Chic scientist

Strength

2011-11-02T19:19:00.003-04:00

Today, for the first time in an incredibly long time, I looked in the mirror and saw strength. This blazing light within me. After feeling so vulnerable, so disconnected, so blindingly lost, it was there. And I wish I could capture it, bottle it up for a rainy day. I can only hope that in my next time of uncertainty, I will bring myself back to this fleeting moment. Strength. I have it.

And to follow the last post...

2009-09-16T13:12:00.001-04:00

see more Lolcats and funny pictures

Hee hee heeeee

2009-09-04T14:17:00.000-04:00

see more Lolcats and funny pictures

I feel like this is me right now, trying to put it all together!!!

2009-07-07T09:12:00.002-04:00

"Wildlife Photography FAIL"

see more Fail Blog

Bring it on...

2009-05-10T17:54:00.001-04:00

Dear World,

I am ready. Bring it on. And by "IT", I mean the rest of my life...

CS

I know, I know

2009-04-10T16:20:00.002-04:00

Ok. So I have been quite absent for the past month. Things in my life have gotten way out of control, as expected with my graduation date looming in the not so distant future. I won't even begin to go there. But I thought I would highlight a wonderful blog my sister showed me that has definitely kept me going through this past month. Every time I begin to feel overwhelmed and emotional, I just click over to failblog.org and proceed to laugh my butt off...

Here is a little taste:

see more pwn and owned pictures

see more pwn and owned pictures
(Dedicated to my lab mate AM!!!)

Hilarious, right?

Just promise me you will check it out, k?

Some funnys...

2009-03-19T20:04:00.004-04:00

I know that not everyone loves basketball, and to be honest, I am not the most devoted of followers until March Madness roles around. But a co-worker of mine (a serious Duke fan) showed me this clip from the onion and I thought I just had to share it. Even bball haters will enjoy this...

NCAA Expands March Madness To Include 4,096 Teams

You know it!

2009-03-16T12:48:00.005-04:00

Hilarious List!

2009-03-12T12:34:00.003-04:00

My sister sent me this email as a forward, and I laughed so much I decided to share it with you all! Enjoy!

19 Things That It Took Me 50 Years To Learn
By Dave Barry...

1. Never under any circumstances take a sleeping pill and a laxative
on the same night.

2. If you had to identify, in one word, the reason why the human race
has not achieved, and never will achieve, its full potential, that
word would be “meetings”.

3. There is a very fine line between “hobby” and “mental illness.”

4. People who want to share their religious views with you almost
never want you to share yours with them.

5. And when God, who created the entire universe with all of its
glories, decides to deliver a message to humanity, He WILL NOT use, as
His messenger, a person on cable TV with a bad hairstyle.

6. You should not confuse your career with your life.

7. No matter what happens, somebody will find a way to take it too seriously.

8. When trouble arises and things look bad, there is always one
individual who perceives a solution and is willing to take command.
Very often, that individual is crazy.

9. Nobody cares if you can’t dance well. Just get up and dance.

10. Never lick a steak knife.

11. Take out the fortune before you eat the cookie.

12. The most powerful force in the universe is gossip.

13. You will never find anybody who can give you a clear and
compelling reason why we observe daylight savings time.

14. You should never say anything to a woman that even remotely
suggests that you think she’s pregnant unless you can see an actual
baby emerging from her at that moment.

15. There comes a time when you should stop expecting other people to
make a big deal about your birthday. That time is age 11.

16. “The one thing that unites all human beings, regardless of age,
gender, religion, economic status or ethnic background, is that, deep
down inside, we ALL believe that we are above average drivers.

17. The main accomplishment of almost all organized protests is to
annoy people who are not in them.

18. A person who is nice to you, but rude to the waiter, is not a nice person.

19. Your friends love you anyway.

Brrrrrrr......

2009-03-04T10:57:00.004-05:00

This picture was taken with my crappy camera phone at 8:30 this morning. Since I have previously mentioned that I live in the Southern United States area, you may be wondering if this is the current temperature outside this morning? Well, that would be a no. This, 59 degrees Fahrenheit, was the temperature of my lab, in which I have to work, at 8:30 this morning. Outside, it was around 32. That's only a temperature difference of 27 degrees!!!!

Needless to say, its a chilly work day. And this is day three of frigid indoor temperatures.

Current attire: wool socks and tennis shoes, jeans, fleece jacket over wool turtleneck sweater over t-shirt (yup, 3 layers). Unfortunately, my hands are still cold...

BUT, Happy hump day!!!

The tragedy that doth befall the Holy Grail

2009-02-18T19:36:00.005-05:00

Has anyone else seen this? I am sorry, but what exactly does this advertisement campaign think it has going on right here? Are they trying to make the most hilarious movie on this earth funny or something? I mean, the subtle jokes, the smirks, the stating of all things ridiculous with the most serious of faces are lost in this commerical! Is it just me, or does this commercial make the Holy Grail UNFUNNY?

Currently reading...

2009-02-12T18:58:00.007-05:00

If you have never read a book by Marisa de los Santos, I highly recommend this book. This book is written so exquisitely, the words seem to just wrap around you in a blanket of warmth.

Truly a phenomenal book. And the good news is, there is a sequel, Belong to Me. Can't wait!

Happy Friday all.

And love and hugs for Valentine's Day!

25 things about me

2009-02-03T09:42:00.007-05:00

So I was going over my profile recently and realized that it is pretty vague (that being because I am an anonymous blogger). A friend of mine who is younger than me and into facebook recently shared with me a top 25 list that I thought I'd duplicate here. So I have decided to make a list of 25 things you should know about me, and maybe in the future my blog will make a little more sense?!?!?!

