tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-178157932024-03-13T07:52:20.279-04:00Philadelphia FreedomThe story of a girl from Oxnard, who ended up in Philly - land of cheesesteaks, Rocky and the Iggles.Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01749887969217285053noreply@blogger.comBlogger487125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17815793.post-23681043436644146542012-09-10T15:57:00.003-04:002012-09-10T15:57:58.388-04:00Check outthe new blog:<br />
<br />
http://adventuresomescientists.blogspot.com/<br />
<br />
I'll be posting from there from now on, as we've moved far, far away from Philly :)Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01749887969217285053noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17815793.post-82523845948698294252012-09-05T13:50:00.001-04:002012-09-05T13:50:27.476-04:00Random<ul>
<li>started work yesterday. At the Stanford. Very nice. I'm excited!</li>
<li>I cannot for the life of me figure out how to get around this durn campus!</li>
<li>Two of the women I work with went to Cal. Makes me think of my Ma. And Cod!</li>
<li>I got my ID cards. I think I look like Reese Witherspoon. Let me have my delusions, OK?</li>
<li>We tried to find her house in Ojai when I was visiting my parents. It was largely a wild goose chase, but we got to see some fancy houses and neighborhoods for a bit.</li>
<li>We are living in an RV in one of the more depressing RV parks I've ever seen. I want to get out now. But we can't find housing yet. The cats are ready to kill each other and us. It's actually not too bad, it's just cramped. And I'd like to have some more space.</li>
<li>We bought a bunch of DVDs at the bargain bin in Best Buy. Including all three Austin Powers movies, and a set of 8 Spaghetti Westerns. It gives us a little something to do every night!</li>
<li>Hopefully we will find a place to live today. Or tomorrow. Soon :)</li>
</ul>
Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01749887969217285053noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17815793.post-87813859343817899212012-07-30T23:57:00.001-04:002012-07-30T23:57:10.083-04:00Heading into the mountainsSaw mountains, real mountains, today for the first time on our trip<br />
Went four days without a shower<br />
That shower today was amazing<br />
Headed to Yellowstone tomorrow<br />
Wyoming, oddly enough, is my favorite state so far<br />
We had the most amazing thunderstorm last night that ended with a full rainbow, doubled on one side<br />
I took about a million pictures<br />
I miss washing dishes<br />
If I never own a dishwasher, I will be OK<br />
Driving across South Dakota reminded me of Little House on the Prairie series<br />
I love those books, and I'm not afraid to say so<br />
I miss my cat<br />
I can sleep outside in a tent<br />
I can sleep quite well actually<br />
But I do wake up to some strange noises<br />
Elk last night, perhaps?<br />
I no longer have bags under my eyes<br />
I bought booty shorts and I wear them with hiking boots. I think that's OK<br />
I hope I can have a garden<br />
I am working on not complaining about anything<br />
I appreciate my toes for carrying me so far<br />
We have put 6000 miles on the car since we got it<br />
Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01749887969217285053noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17815793.post-20400242663944963562012-07-22T10:02:00.003-04:002012-07-22T10:02:54.695-04:00Update<ul>
<li>splurged on a hotel last night. Kalamazoo, MI.</li>
<li>After 3 weeks on the road, we will finally escape Eastern Daylight Time. Movin' West!</li>
<li>Chicago today</li>
<li>Wisconsin next</li>
<li>Being on the road is odd. It's nice, but it's strange to not have an anchor, a home. It's odd not to know where we will end up, and when we will get there.</li>
<li>Most days are spent driving several hours, stopping at some grocery store to pick up food (and beer, usually). Walking aisles, trying not to buy perishables, trying to figure out what will cook fastest, or what will only use one burner on our little camp stove</li>
<li>We have setting up camp down to a science. It takes us about 10 mins flat to set up the tent, and get all the sleeping accoutrements out.</li>
<li>I made Alex drive totally out of our way to hit up Detroit to hit up the Henry Ford Museum. I've heard about this museum since I was a little kid. It was awesome to be there, but it would have been better if my Dad had been there. He would have loved it (although he has been there before). They had "Model T rides" for $5. I thought, I can have one whenever I want! Ha!</li>
<li>It's hard to do any maintenance on the road. As such, my leg hair is outta control and my toenail polish is in need of a refresher. I also bit off all my nails. I feel a bit of a mess. Thankfully, my husband still likes me.</li>
<li>We got rained in in Geneva, OH. That damn Lake Erie strikes again! We got rained on in Ashtabula when we went there for a wedding in May. Then this time, we saw a storm coming in, but thought it would be a couple hours before it hit. Wrong. No way to pack up our things wet, it was pouring so hard. And it was cold. Seriously, don't mess with those storms from those Great Lakes. They don't f around, that's for sure. </li>
<li>Watching the tail end of the Tour de France. Last summer, we watched every or almost every stage. This year we missed it all. I'm looking forward to watching the Olympics, tho. And to hopefully getting some more running/biking in as we move west.</li>
<li>We drove through MI last night listening to a broadcast of A Prairie Home Companion. It was awesome. </li>
</ul>Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01749887969217285053noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17815793.post-985056630356496312012-07-18T12:50:00.001-04:002012-07-18T12:50:22.863-04:00Wednesday Update2.5 weeks into trip<br />
5 states: PA, MD, NY, CT, MA<br />
2 provinces: Quebec, Ontario<br />
St Lawrence River, Lake Ontario, Niagara Falls<br />
Numerous bug bites, including several on the bottom of my feet<br />
One Civil War Reenactment<br />
3 houses of family, one friends house visited <br />
Lots of XM radio<br />
Lots of road kill<br />
5 campgrounds<br />
Countless memories<br />
<br />
Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01749887969217285053noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17815793.post-6688858201218803712012-06-05T08:50:00.000-04:002012-06-05T08:50:00.313-04:00Pics!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9wCQ7iBEhkE/T838BKYVXpI/AAAAAAAABAM/BfXVaj3QDOc/s1600/IMG_0043.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9wCQ7iBEhkE/T838BKYVXpI/AAAAAAAABAM/BfXVaj3QDOc/s320/IMG_0043.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sunset on Lake Erie!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Xim2QAJof4Y/T838P32YneI/AAAAAAAABAU/YNwNMqb3b_c/s1600/IMG_0072.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Xim2QAJof4Y/T838P32YneI/AAAAAAAABAU/YNwNMqb3b_c/s320/IMG_0072.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Toes in the lake</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lTL-tqSd9Cg/T838bT3BK7I/AAAAAAAABAg/3BSEW0qaOyQ/s1600/IMG_0086.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lTL-tqSd9Cg/T838bT3BK7I/AAAAAAAABAg/3BSEW0qaOyQ/s320/IMG_0086.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Weddin' guests</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-n7MeJHiMXMw/T838qzDOSTI/AAAAAAAABAo/mG-bHr6ZkLI/s1600/IMG_0094.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-n7MeJHiMXMw/T838qzDOSTI/AAAAAAAABAo/mG-bHr6ZkLI/s320/IMG_0094.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">the bride</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-P1teyrx5uCo/T8381xBaMGI/AAAAAAAABAw/4McHZBI1dDc/s1600/IMG_0102.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-P1teyrx5uCo/T8381xBaMGI/AAAAAAAABAw/4McHZBI1dDc/s320/IMG_0102.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">do-see-do</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uynRg0nPtcc/T838_yOQcmI/AAAAAAAABA8/v6SaiW-3rfI/s1600/IMG_0134.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uynRg0nPtcc/T838_yOQcmI/AAAAAAAABA8/v6SaiW-3rfI/s320/IMG_0134.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Congrats Dr. Brown!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--I5--dOV71Y/T839KK6fz1I/AAAAAAAABBE/dHSAto0x0UM/s1600/IMG_0138.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--I5--dOV71Y/T839KK6fz1I/AAAAAAAABBE/dHSAto0x0UM/s320/IMG_0138.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Number one!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-g1zkKmYMayE/T839fKU7Y3I/AAAAAAAABBM/-X0kHv7uhho/s1600/IMG_0150.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-g1zkKmYMayE/T839fKU7Y3I/AAAAAAAABBM/-X0kHv7uhho/s320/IMG_0150.