Thursday, December 20, 2007
Old news
This is at least a couple of weeks old, but I saved the image and I'm still pretty proud, gosh darn it!
Tuesday, December 04, 2007
La la la!
Last night was the 15th Annual Messiah Sing-Along at St. Ignatius, a church in my neighborhood, which I attended with a friend from my a cappella group. My sight reading is more than a little rusty, but it was nice to tackle a major choral work... especially in a beautiful 90-year old church with a rich, full acoustic.
The church's concert choir led the way through the more obscure sections, though we in the pews held our own especially in the Hallelujah chorus! The orchestra and soloists were delightful to listen to. I actually worked on the Alto Air "O Thou That Tellest Good Tidings To Zion" in voice lessons in undergrad, but this was the first time I'd heard it performed live, and it was wonderfully done.
In another interesting turn of events, the woman I wound up sitting next to was very personable and we struck up a conversation before the concert got under way. As it turned out, she was born in Germany in a small town not too far from Göttingen, though she was only a couple of years old when her family moved to America. I got to practice my German small talk; always a pleasure!
I'm definitely going back next year!
The church's concert choir led the way through the more obscure sections, though we in the pews held our own especially in the Hallelujah chorus! The orchestra and soloists were delightful to listen to. I actually worked on the Alto Air "O Thou That Tellest Good Tidings To Zion" in voice lessons in undergrad, but this was the first time I'd heard it performed live, and it was wonderfully done.
In another interesting turn of events, the woman I wound up sitting next to was very personable and we struck up a conversation before the concert got under way. As it turned out, she was born in Germany in a small town not too far from Göttingen, though she was only a couple of years old when her family moved to America. I got to practice my German small talk; always a pleasure!
I'm definitely going back next year!
Thursday, November 29, 2007
Christmas came early this year!
Since coming back from Thanksgiving break, something wonderful has happened...
I've recieved my copy of "In Concert," the Kenyon College Chamber Singers CD comprising recordings from junior and senior year ('03-'04 and '04-'05). I've been listening to it pretty much nonstop, because it's wonderful. I'm fairly certain that my fellow public transit passengers wonder why I'm grinning at everybody all the time, and I know the checkout boy at the grocery store felt a bit put upon since I was humming the alto line of Sweelinck's "Gaudete Omnes" with one ear-bud in while he attempted to complete my purchase... but I can't stop! It's intoxicating to relive the music, to anticipate the swell of each familiar crescendo and feel the gentle restraint of 50-odd voices carrying a line pianissi-issi-issimo. It's part of my life that brings me great joy and pride, and having a lasting reminder of our efforts and accomplishments is a boon beyond compare.
For any fellow CS alums who have not yet purchased a copy, do so! Here's the track list to whet your appetite:
In other awesome news, here's hard proof of my vocabulo-rifficness, via FreeRice:
This screen cap is a bit small, but look carefully... that's right, a natural 49! I actually got the two subsequent questions right as well and came within a single answer of the much-coveted 50 before missing and losing it! For those of you playing at home, the correct answer is freeze-dry
(Highlight above to reveal! Ooooh, special effects!)
Everybody should go play some more, especially with the new tracking features. Maybe someday they'll also add a "your most frequent level" category... I still spend lots of time at 44, but 45s and 46s are becoming more prevalent, and it would be nice to track my progress.
I've recieved my copy of "In Concert," the Kenyon College Chamber Singers CD comprising recordings from junior and senior year ('03-'04 and '04-'05). I've been listening to it pretty much nonstop, because it's wonderful. I'm fairly certain that my fellow public transit passengers wonder why I'm grinning at everybody all the time, and I know the checkout boy at the grocery store felt a bit put upon since I was humming the alto line of Sweelinck's "Gaudete Omnes" with one ear-bud in while he attempted to complete my purchase... but I can't stop! It's intoxicating to relive the music, to anticipate the swell of each familiar crescendo and feel the gentle restraint of 50-odd voices carrying a line pianissi-issi-issimo. It's part of my life that brings me great joy and pride, and having a lasting reminder of our efforts and accomplishments is a boon beyond compare.
For any fellow CS alums who have not yet purchased a copy, do so! Here's the track list to whet your appetite:
- How Can I Keep From Singing? -arr. Ronald Staheli
- Gaudete omnes -Jan Pieterzsoon Sweelinck
- Ave Maria -Jean Mouton
- Adonai ro'i -Judith Shatin
- I will sing of life -Adolphus Hailstork
- To His Music -Andrew Rindfleisch
- Sometimes I Feel -arr. Robert Shaw and Alice Parker
- Mundi renovatio [Renewal of the Earth] -György Orbàn
- Lux aetera -Steven Bartek '04
- Gaudeamus igitur -Jetse Bremer
- In beauty may I walk -Jonathan Dove
- Warum ist das Licht gegeben den Mühseligen -Johannes Brahms
- Véñiki [Brooms] -arr. F. Rubtsov
- Mata del anima sola -Antonio Estévez
- I love my love -arr. Gustav Holst
- Umahlalela [The Loafer] -arr. Mzilikazi Khumalo
- Kokosing Farewell -arr. Benjamin "Doc" Locke
In other awesome news, here's hard proof of my vocabulo-rifficness, via FreeRice:
This screen cap is a bit small, but look carefully... that's right, a natural 49! I actually got the two subsequent questions right as well and came within a single answer of the much-coveted 50 before missing and losing it! For those of you playing at home, the correct answer is freeze-dry
(Highlight above to reveal! Ooooh, special effects!)
Everybody should go play some more, especially with the new tracking features. Maybe someday they'll also add a "your most frequent level" category... I still spend lots of time at 44, but 45s and 46s are becoming more prevalent, and it would be nice to track my progress.
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
Word games and a good cause, oh my!
Try the FreeRice vocabulary game! According to the site, it's rare for anyone to get beyond level 48 (of 50). Two thousand grains in with no dictionary and I'm consistently hitting level 44 and occasionally making a run all the way up to 46, only to hit a string of toughies. Can you do better?
Monday, September 17, 2007
Fancy dress!
***Disclaimer: I've made a bargain with Mike that he WILL NOT peek if I provide a link to photos of the dress. I trust him, so I'm going to post it. (Plus, I'll know. Sitemeter generates a record of outclicks. But mostly, I trust him.)***
I was back home in St. Louis for the weekend, with a single goal: find the dress.
I expected the process to be at least moderately difficult. After all, there are quintillions of options, and so many of them are lovely in different ways. I had gotten some ideas from the "fashion show" portion of the St. Louis Bridal Expo a few weeks earlier, such as useful terminology: drop waist, gathering and ruching, various neckline, skirt, and train styles, taffeta vs. chiffon vs. a bunch of other fabrics... I also had the sketch that my friend and eventual roommate Grace had made for me waaaaay back in our freshman year at Kenyon. Of course I knew it was silly to show up with a sketch for a dress that doesn't exist and ask for the closest thing, but it wound up in my "wedding stuff" filing folder nonetheless, between pamphlets for DJs and information on photographers.
