Random Snippets, Thursday Edition

• I have discovered that the Bacon, Lettuce and Tomato sandwich is descended from the gods. More bacon? Yes, please!
• Spring arrived and then left. I'm not sure why, but 38 degrees and rainy seems way colder than 20 and snowing.
• My thesis was due yesterday. Have I turned it in yet? Nope.
• My boss is back. Yes, it's weird.
• I defend in less than 2 weeks!
• I think buying a printer a couple months ago was a brilliant thing to do. 
• I am thankful I have a second bedroom to completely destroy during this thesis writing process. 
• My folks are coming one week from Saturday.
• Alex will be gone all weekend. He's racing in upstate NY, somewhere. I really hope it's not snowing there.
• Dave Brubeck is GOD.
• I have lost my mind so much, that I made a Warhol version of one of my embryo pictures. The sad thing? It took me, like 10 minutes. What do you think?

Monday Numbers

• This weekend marked frantic madness surrounding the attempt to finish my dissertation. I struggled to come up with an eventual 17 pages of conclusions and future directions and I sent them off last night. I ended up making 5 extra figures to go along with my introduction chapter and my conclusions chapter. Needless to say, I spent a lot of time on the computer.
• On Saturday, we arose at 0530 (or, to Randi, oh-dark-thirty) to head to Fairmount Park for the annual Philly Phlyer bike race that Alex was partaking in. His first race, he took 3rd place and his second race, he took 8th, which is pretty awesome, considering there were at least 30-40 people in each race! He's awesome and I was just so proud of him :)
• However, Saturday, it was cold, cold, cold. The wind was blowing and I had trouble keeping warm while watching the races. Even though it was probably in the 40s, which should be warm for us, it just wasn't. It took me 2 pots of tea before I warmed up!
• Saturday and Sunday, for the most part, was swallowed up by copious time on the computer. Probably around 24 hours, at least. Ugh.
• I did, however, manage to do 5 loads of laundry yesterday. Somedays I am really thankful that I have a washer and dryer do all the work for me - could you imagine if I had to do all this AND beat my laundry with a rock? Thank god for small conveniences :)
• I get to head to CA in one month! Woohoo! My folks will be here in less than 2 weeks!

Magazine Rant

I read the magazine Shape. I have for a long period of time. I like the features that highlight some of the scientific findings in health and fitness, and I like to read a magazine about empowering women to be fit. I like the "work outs" because I am normally so intimidated by the weight machines and weights at the gym (or by figuring out how to target muscle groups, etc). I like it as a reference and an easy read. Some of the stories are inspirational, and the magazine highlights some "normal" women who are "just like you!", which is kinda nice. They also purport to not airbrush the women on the cover (although they are heavily make-upped, lighted and "done up", I always liked that honesty. As in, these women have worked their asses off to look like this, we're not going to change a thing, right? However, they have recently changed the format of their magazine, and I have been getting more and more irritated with the changes they have made. The most recent issue might be my last. While I understand these magazines can be slightly ridiculous, this magazine was one that I used to enjoy. However...well, let's just see what you think...

In their regular feature, "Shape your life: Sex", all three of the tidbits of advice apply to the guy, not the girl. As a women's magazine, I think this is absolutely ridiculous. The first piece of advice is to have morning sex. While not the most shocking thing, it goes on to say that women aren't often "in the mood" in the morning, but the guy is. Therefore, you should sleep naked to get him even more aroused, and then morning sex could make your day better. The second tidbit of advice is to not let the man in your life see you do things like floss, shave, or pop zits. You should close the door to retain a bit of "mystery". And lastly, you should take a vacation to a tropical island so the man in your life can get some vitamin D, boosting his testosterone levels, and upping his sex drive.

• OK, are you kidding me? There are thousands of women who report not being satisfied by their sex life, and you go and report on how to turn him on? I mean, lets just ignore the fact that none of these pieces of advice should be repeated. Why not talk about how women can get more satisfaction out of their sex life? Why not talk about how to find the time in the day, what to do if you're tired, the kids are screaming, there's laundry to be done? How about how to find time for yourself? How to maintain work/life balance? Hell, how to satisfy yourself? How to communicate in bed? How to find the G-spot (sorry, I went there...)? Were all of these things not valid? What if your significant other's sex drive is higher than yours? Yours is higher than his or hers? Were there no tidbits of information that might help a woman out? At all? All of them had to be about the guy? Oh, I could go on and on...

In another feature, the "Get Fit Workout of the Month", the magazine chooses to highlight the thighs and what moves to do to work them out. I usually like this feature because it includes a little breakdown on the muscle groups here, and it shows you ways to work them with machines at the gym. As an introduction, the magazine wrote this is highlighted, bold pink lettering, "If your thighs rub together, you know exactly what we're talking about, and if they don't, you probably work hard to keep them that way." Below this is written, "This month, we're going to help you conquer this common trouble spot so you can expend your mental energy on more important things - like which heels make your legs look sexier."

• Once again, are you kidding me? Firstly, your legs are a part of your anatomy. They are shaped that way for a reason!!! Thigh "jiggle" and thighs touching? OK, it's now become patently clear that our view of womens' bodies is so distorted because models' already thin thighs are photoshopped to not include that area of your thighs that (horror!) touches. Why not highlight things about your thighs that you might want to improve on. Or things that you might not realize. Like running only works part of your thighs, cycling might work another. Balancing your muscle proportions out might help you get better at the sport you enjoy. Secondly, please don't patronize me by saying that I am spending "mental energy" on why my thighs touch and what to do about it. Please also don't make a blanket statement about how I want to spend my mental energy on shoes. I spend my mental energy on things like current events, family, friends, work, school, and books I enjoy. My thighs (as ugly and imperfect as you think they are) carry me to all these events where I spend my mental energy, so just shut your trap about that, would ya?
• This idea that women are constantly worrying over distinct parts of their bodies really worries me. Why focus on discrete parts of your body when, for the most part, all things function? Why not talk about wanting strong thighs so you can pick up your kids? Because weight bearing exercise helps prevent osteoporosis? Because you have always wanted to try out spin class? Why not put a positive spin on things, instead of pointing out the things that they think might be "wrong" with you?

Besides these two glaring points, it includes an interview with Sofia Vergara, an actress, talking about her "killer curves". This article is written from an odd point of view. Instead of celebrating the way she looks, the writer seems almost incredulous that she's happy in her skin. Vergara doesn't seem to work out to look good (and she even says it's a part of her job, which I actually enjoyed for the honesty). The cover includes an "overlay" of Vergara in a dress - they you can peel that off and find her picture in a bikini (which is what most covers look like). Why is she not in a bikini for the regular cover? I just don't get it. Also, the magazine is chock full of ads for botox, quick weight loss supplements or pills, and food supplements that are awful for you. I realize that a magazine has to pay it's bills, but, honestly, I am just sick of it.