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Very old tree</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-L4iStjTbA9M/T839xW8QBhI/AAAAAAAABBY/hOFCcg4sdCk/s1600/IMG_0153.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-L4iStjTbA9M/T839xW8QBhI/AAAAAAAABBY/hOFCcg4sdCk/s320/IMG_0153.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Watching the bike race</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ko7DK4GJcUo/T8397wMrIRI/AAAAAAAABBg/wo8dQPmwbX0/s1600/IMG_0194.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ko7DK4GJcUo/T8397wMrIRI/AAAAAAAABBg/wo8dQPmwbX0/s320/IMG_0194.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">race car</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-enC8yTw25jk/T83-G3YUvMI/AAAAAAAABBo/aVjnfROux4c/s1600/IMG_0206.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-enC8yTw25jk/T83-G3YUvMI/AAAAAAAABBo/aVjnfROux4c/s320/IMG_0206.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dad in jail</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NqFCwYlARM8/T83-UaJT9DI/AAAAAAAABB0/XiDK3hVM-B4/s1600/IMG_0210.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NqFCwYlARM8/T83-UaJT9DI/AAAAAAAABB0/XiDK3hVM-B4/s320/IMG_0210.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">eastern state</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sQphia623K4/T83-djv8e2I/AAAAAAAABB8/fsvF6U8i4xM/s1600/IMG_0217.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sQphia623K4/T83-djv8e2I/AAAAAAAABB8/fsvF6U8i4xM/s320/IMG_0217.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">skyline</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-x2sS0A4ScuY/T83-rGkBdyI/AAAAAAAABCE/XmuLmzMDnfw/s1600/IMG_0230.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-x2sS0A4ScuY/T83-rGkBdyI/AAAAAAAABCE/XmuLmzMDnfw/s320/IMG_0230.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">guard tower</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01749887969217285053noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17815793.post-92041553749600354072012-06-05T08:27:00.001-04:002012-06-05T08:27:28.367-04:00Update a little late<ul>
<li>Wow, you guys! A lot has happened in the last week and a half!</li>
<li>We took our first road trip in the car. We went to Ashtabula, OH, which is right on Lake Erie. The drive took about 8 hours, and the drive home was the worst, too long and wayyyy boring. But we made it! We got to see a sunset over Lake Erie and I even put my toes in! We also got to see a crazy ass thunderstorm coming in over the Lake (before/during the wedding, nonetheless). It was really cool.</li>
<li>The wedding was a non-traditional as they come, with the bride wearing a red dress, and the groom in a three piece suit. They had a bluegrass band and about a million desserts. A good time was had by all. </li>
<li>We camped out in a family friend's backyard in our tent we bought for our honeymoon. I'm still not entirely used to sleeping outside, but hopefully I will get used to it as we head across the country. These people were super nice and really cool. It was great to get to know them; people can be so cool, you know?</li>
<li>We got to know the bride and groom's families, and the place where they got married was having an art show that featured the groom's relatives. It was just super neat. </li>
<li>While we were in OH, our families started arriving in Philly for Alex's defense. It was weird not to be here when they got here. When we got home, we were exhausted, having stayed up until 2am, then getting on the road at 6am. We begged off seeing our parents, taking a short nap and a much needed shower. We finally made it down to see the family and it turns out that we had even more family here than we knew about! Alex's Aunt Catherine, and his Uncle Rob and Aunt Eileen came to surprise him for his defense, which was super sweet (and a lot of fun!). </li>
<li>Tuesday was Defense Day, so I rounded up all the relatives and we took the bus to school to meet up with Alex. Of course, as we are heading into Alex's building, the fire alarm is going off. LOL. We detoured to the cafeteria for a quick lunch before the defense. Alex looked so handsome, and so composed. I was just so proud of him and his talk. His advisor gave him a pretty funny intro that made everyone laugh. His defense went well, as about 30 minutes after his talk, he was back in his party room, beer in hand, celebrating. His mom had bought these hysterical decorations that made the room look like a mad scientists' dungeon, which was perfect. We had a great party and a really nice dinner. It was time to say goodbye to most of the family. </li>
<li>On Wednesday, I had to work. I gave lab meeting (my last one! Yay!) and stuck around to talk to my boss and get people's opinions, etc. It turned out well, but I still have SO much work to do before I leave. I'm not sure I will get it all done.</li>
<li>After work, we met up and headed to dance lessons. Yes, I took both our parents to dance lessons. It was pretty fun - we learned how to hustle, and we could show our parents some moves. Plus, I think it was just fun to do something different. And it was a laugh to boot. We ate dinner at Triumph, which is really my favorite place in Old City to eat. </li>
<li>Thursday was a lazy day for my folks, but my Dad and I hit up Franklin Institute to check out the Dead Sea Scrolls exhibit. As everything at the FI, it was really well done and super interesting. We even watched a planetarium video on the telescope, which was cool. And do you know what today is? Today is the transit of Venus across the sun. It won't occur again until 2117, so be sure to check it out (NASA has some cams you can watch it on - don't look at the sun directly with your eyes!).</li>
<li>Friday, we just hung out and we said goodbye to Moo. She went on an adventure, flying with my in-laws to CO, where she will stay until we pick her up on our drive across the country. I was so sad to see Moo go. It was hard to pill her and put her in her carrying case, but she did splendidly well. I think she was paralyzed with fear, but at least she didn't meow across the country. She's now staying with Uncle Taylor, and apparently has a chinchilla to check out while she's there. Hopefully she'll get comfortable and come out of her shell soon. </li>
<li>Saturday was "meet the relatives" day. We went out to Concordville to see Joe and Leslie and have some lunch with them. We had a really nice lunch and had a good time catching up. Alex then got on his bike and headed home on the bicycle, while my folks and I checked out the Bradywine Battlefield, which was pretty interesting. </li>
<li>Sunday was the Philadelphia Bike race, and a lovely day to boot. We dragged my folks down to the street to see the bikers go by and to ring some cowbells to cheer them on. We were looking for a couple of Alex's friends that turned pro recently, and we were hopeful to see some Olympic competitors. It was a lovely day to be outside, and a great day to watch some biking. Dad and I then went to the Simeone Museum, which is a collection of old race cars that I think my Dad really enjoyed. </li>
<li>On Monday, my folks' flight left at 8pm, so I spent the day with my Dad at Eastern State Penitentiary. It was a super creepy day, with random showers, then bright sun. If you ever come to Philly, you should absolutely go see ESP. It is so cool, creepy, and well done. I loved it. We had a really interesting time, and then we sat around until it was time to go to the airport. We drove my folks to the airport, probably our last trip there. It was great to have everyone here to celebrate, but it's also nice to have our little house back to ourselves. Now, it's time to buckle down and get to work. If not actual work, it will be packing. Here goes nothing!</li>
</ul>Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01749887969217285053noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17815793.post-6331658665559608332012-05-15T09:25:00.000-04:002012-05-15T09:25:03.431-04:00First iBook Book Review: Destination Truth: Memoirs of a Monster Hunter by Josh Gates<br />
<div style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">
<img alt="Destination Truth: Memoirs of a Monster Hunter - Gallery Books" src="http://images.suite101.com/3543466_com_destinationtruth.jpg" /></div>
<br />