It wound up being a whole group of us at the shops, which I had anticipated. My maternal grandma, mom, my aunt Kristin and her kids... Justin, who was understandably bored, and flower girl Kailyn, who amused herself by trying on dresses of her own... until (horror of horrors!) she learned that she didn't get to take each and every one of them home with her that very day.
Aside from that unfortunate moment, I did find a potential winner at the first shop; a beautiful chiffon dress with spaghetti straps, a ruched corseted bodice feeding into a crystal-edged split-front overlay skirt that was very flattering, and an absolutely gorgeous crystal-studded train (which we didn't even notice until the dress was on!) The design company was called Impressions. It was a different style but the same fabric as my mother's own dress, and very light and airy for a summer wedding.
I wanted to look at another shop that carried a specific gown I'd noticed at the bridal show, just to be sure. The gown in mind was unique in that it had a colored ribbon (with many color choices) underlaid behind the beadwork in the bodice and that continued down and made up the inside of a split train. I found it again, but the cut of the dress didn't suit my body shape. I tried on a few others while we were there, and one of them fit amazingly. It was by design company Sophia Tolli, and it had lace straps, ruching and lace applique on the corset-back bodice, and a fuller skirt with an interesting pouf of bustling to one side. The pouf was pretty, but located right at hand height where it could be constantly smashed and fiddled with, knowing me. Still, the fit was so flattering that I thought it warranted further consideration.
Grandma and mom and I wanted to have a look, for comparison's sake, at the selection at a chain store that has been described by friends as "the Wal-Mart of bridal stores." Unsurprisingly, they were right. While I'm sure that I'd be able to find a beautiful dress there with some effort, our initial try-ons weren't promising. The store attendant insisted on measuring me (since "most women wear the wrong bra size") and proclaimed me a B-cup. (Not since high school!) She brought me a strapless undergarment in that size, and true to the saying, they ranneth over. She also insisted that the styles in the store were "french designs" and thus ran small. If I fit in a 10 in another store, I'd definitely need a 12 here. Pretty much every dress she brought out was oversized, so I had to look past the crappy fit and try to imagine every dress in my own size. The helpful feedback consisted of pressing me to list what I liked/did not like for each dress I tried on. Some features that I was interested in, like corseting instead of zippers, were "going out of style," which was why they didn't have much of a selection with that detail. (This was patently untrue based on the selections at the previous stores.) We didn't stay very long, and didn't add any dresses to our list.
Since the following day was Saturday and shops get busy, we tried to plan ahead and call to reserve a fitting room for yet another store. It turns out that only two stores in the St. Louis area carry Sophia Tolli designs, and this second store also carried the first dress from Impressions that I had liked. I could compare them back-to-back at a single location.
We arrived soon after opening, and it was full of brides-to-be and their friends and family, so we got started on our own and I had to wait a bit for mirror time to look at the dresses. We looked around for other options as well, and I did find a fairly simple two-tone strapless satin dress that everybody liked, but I thought satin would be too heavy for early August. I found the Impressions dress and a couple of other dresses from that company, none of which were as good as the first one. Then we figured out that they didn't have the specific Sophia Tolli gown I had tried on the day before, but they had a selection of others from the collection, which I decided to try.
By then it was late morning and the store had started to clear out, so we had more space and assistance from the staff, which was very nice. Both of the Sophia Tolli dresses were beautiful. The second one that I tried on was my grandmother's favorite... when I pointed out that it was more expensive, she wanted to pay the difference herself! It was a beautiful full A-line dress with beaded straps and crisscrossed taffeta draping from the fitted bodice to partway down the skirt, which gave way to a tulle underskirt at the front. The back of the dress was also very distinctive, again corset-style at the top while the taffeta draping from the front continued into drapey bustling with a crystal accent partway down the skirt and leading into the train.
That was a gorgeous dress, but as soon as I saw it on I wanted to get back into the dress I had tried on just before! I think Kara and I both knew it was special, since she commented on it in the dressing room (before I saw it in the mirror) and we definitely shared a look once I had a chance to see the whole thing. I felt that it made me look like an elegant piece of statuary, or the figurine on some kind of fancy award... but in a good way. It's just me, I guess. The funny thing is that of all the dresses I tried, it was the closest in overall shape to the sketch that Grace drew way back when. She was really on to something! When I had asked at the other stores to try on dresses in that shape, and I had been told that it only flatters very tall and thin girls, so I shouldn't even try it. So much for that!
We ordered it in diamond white, which is like a pale ivory. Here's the link that Mike isn't allowed to click!
I was back home in St. Louis for the weekend, with a single goal: find the dress.
I expected the process to be at least moderately difficult. After all, there are quintillions of options, and so many of them are lovely in different ways. I had gotten some ideas from the "fashion show" portion of the St. Louis Bridal Expo a few weeks earlier, such as useful terminology: drop waist, gathering and ruching, various neckline, skirt, and train styles, taffeta vs. chiffon vs. a bunch of other fabrics... I also had the sketch that my friend and eventual roommate Grace had made for me waaaaay back in our freshman year at Kenyon. Of course I knew it was silly to show up with a sketch for a dress that doesn't exist and ask for the closest thing, but it wound up in my "wedding stuff" filing folder nonetheless, between pamphlets for DJs and information on photographers.
It wound up being a whole group of us at the shops, which I had anticipated. My maternal grandma, mom, my aunt Kristin and her kids... Justin, who was understandably bored, and flower girl Kailyn, who amused herself by trying on dresses of her own... until (horror of horrors!) she learned that she didn't get to take each and every one of them home with her that very day.
Aside from that unfortunate moment, I did find a potential winner at the first shop; a beautiful chiffon dress with spaghetti straps, a ruched corseted bodice feeding into a crystal-edged split-front overlay skirt that was very flattering, and an absolutely gorgeous crystal-studded train (which we didn't even notice until the dress was on!) The design company was called Impressions. It was a different style but the same fabric as my mother's own dress, and very light and airy for a summer wedding.
I wanted to look at another shop that carried a specific gown I'd noticed at the bridal show, just to be sure. The gown in mind was unique in that it had a colored ribbon (with many color choices) underlaid behind the beadwork in the bodice and that continued down and made up the inside of a split train. I found it again, but the cut of the dress didn't suit my body shape. I tried on a few others while we were there, and one of them fit amazingly. It was by design company Sophia Tolli, and it had lace straps, ruching and lace applique on the corset-back bodice, and a fuller skirt with an interesting pouf of bustling to one side. The pouf was pretty, but located right at hand height where it could be constantly smashed and fiddled with, knowing me. Still, the fit was so flattering that I thought it warranted further consideration.