In the US, there is an obesity epidemic that will lead to terrible consequences. Lying to people by saying that diet and exercise don't matter is not going to help the cause at all. Exercise and diet choices need to be made accessible for everyone. And while I realize that Shape Magazine is not the spokesperson to the world, it's down to earth message of "You can do this!" is a great place to find motivation. However, not everyone has a super skinny body, not everyone is super concerned about touching thighs or the little fold of skin in the armpit. Everyone should be concerned with ways to fit in exercise on a daily basis. Ways to make healthy diet choices, how to shop for better food. How not to pass on these ridiculous ideas on body snarking and body image to our sons and daughters, who will likely bear the brunt of this obesity epidemic. How to cut back on processed food. What are processed foods? Where do they come from? How do I exercise with a toddler? How do I get my significant other to support my goals? How do I sign up for a race? How do I find other people who want to go to the gym with me? How do I live to be 100? How do I do all of this while being depressed about losing my job and my home?
Seriously, I think there are so many things these magazines could focus on. Positive spins on ways to get motivated, get moving and be active. But they disappoint me month after month, with their crap about ridiculously inane ideas of how my body should look. Well, I'm sorry, Shape, but you've just lost a subscriber.

Haiku Spring Day Friday

Spring is in the air

Warm sun, blooming trees, robins

Honking geese, green grass.

***

New beginnings, a

fresh start, a new outlook, the

world is renewing.

***

Warm days ahead, life

begins anew, new chicks, new

leaves, fresh air, fresh start!

On Becoming a Runner

I don't have a lot to write about these days, as my life is filled with writing, then reading, then more writing and the occasional dance class. But I do run. Almost everyday. I haven't always been a runner. I decided one day that I wanted to be a runner, and so I started running. Just like that. I decided to start running for a number of different reasons. I don't like feeling tired. I wanted to have a "hobby". I wanted a reason to get outside. I wanted something that wasn't hard, didn't require a lot of equipment, something I could do alone. I wanted to keep up with Alex, who is a sports enthusiast. I wanted to be an athlete. I wanted to run a race, to finish a race. I wanted a challenge. A lot of people have a perception that running is hard. It is both hard and not hard. It's actually pretty easy to run. Your body knows how to already. The harder things are to keep running, to convince yourself to run in that rainstorm, or when it's icy or windy outside. When running moves from physical to mental, that's when it gets hard. So, I've done a few things, tried a few things, and I thought I would write them down.

• Start slow. As in, walk for 10 mins, then alternate running 10 seconds, walk a minute (or run longer, if you can). Cool down with a 5-10 min walk.
• Don't worry about what you look like. People are not looking at you funny, trust me.
• Pick a place that's pretty. Run along a waterway, a tree-lined street, a trail. Pick someplace interesting and pay attention to things around you. This morning? I saw a hawk circling and landing in a tree. Every day, I see robins running around the grass. Recently, I've seen the buds emerging on the tree (Spring is here - yay!). These things are so simple, yet so pretty. You forget you're running for a moment.
• Make it short. Start with 5 minutes, 10 minutes, 20 minutes, whatever you have in your day. I usually get up, allow myself a cup of coffee and a cup of juice and then I'm putting on my shoes and heading out the door, before I can even think about it.
• Say hi to people you seen.
• Try running without headphones at first. Pay attention to your breathing - I breathe in two steps, breathe out two steps. That's my rhythm. Yours might be different.
• Buy a good bra. They cost around $40, but they're worth it. 
• Spandex is actually a wonderful invention. Everything is kinda held in place, your thighs don't rub together to cause discomfort, and the shorts are usually a bit longer, which I like. Plus, you're a runner, so you can wear things like this without abandon!
• Start calling yourself a runner as soon as possible. There's no set amount of time you need to run, no set distance you need to go before you self-identify. If you run, you're a runner.
• Tell yourself you can stop and walk whenever you want to. Sometimes you might need to. Other times you might not. 
• Push yourself, but don't hurt yourself. Make a goal of running to the next lightpost? Good for you! Make a goal of running a marathon next month? Bad idea. Keep things in perspective. 
• If stuff hurts, take it easy. Don't beat yourself up over it. Take an ibuprofen and give it a rest. 
• Don't think about speed or distance. Ease into things. Also, don't compare yourself to others you might see out there. I always think to myself, "I have no idea what training plan they are on. Maybe they are on a "push it" day. Maybe I am on a "resting" day. The only thing that matters is that I am moving. That has nothing to do with anyone else out there."
• Take care of yourself. Watch your feet. Get good shoes and socks. Take the hair out of your eyes. Buy yourself a sports shirt or shorts. Eat more fruit and veggies. Thank your body for carrying you as far as it did.
• Take your camera, or your ipod, or anything that might motivate you. It's usually pretty nice outside. Get out there. Sign up for a local 5K for a month from now. Just get up, get out and run. Good luck!