1. I am in my 5th year of graduate school, attempting a PhD in molecular biology (pretty sure you already knew that)

2. By the time I am done with graduate school (August, hopefully?) I will have spent all of my 20s in college

3. I am severely addicted to knitting

4. I have not slept through the night in about 8 months (see thumper story below)

5. My best friends in the world are my husband and my 2 sisters

6. I sometimes think my cat is a straight-up human being

7. I have moments of seasonal depression in the winter despite the fact that I love the cold and snow

8. I cannot wait to graduate so I can finally have a family (in addition to my human-esque cat)

9. I love music sung by females so that I can sing along

10. Musical instruments I can play: piano, clarinet, flute, violin, guitar (chords only :) )

11. I played volleyball for 6 years during middle and high school and was pretty good considering I am 5'3

12. I considered myself artistic until I met my husband, Van Gogh

13. My middle name, Ellen, is a 4th generation name that I hope to give to a daughter one day

14. I love love love the outdoors

15. I am into experimental cooking and therefore rarely make the same recipe more than once

16. My favorite movie of all time that will always make me pee my pants is Monty Python's Holy Grail

17. I use to love watching scary movies when I was younger, but I can no longer watch them due to my overactive imagination due to watching scary movies when I was younger

18. I have not spoken to my biological father in 6 years

19. My husband does yoga with me in the mornings and I LOVE that

20. If I did what I really wanted to do with my life, I would open an artgallery/studio-coffee shop-knitting/yarn, um, gathering place where Van Gogh can hang his artwork, teach, and I can knit, teach others to knit, and get jacked up on coffee that is cheaper than Star Bucks, and live in the apartment upstairs

21. I am secretly fascinated with bloggers who live in France because my favorite second cousin lives there and got me addicted

22. I am currently striving to be more confrontational and have succeeded in doing it twice within the past 5 months

23. I want to grow my own fruits and vegetables one day

24. I cut and color my own hair because I think that the astronomical amount of money the professionals charge should be considered a felony for the so-so results they produce (when I can do it just right every time for about $12 and a couple of hours?)

25. Every chance she got, my mom told me that I need to be able to depend on myself because you never know where life will take you, and that is the reason I do what I do

My history with Thumper

2009-01-22T13:58:00.009-05:00

When you first look at the image to your right, I am sure it conjures up fine memories of you childhood, remembering how cute and quirky this little guy is. Adorable, right? Until he starts that thumping, thumping, thumping and all you can do is imagine your hand holding him down on the ground whilst screaming THAT IS ENOUGH ALREADY!

Ok. So maybe you don't think that. But if your history of upstairs neighbors is remotely similar to mine, you may see where I am coming from.

My husband and I are the lucky winners of a lovely second floor 2-bedroom apartment complete with military personnel that rotate in and out of the apartment just above yours every 6 months (our newest neighbor is #3), who love to march back and forth across the living room and master bedroom at all hours of the day and night just so you know they're there! Would you like sleep over? Options for the night currently available consist of an eye mask to keep you from throwing your eyes open in disgust in the middle of the night to shoot daggers of rage through the ceiling, ear plugs to keep you from hearing every little creak of the floor as the night march begins consistently every two hours on the hour, two fluffy feather pillows to further drown out any slamming of inanimate objects (bar-bells, maybe?) into the floor, and if all else fails, a sound machine to create the illusion of peace, containing 6 tranquil sound varieties (I personally recommend the rain). If all of these items fail you, I can provide you with an apothecary of sleep aids, including but not limited to Tylenol PM, Benadryl, prescription medications, and a wide selection of alcoholic beverages that vary in percent alcohol volume. And finally, if that doesn't keep you from waking up in the middle of the night, well you are just F*ed. And by you, I really mean me. Are you sure you don't want to come visit me for the weekend? I am a really great cook. I promise. Still a no, huh?

Letter from the editor: Dear Thumper, thank you for serving our country. If it were not for people like you, I would not have the freedom to bitch about you on the internet to all that are willing to listen. But could you just take your boots off for an F*ing second?!?! Thanks so much!

Signed, your desperately sleep-deprived downstairs neighbor.

Dane Cook makes me cry

2009-01-14T20:51:00.008-05:00

Eat your heart out National Geographic

2009-01-14T20:05:00.000-05:00

So there. Yeah...

My blue-eyed company

2009-01-13T19:19:00.002-05:00

I really like this pic and thought I would share it with you all. Today is much better than yesterday, if you were wondering. These next 7 months are going to be interesting, I tell you.

Today I am grateful for my sweet cat Sushi who is doing a great job of keeping me company while Van Gogh is out of town.

Grrrrr...

2009-01-12T18:18:00.001-05:00

I am sooooo ready to graduate. Everyone, please send me all of your positive energy. I surely need it right about now.

On this last day of 2008

2008-12-31T09:09:00.002-05:00

I really love looking at photographs. I love the way they capture that one single moment in time that will forever be different from what it was at that exact fraction of a second. My husband and I both love taking pictures, so this Christmas we decided to buy each other a semi-nice camera. Because we want to have something quality to record our lives for us. We took a trip to the Congaree State Park a few days ago to take our shiny new Christmas present out for a test run. Boy, did this thing rise to the occasion. Above is one of my pictures. Just playing around.

But the purpose of this post is this: on this last day of 2008, I want to make a few promises to myself. I tend to get caught up in my life, especially my work, and I forget to take time to appreciate those short moments in time that I will never get back. I am a bit of a pleaser, I want everyone to be happy with everything I do at all times. I hate for anyone to ever be mad or disappointed in anything I do, so I spend a lot of time doing things that aren't necessarily in my best interest.

So in this promising new year of 2009, the year in which I will finally finish graduate school and become a bona fide Doctor that studies molecular cancer biology, I will strive to make decisions that are in my best interest and quit trying to please everyone else. Because the only person I am hurting in the long run is myself.

I also promise that I will take my shiny new camera and capture those moments in life I will never get back. This year will be the beginning and the end of many things, and I want to capture it all.

Goodbye Chic Scientist of 2008. Hello 2009! Happy New Year to everyone!

Time has some badass wings on right now

2008-12-22T10:43:00.003-05:00

Holy crap. I cannot believe that before this week is over, we will have celebrated yet another Christmas. That is just crazy! I have tried with all of my might to feel the anticipation of the arrival of Christmas, but every time I turn around, another whole week has flown by? What the hell?!?!?!