Grandma and mom and I wanted to have a look, for comparison's sake, at the selection at a chain store that has been described by friends as "the Wal-Mart of bridal stores." Unsurprisingly, they were right. While I'm sure that I'd be able to find a beautiful dress there with some effort, our initial try-ons weren't promising. The store attendant insisted on measuring me (since "most women wear the wrong bra size") and proclaimed me a B-cup. (Not since high school!) She brought me a strapless undergarment in that size, and true to the saying, they ranneth over. She also insisted that the styles in the store were "french designs" and thus ran small. If I fit in a 10 in another store, I'd definitely need a 12 here. Pretty much every dress she brought out was oversized, so I had to look past the crappy fit and try to imagine every dress in my own size. The helpful feedback consisted of pressing me to list what I liked/did not like for each dress I tried on. Some features that I was interested in, like corseting instead of zippers, were "going out of style," which was why they didn't have much of a selection with that detail. (This was patently untrue based on the selections at the previous stores.) We didn't stay very long, and didn't add any dresses to our list.
Since the following day was Saturday and shops get busy, we tried to plan ahead and call to reserve a fitting room for yet another store. It turns out that only two stores in the St. Louis area carry Sophia Tolli designs, and this second store also carried the first dress from Impressions that I had liked. I could compare them back-to-back at a single location.
We arrived soon after opening, and it was full of brides-to-be and their friends and family, so we got started on our own and I had to wait a bit for mirror time to look at the dresses. We looked around for other options as well, and I did find a fairly simple two-tone strapless satin dress that everybody liked, but I thought satin would be too heavy for early August. I found the Impressions dress and a couple of other dresses from that company, none of which were as good as the first one. Then we figured out that they didn't have the specific Sophia Tolli gown I had tried on the day before, but they had a selection of others from the collection, which I decided to try.
By then it was late morning and the store had started to clear out, so we had more space and assistance from the staff, which was very nice. Both of the Sophia Tolli dresses were beautiful. The second one that I tried on was my grandmother's favorite... when I pointed out that it was more expensive, she wanted to pay the difference herself! It was a beautiful full A-line dress with beaded straps and crisscrossed taffeta draping from the fitted bodice to partway down the skirt, which gave way to a tulle underskirt at the front. The back of the dress was also very distinctive, again corset-style at the top while the taffeta draping from the front continued into drapey bustling with a crystal accent partway down the skirt and leading into the train.
That was a gorgeous dress, but as soon as I saw it on I wanted to get back into the dress I had tried on just before! I think Kara and I both knew it was special, since she commented on it in the dressing room (before I saw it in the mirror) and we definitely shared a look once I had a chance to see the whole thing. I felt that it made me look like an elegant piece of statuary, or the figurine on some kind of fancy award... but in a good way. It's just me, I guess. The funny thing is that of all the dresses I tried, it was the closest in overall shape to the sketch that Grace drew way back when. She was really on to something! When I had asked at the other stores to try on dresses in that shape, and I had been told that it only flatters very tall and thin girls, so I shouldn't even try it. So much for that!
We ordered it in diamond white, which is like a pale ivory. Here's the link that Mike isn't allowed to click!
Monday, September 10, 2007
New date... 8-9-08!
So as you may have noticed, Mike and I finally set a wedding date. I selected it myself after consulting with one of the co-administrators of my program, so that I'd have enough time between my Qualifying Exam and the ceremony to take care of last minute plans, stay sane, and even actually enjoy myself. I wanted the wedding after the test, with at least two weeks between the two.
Of course as soon as I take the time to e-mail all sorts of people to let them know about the wedding date, I'm informed that my Quals have been moved from the first half of August to mid-September! Luckily we hadn't yet signed contracts with DJs, photographers, caterers, and such... just set up the church, hall, and celebrant with my home parish.
Quals are a pretty big deal in my program. It's a huge oral exam and research talk that determines my status as a PhD candidate in good standing. Also, the test is administered by a faculty panel, which is why scheduling them in summer is such a big deal. It turns out that even university faculty like to go on vacation every once in a while, when they can find time in their already busy schedules.
That and the fact that I want to take advantage of group prep sessions with my peers (which will work out better if we're all taking the test at about the same time) led me to decide that the easiest solution was to move the wedding... not back to the fall, since so many guests and participants are still students, but earlier in the summer with at least a month between the ceremony and the exam. It's not as ideal as the original plan, but it's survivable. We'd be able to schedule a vacation/honeymoon for after the test, as well.
So... the new date is August 9th, 2008! It's still a Saturday. Locations are the same as before, and I'm also staying on top of the changes by updating the wedding website. The date is more solid than ever since we've shelled out for deposits at the church and for a reception DJ this week... and I've gotten some assurance from the powers-that-be at school that they will work around MY schedule this time if the test date jumps again for any reason!
Of course as soon as I take the time to e-mail all sorts of people to let them know about the wedding date, I'm informed that my Quals have been moved from the first half of August to mid-September! Luckily we hadn't yet signed contracts with DJs, photographers, caterers, and such... just set up the church, hall, and celebrant with my home parish.
Quals are a pretty big deal in my program. It's a huge oral exam and research talk that determines my status as a PhD candidate in good standing. Also, the test is administered by a faculty panel, which is why scheduling them in summer is such a big deal. It turns out that even university faculty like to go on vacation every once in a while, when they can find time in their already busy schedules.
That and the fact that I want to take advantage of group prep sessions with my peers (which will work out better if we're all taking the test at about the same time) led me to decide that the easiest solution was to move the wedding... not back to the fall, since so many guests and participants are still students, but earlier in the summer with at least a month between the ceremony and the exam. It's not as ideal as the original plan, but it's survivable. We'd be able to schedule a vacation/honeymoon for after the test, as well.
So... the new date is August 9th, 2008! It's still a Saturday. Locations are the same as before, and I'm also staying on top of the changes by updating the wedding website. The date is more solid than ever since we've shelled out for deposits at the church and for a reception DJ this week... and I've gotten some assurance from the powers-that-be at school that they will work around MY schedule this time if the test date jumps again for any reason!
Friday, August 24, 2007
Monday, August 06, 2007
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
Do you... Walk?
My apartment rated an 83 out of 100 on this nifty site. How about where you live?
And speaking of nifty sites, Mike and I are putting together our wedding website at http://bakerandnigh.weddings.com. So far we've got our work cut out for us filling in the details, but we are having fun with a round-robin semi-fictionalized account on the "Our Story" page. Check it out!