Clothing/Working Rant

I'm defending my thesis in about three weeks. I need to purchase some type of business clothing (as a grad student, I just don't have any!) so I headed to Ann Taylor Loft on Penn campus the other day. Granted, I realize this was not the best idea. Ann Taylor has some nice business attire, while Ann Taylor Loft seems to cater to the younger kids with more casual things (that are still kind of dressy to this CA native! Ha!). So, I realize this was my first mistake - any time I try to utilize a business on campus, the customer service is terrible. I usually just chalk it up to college students working part time and not really caring about their job. I was fully aware of this at the time that I chose to look at this store, so you can absolutely blame me for what transpired.
Like most stores in our area, the minute you walk in, someone says "Hi! How are you today?!?!?!" It's not so much of a greeting or a question, it's more of a statement. Like, proving they are there in the store. There is never a question like, "Do you need help finding anything?" So, I start to wander around the store. They have a few things that are potential, so I pick up pants and shirts and a couple dresses in two to three sizes each (more on that later). I've got my hand full. The workers are standing by the "folding table", perhaps putting away clothing...having a loud and involved conversation about Friday night, Jason, a party and "that girl". It takes them several minutes to notice me drowning in clothing (I absolutely could have asked for a dressing room) and one of them offers to get me a room. I continue to shop, grabbing this, that and the other thing, trying to make a business outfit out of what they have. I even pick up some Blanche Devereaux-type billowy, flowery blouses since they're everywhere and I think, "Well, I don't know what they look like unless I try them on." Occasionally, I have looked at something on a hanger and it looks terrible, but on, it looks great. So, I try to be open minded in the whole process.
Finally, I get my stuff and head to the dressing room. I start trying on clothing, and some of it looks OK, some of it not. I usually wear about a size 8. However, I have clothing in my closet that ranges from a 6 to a 12 (my wedding dress? a 14 - go figure!). I'm also short, about 5'3", so I sometimes wear things in petite because the regular size can be way too long (who wants to wear shirts that literally come down to my crotch?) So, I'm pretty much an 8 on the bottom and usually a 10 or 12 on top. The problem is mainly the boobs. I am between a 36-38C in the chest department. I have the impression that, although they appear large on me and my frame, that this size is rather common. So, I picked up dress pants in an 8 and a 10. The 10 was way too big - I looked like I was wearing saggy pants! and the 8s were just a bit too small. They created those "lines" across my hips, which I hate. I tried on another pair, and even though they were marked "petite", they bunched up in the crotch region, which I also hate. I understand that nobody can make pants that fit everyone, but I feel like these are common problems with a lot of my friends.
The shirts were ridiculous too. The Blanche Devereaux shirts? Yup, they made me look like a 65 year old Floridian in the 80s. The dresses bunched up in weird places, or were exceedingly short (I mean, like I said - I'm 5'3" - how could they be short on me?). One of the dresses (although a size 10) I could not even zip up in the back because it smashed my boobs so much. Ugh. Trying on clothes is a drag!
I found a shirt I really liked, white button down, short sleeves with a little ruffle collar around the neck and in the front. It wasn't too low cut, but did have a nice shape. Well, the 10, I could not even button. The 12? In petite, I couldn't button it, and in regular, it extended past my hips - for a shirt that I would tuck in to likely somewhat form fitting pants? Not gonna work!
In the meantime, there is no one in the store. It's a Monday afternoon, and the working girls are gabbing away. At one point, one of them came in to offer help, get me a new size, etc. She did do that, but she never returned after that to see if those sizes fit. I finally ended up packing up my things and heading home - they didn't even spend a minute to say "Bye!!!!!"
To a certain extent, I'm not really what the point of this post is. But, for the record, I occasionally want help at a store. Not all the time, but when I have something in particular in mind, it would be really helpful to have someone familiar with the merchandise to guide me. I realize the days of excellent customer service are long gone. I guess, mostly, I am asking that people actually do the job they are paid for. It's clear these associates are not paid on commission, otherwise, they would have fallen all over me, trying to sell me stuff (I'm not sure if that's what I wanted, either).
I'm not sure if perhaps I was judged on my appearance. I was wearing jeans and a waffle-T that says Jackson, WY. I had on a fleece and a North Face jacket. My bike helmet was hanging off my overly large backpack, and I may have been a little sweaty from wearing too many layers in the Spring. I've often thought about the scene in Pretty Woman where she walks into a snobby store she had been kicked out of previously and shows them she has the money to purchase anything in the store. Of course, she leaves (and that's something that I couldn't pull off, for sure! Ha!). I guess common courtesy and kindness are just missing. I could be like that Facebook guy who always wears grubby clothes, but they would never know.
I guess it's obvious that a company cannot just force their employees to say things ("Hi! Welcome to Ann Taylor!", "Would you like to put your purchase on your Macy's card?", etc) that don't really mean anything. The majority of the time, the employees do not want to help you, especially if they are making $6 an hour at a crappy job. I'm not sure if there is an answer to this, other than retail stores should value their employees more to create a work environment in which people want to work, not just where they show up and stand around all day. Don't get me wrong, I know that working retail is a pain. I realize that customers are demanding, and having a do-nothing at work day might be restful and meaningful. I could have asserted myself - I could have just walked into the middle of their conversation and told them I wanted help. That wasn't beyond me. I guess I just don't want to force people to work if they don't want to.
And lastly, why have clothing makers not caught on to women's different body types? Honestly, I am so tired of trying to find clothing that fits, trying to find an 8, then a 10, then a 12 and being really disappointed because the 12 fits my boobs, but I'm swimming in it everywhere else. I also realize that I am shopping at cheaper places. I honestly can't afford much higher than Ann Taylor, although I would love to use the personal shopper at Nordstrom's for a day. I'm unclear why women's clothing is not more like men's clothing. A waist size and a length? Fine by me (although it would have to have different cuts, for those with a booty like me!). A bra size when shopping for shirts (and then a choice of Small, Medium or Large, or something like that?) Hallelujah! Dresses that come in different sizes on the top vs. the bottom? Stores that do alterations? I know that, likely, at the more expensive stores and the places where clothing costs way more that I would probably find these things. I realize that a nice suit could cost hundreds, if not thousands of dollars. I'm just unable to afford that right now. And I understand that manufacturing has to be "cookie cutter" to a certain extent, since things are made in such large quantities. Its funny to think about because my Grandma made a lot of my Mom's clothes when she was a kid (even her high school graduation dress) and my Mom hated it. She wanted clothes with the designer labels on it, clothes that didn't look like they were made at home. Now, here we are, 40 year later, and I would love to have someone make me some clothes - especially clothes that were tailored for my body. It's funny how time moves backwards, isn't it?
Wow, so this turned into an exorbitantly long post - sorry about that. I guess I needed to get something off my chest -like these too-tight shirts these damn stores sell!

Numbers Monday (a day late)

• This weekend marked more writing for me. I didn't really leave the house for 4 days straight - thesis writing and all. I wrote a ~20pg introduction this past weekend, and now I have to work on re-reading it to make sure it makes sense. Oh, and that whole "bibliography thing". Ugh, citations. 
• I did, however, manage to get in a couple runs and bike rides. You see, I'm training for the Broad St. run, a 10 mile run from North Broad to the Sports Complex in South Philly. It's a great run, and I did it last year. Lots of people come out to cheer you on and the field includes some 30,000 people. Nope, not a typo. Really, that many people - cool, eh?
• The weather has become pleasantly warm recently. It's been in the 50s during most days, so I've been enjoying some time outdoors. Although it's still not warm enough to forgo the sweater and jacket combo, if you're moving, it's quite pleasant. 
• I've been trying not to read too much about Japan. I find the entire situation absolutely terrifying. I can't believe there is meltdown occurring in 4 nuclear reactors. Holy moly - I hope they figure out something soon!
• I have one chapter left to write for my thesis. One measly chapter and then I'm DONE :)
• I've spent approximately 4 hours this morning catching up on emails. I didn't even check those from Feb - just those from March. Ugh. 
• OK, time to write a few pages and get moving. As Randi would say, "Get 'er done!"

