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.