SO last week, as I mentioned, my husband had his first true art showing of approximately 35 paintings. We probably had around 80 to 100 people show up throughout the night. And so far, he has sold 5 paintings. I am pretty excited for him. He was definitely lacking in the confidence department and far as his painting talents go and I think he got a lot of support from all who came to see it.

Other than that, I have been stressing as usual about work and finishing and all that crazy stuff. It has truly distracted me from my usual excitement over Christmas, so therefore I am mad at my work... I am so glad to have a week and a half to not worry about it at all. I cannot wait to get the hell out of here.

In other news, my only living Grandparent left, Nannie (as we call her), has recently been diagnosed with vascular dementia. Anyone educated on this disease? I certainly am not. But the docs seem to have gotten her somewhat stable with medication and now she is living with my parents. I swear, those two are never going to have that house to themselves. But it is kind of cool having her there so I can spend more time with her over the holidays. Nannie and I are what I would call kindred spirits that go beyond just blood. I have so much of myself in her (she achieved 3 Masters in her career, was a middle school science teacher, and when she retired taught at our local planetarium). Our shared love of science goes deep. She has good and bad days as far as her memory goes, so I hope this medication can preserve some of that.

On to less depressing things though. I am so glad she will be with us for Christmas! In case I do not have a chance to write again before Christmas, happy holidays to my list of readers I can count on one hand! Love you all!!!!!

Sorry for the disconnection...

2008-12-15T17:04:00.003-05:00

Hello all. Many apologies for the absence of posts, but things always get a little crazy around the holidays. Especially for me. Trying to squeeze working in the lab into my busy Christmas schedule always throws me for a loop! (For some reason, when December 1st roles around, I turn into a glittery, flour-covered, shopaholic, crazy girl and I just can't stop myself!)

SO, again. I am here and keeping up with all of my fav blogs, but failing to post myself.

I promise to write more after tomorrow, when I can tell you all about Van Gogh's very first art show!

Today I am grateful for the opportunity for my husband to shine!

Put it in my pocket and take it home with me

2008-11-05T13:27:00.006-05:00

This weekend was just the weekend I needed. I feel like every time I go to the mountains, I re-center my soul. I know I have said this before, but the mountains really do feel like home to me. So anyways, I had a wonderful weekend complete with a beautiful wedding, a campfire, s'mores, and lots of good times with our friends. Well worth missing Halloween.

Van Gogh and I hiked up to the top of Table Rock the day after the wedding, and the picture above is on of many we took along the way. I can't even tell you how amazing it was. The whole trail was just lit up from within.

Today I am grateful for: weekends like this one where I can spend a few days falling in love with nature all over again.

Happy Halloween!

2008-10-31T09:38:00.007-04:00

Our first Halloween together:

The picture above is from the first Halloween that Van Gogh and I spent together. So one of my college girlfriends and I decided that we were going to be fuzzy dice that year (haHA! Guess which one is me?). And yes, we made those costumes. From scratch. Crafty, weren't we? Anywho, we had long since decided that these would be our costumes. At that time, Van Gogh and I were "talking" but nothing official, so at the last minute (and by that I mean Halloween day) he decides he is going to be the rear-view mirror (behind us in the photo above). Do you see it now? We were fuzzy dice and a rear-view mirror that year, complete with a CD hanging around his neck.

To this day, that is hands down the best costume I have ever had. Great as our costumes were, we went to a Halloween party that year and lost the costume contest to a male cross-dresser. How. Original.

The best part of the story, though, is that night Van Gogh and I officially became a couple. AWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW........

I know you want to vomit now, but that is the true story. And Van Gogh and I have declared Halloween our favorite holiday ever since.

Happy Halloween!

(This is a pumpkin Van Gogh carved one year. See why I call him Van Gogh?)

Happy All Hallow's Eve!!!!!!!

2008-10-30T14:08:00.004-04:00

Ah, yes. My favorite spooky night of the year is nearly upon us. I am kind of sad that I will not be dressing up for Halloween this year. We are instead going to a wedding that will take place at Table Rock State Park in Greenville, SC. (I know you are jealous Vivi; well maybe not 'cause its going to be frigid and I am sure with a baby on the way that is truly the last place you would want to be)... But the fall colors should be peaking out this weekend and I am sure it will be gorgeous.

Hubs and I will in leu of tomorrow, participate in an annual Halloween celebration tonight that takes place in the downtown section of our city.

Stay tuned tomorrow for a great Halloween story (and picture if I can get it scanned and looking good)!

Today I am grateful for: The cool weather that has taken over our city. What a great fall feeling!

ROMA

2008-10-24T09:45:00.015-04:00

From the top!

This is one of the many gorgeous bridges in Rome with the Castel di San Angelo in the background to the left:

Pretty pic Van Gogh took of a statue on the bridge:

The famous Piazza Navona (though Bernini's Four Rivers Fountain in the background was under restoration, sad day!)

The hugely famous Pantheon:

Trevi Fountain (so amazing in person) It is ginormous!

Colosseo:

This is what most of the streets look like in Rome: So beautiful!

OK, so those were the highlights. The hubs takes fab pictures, doesn't he? We definitely hit up all of the hot spots in Rome, including eating Roman pizza for almost every meal (there is nothing like it I tell you).

In conclusion, all of you must go to Italy in at some point in your life. Save up for it, it is sooooooooo worth every penny you will spend. I promise you I will go back. (By the way, 2 posts down are some pictures of Lucca, where we stayed during the conference).

Today I am grateful for: The opportunity of a lifetime to share my research with THE BEST scientists in my field in the beautiful country of Italy, which will always hold a special place in my heart. Arriverderci Italia!

I know fall has arrived when...