And speaking of nifty sites, Mike and I are putting together our wedding website at http://bakerandnigh.weddings.com. So far we've got our work cut out for us filling in the details, but we are having fun with a round-robin semi-fictionalized account on the "Our Story" page. Check it out!
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
So much! Vacation, work, and wedding planning!
First things first, California was wonderful... and action-packed. (All of the pictures have been uploaded to my Shutterfly albums.) I flew out with my friend Amrita on Tuesday afternoon (the 10th), and despite threats of delays from the start we managed to arrive in a timely fashion. It was a looooong day; adding 2 hours from Central time made rental car complexity, driving direction issues, and the lateness of dinner disproportionately frustrating, but Wednesday was much better.
We got up "early" (still later than I'm up for work, Chicago time) and headed to SeaWorld for our big adventure in the "wild arctic" exhibit. Feeding seals and walruses and looking at polar bears from "backstage" was only the warmup for our plunge into icy salt water to see beluga whales up close and personal. The trainers told us about the behavioral training tactics used with the animals and showed off some of their best "tricks," including, of course, the ones where they squirt, splash, and otherwise drench the hapless observers. We were in the water for a total of about 25 minutes, which was certainly long enough at 50 degrees farenheit!
We stayed at the park exploring exhibits and rides until the afternoon, when we took a lunch break downtown in San Diego's historic gaslamp district at a Mexican restaurant Amrita recommended. It seemed like a trendy little part of town, with plenty of food, shops and boutiques. As evening approached we made plans to travel to LaJolla and find a beach where we could bum around. Instead of the traditional sandy coastline, we inadvertently stumbled into an area with surf-worn sandstone cliffs, overhangs, and rugged shores full of tide pools, where we stayed until sunset.
On Thursday morning we set out for old town San Diego, to check out gold-rush era buildings... and shop after shop of kitschy old-time souvenirs. Actually, we started off by taking a walking trail to the Presidio site, a fortress/mission that marks the earliest Spanish colonial presence in the area. We stayed in old town for lunch, and finished the day by heading back to SeaWorld to take in more exhibits and shows.
On Friday I set off bright and early on my own to catch a flight to Sacramento, where I met up with Gilberto, a very good friend from Kenyon. We dropped of my luggage and spent a little time with his family at his parents' house before taking off to see old town Sacramento, a nice little shopping district in authentic old-west buildings.
We caught up over a snack at a local restaurant called BJ's, and then headed back to his folks' house for a fantastic dinner made by his dad: fresh salad with avocado, a delicious seasoned salmon dish, and a fantastic shrimp ragout. I don't cook often with shrimp, but I regret that I didn't ask for the recipe then an there! We went out to catch the 5th Harry Potter movie after dinner, although unfortunately I was still on Central time and I zonked out right around the Weasley twins' raucous withdrawal from Hogwarts. I'll have to catch it again to see the second half!
On Saturday morning I went out in Beto's neighborhood for a short run while he ran some errands. We had decided to go back to Oldtown to check out the Railroad Museum and buy some souvenirs. I got to meet his friend Rashad, and then we went home to eat the leftovers from the previous night's fabulous dinner before setting off on the 2 hour drive to San Francisco. We arrived after dark and had a great view of the skyline, though unfortunately my pictures were too blurry to save.
Sunday morning we set off early after a hearty breakfast at a diner near Beto's apartment. We went to Mission Dolores, the oldest church in California. With perfect timing, the Basilica next door to the original church was having Mass when we finished exploring the museum.
We drove to Castro, the historic gay neighborhood in San Francisco, and then made our way to the de Young museum in Golden Gate park, which had spectacular collections of modern art. We travelled to Haight street, hippie central, to get lunch, and I bought myself an absolutely ridiculous pair of earrings.
As repayment for our visit to Ted Drewes' Frozen Custard in St. Louis the previous summer, we went to Mitchell's for the best ice cream in San Francisco. If you ever have the opportunity, I recommend the passionfruit sorbet! We also went to Ocean Beach so I could dip my feet in the Pacific, and then we made plans to go to dinner with Beto's Aunt Kim and her four highly energetic kids, which was loads of fun. I slept well after a busy day!
On Monday, we went back to Golden Gate park to visit the Japanese Tea Garden, which was very serene before the packs of visitors arrived.
We spent the rest of the day at notable SF landmarks, including Lombard street, the world's crookedest road:
Coit Tower, with its fantastic view of the city and the bay:
And Little Italy, where we found a great café for lunch. Then it was on to the Golden Gate Bridge, which was a bit foggy but cleared up on the half that we walked:
We briefly visited Fisherman's Wharf to check out the souvenir stands, where Beto saw this and had to take a picture for my sister:
We ended the day with a visit to Beto's younger sister Ariel and her boyfriend, where we played some Mario Party on the Nintendo Wii and then went out for dinner at an authentic Mexican restaurant:
Tuesday was spent riding roller coasters, eating gross fair food, and singing Karaoke at Great America amusement park. We tired ourselves out pretty thorougly, so we left a bit early, visited with Beto's Aunt Maria before attempting the drive back to Sacramento.
I left Wednesday morning to make the long flight back to St. Louis, landing in the early evening. I was expecting a fairly relaxing weekend at home, but that was not to be. Dr. G, my current advisor, had left a message on my phone while I was in transit, informing me that the committee for a training grant in aging and dementia would accept a proposal from me even though I haven't had my qualifying exam. They wanted to see what I could write, and possibly hold a position for me on the grant for my third and fourth years in the program. This was huge news, because Dr. G and I have been hard at work ever since I started in his lab, trying to find a source of funding to allow me to stay and do my thesis research as his advisee. The catch, of course, was that the committee was convening to read applications on the following Monday.
So much for my calm weekend at home, especially when I quickly realized that one of my pieces of luggage - the one containing my notes and important lab papers - had not arrived with me in St. Louis. I had to fill out a claim at the airport and hope against hope that it would come in sufficient time to get my proposal written. I probably hadn't worked under a similarly hectic deadline since senior year at Kenyon, but luckily things came together; I tracked down rec letters, worked on updating my CV, and with the delivery of my missing bag I had a first draft emailed by Friday night... and rewrote about 5 more times before Monday, including on the road with Mike on Sunday. It was actually a good exercise just to write a proposal and organize my ideas, since the project I came up with could actually make up the bulk of my thesis if I stay in the lab. So, yay!
Between all of that, Mike and my mom and I actually did find time to visit reception hall possibilities for the wedding, and come to some decisions. There are still plenty of details left to work out, but we've reserved a date at my home church and at the parish hall for the reception: Saturday, August 23rd, 2008. Official save-the-date mailings will hopefully commence shortly, as will wedding party and music organization. (Hint to friends and family with musical inclination... Mike is composing a choral setting for the Mass, so we'll definitely need a couple of singers on each voice part and probably someone to act as musical director as well!)