The Business of Being Born

I have a lot of friends who have recently had babies or who are pregnant now, so this subject matter is at the front of my mind a lot. Plus, I literally work at a hospital, so I see all sorts o reminders of people being sick and situations that I don't want to be in, so the whole act of "having a baby" is something that has always fascinated me. The premise of this movie is that the majority of births in the Unites States occur in hospitals, which has effectively put the midwife out of business. Ricki Lake and colleagues follow around a prominent midwife to multiple home births and make the point that if you're a healthy mom and you have a normal pregnancy, then hospital birth may make things more complicated than you realize. The female body knows precisely how to have a baby and interventions normally used in the hospital can affect everything, from the progress of labor to the type of birth that ends up happening. The documentary attempts to show normal, natural birth at home as a way of normalizing home birth and introducing the general public to the art of midwifery. I have never given birth, so my first-hand knowledge of this is null, but I am a scientist and I do understand statistics. I do know that if you begin interventions (labor induction, epidural, etc) your chances of having a C-section are significantly increased. From personal experience, I do know that your brain will act totally wacko when you are in situations of pain or extreme discomfort - making you kind of "high", for lack of a better word. And I do know that women have been having children for thousands of years, so, theoretically, we should know what we are doing. I really enjoyed this movie. I thought it was well done, and I thought it did shed some light on the act of home birth in trying to normalize the idea for people. I do think that it's likely an unrealistic choice for most people who do not live in a large, urban area. I think the best thing about New York (and Philly, too) is that there are hospitals within close proximity to most residences. Such that, if a complication occurs, you head to the hospital as soon as you can and you and the baby are likely OK. I do think that, if faced with the prospect of giving birth, I would likely employ a midwife as the midwives I have met have had a certain personality, a confidence, which I think would be comforting and soothing in extreme situations. Doctors with a good bedside manner, with patience? I have met few. I think the documentary is quite one-sided, but I did enjoy the idea that women should feel empowered to have their children as they want to - that birth plans should not be changed to suit the needs of the doctor or nurses. However, I don't think the film fully explored rational thought and the risks involved. While there were statistics involved in hospital births, there were few statistics involved in home birth - what are the risks? While, of course, the midwife shows up with equipment - for example, does she have the ability to stop maternal hemorrhage? While the documentary says that the US has the highest maternal and infant mortality rates in the developed world, is this actually due to hospital births? Or the loss of the art of midwifery? Or horrible prenatal care? Or the lack of healthcare for poor people? I mean, I can't imagine that people giving birth in hospitals are more likely to die, right? I guess a lot of this I just don't know. The home births were stunningly beautiful and really amazing. I cried at each one. I love the idea of being home, recovering at home, and just staying there, without interventions. I love the idea of letting my body take over, letting it do what it needs to (easier said than done, I am sure) and I love the idea of midwifery, which has been practiced and passed on for thousands of years. Altogether, this film made me think a lot about birth in general, birth on a personal level, and all of the physiologic processes that occur at birth that we don't even understand. I am glad for the knowledge, and I think that's the best thing a documentary can provide.

Choping down the Tree Haiku Friday

The house behind us

is abandoned; no windows

door open, roof gone.

***

Someone is chopping 

down the trees, overgrow and

entangled in wires.

***

Chainsaws, sawdust, talk

in our quiet neighborhood

I hope it's been bought.

Random Snippets

• I've been really confused by the Republican stance on things lately. If you cut programs funded by the government, aren't you eliminating jobs, too? Aren't we trying to create jobs? Aren't a lot of people out of jobs (who might need things like, health care)? I can't exactly reconcile things in my head.
• I am really hoping that Scott Walker, the governor of Wisconsin, is digging himself a hole he can't get out of. I hope people remember his actions now when his re-election begins.
• If you have not been watching The Daily Show recently, give it a try. It's been really amazing lately.
• I love Spring, but it also means my allergies are kicking in. I never had allergies in CA, but ever since I moved here, I get 'em. Damn trees reproducing.
• The fire alarm went off at work today. It's flashing lights, alarm, and a woman talking to you. She tells you to stay put (because we're on a higher floor) and not to leave "until an emergency is confirmed". It always makes me think of 9/11. Did I listen to her? Hell no, I left and headed to the library.
• I'm still job hunting, but there's progress - I met with the last person today, so decision making time is upon me. This should be interesting...
• My folks are coming into town soon. And then I'm heading to CA (I'll be there for Easter, so I'm hoping to score a bit of See's candy - yummy!) and then I run a 10 mile race and then I start a new job. April is gonna be crazy!

Monday Numbers

• This weekend was a bit of a bust. I worked a lot on my thesis and finished one chapter. I now have a total of 3 chapters written and 2 more to go!
• On Saturday, the weather was a lovely 65 and it was sunny and warm for a bit. I loved it! I went out without a jacket on, ran my errands while leisurely riding my bike around town and opened up the house for a bit. I've got several bulbs coming up in the backyard, so I am hoping we have some flowers for our parents' visit coming soon!
• Saturday night, we watched a documentary on climbing Mount Everest. Ever since I read Into Thin Air, I am fascinated by mountaineering and climbing. And, for some reason, I just wonder what stuff looks like. So it was a really interesting documentary done by the National Geographic celebrating 50 years on Everest (made in 2003 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the climbing of Everest by Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay Sherpa). It was fascinating and exciting. I highly recommend it for the spectacular scenery and just to watch the things these men go through to climb the mountain. Really great and informative.
• On Saturday, Alex left at 0300 to head out to Rutgers University in NJ for his first bike race of the season. He did awesome, placing 14th overall, which is really great! I am so proud of him - he has been putting in so much time an effort into training, it was great to see him excited and racing well (although I couldn't attend the race - there's no room for spectators in the team van). He was gone something like 16 hours for a total race time of 25 minutes, which seems a bit silly, but I think he had fun.
• Yesterday, it rained cats and dogs all day long. We stayed in and did things around the house. Alex was able to overhaul both my bikes, which was great. They needed a little TLC after this winter! My ride to work this morning was lovely and smooth (well, except for the Wyoming-like, gale force winds that knocked the power out at a lot of lights and nearly forced me into the river, but that's another story)
• Today, I've got two meetings then it's time to tackle the next two chapters of my thesis. Wish me luck!

Writing the Thesis Haiku Friday

Have not showered in

2 days, hair limp, pajamas

still on. Sat on couch.

***

Pretty gross, I know

but sort of necessary

few weeks to finish.

***

Reading and writing

lots of knowledge pouring out

one hundred pages.

(at least)