My Dad had a friend selling an iPad and he decided to buy it for me. I've had it for about 2 weeks now and I love it for some things. One thing I was really curious about was reading books. We are going on an extended vacation this summer and we have limited space. Could I download some books and have things to read while camping and exploring? Would it hurt my eyes? Can it be similar to reading a book? All of these things were big questions for me, so I downloaded my first book. I'm a bit of a geek at heart, and I've fallen in love with this TV show called <i>Destination Truth</i>. It's on the Netflix streaming. Basically, these people (including the author of the book, Josh Gates), go all over the world in search of "monsters". They interview eyewitnesses, look for evidence of the monsters, and conduct a nighttime investigation, where they always seem to be chasing some real animal (usually, what I suspect to be tigers, or other rare predators). In the end, they give their thoughts on the existence of the monster - usually they chalk it up to folklore, but sometimes, the find a big old Yeti footprint in the jungle, which is also pretty cool. What I find most entertaining about the show is the host, Josh. He's funny, and sarcastic, and always over the top interesting. I also love watching the travel. They really get into areas, interact with locals, travel deep into the interior of countries. So this book is based on his TV show, and includes some behind-the-scenes scenarios. How the show started, how they film it, some shows of particular interest, and his opinions on the existence of these monsters. The books is an easy read, written about adventure travel, so I thought it was pretty interesting. His sarcasm and sense of humor come through the book quickly, and I have to say I really enjoyed it. I'm not sure if you need to be a fan of the show to read the book, but it would probably help.<br />
All together, I was really pleased with this book. I'm not sure I could really get into a difficult book on the iPad. I haven't yet figured out a way to "curl up with it", as you would with a book. Also, the screen switches on you, depending on how you hold it, so that can sometimes be annoying. I am sure I can change that - it's all a learning curve. But I did not find that my eyes got tired, so that's a bonus. I think the only thing that was weird to me was that I didn't feel like I was reading a book. I felt like I was reading a website, so I don't know how much that affects the relaxation you might get from reading a real book. But the good news is, there are lots of stupid books out there to read!Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01749887969217285053noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17815793.post-9417872656559290842012-05-14T09:10:00.000-04:002012-05-15T09:11:04.381-04:00Monday Numbers - now improved! with pictures!<ul>
<li>I did not pack <b>any</b> boxes this weekend.</li>
<li>I drove Broad St to my friend's house. That's the street that I ran <b>10</b> miles on. It's pretty far. I was just a little bit proud of myself. </li>
<li>Alex defends his thesis in about <b>two</b> weeks. His thesis is due this week to his committee. And then he gets to put together an <b>hour</b> long talk.</li>
<li>Its Penn graduation. It's been <b>one</b> year since I graduated. </li>
<li>This past weekend was gorgeous, near <b>80</b> degrees and just stunning. I hope it happens again! </li>
<li>I got a new camera. It's red. It's the first camera I've bought in over <b>7</b> years. I love it. I will use it often :) Use illustrated below. </li>
<li>We have about <b>7</b> weeks left here in Philly. Things are starting to get a little crazy around here! On Saturday, I worked for <b>4</b> hours. Then we headed out to REI, where we got <b>two</b> bike racks for the car. We tested out the bike racks by putting my bike up on the car. I have no idea how noisy these things might be, but this is how we're gonna drive across the country! Wahoo!</li>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Alex adjusts the bike up on the car. Thankfully, he knows what he's doing. But I have to keep thinking, "We're gonna drive to Canada in this?" Crazy, right?</td></tr>
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<li>On Sunday, I got to head out to my friend Lisa's house in the 'burbs, about<b> 30</b> miles away. It's the first time I've been out to see her, so it was a lot of fun. We drove all around the area, and I took a few pictures, illustrated below. </li>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I found an old Ford, selling drinks at Peddler's Village. I had to get my picture in front of it, of course!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oUvLn01GAhE/T7JSAYdknJI/AAAAAAAABAA/Zt4kM13J4iI/s1600/IMG_0030.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oUvLn01GAhE/T7JSAYdknJI/AAAAAAAABAA/Zt4kM13J4iI/s320/IMG_0030.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is the Delaware River. It separates New Jersey and Pennsylvania. I thought it was pretty. Oh, and also? We were driving when I took this picture!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I saw this flower at a market. Are you kidding me? Those are my wedding colors! All in a flower! So pretty!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9BZ4hjt5ypQ/T7JRlhNrsCI/AAAAAAAAA_w/4jgHLiPvLrg/s1600/IMG_0024.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9BZ4hjt5ypQ/T7JRlhNrsCI/AAAAAAAAA_w/4jgHLiPvLrg/s320/IMG_0024.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This was taken in Lambertville, NJ. There are just amazing houses there, Victorian, with turrets and just beautiful detailing. I loved walking those neighborhoods!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tlhVgKgcKs4/T7JR2xOE9lI/AAAAAAAAA_4/OrIcseMBrrM/s1600/IMG_0028.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tlhVgKgcKs4/T7JR2xOE9lI/AAAAAAAAA_4/OrIcseMBrrM/s320/IMG_0028.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And this is a canal that parallels the Delaware river. In the olden days, the only way to get up river was to have a mule team pull you up river. Often, they would dig these canals next to rivers, which could help isolate traffic going upriver. Obviously, there is no need for these now, so they've become this lovely little area with a footpath and restaurants lining the canals. </td></tr>
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<br />Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01749887969217285053noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17815793.post-1634649703788740422012-05-12T00:00:00.000-04:002012-05-12T00:00:00.126-04:00Happy birthday, Randi!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Dear Randi,<br />
Here are a few goofy pictures to illustrate our exploits over the last few years. I can't imagine my life without you in it and I am so glad we are BFF. I hope you have the best birthday and I hope you are spoiled rotten (per usual) :). I can't wait to live closer to you!<br />
xoxo LYLAS<br />
Crust<br />
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Oh, and also one random picture of you with a Japanese tourist in Philadelphia. I knew you would never forget that.Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01749887969217285053noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17815793.post-55809648600382246462012-05-11T10:14:00.001-04:002012-05-11T10:14:10.724-04:00Haiku Friday<div style="text-align: center;">
This week tough challenge</div>
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I won't deny, ups and downs</div>
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lots of stressful things</div>
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***</div>
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Hopefully coming</div>
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back down to reality</div>
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Get down to business</div>
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***</div>
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I'm so ready for</div>
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this move new perspective new</div>
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outlook better coast! </div>Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01749887969217285053noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17815793.post-20405628511662849252012-05-10T10:27:00.000-04:002012-05-11T10:28:03.081-04:00A new little addition<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Well, that's our little darling, Mr. Kitty. Or Simba. Or Kill Monster. Or whatever the heck you want to call him. Randi found him at her work, he's just an itty bitty thing. My parents are kind enough to foster the little guy until we get to CA in a couple months. By then, he'll be a little terror, I am sure. Should be fun!<br />