Now to decide what to do for our pre-niversary! When I asked my dad what he and mom decided to do to celebrate the date a year before the wedding, he said that he asked her why they couldn't have just gotten it done that year... Still, having a date more than a year away is much preferred to no date at all. Here's the countdown:
Wahoo!!!
We got up "early" (still later than I'm up for work, Chicago time) and headed to SeaWorld for our big adventure in the "wild arctic" exhibit. Feeding seals and walruses and looking at polar bears from "backstage" was only the warmup for our plunge into icy salt water to see beluga whales up close and personal. The trainers told us about the behavioral training tactics used with the animals and showed off some of their best "tricks," including, of course, the ones where they squirt, splash, and otherwise drench the hapless observers. We were in the water for a total of about 25 minutes, which was certainly long enough at 50 degrees farenheit!
We stayed at the park exploring exhibits and rides until the afternoon, when we took a lunch break downtown in San Diego's historic gaslamp district at a Mexican restaurant Amrita recommended. It seemed like a trendy little part of town, with plenty of food, shops and boutiques. As evening approached we made plans to travel to LaJolla and find a beach where we could bum around. Instead of the traditional sandy coastline, we inadvertently stumbled into an area with surf-worn sandstone cliffs, overhangs, and rugged shores full of tide pools, where we stayed until sunset.
On Thursday morning we set out for old town San Diego, to check out gold-rush era buildings... and shop after shop of kitschy old-time souvenirs. Actually, we started off by taking a walking trail to the Presidio site, a fortress/mission that marks the earliest Spanish colonial presence in the area. We stayed in old town for lunch, and finished the day by heading back to SeaWorld to take in more exhibits and shows.
On Friday I set off bright and early on my own to catch a flight to Sacramento, where I met up with Gilberto, a very good friend from Kenyon. We dropped of my luggage and spent a little time with his family at his parents' house before taking off to see old town Sacramento, a nice little shopping district in authentic old-west buildings.
We caught up over a snack at a local restaurant called BJ's, and then headed back to his folks' house for a fantastic dinner made by his dad: fresh salad with avocado, a delicious seasoned salmon dish, and a fantastic shrimp ragout. I don't cook often with shrimp, but I regret that I didn't ask for the recipe then an there! We went out to catch the 5th Harry Potter movie after dinner, although unfortunately I was still on Central time and I zonked out right around the Weasley twins' raucous withdrawal from Hogwarts. I'll have to catch it again to see the second half!
On Saturday morning I went out in Beto's neighborhood for a short run while he ran some errands. We had decided to go back to Oldtown to check out the Railroad Museum and buy some souvenirs. I got to meet his friend Rashad, and then we went home to eat the leftovers from the previous night's fabulous dinner before setting off on the 2 hour drive to San Francisco. We arrived after dark and had a great view of the skyline, though unfortunately my pictures were too blurry to save.
Sunday morning we set off early after a hearty breakfast at a diner near Beto's apartment. We went to Mission Dolores, the oldest church in California. With perfect timing, the Basilica next door to the original church was having Mass when we finished exploring the museum.
We drove to Castro, the historic gay neighborhood in San Francisco, and then made our way to the de Young museum in Golden Gate park, which had spectacular collections of modern art. We travelled to Haight street, hippie central, to get lunch, and I bought myself an absolutely ridiculous pair of earrings.
As repayment for our visit to Ted Drewes' Frozen Custard in St. Louis the previous summer, we went to Mitchell's for the best ice cream in San Francisco. If you ever have the opportunity, I recommend the passionfruit sorbet! We also went to Ocean Beach so I could dip my feet in the Pacific, and then we made plans to go to dinner with Beto's Aunt Kim and her four highly energetic kids, which was loads of fun. I slept well after a busy day!
On Monday, we went back to Golden Gate park to visit the Japanese Tea Garden, which was very serene before the packs of visitors arrived.
We spent the rest of the day at notable SF landmarks, including Lombard street, the world's crookedest road:
Coit Tower, with its fantastic view of the city and the bay:
And Little Italy, where we found a great café for lunch. Then it was on to the Golden Gate Bridge, which was a bit foggy but cleared up on the half that we walked:
We briefly visited Fisherman's Wharf to check out the souvenir stands, where Beto saw this and had to take a picture for my sister:
We ended the day with a visit to Beto's younger sister Ariel and her boyfriend, where we played some Mario Party on the Nintendo Wii and then went out for dinner at an authentic Mexican restaurant:
Tuesday was spent riding roller coasters, eating gross fair food, and singing Karaoke at Great America amusement park. We tired ourselves out pretty thorougly, so we left a bit early, visited with Beto's Aunt Maria before attempting the drive back to Sacramento.
I left Wednesday morning to make the long flight back to St. Louis, landing in the early evening. I was expecting a fairly relaxing weekend at home, but that was not to be. Dr. G, my current advisor, had left a message on my phone while I was in transit, informing me that the committee for a training grant in aging and dementia would accept a proposal from me even though I haven't had my qualifying exam. They wanted to see what I could write, and possibly hold a position for me on the grant for my third and fourth years in the program. This was huge news, because Dr. G and I have been hard at work ever since I started in his lab, trying to find a source of funding to allow me to stay and do my thesis research as his advisee. The catch, of course, was that the committee was convening to read applications on the following Monday.
So much for my calm weekend at home, especially when I quickly realized that one of my pieces of luggage - the one containing my notes and important lab papers - had not arrived with me in St. Louis. I had to fill out a claim at the airport and hope against hope that it would come in sufficient time to get my proposal written. I probably hadn't worked under a similarly hectic deadline since senior year at Kenyon, but luckily things came together; I tracked down rec letters, worked on updating my CV, and with the delivery of my missing bag I had a first draft emailed by Friday night... and rewrote about 5 more times before Monday, including on the road with Mike on Sunday. It was actually a good exercise just to write a proposal and organize my ideas, since the project I came up with could actually make up the bulk of my thesis if I stay in the lab. So, yay!
Between all of that, Mike and my mom and I actually did find time to visit reception hall possibilities for the wedding, and come to some decisions. There are still plenty of details left to work out, but we've reserved a date at my home church and at the parish hall for the reception: Saturday, August 23rd, 2008. Official save-the-date mailings will hopefully commence shortly, as will wedding party and music organization. (Hint to friends and family with musical inclination... Mike is composing a choral setting for the Mass, so we'll definitely need a couple of singers on each voice part and probably someone to act as musical director as well!)