2008-10-06T19:37:00.006-04:00

As I type, I am enjoying a refreshing frothy beverage that has been expertly infused with the delightful taste of pumpkin. That's right, I am drinking pumpkin ale. Currently, I am drinking Harvest Moon, a seasonal Blue Moon ale, although my favorite pumpkin-spiked brew is Cottonwood's pumpkin spiced ale. That, my friends, is the king of all pumpkin beers.

And there is a story behind this wonderful brew. Because this brewery (which no longer exists) was located in the fabulous town of Boone, NC where I went to college. I am sure I don't really need to elaborate beyond the relinquishment of this information alone, huh? Anyways, the brewery sold all of recipes to the Carolina Beer and Beverage company, then they closed their doors and are no more. And that's all thanks to the ridiculously archaic laws that require restaurants to make 60% of their profits from food and 40% of their profits from alcohol. Well, seeing as though they were a brewery, you can assume why they got cut off.

Despite the tragedy that struck this little college town, the owners had the smarts to sell their beloved recipes, and God bless 'em for that because if you're lucky, you can still find their pumpkin ale at the grocery store during this very best of seasons. Although I am drinking its competition, it still tastes great and reminds me of those unforgettable years I spent in the mountains of North Carolina going to freezing cold football games and sitting in the bar for hours afterwards sipping that delightful brew and trying to convince myself to go back outside in the cold in order to get home.

I sure do miss those days...

Today I am grateful for: The return of fall and a tasty pumpkin-spiked ale (as if you couldn't guess that one)

Lucca

2008-10-05T13:39:00.010-04:00

One of many walkways at Il Ciocco:

One of many overlooks at Il Ciocco:

The view from the swimming deck:

In the walled city of Lucca:

Do you want to kick my ass yet?

Buongiorno Italia!

2008-10-02T18:42:00.005-04:00

(pictured above: Il Ciocco, the resort we stayed in in Lucca, located in Northern Tuscany)

I have decided to post about the trip in sessions so as not to overwhelm myself and my readers:

One

Most frequently used Italian phrases while in Italia:

Parla inglese? (Do you speak English?!?!?!)

Scuzi! (Excuse me!)

Grazie! (Thank you)

Prego! (You're welcome/ ok...)

Quanta costa? (How much does this cost?- I didn't use this one that often as the trip itself was our souvenir)

Picture in your mind an incredibly poor dialect and flailing hands about in the air such as the Italian American mobsters do and you have me attempting to speak to various people while in this amazing and friendly country. It was a blast. And Italians are so nice. They love it that you even try to attempt to speak to them. And most of the time, the flailing about bit helps to get the point across enough for them to point you in the right direction. It was so much fun!!!

Yes, I am alive and well...

2008-10-02T14:53:00.003-04:00

So, I have safely returned from Italy, although somewhat reluctantly. I will spend some more time in a future post talking about all of the wonderful things I saw there, but it will be a long one so I will wait for now...

Clash of the Type A personality with fate...

2008-09-04T09:54:00.003-04:00

So, first of all, I will tell you about the results of my proposal presentation, and then I will get to the title of my post, K?

I guess by posting today, it has been established that I did not die from a heart attack due to the anxiety leading up to my proposal presentation, but that does not mean I did not have a near-death experience. Well, that is not totally the truth, but this presentation was certainly not a breeze. First off, the whole meeting lasted no less than TWO HOURS, my friends. That's right, I could barely talk after the whole thing was over. Secondly, I have never been so grilled for information in my entire life. At one point, I wanted to just throw in the towel and leave the room. And when it was finally over, there was no real sense of relief, just complete and utter bewilderment. Like I had been slapped in the face. And my committee members had the nerve to tell me I did a good job! Are you SURE about that? Cause I felt like I had been verbally assaulted! But alas, I did survive and now I have one last big presentation to do before I graduate. So that is some what of a relief. But it did take me about three days to get over the whole thing.

So now, on to the issue at hand. After finishing my proposal, I began to relax a little. I had been doing so many things at once, I was starting to freak out a little. So for the better part of last week, I was getting back into my routine and staying busy, but at a healthy pace. Things seemed to be ok. Until this past weekend. You see, I have been planning this trip to Italy for some time now because there is a scientific conference that will be held there that I got accepted to attend and present my data. My last hoorah, if you will, before I finish school. To make a long story short, everything is in order with the exception of one thing. I still don't have my passport. So I have been on the phone with the passport agency everyday for the past couple of days, and apparently they can't do anything until 7 days before your departure date.

Aside: I sent in my application in 8 weeks prior to my departure date in order to avoid this situation. Because I am a type A and have to have everything in order WEEKS prior to something like this. I DO NOT like waiting until the last minute for anything. Because if it is out of control, I freak out. Just ask my husband. BTW, I know this is unhealthy...

Ok. So in order to speed up this scenario the only way I know how, I Fedex'ed a check to the passport agency up in New Hampshire yesterday so that when it is finished, they can express mail it to me. And I am thinking to myself that this will definitely make things at least a little bit better, right? So I track my check on the fedex website this morning and due to electrical storms in Memphis last night, packages that go through this hub may not be guaranteed for delivery. Guess where my check is????? Yup, Memphis.

So instead of losing it, I just started laughing. I throw my hands up. This situation is really and truly completely out of my control. I surrender. What will be will be. Besides, I think I am giving myself an ulcer...

Today, I am grateful for: A few lessons in life- 1 I cannot control everything; 2 patience, patience, patience.

Dum, da dum-dum.....

2008-08-21T19:13:00.003-04:00

Oh, the time has come. For me to present my research proposal to my committee. Hooray for me! (Not really). You know those butterflies in my stomach? Yeah, the alcohol I'm drinking won't kill them, for gosh sake!

So yeah, its been a rough week in terms of sleep and all that stuff. Cause this presentation really counts. I would give up something vitally important to my life just to be a good presenter/speaker. (I can't think of a really good thing to give up right now but I will come up with one).

You know how I know I have a problem? Because starting a week before I have to do a presentation, I go into this constant adrenaline rush state. And then after I do the presentation, I really don't remember the week leading up to it. It is like I come out of a fog. Almost like I had been drunk constantly. (Was I?!?!?!)