The situation has been somewhat comical. I have wanted another pet for a really long time. I've tried to convince Alex to get a dog, or another cat for some time now. He's hesitant because we're moving so soon, so he didn't want to have to cart a new creature across the country. Me, however? I'm a sucker. I'm an only child and I would love nothing more than to fill my house with animals. I know, I'm a little crazy. I am lucky that my parents indulge my thoughts and ideas, however. My parents are great people, just awesome. They have company visiting right now, Steve and Leslie. Luckily, S&L are cat people too. My folks picked up this little guy and took him to the vet. He needs to be syringe fed four times a day, and needs to have his butt rubbed by a wet washcloth to get him to go potty. My mom has him sleeping in the bathtub in their room (with a bed and a litter box). I think this extreme kitten stage should only last about another two weeks, but I have to say they are enamored with him already. My dad has sent me two videos, has skyped with me, and has sent me several photos - including the one above, where he has an enormous bandage on his leg because he got a blood test at the vet. He's pretty helpless, but, apparently a little spunky. He is not eating a ton yet (I am sure that will change soon), but he seems to already have the idea that he runs the place. He has hissed at the dog when her tail whapped him. He will sorta scratch his scratchy post (yes, of course he has a scratchy post- he's three weeks old!). My mom thinks he's figuring out the whole "bathing" thing - he's licked his paws a couple times. And my Dad told me he has reduced adults to crawling on the floor just to hang out with him. I am sure the novelty will wear off soon, but hopefully not before we get to CA to meet this little guy. I can't wait!<br />
<br />Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01749887969217285053noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17815793.post-46829136431425797222012-05-08T23:21:00.000-04:002012-05-08T23:21:00.213-04:00The car, oh the car!I haven't had a car since 2003. That's nearly 10 years I have only driven my parents' vehicles, or I've driven rental cars. But I've never owned one of my own. Not for a long, long time. As you probably know, if you read this blog at all, I bike everywhere. To get my groceries, to run errands, to get to work, to get my hair done, to go to dance lessons, to hit the gym. Everyplace I've gone is by bike. Before I had my bike, I would walk everywhere. Obviously, this has limited my abilities to go places. Lots of times, I had to turn down parties, or occasions, because I really couldn't get there. We tried to space out our car rentals since they ended up being so expensive (with the rental, and the insurance, it was just too much). Our grocery shopping trips would be epic if we had a car. I would always be a little bit on edge the whole time we had the car, just because I knew it had to go back to where it came from and I needed to budget time and energy for that trek (and trust me, it's a trek!). Thankfully, I live off a bus line, and my parents can ride the bus for free with their Medicare card, but my family visits have been limited too.<br />
Now, we've had a car two whole weeks. It's funny how much it can change your life in such a short time. I've hit the mall, and the grocery store. I've driven to the post office, and to Trader Joe's. I've driven into work, realized I have free parking on the weekends at work, and then driven into work again! We still do epic shopping trips - those might not end for a while. I just feel like the car might get taken away at any moment. Or that we have to return it soon. It hasn't really set in that it's our car (although with then car payments start, perhaps it will!). It's so nice, with OnStar and XM radio (free for 6 months!). I haven't forgotten how to drive, I've just forgotten what freedom you have with a car. I realize that most of the time, you don't really go anywhere but work, home, errands. But the possibilities are endless! We were talking about Hershey today - Hershey! The Chocolate Capital! We can go there! And eat chocolate! We can take the cat to the vet without strapping her to the back of the car! I can donate all those boxes of clothes in the basement to the Salvation Army without taking 25 trips on my bike!<br />
It's also funny because Alex and I don't know how to drive together. Something that is such a fundamental part of most people's lives, is something I don't really know that much about my husband. One of my friend said her husband "always slams the car door". I thought, I have no idea if Alex slams doors or not. I do know that he can't parallel park, which I find hysterical. We once rented a minivan (don't ask why - I think we were "upgraded") and I had to park that damn thing because he couldn't get it in any spots on the street. I do know that he doesn't like to drive for pleasure. He's much more content to get where we're going, instead of enjoy the view while we go. Me, I'm pleased. I'm excited there's an XM station dedicated entirely to Pearl Jam. And, yes I still sing at the top of my lungs, like I can. Traffic doesn't bother me that much, even with a stick shift. I'm not sure how driving through San Francisco will go, but I'm sure we can do it. We can do anything. With our little car!Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01749887969217285053noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17815793.post-75313960850642355242012-05-07T09:32:00.005-04:002012-05-07T09:32:58.306-04:00Monday Numbers<ul>
<li>This past weekend was a little busy, a little boring and everything in between. Friday night both Alex and I were done. We left work at a normal time (<b>5:30</b>) and headed home to just chill out. We drank <b>a few</b> beers and chatted and just hung out which was so, so nice. Normally, life is a little crazy, and lately we just haven't had the time to just chill. So it was really nice. </li>
<li>On Saturday, we hit up Wegman's, the nicest grocery store around. They even sell beer there (trust me, it's the little things!). This store is just so nice - it's like Trader Joes' (with their own brand name stuff) and Vons (with popular brand name stuff) all rolled into one. We filled up the cart and spent <b>$187</b> on food. Crazy, right? But that did include a rack of pork ribs on sale for <b>$10</b>. I cooked ribs last night, and they literally fell off the bone. Delicious!</li>
<li>On Saturday, we also hit up Target to check out some cameras. I have had my camera for nearly <b>7 </b>years, and I've been wanting one to take with us on our trek across the country. It was fun to try out the little point-and-shoots, and we found one that I think I will really like. Then I promptly came home, read the reviews on the different cameras and ordered one on Ebay. It comes on Wednesday - I am super excited to try it out!</li>
<li>We also went into work for a bit on Saturday night. I began processing about <b>60 </b>different samples that I generated last week. That took a while, and I have to got into work today to finish the processing and test all them out. Hopefully at least a percentage of them worked!</li>
<li>Sunday was "around the house" day. I did laundry, made the ribs, and I started packing. I packed <b>two</b> boxes, which might not seem like a lot, but it's all the stuff that was in my curio cabinets, so it's both nice and depressing to see those cabinets empty. I also packed a few things that were on the walls. We got a <b>couple</b> large plastic tubs at Target as well, so I think I might use those to pack up some of our linens, as well as maybe the more precious things like our dishes. Although, I already broke <b>one </b>plate and <b>one</b> bowl (oddly, both turquoise, which is one of my favorite colors). Hopefully, there's nothing associated with bad luck in breaking your wedding dishes :)</li>
<li>And now, here we are, facing about <b>8</b> weeks left here in Philly. The weekends are starting to fill up, and the time here is pretty limited. Here's hoping we can get it all done!</li>
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<br />Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01749887969217285053noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17815793.post-76753681457071906262012-05-04T06:26:00.001-04:002012-05-04T06:26:09.433-04:00Haiku May the 4th Be With You!<div style="text-align: center;">
Star Wars day May the </div>
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fourth. Childhood memories</div>
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Wookie Han Solo.</div>
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Tiny figurines</div>
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Epic battles, flashlight swords</div>
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Princess Leia buns.</div>
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Storm troopers, ewoks</div>
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Playing outside in the dark</div>
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Parents in, lights on. </div>Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01749887969217285053noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17815793.post-8434199831121080692012-05-03T06:07:00.000-04:002012-05-04T06:21:05.605-04:00Numbers again!<ul>
<li>I just can't keep away from the numbers, you guys. So, for the <b>second</b> time this week, here goes!</li>