Now to decide what to do for our pre-niversary! When I asked my dad what he and mom decided to do to celebrate the date a year before the wedding, he said that he asked her why they couldn't have just gotten it done that year... Still, having a date more than a year away is much preferred to no date at all. Here's the countdown:
Wahoo!!!
Monday, July 09, 2007
Vacation!
I'm leaving Tuesday night, going to California for a little more than a week... including what is already shaping up to be a fabulous visit with Gilbert and his family. We had a great time over his trip to St. Louis last summer, and I can't wait to pick up where that left off, except with beaches this time! Photos to come on my return!
After that, I'm flying back home for a long weekend of a portentous nature... looking at reception halls and setting a wedding date. Eek! For reals!
Should be mad updatez when I get back...
After that, I'm flying back home for a long weekend of a portentous nature... looking at reception halls and setting a wedding date. Eek! For reals!
Should be mad updatez when I get back...
Friday, June 29, 2007
Monday, June 25, 2007
More race results
After yesterday's post, I spent the afternoon with an awful headache and didn't get much done... but I think Laura and I are going to try and keep it up, and possibly sign up for another race later this summer. The complete and official race results are posted here.
By way of summary, Laura and I actually came in at 35:37 and 35:38, respectively, making us the 24th and 25th finishers in Women age 20-24... and they only list through 25th place in that category in the "Age Group Awards" page, so we were last in our division. Overall, that was good enough for 840th and 841st overall out of 914 runners, and 363rd and 364th in Women out of 405 competitors.
It's a start. We'll be better next year!
By way of summary, Laura and I actually came in at 35:37 and 35:38, respectively, making us the 24th and 25th finishers in Women age 20-24... and they only list through 25th place in that category in the "Age Group Awards" page, so we were last in our division. Overall, that was good enough for 840th and 841st overall out of 914 runners, and 363rd and 364th in Women out of 405 competitors.
It's a start. We'll be better next year!
Sunday, June 24, 2007
42
... was the number safety-pinned to my shirt. We took off in the middle of the pack and came back in with apparently the "last big clump," according to my spectator-in-waiting. We stopped to walk twice, probably about half a mile in total, which leaves about 2.6 miles of actual running. Clock time at crossing the finish was 36:17, although I have to wait for them to tally the radiochip device on my shoe for the real duration.
I'm still alive.
I still hate running.
I think I would do it again.
I'm still alive.
I still hate running.
I think I would do it again.
Thursday, June 21, 2007
I'm INTERNET FAMOUS
Okay, not really. But there is a vaguely embarrassing video interview from last year's Fulbright Academy of Science and Technology meeting in Berlin, where I gush unreservedly about how cool it is to live abroad and do AD research. It's here, and the video quality is rather over-compressed... at least, I hope I don't look that bug-eyed in real life. Also, I should email them about spelling my name right... sigh.
By way of follow-up to my last post, I'm officially in my new summer lab. And it's awesome so far on all counts, except of course the fact that scientific research in many fields, including mine, is in a funding drought. I'm doing my darndest to find a way to stay in this lab, though. We'll see...
The 5K I'm running is also this weekend, Sunday morning. I'll try to remember to post, if I survive.
By way of follow-up to my last post, I'm officially in my new summer lab. And it's awesome so far on all counts, except of course the fact that scientific research in many fields, including mine, is in a funding drought. I'm doing my darndest to find a way to stay in this lab, though. We'll see...
The 5K I'm running is also this weekend, Sunday morning. I'll try to remember to post, if I survive.
Friday, May 18, 2007
A new season.
I need a change. I'm going home for the weekend for my sister's graduation, which is good... but I need something bigger. I need a break from classes, and a new lab.
Basically, I found out in the last week or so that none of my 3 rotation labs this year have the space or funding to take me on as a thesis student. Other than classes, my job this year is to find a permanent home to do my Ph.D. It's not that I haven't had good experiences, but had I known going into it that all three of the labs I worked in were hard up for funding, space or both, I may have made different decisions.
I'm mostly sour because it's the Prof's job to weigh his or her ability to take on students and share that upfront, and one of mine made a misjudgement and then backpedalled after I -- after several students, in fact -- started working for him. We're still expected to come to lab and work on our projects, of course. It's a little disheartening.
Realistically, I'm not the only student in my program right now in this situation (which doesn't necessarily help any of us, but we're not alone.) Summer lab rotations are an option, and I've jumped right on the task of contacting other P.I.'s (that's "primary investigators" for non-sciencey types) with research that interests me and, hopefully, the resources to take me on. I intend to have a summer plan squared away by the end of the quarter. I've interviewed with one promising lead so far, although more options wouldn't hurt.
There needs to be a bulletin board or a personals ad system in science to hook up grad students with researchers. "Student, good pipetting hands and blot technique, seeking Assistant Professor with funds for neurobiology of degenerative diseases. Pref. downtown, new faculty OK, no despots." Maybe I should shop that to matchmaker websites.
Oh yeah: Still running. Still mostly hating it, particularly from the point when I wake up in the morning on running days to the point where we stop running. Although, the realization that I don't have to run again until the day after tomorrow! is a pretty good feeling. Our route has increased to 2 miles, of which I can do about 1.5 without stopping if we take a pretty slow pace. I guess that means my endurance is going up, since I've never in my life been able to make such a statement. I still don't know about 5k, but we've got a few more weeks.
Basically, I found out in the last week or so that none of my 3 rotation labs this year have the space or funding to take me on as a thesis student. Other than classes, my job this year is to find a permanent home to do my Ph.D. It's not that I haven't had good experiences, but had I known going into it that all three of the labs I worked in were hard up for funding, space or both, I may have made different decisions.
I'm mostly sour because it's the Prof's job to weigh his or her ability to take on students and share that upfront, and one of mine made a misjudgement and then backpedalled after I -- after several students, in fact -- started working for him. We're still expected to come to lab and work on our projects, of course. It's a little disheartening.
Realistically, I'm not the only student in my program right now in this situation (which doesn't necessarily help any of us, but we're not alone.) Summer lab rotations are an option, and I've jumped right on the task of contacting other P.I.'s (that's "primary investigators" for non-sciencey types) with research that interests me and, hopefully, the resources to take me on. I intend to have a summer plan squared away by the end of the quarter. I've interviewed with one promising lead so far, although more options wouldn't hurt.
There needs to be a bulletin board or a personals ad system in science to hook up grad students with researchers. "Student, good pipetting hands and blot technique, seeking Assistant Professor with funds for neurobiology of degenerative diseases. Pref. downtown, new faculty OK, no despots." Maybe I should shop that to matchmaker websites.
