I got my hair cut at Aveda the other day. Kristin is going to foil it and add some summer highlights for me. Wooo!
   
   
   
   
   
4. Dominicks has this great drink called Constant Buzz that is summer in a glass with booze. It's my new favorite, and doesn't give me the immediate hangover that sangria does.
   
   
5. I am going running. Tomorrow I have frisbee try-outs, then a league game. Summer is neat. But, it's only 61 today. Of course, it snowed in Minnesota. Haha.
   
   
6. I'm having an unlucky day -- I've managed to scrape myself with a clothing tag so badly it cut me, then my cat just leaped off my lap and scraped my other hand with his back claws.
   
   
7. I bought a few new summer clothes.
   
   
8. Graduate school is awesome.