<li>I went to the doctor recently for a check up. My blood pressure was <b>106/80</b>. I am really, really proud of that. Even if my weight isn't what I want it to be. </li>
<li>I found a way to move our stuff across the country. It's a pod-like thing, but we have to go to a place to load it. I have absolutely no concept of how much stuff will fit in this thing (seriously, <b>6'x7'x8'</b> - who knows?) but I am hoping our whole lives will fit in there. Otherwise, it's being donated. </li>
<li>Moo is only with us for another <b>4</b> weeks. She is going on an adventure (in reality, an airplane) with my in-laws to live in CO for a few weeks while we pack up, move, and vacation a bit across the country. She has no idea what is going on, but we took her for a test drive the other day. She meowed a lot when she saw you, but she calmed down if she couldn't make eye contact. She is going to be a carry on, so I am hoping she doesn't meow the entire time across the country. My vet won't give her any sort of sedatives for the flight, so I'm at a bit of a loss. I might try to take her to another vet before she leaves. </li>
<li>We have <b>9</b> weeks left here in Philly. In that time, there will be: <b>one</b> wedding, a week long visit from our parents, Alex's defense on the <b>29th</b>. I will write <b>one</b> grant, finalize <b>one</b> paper, write <b>one more</b> paper, finish about <b>6</b> more experiments, all while packing up my house, donating used items, and trying to wrap things up here in Philly. Oh, and hopefully hanging out with some of our friends here, too! </li>
<li>For the last <b>week</b>, I've been battling allergies that have been really bad. I've had sinus headaches every day, and the other day it was so bad, I thought I might toss my cookies. It makes it really difficult to work and write and complete all the things I need to do. </li>
<li>My orchid is blooming for the <b>first</b> time since I received it as a gift <b>several</b> years ago. I'm a little bummed to leave it behind.</li>
<li>You guys, I sold a bunch of stuff on Ebay - guess how much money I made? About $500! Are you kidding me? I think I might buy myself a new camera for our trip across the country. My camera is <b>7</b> years old, and I get really frustrated with how slow it is. I am hoping I can find something small that takes good pics because I want to document this whole drive across the country!</li>
<li>We got the roof rack for our car! Apparently, it's a little noisy when you drive fast, but that's the way it's gonna have to be, since we are taking the bikes with us. We are hoping to explore some of the country on bikes, too. Camping, biking, hiking across the country? I can think of <b>nothing</b> better!</li>
</ul>Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01749887969217285053noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17815793.post-51791945614455710822012-05-01T11:13:00.000-04:002012-05-02T11:13:27.126-04:00Movie Review Tuesday: The Pirates! In an Adventure with Scientists<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NvaShz-f7sY/T58TrFDWnlI/AAAAAAAAA9U/XSgl7gle7pc/s1600/The_Pirates%21_Band_of_Misfits_5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NvaShz-f7sY/T58TrFDWnlI/AAAAAAAAA9U/XSgl7gle7pc/s320/The_Pirates%21_Band_of_Misfits_5.jpg" width="215" /></a></div>
I decided to use the British version of the title of this movie in my title. I'm not quite sure why they changed the title of the movie for the American market, and I refuse to believe that it's because the Republicans are winning in the war on Science and the war on Women. This movie is put out by those brilliant people who invented Wallace and Gromit, Shaun the Sheep, and Chicken Run, all favorite movies/TV shows of mine. The movie follows our hero, Pirate Captain, on his quest to win a Pirate of the Year award (he's been denied for the last 20 years, so he must win this one, right?). This movie is sort of everything you want in a movie. A band of misfit pirates (including one with gout, an albino, and a woman dressed up as a man), and of course the first mate who is logical and reasonable, the only straight character. While trying to win the Pirate of the Year award, Pirate Captain comes upon the realization that he sucks as a pirate and he could never win the Pirate of the Year. He tries and tries to plunder and steal from ships on the sea, but never comes across anything carrying any sort of booty. Until, that is, he comes across what I am assuming to be <i>The</i> <i>Beagle</i>, an exploratory science ship that carried Charles Darwin on his circumnavigation of the world, and lead to the formation of the Theory of Evolution. Charles is portrayed as a bit of a mad scientist, as well as a stick in the mud. He realizes Pirate Captain's parrot Polly is actually a Dodo, an animal that went extinct hundreds of years ago, and hopes to present this discovery to the scientists in London. What ensues is hilarity, adventure, intrigue and a lot of good old warm-hearted fun. While I found the movie to be slow at points, and I also found the humor to be terribly British, I did enjoy this movie immensely. For one, I thought that the characters were so well done - each one contributed a great dynamic to the plot. I also thought the animation was a lot of fun. While not entirely "claymation"(I think some was CGI to speed up the process), I loved the 3-D-ness of the characters, and I loved the look and the feel of the movie. Altogether, I think this movie is a win, especially considering the other movies out right now. It's done in the theme of the Muppets, with humor kids will get and humor adults will enjoy. I am really looking forward to everything that comes out of this studio!Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01749887969217285053noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17815793.post-64331687929379960662012-04-30T18:33:00.005-04:002012-04-30T18:33:59.068-04:00Monday Numbers<br />
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<li>Its been nearly <b>10</b> years since I've owned a car. This past weekend, I started to rectify the situation. I made my rounds, hitting the KOP mall, Target, Ross, BB&B, and a host of other places. Mostly, I just returned wedding gifts and either got credits or purchased a few new things. It was nice to have transportation for a change (and even nicer to not have to worry about getting it back on time). Our new little car has some pep, some get up and go and I just love her. Even though there was a ton of traffic and I was sitting in it for a while, it was still such a treat to have some freedom for a change. </li>
<li>We also went on a real suburban date, hitting up Ruby Tuesday's for dinner, and then heading to the movies. Although I am pretty sure the movie theatre was built <b>40</b> years ago (and never remodeled - not exactly a luxury theatre at all), it was still a fun time. We saw The Pirates! Band of Misfits (aka The Pirates! In an adventure with Scientists). It was great fun and you shall see a complete review of the film shortly!</li>
<li>Sunday was a lovely warm spring day. I spent it cleaning, catching up on errands and just puttering around the house. We are trying to figure out how to move all of our things, and it's taken up quite a bit of time just sorting through all the quotes, all the offers, all the expense. We are not getting reimbursed for any of our move, so it's all on us, which makes it quite difficult. I think I would mostly throw out everything and start over again if it weren't for all the wedding gifts we recently received. I'd feel bad throwing any of those things away. Anyways, we might just narrow things down to a few boxes and pack them off to my parents by post. Too bad we don't have a garage. I'd host a huge garage sale!</li>
<li>I can't believe tomorrow is the <b>first</b> of May. It means that we only less than<b> two</b> months left here in Philly!</li>
<li>Our house has been shown<b> three</b> times this week. I hope somebody decides to rent it. It's a great place to live!</li>
<li>We got our license registration for our car. Now, it looks so cute, with it's little PA plates! And we got our <b>first</b> dent/scratch. Some person has no idea how to parallell park, and bumped into our bumper, causing a bit of a crack. Oh well, it had to happen sometime, right? I guess it just sucks that it was within the <b>first</b> week of owning it!</li>
</ul>Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01749887969217285053noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17815793.post-33439250833661302342012-04-23T11:51:00.001-04:002012-04-23T11:51:20.485-04:00Monday Numbers<ul>