Movie Review: Couples Retreat

This movie was in our Netflix queue and when it came to the house, I was pretty excited to watch it. It's got such a great cast, some of my favorites, and the previews just looked funny and entertaining. I was excited to see the reunion of Jon Favreau and Vince Vaughn (I loved, loved, loved Swingers).  In reality, however, this movie just didn't live up to my expectations. Alex liked the movie because it tended to show "real life" (however real that can be in a movie) with couples struggling to cope with everyday tasks like raising a family or trying to conceive. The funny parts just weren't funny enough to me and, to a certain extent the "trying to show real life" was somewhat annoying and pedantic to me. The central couple is Vince Vaughn and Malin Ackerman (who I loved, by the way) and they live in a big old house with a couple kids, but often don't have time to "connect". Vince Vaughn in this role took a little convincing for me because, in my mind, he's not exactly the "family guy" type (but, in the end, I think he pulled it off really well). Their friends,  Jason Bateman and Kristen Bell, are struggling to have a kid and are supposedly on the edge of divorce, although it's not really clear why, since their relationship seems to be working. They are very "matter of fact" with this, telling their friends that, in a last-ditch effort, they are headed to a couples retreat in Bora-Bora (or something like that) and they can only afford it if their friends come along. Of course, there is some hemming and hawing, but the couples all end up at the retreat and hilarity ensues.
Although it doesn't. Jon Favreau turns out to be the biggest jerk in the movie - I'm not sure whether it was his age or his character or the fact that he has a teenage daughter in the movie that creeped me out the most, but I just did not want him and his "wife" to stick together (which is, of course, what happens in the end). Faizon Love was a great character, and probably the funniest of them all. He's clearly going through a mid-life crisis and he brings along his fling for the retreat. The weakest part of the story line with him is that his wife shows up on the island (nothing like a trip to Bora Bora to try to win back your man, right?) and, of course, they end up back together. The movie is clearly about the men. The women seem to be after-thoughts, additions, extras, and they don't really come across as having real feelings or thoughts. The women take a "boys will be boys" attitude, or a "oh, you know my husband" attitude, which, in real life, makes people less accountable for their actions by stereotyping their behavior. Don't get me wrong: I loved the women in the movie, it's just that they don't really speak up or out or take control when the situation calls for it.
I'm not sure what I would have liked this movie to be about. It's clearly about couples struggling to be together, the ins and outs of relationships, and how can you keep things going when life gets in the way, but it wasn't done well. I think some of those issues are just too important to make fun of, maybe? For example, the Ackerman/Vaughn couple figures out that the husband doesn't really do anything around the house to help out and he clearly takes the wife for granted. The couple somewhat joke about it, the husband saying, "Oh, gee, I really hate picking out tile!" They have a big laugh, but nothing is ever really resolved. She wants to head to the waterfall, have a romantic evening, but he throws a fit and won't take her there. She ends up there with her girlfriends, and not really ever resolving the real "issues" that are illustrated in their family. I realize that a silly comedy movie can't address these issues seriously, but I also feel that they could have brought up issues that are funny and used those instead of issues that a lot of people face daily (and might not want to laugh about, unless its done well). Something that comes to mind is the whole "leaving the toilet seat up" - physical comedy of the wife falling in the toilet, having a "let's work this out" session with a therapist, and then the husband finally "gets it". That could have been a funny plot line - something most people can identify with, but not necessarily something that is going to break up a marriage.
In another storyline, Kristin Davis ends up staying with her husband, even though he's a disgusting perv who tries to sexually assault a masseuse. It made me think that the message from the movie is that you're always better off staying with the guy because you'll never be able to get anything better than him. She's an intelligent, beautiful woman, but she's better off staying with the fat slob who can only think about his penis, because they've been married for so long.
Clearly, I've gone off the deep end with this movie review. I was just disappointed by the film. It could have been so much better, with such an awesome cast - it could have portrayed all kinds of modern families in a funny way, with quick, intelligent humor and wit. But it failed miserably at that.

Book Review Wednesday: Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer

I was lucky enough to receive this book for Christmas from my Mom and I couldn't have been more excited. I have read a couple other Jon Krakauer books and I was looking forward to diving into another. I can describe this book in one word: haunting. A few years ago, I took a trip with my friend Lisa and we were in Kathmandu, Nepal for a few days. I was fascinated by the place for a number of reasons. I had never seen mountains so tall and I had never seen people who wanted to climb said mountains. In Nepal, I saw both. I looked out the window of the airplane and I saw mountains that were even with our height in the sky. Giant crags of rock and ice with the jet stream slamming into them, blowing ice and snow in a plume hundreds of feet in the air. I can't imagine what it's like to stand at the top of a mountain like that and I still can't wrap my head around the idea that there are people who climb these mountains. In this book, Krakauer is a reporter on a guided trip to climb Mt. Everest when all disaster strikes. In the end, his team is decimated, having left several people on the mountain to die. This book is an account, as accurate as he can muster, of the time leading up to and after a disaster that will hopefully not be repeated ever again. Krakauer has an interesting way of writing. He tries to be matter of fact (as he is in the other books I have read, discussing situations which he was not directly a part of) but he somewhat tows the line between emotional recollections and hard facts. I'm not sure that he does this well, per se, but he does it honestly, as far as I can tell. Climbing Everest had always been a dream of his, and he seemed quite experienced in mountain climbing, having climbed several technically challenging mountains in his life. However, he has no experience climbing at high altitude, which could be problematic. This book was phenomenal - I couldn't put it down. It's adventure and intrigue, with characters that are likable and others that make your blood boil. It's hard to reconcile this book from the true events. For one thing, the book is telling a story of something I am so unfamiliar with, so it seems like a work of fiction. I had a hard time contrasting this with the fact that all this happened. That people were left on a mountain, never to come home again. That people made a decision to leave home, climb Everest and never returned. It was humbling to do an internet search to see the faces of these people, and to see what climbing Everest looks like. It was interesting to hear the author's take on the events, as they're not an entirely satisfactory explanation of the events (as most real life events are). I would imagine some of the things that occurred could only be understood by the people who have been there to experience the harsh reality of climbing this mountain, of living at altitude, of battling frostbite and of literally having your life hanging by a string. This book was, all together, haunting. Literally haunting. The images, the scenery in my mind created from the words on the page are still with me, days after I finished the book. It's a story of heroism, perseverance, determination and sheer luck. It's something I won't soon forget.

Monday Numbers

• chatted with several PIs on Friday about my predicament and got some great encouragement and support
• went to dinner at a new restaurant with our friend Chris. Did not have one beer - crazy right?
• watched 2 Daily Show episodes on the internets.
• ran errands on Saturday, but was so exhausted I ended up taking a 2 hour nap. Why am I exhausted? I have no idea...
• watched 1 movie, Couples Retreat. I'll have a review later this week. Read 1 book Into Thin Air - will also have a review of that sometime soon.
• made 2 batches of hummus, 1 banana bread and 1 pan of chocolate chip cookies.
• spent Sunday doing yard work - planting about 30 bulbs and 1 Christmas tree. And I really screwed up my wrist doing so. I am now wearing 1 ace bandage on my right hand. Ugh.
• was able to Skype with Randi and Casey for the first time! What a great chat! I loved seeing Casey in action. What a cutie-pa-tootie!
• Attended and Oscar party with 8 people and 1 dog. Unfortunately, we had to leave before the good stuff was awarded, but we still had a great time. 
• Today and tomorrow, lots of meetings and talks to attend. Someday I will write my thesis :)

Just in case you were wondering...

this one's for the children

Happy BIrthday, Dad!

 

Wish I could be there to have a black and tan with you! 

Happy birthday! I hope it's wonderful!

Love,

Christine

A Few of my Favorite Things Haiku Friday

Wigwam socks, tall boots

dressing up, high heels, turtle 

fur hats, warm ski gloves.

***

Hot chamomile tea

shortbread cookies, thick, gooey

pizza, burritos.

***

Shoes without socks, short

sleeved tee shirts, gelato, warm

February day!