So, readers of 2, I would like to take a survey... Do I have a problem? Or does this happen to everyone?

Oops, time got away from me!

2008-08-13T12:46:00.007-04:00

Ok. So I promised a friend that just recently moved away that I would blog more often now that I have an audience of 2. Sad little number, but at least I know you guys care!!!

Anyways, I have truly been up to my eyeballs in lab stuff with no signs of slowing down because apparently, that is how your last year of grad school goes. Bring it on! I can see the finish line in the distance!

I took a much needed 4 day vacation with my family at Edisto Island, a very cool and laid back vacay spot on the coast of South Carolina. We did nothing but go to the beach, swim, play volleyball, eat, more swim, more VB, dinner, and drinking. For 4 days straight. Too much fun. I only wish I could have stayed longer. Here are a few pics...

This is the classic South Carolina flag image that Van Gogh took:

This one was taken as a storm was rolling in. I don't know why I think it is so pretty, but I do...

I actually took this one of the kite we were flying:

Doesn't it all look so grand?

Today I am grateful for: A much needed break and a return with a focused mind.

It takes me back...

2008-07-23T10:40:00.003-04:00

It has recently been brought to my attention (by my husband) that out there in the internet world exists a website that will take Gen X-ers way back. Drum roll please (tatatatatatatatata)

hulu.com

This website has tons of old TV show episodes, like The Facts of Life, The A team, and tons more. I felt like I was a kid again when I was watching it. So I encourage you to check it out!

Happy hump day all!

The passing of a really great woman

2008-07-14T17:34:00.002-04:00

About a week ago, I lost a co-worker in a way I never expected to. You see, she had just taken a job up north working for a biotech company, and her last day with us was the 3rd of July. She would be returning in two weeks to finish up things, but that was never to be. On her way up there, she suffered a pulmonary embolism (blood clot that moved into her lung). She was taken to a nearby hospital, but they couldn't stabilize her. She was only 43 years old.

I have been thinking about her a lot this past week, and although we weren't close in the way that best friends are, I knew her for 4 years and I owe her a lot in terms of my graduate career. She was also one of my biggest fans. She was always coming in and asking me what I was up to, how the research was going. She always gave me a different perspective when I was frustrated with a project or unmotivated because my experiment wasn't working. She also used to come into my office for advice about her own scholastic choices (she was getting her masters at Harvard, for God's sake), and it was me (among others) who encouraged her to take her new job up north because she was worth it and the company would be lucky to have her.

So as I continue through my last year of graduate school, she will constantly be on my mind, silently cheering me on and promising that everything will work out in the end. VK, you will be terribly missed and never forgotten.

Today I am grateful for a different perspective on life that can only show itself through the loss of someone great that reminds you to embrace what you have and run with it.

The trail run

2008-07-01T11:52:00.002-04:00

So I guess you are wondering just how well I did on the run yesterday? Hmmmm, lets see. The trail was 4 miles long (are you laughing already?) and I could only ever run 3 miles at a time (with short stops in between ) and that was about 10 months ago. Want to give it a guess? I think I made it maybe 2 miles, and that is giving myself a lot of credit. I did however wear myself out to the point that I slept like a baby last night, for the most part. I will be attempting a second run today for half the distance. I'm not that stupid, right?

The run did somewhat serve its purpose, though. I got some of my frustrations out by utterly exhausting myself to the point that I couldn't think about it anymore! But today is another day. Wish me luck!

Today I am grateful for: Home-grown tomatoes that are in my lunch today. Are you drooling?

Poo poo day

2008-06-30T14:18:00.002-04:00

OK. So I swore I would not use this blog to bitch about all of the bad things that go on in my life, but today I just need to get some of this bad energy out of my system.

I currently feel like I have bad luck following me around. Let me start at the beginning, but I will not bore you with the details. I am currently beginning my fifth and final year of graduate school with plans to defend in May 2009. One of the things you must do is write a proposal of your research as a kind of outline for all of the things you have done and will do before you defend. So I just finished writing it about 2 weeks ago and was pretty pleased with how it sounds. And according to my proposal, I have a lot to do but have plenty of time to do it. And somehow, I forgot to knock on wood as I turned it over to my boss. Because slowly but surely things are falling apart. One thing after the other!!!

And now these things are spilling over into my personal life. For example, I went on a last minute trip to Asheville, NC with a girlfriend and aside from our sleeping arrangements being ok, the mission of our trip was hardly fulfilled. It is like every time I try to tell myself not to freak out and that things are happening for a reason, one more thing gets added to the list. And today is no different. An experiment I have been working on for months just fell apart at the very last step today before I was to ship my samples off to complete the experiment! The VERY LAST STEP! I am telling you, it is taking every part of my being not to completely lose it, and sometimes I just want to throw in the towel.

But alas, the fighter in me keeps saying to work harder, do more things at once, and try to get at least one thing going in the right direction. So that is what I am doing. Ramping up the effort in the hopes that I will have one good thing working. No one ever said this was going to be easy, and it is typically my luck for things to get worse before they get better. So I am hanging in there, just waiting for someone to tell me that there is a method to this madness...

Hmmm, that feels somewhat better.

So, to finish off this rant on a good note: today I am grateful for this trail run I will be doing with my husband today so I can run off this negativity. We'll see how that goes...

Happy 2nd Anniversary Baby!

2008-06-18T14:24:00.010-04:00

So above here is a snapshot of the book I created for my husband. I know that the traditional anniversary gift is cotton for the second year, but this idea was originally suppose to have cotton involved. You see, this book is a picture book of some incredible photos Van Gogh (hubby) has taken over the years. And I cannot believe how pretty it turned out (thanks to the georgous photos and shutterfly). He was really pleased with it. Anyways, the point is that I was going to make it look more like a scrapbook and is was going to be covered with linen, but when I saw how georgous that picture looked spread across the cover, I changed my mind and decided to find something else cotton. So what did I find, you ask? (Right???) I found a 2-person hammock made out of cotton, and snatched it right up! For now (since we live in an apartment) we can take it camping with us, and in the future, we can put it in our back yard!!!