Oh yeah: Still running. Still mostly hating it, particularly from the point when I wake up in the morning on running days to the point where we stop running. Although, the realization that I don't have to run again until the day after tomorrow! is a pretty good feeling. Our route has increased to 2 miles, of which I can do about 1.5 without stopping if we take a pretty slow pace. I guess that means my endurance is going up, since I've never in my life been able to make such a statement. I still don't know about 5k, but we've got a few more weeks.
Friday, May 04, 2007
Week 1, so far so good, still hating it
I thought I'd offer an update on the training regimen, since it appears I'm actually sticking with this little project (see previous post if you have no idea what I'm talking about). The protocol involves running a set distance Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays (for this week and next it's 1.5 miles, though we do allow a few short walking breaks) and an hourlong walk on Sundays.
We started last Saturday, so today marks the end of the first week. I was noticeably sore on Sunday and Monday, but since then it hasn't been painful. Believe it or not, I still hate running with the burning passion of 10,000 suns. Most of what is going through my head as we go along involves contemplating every single little bodily pain as it arises, listening to the horrific cacaphony of my own breathing, and wishing we could stop. Pretty much every moment.
I went to the campus health center and got a new prescription for an albuterol inhaler, which is likely to help with the wheeziness and feelings of shortness of breath. I was on the medication for reactive airway back in high school when I couldn't shake a chronic cough, and those symptoms seem to be coming back since I got over my last cold, which just makes it that much harder to breathe. I hate taking the stuff since it makes me feel like I'm overly caffeinated all day long, but for now I'm going to try it on the days that we run.
Hopefully I'll be able to break out of these negative mental patterns and enjoy the weather, the scenery (our weekday route takes us right along lake Michigan in Evanston) or *gasp* maybe even the process itself as my body acclimates. We'll see...
We started last Saturday, so today marks the end of the first week. I was noticeably sore on Sunday and Monday, but since then it hasn't been painful. Believe it or not, I still hate running with the burning passion of 10,000 suns. Most of what is going through my head as we go along involves contemplating every single little bodily pain as it arises, listening to the horrific cacaphony of my own breathing, and wishing we could stop. Pretty much every moment.
I went to the campus health center and got a new prescription for an albuterol inhaler, which is likely to help with the wheeziness and feelings of shortness of breath. I was on the medication for reactive airway back in high school when I couldn't shake a chronic cough, and those symptoms seem to be coming back since I got over my last cold, which just makes it that much harder to breathe. I hate taking the stuff since it makes me feel like I'm overly caffeinated all day long, but for now I'm going to try it on the days that we run.
Hopefully I'll be able to break out of these negative mental patterns and enjoy the weather, the scenery (our weekday route takes us right along lake Michigan in Evanston) or *gasp* maybe even the process itself as my body acclimates. We'll see...
Thursday, April 26, 2007
Trying new things
Those who know me well: prepare to be shocked and amazed.
Laura, another student in my lab, has convinced me to sign up with her to run a 5K in June. We are going to train together, which involves a regular weekly schedule of waking up early and running before work.
That's right. Running. The bane of my athletic existence, such as it is. And I'll be waking up extra early, and paying the $25 race entry fee... just for the privilege of engaging in one of my least favorite activities of all time.
Exercise for its own sake has never been a part of my life... it's something that happens occasionally in the pursuit of other things. I don't really count my stint as a ballroom dancer at Kenyon because my practice attendance was pretty sporadic, and I did it for the fun and social interaction more than for working up a sweat. Biking to get around last year came pretty close, but for me it was primarily about transportation and I rarely rode around for exercise purposes, and I've barely used my bike this year (I did ride to work and back yesterday for the first time since the weather changed, and got a flat tire for my effort!) Sticking to a regular schedule with this is going to be a challenge.
The one nice thing about all of this is that Laura hates running too, so we can commiserate the entire time. There will be LOTS of commiserating. But hopefully also support and bonding. Wish me luck!
Laura, another student in my lab, has convinced me to sign up with her to run a 5K in June. We are going to train together, which involves a regular weekly schedule of waking up early and running before work.
That's right. Running. The bane of my athletic existence, such as it is. And I'll be waking up extra early, and paying the $25 race entry fee... just for the privilege of engaging in one of my least favorite activities of all time.
Exercise for its own sake has never been a part of my life... it's something that happens occasionally in the pursuit of other things. I don't really count my stint as a ballroom dancer at Kenyon because my practice attendance was pretty sporadic, and I did it for the fun and social interaction more than for working up a sweat. Biking to get around last year came pretty close, but for me it was primarily about transportation and I rarely rode around for exercise purposes, and I've barely used my bike this year (I did ride to work and back yesterday for the first time since the weather changed, and got a flat tire for my effort!) Sticking to a regular schedule with this is going to be a challenge.
The one nice thing about all of this is that Laura hates running too, so we can commiserate the entire time. There will be LOTS of commiserating. But hopefully also support and bonding. Wish me luck!
Monday, April 23, 2007
Celebrate!
I had been hoping to organize some kind of group event for my birthday tomorrow (24! whoa!) with my classmates... but instead, we have a big class assignment and a midterm this week. So, my celebrations will consist of a class debate and attending a talk by scientist and author Jared Diamond on the evolution of world religions. Dr. Diamond gave a really good talk at Kenyon after his book Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed came out, and I'm pretty pumped about the topic as well.
From the on-campus advertisments:
I'm anticipating a pretty cool evening. Happy birthday to me!
From the on-campus advertisments:
How can religion be defined in such a way as to encompass all of the customarily recognized religions, while excluding other things not normally considered religions? Does religion require belief in God, the supernatural, or eternal moral principles not of our own invention? What do traditional Catholics, atheists professing themselves to be members of organized liberal religions, and tribespeople believing in spirits share with each other that they don’t share with believers in ghosts, astrology, and non-religious moral codes? Dr. Diamond shall argue that religion has encompassed at least four independent components that have arisen or disappeared at different stages of development of human societies over the last 10,000 years.
I'm anticipating a pretty cool evening. Happy birthday to me!
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
Spring Break!
My second quarter of grad school is over... I'm halfway through year one! More than halfway, even, if I can find my thesis lab without adding a fourth rotation this summer. I met with my Spring quarter advisor this morning, and so far it looks very promising. That's all I'll say for now, because of course I'll need to get into the work and the lab dynamic first.
St. Patrick's Day weekend is very green in Chicago, and it was made even more so by my sister Kara's visit... our main goal was to get $25 front-row seats to see "Wicked," the musical, in the ticket lottery. We had four chances to try for it over her three days in the city, but we were super lucky and her name was the second called on our very first attempt, Thursday night. I've owned the soundtrack for a couple of years, so finally seeing the show was fantastic! We even had time between the lottery and the show to check out nearby Millennium Park:
We spent Friday downtown, exploring Michigan avenue's finest chocolate stores, the Lincoln Park Zoo, and dusk at the Sears Tower Skydeck:
The fact that Kara looks so much taller than me next to the Sears Tower is probably some kind of optical illusion:
You can't see the stepstool in her picture. Yeah, that's it. The stepstool. I swear.