Another Movie Review: 500 Days of Summer

Warning: Spoilers ahead...
As you all know by now, I am sucker for a romantic movie, and this one just tickled me. It's the story of Tom and Summer, who meet at work one day. And it's basically the opposite of any of the normal romantic comedies you see. Usually, the girl falls for a guy and can't get him out of her head, so she does something zany to make him fall for her. This movie, however, had the guy in that position. Tom is just desperate to fall in love and he thinks Summer's the one. She honest, funny, and totally straightforward with him - she's just not so sure. Partially, I loved this movie because Summer was so well played by Zooey Deschanel. Partially, I was thrilled that Summer was a strong, confident woman, unafraid to be alone and quite enthralled with the world around her. The long and the short of it is that things don't work out, for many reasons. I think most of us have been through that absolutely heart wrenching breakup, and this movie portrayed that really well, as did Joseph Gordon-Levitt, who plays Tom. And, for some reason, the city of Los Angeles plays this lovely, romantic city in this movie. The characters ride the bus and the subway places, sit in parks on hills overlooking a skyline I've never seen, they show they beautiful, old fashioned buildings that I had no idea existed (for the longest time, I was trying to figure out where they were supposed to be!). The cinematography was beautiful, the music was really well done. All the characters were really well played, including the goofy side-kicks. And, in the end, Tom finds that he's just not happy, and that happiness isn't found in a person, it's found in yourself. And there's a cute ending where Tom and Summer become friends again, after enduring a terrible breakup. I know this is all fantasy, not reality, it's a movie, but I thought it was really great. It was quirky, well done and interesting, not too long, beautiful to look at, and wonderfully honest. If you haven't seen this movie, check it out.

Movie Review: The Millenium Trilogy

I was absolutely thrilled to see that Steig Larssons' Millenium Trilogy books had been made into movies in his native Sweden. I had heard of these movies, had heard they were very well done, and was really excited to see they were on Instant Play on Netflix. I've been battling off a cold (it didn't take me down, damnit!) and I was pretty low key for most of the weekend and the beginning of this week. I watched all three of the movies and I can't say enough about how well done they were. I've already told you how much I enjoyed the books, so it was really amazing to see things come to life on the big screen, so to speak. It was great just to see what Stockholm looks like, it was amazing to hear the names and places spoken in Swedish, and it was thrilling to watch the characters played by such amazing actors. I was enthralled, even though I knew what was going to happen. I think, by far, the first movie, The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo was the best. It stuck so closely to the plot line of the book, it was eerie. I am usually disappointed by movie adaptations of books since they tend to leave out important details, but this adaptation was excellent. There are a few things the movies left out, for example, the relationship between Erika Berger and Mikael Blomqvist - although it was emphasized so much in the books, it wasn't really touched upon in the movies, except for some brief scenes. Noomi Rapace playing Lisbeth Salander was amazing. So amazing. I can't say enough about her - her acting was superb and I hung off of every word she said, every move she made. She is such an amazing heroine, and I was just thrilled to watch her. As a minor point, I was a bit disappointed in the portrayal of Erika Berger, a character I really admired in the books. Her role was, unfortunately, cut out of a lot of the plotline in the third movie, which streamlined the plot, but left a strong character looking fairly weak. Altogether, I loved these movies and I loved the characters coming to life. I likely would watch the American versions of these films when they come out, but I cannot imagine them being even comparable to the Swedish versions that were so well done.

Monday Numbers

• We performed our dance on Friday and it went off without a hitch! It was so much fun - I am pretty sure I had a super goofy grin on my face for the whole 2 minutes we danced! I didn't fill up my dance card, but I did get about 5 dances in with people other than Alex. The waltz, tho? The waltz is super hard!
• Saturday, we ran errands, per usual. Its been pretty nice weather lately (relatively speaking - it's been in the 40s), so we wandered around and took in some sights for a bit. Then we headed home to do some stuff around the house. Alex fixed his bikes a bit while I finally finished all the Save the Date cards for the wedding. I still have a few stragglers, but those won't take too long.
• While filling out the addresses, I watched So I Married an Axe Murderer for about the 1000th time. That movie is still funny and I just loved all those dumb jokes. I remember having that movie memorized when I was younger. Turns out, I still remember some of the parts verbatim. I think it's also funny because you can see Mike Myers other characters, from Austin Powers and Shrek come out in this movie, too. 
• Sunday turned out to be a happy housewife day. I did not leave the house - hell, I didn't even get out of my pajamas, but I managed to make several dishes for dinner this week. I made Cuban black beans and rice, French Onion Soup, some fresh bread and some Scottish Shortbread to round it out. I also made a batch of regular black beans, should go well with eggs or on burritos. I had never made French Onion soup. It's kind of a pain in the rear to make it, but it was worth the time. You just have to put your onions in the oven for at least 3 hours (I was amazed they even resembled onions after that), deglaze the pan bout 4 times and then add your broths and seasonings and simmer for about 30 minutes. 
• We watched part of the Grammy Awards Show last night. I always like to see what the "kids these days" are up to. I did enjoy Cee Lo Green's song with Gwenyth Paltrow - I mean, how can you not like puppets and a giant peacock? I also liked Eminem and Rihanna's song, and I think I might have to download 3 or 4 songs today, just to keep up with the times
• Today, once again, it's back to the grind. Writing and finishing up this chapter today, starting on an intro chapter tomorrow. I should finish with about 7 chapters, which is a ludicrous amount of information. Oh well, that's what happens when they don't let you graduate in a timely fashion.

Today is the Day Haiku Friday

Dance showcase tonight

Been practicing for months now

I think we're ready.

***

Just have to figure

out what to wear, how to wear

bronze high heels with it.

***

Party down, dance it

up lots of people gonna

watch us get fun-kay!

:)

Dancing Machine

So, lately, Alex and I are all about dance. It's a great release, it requires very little brain power and I am learning how to dance in high heels, which is a feat in and of itself. So, this Friday, we are performing a lovely half rhumba, half hustle routine for the dance party at our studio. I am both excited and nervous, but as far as I can tell, we've got the routine down pretty good. As a big plus, the whole thing is about two minutes long, so it's not too crazy to think about. The studio likes to celebrate all holidays, so the party on Friday is a Valentine's Day party and the studio is doing a thing called "dance cards" where you get a card and fill out people's names for particular dances, like in the old days way back when. It always makes me think about the movie Meet Me in St. Louis, where Judy Garland plays the daughter of a business man who decides that the family has to move out of St. Louis right after Christmas. The family is devastated, but decides it's for the best, if it's for his job. Judy Garland and her sister attend the local Christmas dance, without dates, and fill out dance cards and dance the night away in these amazingly lovely gowns. Incidentally, Judy Garland's boyfriend then shows up and proposes in the most romantic way. I can't imagine any of these things happening at this dance party, but that is what I'm thinking about :)
So, we just agreed to be part of another performance, this one is a routine for a show at a reunion or something like that. We're part of a swing performance, which should be a blast. We just started taking double lessons on Wednesday nights with seven other couples (the couples are not yet complete, but the instructor is working on it). We'll perform sometime in April, and we might even be putting on more than one performance, which will be great. We've already learned the Charleston, which is a funny kind of dance. I've been doing it all over the house, and I know I look silly, but oh well! Alex and I are having a lot of fun, still taking some private lessons, and I think this is something we'll try to stick to as time goes on. I know life always gets in the way of things, but I hope that dance is something we can do for a long time.
Which brings me to my last thought. I was talking to another one of the girls in the swing show, Kara. She was saying that she had just gotten married and that she and her husband had really loved the dance lessons, so they decided to continue them. He always brings a bottle of wine, they try to get dinner before or after the lesson and it turns into a really nice date night. I said that I totally agreed with her and that Alex had gotten us group lessons as a birthday present to me a couple years ago. I thought it was such a great time that we ended up signing up for private lessons, which has been a great experience for us both. And then, I just started wondering why there are so few people who dance anymore. Why nobody has dinner and dancing as a date and why dancing has been relegated to clubs on Friday and Saturday nights. Why do guys dislike dancing so much that they won't take their significant others out for a lesson, just to get the feel of it? I'm always talking to people who are bored with the whole dating scene or who are sick of the whole dinner and a movie thing, yet nobody thinks about dance. I guess, in my mind, "date night" should be a regular thing, as regular as you can make it. It doesn't have to be a fancy show or a big dinner. Try dancing one time. Even in your living room, even in your yard. Try the waltz, try the salsa, take a lesson, check the Y. Lessons are usually 45 minutes long, and it ends up being a great time, especially because there's no pressure, there's no reason you need to be perfect or perform well. But you do get to communicate and laugh together and try to figure out how the other person works, which is always interesting. So, this V-Day, or beyond, you should try being a dancing machine. Just like MJ :)

The Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling

I am not planning on reviewing these books, mostly because I believe most people have read them and have loved them. These books, to me, are like that old pair of comfy jeans - so familiar and comfortable and so enjoyable. The books open a whole new world to me, one that I always enjoy and one that I can't get enough of. Most of the experiences (in some way) I can identify with, the adolescence, the drama, the awkwardness, the family, the friendships - all are so universal. I love books that I can get so wrapped up in, that I can almost think I am taking part in the scenes, the action, the experiences. And when I read these books, these chapters before bed at night, I have these great dreams about running the halls of the Hogwarts castle with Harry and Ron and Hermione. I know, a little childish, but honestly, something that is really missing from my life of science and real world bills and responsibilities? Imagination. So, I can't exactly knock it. It's like directing my own movie in my head.
Alex and I were talking about whether Rowling would write more Harry Potter books, and I have to believe that she will. Alex thinks a prequel, dealing with Harry's family before he was born and their time at Hogwarts, or even a focus on Dumbledore might be fun. I was thinking that even a book just focusing on the normal, everyday life of kids at Hogwarts might be fun, especially for littler kids - simpler, schooltime adventures or some such thing. Alex firmly believes that anything taking place after Harry has killed Voldemort would be boring and wouldn't have much interest or excitement, but I beg to differ. I think the world that Rowling created is so imaginative, and the characters so identifiable, deep and memorable, that even simpler, shorter stories would hold interest for the fans.
I think one of my favorite things about the books is Hermione and Ginny (in the later books). They are both true modern feminists, portrayed as both brave and intelligent, able to complete any of the tasks the boys can, and never held back by traditional gender roles. These girls are wonderful role models for both girls and boys, helping to remind us all that we are all capable to doing what we put our minds to, no matter our background, our gender, or our families.
I think the most disappointing part of the books is the ending of the seventh book. While I like the ending, it is just a little too far out of my reach in terms of understanding and believability. I guess I don't understand why Harry couldn't be killed by Voldemort, but everyone else could be. And I understand that Rowling had to somehow explain all the things about Dumbledore, but I don't really love the scene that takes place when Harry is in "limbo" (I'm assuming that's what it is). And I think, for a romantic like me, I wanted more closure. I know that Voldemort is eliminated, and his Death Eaters go on the run, but some of the most enjoyable part of the books (for me) were Harry's experiences with his "family", the Weasleys, Hermione, the Order of the Phoenix, etc. I think I would have liked another chapter about his life, where he ends up, how he ends up there. And (while this is really complex, and likely not appropriate for a children's book) how the magical world recovers from such a thing as Voldemort. How do you first ask people to prove their "blood status" and then, relatively soon thereafter say "just kidding, go about your business". How do you go about reunification? I know that Germany struggled with this after WWII, and the US is certainly struggling with it 150 years after the Civil War. I realize these things are difficult to deal with, and perhaps I am reading too far into things....
The truth is that I love these books and I know I will read them to my future children - they have brought me joy and I have thoroughly enjoyed re-reading them again and again. I am looking forward to the last movie in the series, although I am sure to be disappointed as the books are always better!

Monday Numbers

• Friday was a recruitment weekend. I got to meet up with 2 potential incoming grad students. Nothing like hanging out with a bunch of 22 year olds to make you feel old! It wasn't too bad, but when one guy asked me if I thought he'd make friends, I just couldn't identify. Just seemed like kindergarten all over again!
• Saturday was miserable and rainy, so we took the bus down to Reading Terminal and TJ's and ran our errands. We ate at the KOV for the 2nd time in 2 weeks!
• I was pretty useless this weekend, as I finished (finally) reading the 6th and 7th Harry Potter books. I just couldn't put them down, as I think it was only the 2nd time I'd read them. I did enjoy them immensely - that will be another post for this week.
• I went for a 5 mile run on Sunday - it's been absolutely amazing weather these past two days. Well, I guess it's relative, right? It's been in the mid-40s with sunshine and the ice/snow is finally starting to melt. Seems glorious to me because the weather has been so nasty this winter, but likely to people in CA, it wouldn't be that nice :)
• We went to a Superbowl party last night at a friend's house. There was about 20 people there, which was great. I couldn't hear the commentary, the commercials, or the halftime show, so I though it was all brilliant. And they switched to the Puppy Bowl during most commercials, which was kinda stupid, but kinda cute. I mean, what's not to like about puppies? And, I was glad to see the Steelers lose. And, I suppose Green Bay win, too. I think they're the only team that's actually owned by the people of Green Bay, which is pretty cool. Congrats, champs!
• Today will again be glorious and gorgeous, and I am hoping to get out of here early (for me) to enjoy some of this weather. This week, we have our first ever dance showcase on Friday, so wish us luck! Should be fun, if nothing else! 

Happy Monday, y'all!

Read on a Biomed Library Desk

• Don't for one second doubt your genius! OK, I won't
• Makes me wanna holler
• Many phone numbers with the words written, "Call for sex". (Does that actually happen? Um, yes, hello! I was studying in the library and I saw your number on the desk....)
• Smile you know who is admiring you and your ass
• Penne sucks!
• I adore you O Christ and I bless you because of your holy cross you have redeemed the world
• Alas, the onion you are eating is someone else's water lily
• COVERING LETTER
• Baby Jargary
• Son of Sam
• Cindy N Brian
• I wanna ace this exam
• Forgiveness is more than sayin' sorry
• I ought to die
• I should too
• Maybe I will
• We will all eventually die
• Syke
• Astronomy blows :(
• I hate people. People hate you too.
• Dental School ROCKS
• Pakistani Prince
• He is the Jam Man The Beast

Pet Peeves about the Snow (because, really, what else would I talk about on Feb. 1st?)