So there is the secret I have been keeping for quite a while. And what did I receive? All things cotton that are associated with the bedroom (heh, heh, heh!). Due to high levels of stress in my life right now, I have not been sleeping properly. So Van Gogh decided to get me some super high thread count sheets, a pillow that stays cool, and some cute new jammies that were very much needed (no more oversized t-shirts for me!).

We went out for dinner at a new tapas restaurant (although Van Gogh's colleagues think he said 'topless') and had a really great time. I can definitely say that each day (and each year) just keep getting better and I feel closer to him now than I ever have before. I love you baby!

Three day weekend-o-bliss

2008-05-27T16:44:00.012-04:00

This 3-day weekend was just the best. My husband and I spent the entire weekend together just the 2 of us and went on all sorts of little adventures!

Adventure number one: A walk in the woods

So there are quite a few state parks around the area in which we live, and we have taken to frequenting them in search of artistic subjects (as the hubs is an artist and likes to paint). This adventure started out as a 4 mile loop that is 'moderate to difficult' (ummm, not quite) that takes you to the 'Bluffs' overlooking the river. So we set out on our hike and what appears to be a somewhat boring trail through an endless pool of white pines turns into this amazing, diverse forest of plantlife and many interesting little 8-legged creatures. Key to story: Yeah we accidentally left our original trail and stumbled upon on that wasn't exactly on the map. But, all was not lost. The trail was gorgeous and went alongside the river for about a mile. We walked along some giant boulders and, you guessed it, took a lot of pics. Then, just as the

trail lead us away from the river, we walked into this beautiful tunnel of trees and were surrounded by a blanket of bright-green ground covering (See left). It was just beautiful! So eventually we ended up back on our original path and it turns out that this path was not nearly exciting as the one we discovered so I am glad we got side-tracked! When we finally reached the 'Bluffs', I was extremely disappointed, as the bluffs were merely where the trail ended because of a severely steep decline of the forest down to the riverfront. No beautiful rock faces to climb upon in order to view distant scenery. No stunning views of where the Earth meets the sky. Just a giant hill of pine trees. So, as you may guess, our disappointment sent us plunging down the side of the 'bluffs' to see if there was something more. Nope. Just a deer tick that wormed its way into my tank top and set up camp next to my belly button.

Adventure number two: A painting to remember

Equipped with a camera full of future masterpieces, we headed back to the homestead for an evening of movie watching and paint-throwing. Now remember, my husband is the artist in the family, but I like to tell myself I have a little bit of artistic ability despite my type A, left-brained tendencies. Van Gogh (whose name I will now use when referring to the hubs) currently prefers acrylic piant as his media of choice, and I for one have historically used watercolor and never tried acrylic. So since the day was so wonderful, we decided we would paint together and I would try out acrylic painting for the first time. To my utter surprise, the painting turned out ok! Which was quite a surprise, as my watercolors tend to turn out dark and uninspiring. So I was delighted to see that I am capable of painting, even if I can only do realistic stuff. And in case you are wondering, Van Gogh's painting was fab and awe-inspiring per usual, but I cannot divulge the details as of yet because he is currently working on a series that is hush-hush.

Adventure number three: A car that's squeaky-clean

So this probably doesn't really sound like an adventure or even something remotely fun, but I really did enjoy doing this with Van Gogh. Truly and honestly. You see, he usually is the one responsible for all of our car maintenance and I love him dearly for doing it. But sometimes, you just need to get out and do some manual labor, for God's sake. Now I work in a lab, so it's not like I am sitting down all day and not moving around. But getting out and getting sweaty and doing something that you are so proud of in the end is really rewarding, and you don't have to work too hard and you are guaranteed good results. So the hubs and I cleaned the s**t out of my car on Monday, spent three hours vacuuming, washing, cleaning, polishing, and waxing. And it looks so good now! Besides, now I really appreciate what Van Gogh does for me in the car department.

So that was the wonderful three-day weekend we had. It was really nice and has been good for the soul. I am definitely grateful for that.

Let us all say ahhhhhhhh....

2008-05-19T14:21:00.001-04:00

Well, I am back from a wonderful weekend spent in the mountains, which I truly consider my home. As I mentioned before, my husband and I went to college there, so every time I drive up the mountain, I get this feeling of returning home. And it is so weird that as you look around this place where you once lived, all of these memories that you haven't thought about in years come rushing back. Boy, was it great living up there. We really had some good times.

We really didn't do too much while we were up there, just relaxing and enjoying some quality family time. We drove around campus one day with my brother-in-law and sister-in-law (who also went to school there) and admired all of the changes that have been made since we left. We ate lunch at one of our old hang outs too. I really miss that place.

And as anticipated, my husband and I spent a wonderful day on the parkway and enjoyed our 5-mile hike that we have not done in years. It was a beautiful sunny day and we both felt so alive and in tune with the world, we were hesitant to leave. I really miss being up there. Here is a taste of our hike...

Welcome May!

2008-05-02T09:45:00.001-04:00

Woohoo! It is finally May. And hopefully these weekend showers that have been plaguing our area for the past 7, yes 7, weekends will quit soon. Cause there are no April showers in May, right? Or at least that is what I keep telling myself.

One particular resaon I am excited about May is because of an upcoming trip/vacation (very much needed) to the mountains of North Carolina. My husband's family has a timeshare up there and we go up there yearly (except I have not been up there since my husband proposed to me!) And now, because it is the sweetest story ever, I will tell you just how he proposed to me:

My husband and I first met at a University in the mountains of North Carolina. One of the great things about going to school there was the accessibility of nature and all the different things you could do outdoors. My favorite place to go was the Blue Ridge Parkway. On our first real date, we decided to go to a beautiful overlook at night to look at the stars. Unfortunately, that night was a new moon and we didn't bring flashlights so that we could hike the short trail to the lookout. So instead, we sat in the parking lot on the curb curled up in blankets and proceeded to star gaze. We ended our perfect night together by sharing our first kiss!