<li>You guys! We got a new car! It's a super cute Chevy Sonic and we love it! It had to come to us from across the state, so it's already got about <b>600</b> miles on it. We put about <b>30</b> on her this week. Its great to have the freedom to just go, get out of town, for a few minutes. The downside? We have NO idea where we are going! With such limited travel knowledge, we are a little lost. Good thing we have maps and iPhones!</li>
<li>This past weekend was pretty crazy busy! We picked up the car on Friday afternoon. Funny thing? They lost it for <b>a minute</b>! Yeah, it's an orange car and they lost it! Although, it is kinda small, and it's a manual, so maybe someone just took it for a joy ride. I wouldn't blame them :)</li>
<li>Our friends M&D came into town for the <b>last</b> time ever. They are moving to Salt Lake City, Utah, and are headed out there next week. They came up for one final hurrah, which was great. We hit up City Tap House, which has this great roof deck with big old firepits all over the place. It was really nice and a lot of fun to catch up with old friends.</li>
<li>On Saturday, we had a bunch of errands to run. I got my hair cut, Alex hit up work, then we went to the grocery store and to get a propane tank. The whole time, Alex was texting people, and he said he wanted to have people over for a BBQ. I said, cool, what time? Oh, at <b>2pm</b>! It was, like <b>1pm</b> and we were just leaving the grocery store - how can we pull this off? Well, turns out, we have super cool friends. Some friends brought over some ice cream, we made potato & macaroni salads and some burgers and we had a great old time. It was lots of fun to have people over and it was great to have some nice weather to hang out in. </li>
<li>That night, everyone went out to a local bar and hung out. Bummer thing was, I had to work. It's a long story, but I have been struggling to get a paper submitted with my old boss (from my thesis, yeah, <b>1 year</b> ago!). He's been having some family problems, and we've been in and out of touch for a while now. Finally, he told me to do a few things to get this paper submitted, and I hadn't had time to do that for a while. So, finally, on Saturday night around <b>10:30</b>pm, I was uploading our response to reviewers and our figures to the server at a journal. It was submitted officially at <b>2:30</b>am Sunday morning. I guess what I've learned about science is that everything is anti-climatic. So, while I'm glad to have this paper off and submitted, I am worried about what will be said about it and whether it will generate more work for me in the long run. Hopefully not.</li>
<li>Yesterday, I was useless. We hung out with M&D for a while, then they got on the road to Baltimore for the last time. It was rainy and cold so I cleaned up a bit, but really, just took a nap, watched <i>My Big Fat Greek Wedding</i> for about the <b>one billionth time</b> and did absolutely nothing worthwhile at all. Alex and I started watching this TV show about the Iditarod in Alaska. Crazy stuff, yo. Other than that, a pretty chill day. </li>
<li>Today, I have about a <b>million</b> things to get done. I am unsure how everything will get done, but that's OK. I sold a bunch of stuff on ebay, so I have about 12 packages to mail out today. Good thing I have a car. I also need to hit up Target and TJs, and actually get some work done. Should be fun! </li>
</ul>Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01749887969217285053noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17815793.post-4793764452976606912012-03-30T09:29:00.001-04:002012-03-30T09:29:50.135-04:00Haiku Friday<div style="text-align: center;">
A friend's defense, a</div>
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wedding invite, beers and a</div>
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happy hour today.</div>
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Boss on vacation</div>
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Easy day today, except</div>
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for all the writing.</div>
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Moving day creeping</div>
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closer, lots to do, lots to</div>
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sell. Ebay! Craigslist!</div>Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01749887969217285053noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17815793.post-23962144616099187732012-03-29T09:04:00.001-04:002012-03-29T09:04:33.119-04:00My Plane StoryThe finding of a man trying to board a plane at PHL today with a bag full of explosives prompted me to tell my plane story (I have several, but this is the one that came to mind). Alex and I were heading to CA, I can't really remember the reason. My favorite flight to take back to LAX is the 6 or 6:30pm one. It arrives into LAX at 9pm, and I don't have to miss a day of work. Anyways, we were waiting in the terminal, getting ready to board, and I see this "New Jersey Clown" is the only way to describe him. Oversized 76ers jersey, baggy shorts, hat slightly skewed, lots of gel in his hair (even tho it's covered by a hat). He's on the phone, and he's talking loudly. We could all hear him, but I generally tried to tune him out. We start boarding, getting in line, heading down the jetway. Apparently, this asshat decides to continue talking on his phone, saying things like, "This plane is going DOWN!" "No way we're making it to LA!", and more and more obnoxious things. I am unsure what his motive was for his grandstanding, but the flight attendants and the passengers certainly noticed. Once we were all on the plane and mostly seated, some burly Federal Marshalls (? actually not sure who came on the plane? cops?) hauled him and his friend off the plane. It all happened so fast, that I wasn't sure what had happened. Someone came on over the intercom to tell us we had to be re-screened through security. I was sure this guy was just being a tool, and he didn't really have anything that would cause the plane to go down, but I understand that rules are rules and we would rather be safe than sorry. They escorted us back through the terminal to the security line, where I had to quickly down my 1L of water I had filled up before the flight. Thankfully, we were fast-tracked through security, and we ended up taking off about an hour late. The pilot liked us, though, and got us into LAX only about 1/2 hour past our original arrival time. The whole incident was a non-incident, really. But I do recall seeing those signs saying, "Don't joke about bombs or anything!" around the airport, and apparently they take these things pretty seriously. Here's hoping that d-bag spent a good several days in Federal Prison for our little inconvenience.Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01749887969217285053noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17815793.post-65869094703121380972012-03-28T08:00:00.000-04:002012-03-28T08:00:02.690-04:00Animal InstinctsSorry, folks. I have a lot of opinions. This post was inspired by my good friend, <a href="http://betarandi805.blogspot.com/">Randi</a>.<br />
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Both Randi and I grew up together and we both grew up with animals. Randi had Mammy kitty, Cuddles the bunny, and Hippie-Lou the dog. I had Brownie the absolute terror of a dog, and then we got the absolute love of my life, Phillie, the cocker spaniel with the littlest brain but the biggest heart. We also had Snottie boogers, the odd-looking dog, JJ the parakeet (among many) and a newt named Norton. I grew up loving animals and wanting to have them in my life. When I graduated college, I got two cats, Moue and Shadow, from the local LA County Shelter. Moo was a little kitten, and Shadow had been knocked up, wandering the streets. I had Shadow (or Sister) for nearly 10 years before she succumbed to several health problems, among them diabetes, a brain tumor, and colon problems. I have loved all my animals, and I have taken care of them, to an extreme in some cases. Phillie was my pride and joy, my first best friend, and will always by my favorite. He was just a dog that came into my life at the right time and the right place. I had just turned 12, was quite smart and motivated, but had a hard time being my own person at such a young age. Phillie was my bud, not caring what I looked like, or how I dressed. Phillie actually did me a favor. He was sick and dying, but I was in Philadelphia. I flew home and he hung on. I knew it was time for him to go, and he let me hold him in my lap in the car ride and at the vets. He was such a cool pup, I still miss him to this day. <br />