Saturday was the annual dyeing of the Chicago river and then the St. Patrick's Day parade:
Kara even got kissed on the cheek by a passing leprechaun, though sadly I didn't turn my camera on in time to catch it. That's what she gets for being a redhead on St. Pat's, I guess!
Speaking of hair, it was one of my goals this break to get a haircut, so I tried out a place in Evanston this morning. It's probably not short enough for Grandma Jean's taste, but I'm very happy with it!
Now to write my second rotation report and enjoy the rest of spring break!
St. Patrick's Day weekend is very green in Chicago, and it was made even more so by my sister Kara's visit... our main goal was to get $25 front-row seats to see "Wicked," the musical, in the ticket lottery. We had four chances to try for it over her three days in the city, but we were super lucky and her name was the second called on our very first attempt, Thursday night. I've owned the soundtrack for a couple of years, so finally seeing the show was fantastic! We even had time between the lottery and the show to check out nearby Millennium Park:
We spent Friday downtown, exploring Michigan avenue's finest chocolate stores, the Lincoln Park Zoo, and dusk at the Sears Tower Skydeck:
The fact that Kara looks so much taller than me next to the Sears Tower is probably some kind of optical illusion:
You can't see the stepstool in her picture. Yeah, that's it. The stepstool. I swear.
Saturday was the annual dyeing of the Chicago river and then the St. Patrick's Day parade:
Kara even got kissed on the cheek by a passing leprechaun, though sadly I didn't turn my camera on in time to catch it. That's what she gets for being a redhead on St. Pat's, I guess!
Speaking of hair, it was one of my goals this break to get a haircut, so I tried out a place in Evanston this morning. It's probably not short enough for Grandma Jean's taste, but I'm very happy with it!
Now to write my second rotation report and enjoy the rest of spring break!
Thursday, February 22, 2007
wow.
So Kenyon has lost another first-year student... and apparently he did the same thing I did freshman year, vasovagal syncope early in the morning in the dorm bathroom. I, however, came out of it merely concussed. I just read the Collegian article and it shook me up a bit.
I don't really know what else to say... there's an even stranger connection, because his last name is Gottinger, which is almost certainly derived from the name of the city in Germany where I lived last year.
I never met this young man. He sounds like a wonderful person. He and his family will be in my prayers.
I don't really know what else to say... there's an even stranger connection, because his last name is Gottinger, which is almost certainly derived from the name of the city in Germany where I lived last year.
I never met this young man. He sounds like a wonderful person. He and his family will be in my prayers.
Friday, January 26, 2007
Wednesday, January 24, 2007
Memories
I've got plenty of reading to do... but reminiscing is an enjoyable diversion.
Deutschland fehlst mir!
From my weekend with Emily in Tübingen:
The street sign is the important part, of course:
(Frog alley. If only I could live there...)
Deutschland fehlst mir!
From my weekend with Emily in Tübingen:
The street sign is the important part, of course:
(Frog alley. If only I could live there...)
Monday, January 08, 2007
New Year's Tally
This may be a little late out the gate, but I feel like a bit of stock-taking since it's near the rather arbitrary start-point of the 365.4-day planetary orbital cycle.
Good things, from the most recent to old news:
Good things, from the most recent to old news:
- Quarter 2 of grad school is getting started with a bang, and I'm excited about the material in class and in my new rotation lab. Molecular bio is spiffy, as is neuroanatomy!
- Coming back to my apartment after break felt like coming home. It's nice to feel settled-in in a new place, and it definitely happened faster this year than last year.
- Christmas! Seeing family and friends back in StL - particularly catching up with some folks after a long time - was a great way to bring back happy memories.
- Speaking of reunions, I went back to Kenyon for one night in early December to attend the Cornerstones fall concert... despite the truncated stay, I got to check in with the Guitar crowd, see a great show, catch up with old friends, and attend the afterparty in Snowden with all the current 'Stones! (I have no idea if Robbie K. reads this, but what a pleasant surprise to see another alum from the "old crowd" on campus again! It was great to have someone with whom to bum around, commiserate over the changes since we left, and celebrate our time on the hill. Apparently I'm not the only one drawn back to the Chapel like a moth to a flame, and spending a quiet hour there with an old friend really made it feel like Kenyon.)
- Carolling with the Catatonics right before break was splendiferous... but I'm always a sucker for singing at nursing homes. If the PhD thing doesn't work out, maybe that's my true calling.
- Surviving my first quarter at Northwestern! Not to mention new friends, new places, and new ideas...
- I can't help but think that my quick transition to Chicago living is significantly aided by Mike's proximity. After 5 years of distance, I'm like the proverbial kid in a candy store every time we get to be together, which is practically every weekend. I realize that someday I'll become desensitized and won't leap for joy at the prospect of divvying up the housework (this weekend we vacuumed AND bought deeply discounted Christmas decorations! yay!) but for now I'm still totally enthralled by folding shirts together. That does quite a bit to perk up the day-to-day, or week-to-week, routine.
- 2006 had some major landmarks... Roomie Jen and cousin Sarah's weddings, moving to Chicago, not to mention finishing up my year in Germany. It's surreal to think about where I was this time a year ago. I'll admit that I don't spend lots and lots of time pining for Deutschland, although any brush with German language or culture makes me smile. I also know that the entire experience has left its indelible mark on me. So many of the adventures I had over there were nerve-wracking challenges that left me feeling weak, alone, and scared... but I went ahead anyway, and even as I was hard on myself for being afraid, I was learning how to deal with those feelings. I'm more self-aware, confident, and adventurous now, and I have learned to recognize and apply those traits positively.
- I know it's breaking the rules to include stuff from 2007, but my friend Bethany's wedding was this weekend. That's not the bad part, of course! I had planned to attend, but unfortunately I couldn't be there for it. I hope it went well, particularly the musical contribution by current Cornerstones and alums!
- I have a few friends who are going through tough times, and I wish them comfort. You guys probably know who you are. I don't have any magic words to make things instantly better, so I'll offer my friendship and hope it helps.
- I'm realizing quickly that my chosen career path requires a certain amount of ambition and just plain elbow grease. I need to keep the former stoked in order to maintain the latter.
- Reunions are grand and all that... it's lovely to reconnect with folks after a few years and pick up right where you left off, but it also reminds me how nice it is to enjoy their company in the first place. Keeping in touch is fun and easy! I should initiate that more often.
- How about some ideas, the thrust of which head towards circling the general area of... wedding dates!?! Huh? Let's start with the year and narrow it down from there.
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