So the day my husband proposed to me, he took me back up to our favorite overlook, a place on the Blue Ridge Parkway where we had our first date (star-gazing, how romantic right?). We proceeded to hike up to one of the cliff faces like we have done so many times in the past. Conveniently, my husband had his Grandfather's camera with him and decided to take some pictures. He asks me to pose in front of Grandfather Mountain (which can be seen in the distance) and gets down on one knee to take the picture. Then he asks me to come a little closer because I was too far away. As I reach him (which in retrospect was way too close to take a picture!), he pulls down the camera, puts his hand in his pocket, and pulls out a ring. There are tears streaming down my face and he asks me to spend to rest my life with him!

Of course I said yes and here we are, coming up on our second anniversary. Of which I will tell you about the fab present I am working on for him after I give it to him ('cause its a secret!!!!!).

So, as you can see, my husband and I have a lot of history in the mountains. And I am so excited to be going up there for the first time since that very special day in my life to revisit the overlook and also do some trail running, another one of our favorite past-times. Isn't it so cool that we could do things like that together in college? I just loved living in the mountains...

Anywho, that is the event in my life for which I am currently counting down towards! So hooray for May!

Today, I am grateful for: That special proposal that I get to tell over and over again! Thank you, my sweet and thoughtful husband.

You may be wondering?

2008-04-09T14:30:00.000-04:00

Yeah, so I am guessing you may be wondering just exactly how my birthday went last weekend?Seeing as though it's Wednesday, I guess I will tell you!

Well, the day was completely rainy an dreary, but that did not ruin the day because my sister came down to spend the day with me! My husband decided to let me shop for my present, all the better because me summer wardrobe is in dire need of an upgrade. So we went to lunch at my fave chinese restaurant, shopped for about 4 hours, and spent the evening at a sports bar/wing place and watched Chapel Hill and UCLA get their butts beat in the Final Four games.

Fun times were had by all and it was a wonderful day.

I spent all day sunday watching my favorite movie, Across the Universe and the bonus DVD that came with it. I don't think I even left the house.

But unfortunately, the work week has started again and I am swamped with work. Hooray.

The dreaded day is over!

2008-04-03T11:43:00.000-04:00

Well, I guess you can assume that I didn't die of a heart attack as a result of my anxiety over public speaking because I am writing today... So that's good ;)

I suppose things went ok. I was the very first person to present and that was a little nerve wracking, but I was glad to get it over with. There is something really intimidating about being judged that sends my heart into overdrive. Regardless, I did not win any birthday money, but that's ok because I am just glad its over and done with.

Now I can get excited about my birthday this weekend!

Today I am grateful for: the fact that yesterday is over and that I don't have and experiments to do today, therefore I can work on my research proposal.

TG tomorrow IF!

Impending doom

2008-04-01T19:56:00.000-04:00

Ahhh, the impending doom is upon me. The presentation is tomorrow at 8:30 am. When I wake up tomorrow morning, I have to present.

Hmmmm. Oddly enough, this does'nt scare me as much as it used to. I don't know if it is the 1/2 a Newcastle I am drinking, or if it is that I am actually not freaked out about this, but I think I am ok.

So let me tell you how it usually goes down. When I find out I have to give a presentation, I instantly count how many days I have until I have to do it. Then I calm down and tell myself that it is in the distant future and I don't need to worry myself with it just yet. Then, about a week before I present, I start not sleeping at night. But I don't start working on the presentation yet because if I work on it that means I actually have to do it. It's all about avoidance. So then, depending on how long the presentation has to be, I put it off to the very last minute (which is not ike me because I am a TYPE A and usually get things done in plenty of time). Anywho, I usually scramble to get it together, practice it in front of my labmates and have a melt-down because I am FREAKING OUT, and that is the only practice I get until I actually do it. And then I usually do ok cause I can wing it somewhat but I generally go to fast and lose someone at some point.

But this time was different. Against all of my instincts opting for flight instead of fight, I actually chose fight and think I am much better for it. I actually finished the 1st cut of the presentation Friday, spent all day Sunday writing out what I was going to say for each slide, spend Monday morning going over it with the lab, completely changed it, practiced it OUT LOUD this morning before going to work, went over it again with my boss, and have come home and gone through it two more times. I have neva in the history of my presentations eva done that. So I really think I am going to be ok. I have never felt this ok the night before. But that could also be because I am completely exhausted from lack of sleep for the past week. Who knows. All I know is I am going to try and kick some ass tomorrow. Cause there's moola involved and its my birthday this weekend. And the final 4!

Wish me luck and I will let ya know how it goes manana...

Breaking a leg!

Tea is comforting

2008-03-27T14:33:00.001-04:00

If you like to drink hot tea, let me recommend my absolute favorite: Comforting Tea by Aveda. The stuff is $14 a box, but it is sooooooo worth it. It is a minty, soothing-to-your-throat kind of tea that has already been sweetened. And it is wonderful. I woke up this morning with a sore throat this morning that has persisted throughout the day, and this tea makes it feel so much better. And it makes me happy.

Today: I am grateful for my comforting tea.

Ahhhhhhhhhh

In other news, I am continually working on "the presentation" and currently feeling quite good about it. I guess its nice to know my job or a future job does not depend on it, although some extra cash is always welcome. And it would be right before my birthday. That would be a great gift to myself!

Unfortunately, there is nothing else currently to write about. I plan on making an addition to my blog, as I am a new-found knitter and would like to display my simple but completed pieces. I am surprised at how easy it is to pick up knitting. And how little you need to know to make something beautiful. Once you know the basics, you can really create just about anything. I look at sweaters now and know exactly how to do this stitch or that. It's really cool. Oh, and I might as well put a plug in for the website that taught me everything I know: knitting help.com. It is great.

So anyways, look forward to some picks later on. Happy Thursday!