Shadow came down with the diabeetus, and we ended up having to check her sugar twice daily, give her insulin shots twice daily. I actually would test my cat's blood sugar prior to my morning coffee. If you know me, this is a big deal, trust me. But, we got into a good habit, and things worked out for the most part. I don't think Shadow suffered too much with her diseases. We kept her comfortable until the end, when her health was failing, her lungs were filling up with fluid, we decided it was the humane thing to euthanize her. I'm not sure if she was grateful for the relief or not, but I know that both Alex and I felt a sense of release. We missed her terribly, but knew she was at least not suffering anymore.<br />
Are other people's stories about their pets the same? Hardly. I had a friend who had to put a young kitten to sleep, it was so sick. All of these experiences shape our lives, and it's lovely and wonderful to be responsible for another life, to have an animal contribute to our rich experiences. I think I will always have animals in my life, even when I'm old and gray. I think they're wonderful. <br />
However, I do think things have gotten out of control. Randi tried to adopt a puppy, but was denied because she has a child under 5 years of age. Nearly all my friends with kids under 5 have dogs. How can you make such a ridiculous requirement? I have another friend who adopted a dog from a "rescue" organization. In the paperwork, the rescue organization requires this person to constantly update them on the dogs whereabouts, implores this person that if they ever don't want the dog, to give him back to the rescue, and insists that the organization can take the dog away at any time, any place. Although the majority of these stipulations seem to have the dogs best intentions at heart, I just have to wonder when we became so nuts. Randi was asked what food she will feed the dog. What the hell difference does it make? I will feed him food. Likely what's on sale, and probably some table scraps to boot. And you know what? The dog will be fine. Or he won't. Sometimes animals die. It's OK. It's not great, but it's OK. Shit happens. <br />
Look, I can see where some of these organizations are coming from. My mom got her dog, Valentine, from the Humane Society. They recognized that Valley-Girl was just about the sweetest thing ever, and they matched her up with my Mom perfectly. They came out, looked at my Mom's backyard, and handed her over. My Mom walks her every day, takes her to the vet yearly and keeps up on her health and grooming. Valentine is a perfectly happy dog, and she fits right in with the family. I think this is a reasonable situation. They want to make sure you have an area for the dog to hang out in. If you rent, they want to make sure your landlord is OK with pets. Fine. I get that. But three references, including a vet reference? You have got to be shitting me.<br />
My kitty Moo gets to go to the vet when she's sick, and I sometimes keep up on her shots. She's an indoor cat, doesn't get into too much trouble, and we treat most of her ailments at home (we are scientists after all). She is currently up to date on all her shots because we will be traveling with her this summer, so she needs to be. Otherwise, I might have held off another few months to pay off the wedding. Realistically, people are doing the best they can. Are dogs better off in a house, rather than a shelter? Yes, absolutely. Should you screen people to make sure they're able to have animals, and have a reasonable area to take to pets? Sure (however, in the city? c'mon now! We don't have backyards and plenty of people have pets! Get over this "must have a backyard" thing!). And premium dog food, multiple vet visits for any and all ailments, no kids, age restrictions (as in, no one under 25 can adopt an animal?), can't be college students, must own a home? C'mon now, folks. You're now eliminating at least 50% of the population, who might be perfectly OK to take care of an animal. There are thousands of animals in shelters around the country. These animals need homes, or they are euthanized. Yes, make some reasonable rules. Hell, do a house check, or a vet check if they have one. But, realistically, you are only hurting those animals that you want to help. Some of us are perfectly capable of taking care of an animal. Will we go into debt to care for the animal? Maybe. Will we feed it better food that we eat? Probably not. Will the dog or cat notice? Nope, not a chance. Dogs evolved to eat our table scraps (and likely to help us hunt) and cats came along for the ride because of the abundance of rodents associated with human life. Pets have evolved alongside humans, and many of us feel empty without a pet by our side. <br />
To these bullshit "rescue" organizations, get over your pompous, ridiculous ideas. Realize that some people want to have pets, and let them. It will be a huge improvement over your animal hoarding tendencies. Maybe you should rethink your actual goals in these organizations. It seems like your goals may be to become a non-profit to feed into your dog and cat hoarding tendencies? Until then, I will be supporting my local Humane Society shelters, as well as the City and County animal control shelters. Their policies are reasonable, and they are looking to place animals in forever homes. Not looking to repossess your dog when you decide to move across the country, or need to feed them non-premium dog food. It floors me that organizations make these types of demands on people. Are you trying to prevent poor people from having pets? It sure seems that way.<br />
Why don't you spend your money educating people about animal abuse? Trying to stop the ridiculous amount of dog-fighting and cock-fighting that goes on around the Philly area? Why don't you spend your money on giving coupons to struggling families so they can keep feeding their pets? Why don't you actually make it easy to give a pet away if you can no longer take care of it? Why don't you help people with their vet bills? All of these things are reasonable, the right thing to do. Buying premium dog food? Keeping an perfectly good animal in a shitty shelter because of your stupid rules? Not helping anyone, and actually harming the animals you are claiming to want to help.Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01749887969217285053noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17815793.post-72015472798374146112012-03-27T18:05:00.000-04:002012-03-27T18:05:04.998-04:00Twofer TuesdayWe've been watching a bit of Netflix recently, and we took in two sports-related movies. The first was <i>The Flying Scotsman</i>, about Graeme Obree, a Scottish guy who custom built a bike and ended up setting the world record in velodrome bike racing (the kind where you go around and around and around a track). I think we both really liked this movie because Alex is a cyclist, so we could really identify with the training schedule, the bike rides in the rain, the pieces of the bikes falling off, and the pain of building a bike to fit you and make you go fast. It was a "feel good" movie, about a guy chasing a dream, and mostly attaining it. However, there were some dark spots. Apparently Obree has battled depression (and ended up coming out of the closet recently), so he was not always happy in his achievements. The movie also shows just how ridiculous the sport of cycling is, with the stupid rules the UCI comes up with to make cyclists conform to their standards. I thought it was a well done movie, and I really enjoyed it.<br />
The other movie we took in was <i>The Spirit of the Marathon</i>, a documentary movie that followed several runners (including the elite runner Deena Kastor) in the months and weeks leading up to the Chicago Marathon (in 2005 methinks). The movie was really interesting, showing how families and individuals coped with the rigorous training, how emotional the runs can be, and how cool the support from running groups is. It really made me want to go for a run, and I'm itching to head to Stanford to get involved in the running community there. I have no doubt it will be a million times better than here, since there are way more trails and interesting places to go. I was also really glad that it showcased the running of an elite woman (women tend to get so little attention in any sport). Kastor is an inspiration, and a wonderful role model for women of all levels of sport. Her dogged determination, her stubbornness, and her great attitude just shone through this movie through and through. There were also several other women featured in the movie, so it was a great Rah! Rah! women! all around :) I think these were two movies that were inspirational, they really were a great time to watch them, and they really made me want to hit the pavement!Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01749887969217285053noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17815793.post-14530863238312547242012-03-26T17:54:00.000-04:002012-03-27T17:54:14.659-04:00Monday Numbers<ul>
<li>This past weekend was pretty chill. Just hung out, ran a bunch of errands and tried to play some catch up. Things are getting a little crazy around here, as we're moving in, like <b>3</b> months! Eek!</li>