Hooray for Hump Day!

2008-03-26T16:33:00.000-04:00

For joy! Hump day is here! Oh how I love thee! It means the weekend is again on its way! And that the NCAA men's BB sweet 16 starts again tomorrow (although I have no hopes of winning my bracket due to my undying loyalty to Duke, damn them).

Today, I spent my work day preparing for a presentation I must do next Wednesday. A grad school competition, no less (meaning there are monetary awards at stake here, folks). And guess what my life-long greatest fear is-insert drum roll here- public speaking. But through the years, it has become a bit easier for me. Not to imply that I no longer lose sleep and appetite approximately 3 weeks before I have to speak. Cause you can bet that still happens. But again, I don't want to jump out the window at the thought of it like I used to...

Anyways, that said, I have been a busy woman today (actually every day). But particularly today. Whatever. Stop talking now...

Enjoy your hump day!

BTW, today I am grateful for sore muscles, meaning that I actually got off my butt and semi-worked out yesterday. Good feeling...

I feel the stress creepin' in... and slapping me in the face!

2008-03-25T15:00:00.000-04:00

Oooooooooooohh, I feel it. The suffocating, muggy feeling of stress creeping into my life. I should have expected this seeing as though I am beginning the final year of my graduate student life. But I will not let it get me down! When stressed, I perform quite well (with the exception of a few bouts of crying, ahem, MELTDOWNs, while going through those stressful periods). But regardless, I do do well in times of stress and hence, have no time to eat and get fat as I tend to do when not enough is going on in my life. But I digress.

Anywho, for those of you who are curious, the weekend went swimmingly, and by that I mean I was swimming in Mojitos around 2 pm on Saturday. I know I said that cold beer would be called upon, but my good friend B, aka Martha Stewart, decided the day called for Mojitos. So that was what we drank. And the day was good. And the rugby game was a success, for the boys shut out their opponents like 60 something to zero (and you shouldn't have to guess why I don't know the exact score, as I was 'swimming').

Easter Sunday was a blast as well. We went to pick up breakfast at a bagel place and got called out for not going to church (welcome to the bible belt, my friends). Then I did some leisurely reading and had an Easter cookout that night. Fun was had by all!

Today, I am grateful for: My ability to multi-task. Without this skill, I would not be able to function under these stressful conditions!

It's FRRRRRRRIDAY!

2008-03-21T13:15:00.001-04:00

Woo Hoo! It's here once again! Today I am most definitely grateful that it is Friday! And this weekend is suppose to be wonderful and beautiful outside! Perfect day for watching rugby, drinking, and getting a little sun! (My dear husband plays club rugby, btw).

So today, a list of things I love will be created to honor this first weekend of spring:

1. cold beer on a warm sunny day (first and foremost on my list, of course)
2. good friends with which to drink said cold beer
3. an athletic husband to watch while said cold beer is drank
4. March Madness men's basketball brackets (I am doing pretty good so far, thanks to Duke winning by a mere point. It's embarrassing, really!)
5. my new-found desire to knit, knit, knit
6. Spring flowers! (Although their pollen is not very nice to my nose...)

OK. So there it is. Happy Friday all!

I am back!

2008-03-20T16:16:00.000-04:00

Sadly, it has been almost 2 months to the day since I have last blogged. But between then and now, quite a few things have happened, and during the last few winter months I tend to get a bit of seasonal depression. But I am back! And in full force! Happily blogging about happy things! Because no one would have wanted to read the things I would have written about anyways...

So, today I begin a new portion of my newfound blogging ways. I will each day write about something positive going on in my life, or something for which I am grateful.

TODAY: I am grateful for the first day of spring!

And although it is somewhat cold outside today in the Southern region of the US, it i sunny with promise of a beautiful weekend ahead. And today is Thursday with Friday right around the corner. So 2 things for which I am grateful. Hooray!

Good always comes with bad

2008-01-22T13:46:00.001-05:00

The ying and yang of life have showed their faces to me. I just got news that my Grandmama, passed away yesterday (January 21st). She was plagued with Alzheimers for at least the past 7 years, with the last 3 years being the worst. It's so weird. You prepare yourself for the phone call and know that it will come some day, yet you get it and you're shocked all the same.

The thing is, she was really suffering for a long time. She was not only absent of mind, she was also constantly getting ill for one reason or another. It really is much better for her now. But her passing revived the memories that have been lying dormant in my brain for some time now.

When we lived in Germany, she would send us these giant boxes full of little dresses she made for my sisters and I. And we would wear them for Easter and every Sunday to church. And when she would come to visit us, she would drive us crazy hovering over us and telling us to be careful and all of that good Grandmama stuff that she did. She sure did love us, in her naggy sort of way.

Exciting News!

2008-01-17T15:25:00.000-05:00

These past two days have been quite wonderful for me! I have been continuously repeating this one experiment for the length of my stint here in grad school and yesterday (drum roll please) it finally worked! Not only did it work, but it gave me just beautiful results. I am so excited.

And today, to top it all off, I just received a conformation that a mini grant I applied for back in October was accepted. Quite a feat for a grad student, and I am just too excited. I am really starting to feel the end of my graduate career approaching, and it is great to finally get some fire under my ass for motivation!

Horray for me!

Blah day...

2008-01-09T12:58:00.000-05:00

Well, the new year has kicked off and I am as unmotivated as ever. Current weather status (dreary and cloudy) is not helping matters either. I should be excited, I am 1 and 1.2 years away from finishing my Ph.D. in molecular biology. I can taste the sweetness of the finish line. And I should be MOTIVATED!!! But I am currently not...

Greetings from the mind of a girlie scientist...

2008-01-07T14:28:00.001-05:00

Well hello!

After continuously reading the blogs of two very interesting girls who have uprooted themselves from North America and start anew in France, I have been inspired to create a blog of my own. Although my life is not nearly as interesting as theirs, I feel compelled to get my thoughts out there and see if anyone understands the things that go on in my mind. We'll see where this goes!