<li>On Saturday night, we went out to a bar to say goodbye to our good friend and dance teacher, A. She is headed back to France after living in Philly for nearly <b>8 </b>years. </li>
<li>We stayed out until <b>11</b>pm on Saturday night - I know, I know we are party animals!</li>
<li>My boss is out of town for the next <b>two</b> weeks. Time to get some writing and organizing done. Lots and lots and lots to do, folks!</li>
<li>We are in the process of planning Alex's defense, planning the visits of our parents, buying a car, making sure that car can be registered in CA, figuring out car insurance, car loans, moving expenses and a road trip across the country. I've also been selling things on Ebay, mostly shoes. You would be surprised to know how many pairs of shoes I have bought and never worn. I'm actually a little ashamed of it. But, I have made about $250, so that's good, right? Sad that it's all gone to groceries, tho! </li>
</ul>Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01749887969217285053noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17815793.post-65070827986111113892012-03-22T09:04:00.000-04:002012-03-22T09:04:50.105-04:00Opinion ThursdayAs I'm sure you know, I am a scientist. I have worked on a number of different projects, but I am first and foremost a developmental biologist. I think development (as in, the development of an embryo from the joining of a sperm and an egg) is just about the coolest thing on the planet. It's fascinating to try to figure out what is going on, how tissues develop from a small ball of cells and I love to see the different stages of development as an embryo matures. I've had this fascination since college, which goes back at least 15 years, if not more. I do science because I love it. I'm fascinated by the way that bodies work, the organs that have evolved to give us life, and the way all of these form. My research will likely never lead to any gigantic breakthroughs. I will likely never work on a "miracle drug" and I will probably not even touch a piece of human tissue in my career. What I will do is try to figure out what happens in animal models, so that we can apply that knowledge to treating human disease and injury. Animal models are not perfect, by any stretch. Often, they are cumbersome, difficult to work with, and expensive to keep. However, research is necessary, and can often lead to treatments or cures for many diseases.<br />
For example, my lab works on diabetes research. In the most basic sense, diabetes is the loss of beta cells. Beta cells produce insulin which regulates the amount of glucose (sugar) in our blood. Without insulin, blood becomes quite toxic to all our tissues (instead of providing nutrients). Tissues start to break down (including the delicate blood vessels that carry the blood in them), which is why diabetes can lead to effects all over the body, like blindness, poor circulation, and impaired wound healing. Diabetes is extremely common, and the disease is affecting tens of millions of people in the US alone (and growing). In my lab, we are trying to understand how these beta cells develop in the embryo. How are they formed? Is there a set number of them in the body? What kinds of changes occur in the DNA of these specific cells to give them the identity they have? Can we make more? We have lots and lots of questions, but few answers. Answers come incrementally, and slowly. But they come nonetheless.<br />
These answers come because we have made a lot of tools. We have made animal models with diabetes. We have made mice that lack a pancreas. We have made animals that don't have any beta cells. And on and on and on. These animals provide us some clues as to what could be going on in the human body, and how to treat these diseases once they manifest themselves. To date, the best therapy for diabetics remains insulin therapy. Generally administered with injections. Diabetics also have to keep track of the glucose levels in their blood, and dose insulin accordingly. It's a manageable, but tedious disease. A slight increase in insulin dosage can reduce the glucose levels in the blood to dangerously low levels, essentially leading to fainting, or worse, a coma or death. Too high glucose levels can lead to permanent tissue damage, the loss of limbs, neuropathy, and more. It's a fine balance and each individual patient generally needs to find their own course of treatment, their own way of treating the disease.<br />
All of this knowledge has been gleaned through the use of animal models. We are slowly, but surely, learning how this disease can manifest, and how we can treat the disease. We are learning this through the use of animal models. Animals that mimic (to our best ability) diabetes, animals that have impaired beta cell development, animals that receive drug treatments to potentially treat this disease. The list goes on and on. We use these animals not because we are "crazy scientists" who just can't wait to kill things, but because they provide us with the best glimpse of how the body works. We are not blood thirsty mad scientists. We are reasonable, logical people. We don't love killing things. In fact, most of us find it quite unpleasant. We treat our animals with respect, and give them the best life possible. I have never witnessed animal abuse, and I hopefully never will.<br />
I am concerned about this for a number of different reasons. Firstly, I recently read <a href="http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v483/n7390/full/483373b.html">this article</a> in Nature, which talks about animal activists protesting the movement of research animals via airlines. They have nearly shut down animal transport by nearly every airline. This could be disastrous to research, as we are a community that will often share resources (including animals) with other labs around the world. That's a vital part of science. And, look, I agree, research on non-human primates is a little crazy in my book. I understand that people might feel uncomfortable about research on animals that look so much like us. I think the best thing, however, is to keep non-human primate research in countries like the US, where regulations on animal welfare and care are strict, instead of farming research out to other countries where animal welfare is not a concern. <br />
Animal research is necessary, and trust me, you have benefited greatly from it. All modern drugs have been tested on animals, as have all modern therapies for cancer, or even for the common cold. I understand the concern about animals, but I feel that the ends justify the means. When I see a kid at Children's Hospital, clearly battling some form of cancer, I am glad we have the checks in place to test drugs and therapies on animals before it's ever brought to the child's bedside. Drugs can be given to babies on the first day of their birth (especially if they are born with a genetic defect, like hemophilia)- are you willing to administer untested drugs to a newborn? Of course not.<br />
My favorite story in all of this comes from a joint endeavor between Children's Hospital and UPenn. There is a rare genetic disorder that causes blindness. It's caused by a mutation or loss of a specific gene. Children with this disease often lose their sight by the time they are teenagers. This disease also exists in dogs (gold retrievers, I think?). They tested some therapies on the blind dogs, and one therapy seemed to work. Just recently, they tried out this therapy on one eye in a number of patients. The therapy worked, and a number of previously blind (or nearly blind) people can now see. The truth is, this research has been going on for years in the dogs. And yes, some of the dogs had to be sacrificed. However, they were sacrificed humanely and in a respectful manner. The dogs were not mistreated, and they were cared for daily by a dedicated group of technicians, vets, and researchers. And now some kids can see. As improvements are made in this therapy, it will hopefully become a standard treatment for this rare disease, and also may provide a model for how to treat some genetic diseases in the future. I know some work is already focused on hemophilia, a genetic disease in which the blood cannot clot. I say this because it's vital that biomedical research is carried out. It means improved quality of life, a better understanding of the world at large, and a better grasp of the causes of disease and their potential treatments. Computer models or cell culture systems just cannot recapitulate the precise, delicate, and complex situations of disease or metabolism. For this we need our purpose bred animals in the lab, and we will hopefully be better able to treat disease in the future.Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01749887969217285053noreply@blogger.com2