• Able bodied people who do not shovel their sidewalks, and leave them to just turn into an icy death trap for one and all. 
• Enormous puddles of melted snow at every corner of the street, making it impossible to cross the street without stepping into them.
• People who drive very quickly through enormous puddles and splash you.
• Dirty snow. Yellow snow. Orange snow. Vomit snow.
• Having to ride the bus daily. Having to take two buses to work.
• Not being able to run or bike outside.
• The panic/frantic-ness of a visit to the grocery store. You would think everyone is stocking up on food for the apocalypse, the way people shop during the winter. 
• The lack of quality sunshine.
• The cold.
• Unplowed bike lanes.
• The general lack of plowing in my neighborhood.
• I miss the feeling of sunshine on my face. Oh, and probably a little bit of Vitamin D as well.
• The loss of motivation, positivity, and a feeling of general malaise. I feel sleepy without adequate sunshine, I then sleep too much (or, alternatively, not at all) and then I walk around feeling like a zombie for the rest of the day.
• The general absence of fresh, ripe, tasty fruit at the grocery stores.
• Snowy streets and sidewalks force me to wear the same damn hiking boots every day. Because, apparently, nobody can be bothered to put a decent sole on cute shoes (all of mine are ridiculously slick on ice/snow).
• Falling down for no real reason.
• We just get "dug out" after a snow storm, and another is on it's way - this time, it will leave a lovely inch of ice on everything.

Oho, will I be glad when March gets here (and, boy is March usually nasty with rain and wind, but, man, I will take that anyday over this icy-snowy crap!). And I'm sure we're in for several more storms before the jig is up. Welcome, February. Can't wait till you're over!

Monday Numbers

• On Friday, we went to our 3rd dance party at the Society Hill Dance Academy (SHDA). It's a great chance to learn new dances, practice the ones you already know, and try to re-learn the ones you've forgotten. We met a couple new people, tried out the Bachata and the ChaCha, and altogether had a great time. I think that every week we are improving, which is awesome to see. 
• Saturday was a lost cause. I spent the day formatting stuff for my thesis, and sending about 1000 emails back and forth with my boss regarding figures and papers and junk, oh my!
• Sunday, we ran some errands, hitting up Reading Terminal and TJs and then I attempted to do some more wedding planning. Things are moving along, but seem to require a fair bit of phone time, computer time, and general time. I also did about 3 loads of laundry, refilled the bird feeder for about the 500th time and made a chicken.
• This week we start our first Dance Showcase group. We are taking a swing group class, with seven other couples, and we will be performing for a group of people (as far as I know, for a class reunion of some sort). It should be a blast as I really love to swing dance and I am looking forward getting better at it!
• Also, Alex and I have been practicing for our first ever dance performance, next Friday, at the Valentine's Day dance at the studio. We have been having a great time learning new moves and attempting to look OK while doing them. We were going to do a lift, but thankfully, that was eliminated in the final choreography, phew! Should be fun (I'm just hoping I don't fall down!)

Haiku Modern Housewife Friday

Slow cooked a chicken

for a little bit too long

it was very good.

***

Took the pieces and

parts, made some great chicken stock

in a pot that night

***

Snow day, so took the

stock, processed it and made squash

and apple soup. Yum!

Moving on...

I can get a lot done in a day. You know me, no beating around the bush, right. I talked to one of my thesis committee members yesterday and that ended up being a huge relief. I told him I was thinking about doing a postdoc around Penn for a year while Alex finishes up, and he told me that was a really good idea, which ended up being a relief for me. The last year or so in the lab I'm in has been so disappointing. Deadlines not met, struggling with the boss, trying to stay motivated when there's literally NO ONE else in the lab. Lonely much? You know me, I'm a social creature by nature. All this working alone with no feedback and no interaction has been really hard for me (that's an understatement!). The moment I realized I could be done with this situation in an instant was when I started feeling better. There are a couple labs here at Penn that I really like and admire and I think I'll apply to one of those, see if they'll take me for a year. I'm a good worker, I'm organized, and I'd love to do something else. Between now and then, I think I will try to get some things done for the wedding, and I'll focus on working hard and finishing up. And then?

I won't look back :)

Oh, Lady Gaga...

Really creative and funny!

Monday Not Really Numbers

• On Friday, we got about 2 inches of snow. While snow is really pretty, I have to admit, I am so ready for spring to show up. Only 2 more months, right? Ugh...
• Friday night, we headed over to our dance studio, and we tried our hand at dancing a few dances socially and not just in our lessons. We had so much fun, and we are slowly but surely getting better at dance. I have to say I can't recommend dance more. If you have the time for a date night, it's so worth the money. It's fun, requires very little brain power, and it actually helps in communication, which is great. I love it!
• Saturday was errand day. We spent it running around town, eating dim sum in Chinatown, attempting to build a wedding registry at Macy's, hitting up Reading Terminal for some produce, and then heading out to Trader Joe's for groceries. Macy's was pretty dumb, as there was no one to help us try to register. We ended up walking around the store aimlessly, making notes about things we liked on a piece of paper, thinking we could enter things easily online. Turned out to be not the case. We ended up spending several hours looking things up online and building a small registry, just to decide that we'd rather not register there. Went with Sur La Table and Bed, Bath and Beyond instead. We'll probably also register on Amazon or Target or something like that. 
• Building a registry is slightly hilarious. There are certain things that I've always known that I wanted, like the Fiesta dinnerware (I've wanted those since I was a kid - I guess I'm just a classic!). Alex looks at the plates and wants to know how far they will fly! Then, we start talking about other things we might want to register for, like sheets, towels, etc. Alex is super concerned about a carving board and an ice cream scoop! He also thinks that I need a Hobart mixer (they make mixers for restaurants) and an antique coffee grinder (from 1900ish). Isn't it funny when you discover the things that he is thinking about and super concerned about? That just really cracked me up!
• They were filming a movie in Philly on Saturday, pretty much all day. They shut down a major street (Market St) to everyone, including pedestrians. I really hate it when they do that. We had to walk quite a few blocks out of our way, and then slip and slide down an icy embankment just to make it to TJ's. Ludicrous! I can remember hanging out on Zuma beach when they were filming Baywatch, and as long as they weren't filming that absolute second, they would let you walk past / through the set. Amateurs here, that's my opinion.
• Today, I spent another several hours attempting to iron out the registries and working on the old wedding website. I realize I'm a little early on this, but we are sending out the "Save the Dates" soon, so I want to make sure that our advice for traveling is clear, and several people have suggested having at least some registries up and running, just in case people start sending gifts sooner than later. I sort of can't believe how fast time is moving and how relatively close our wedding day is. I am really most excited about seeing everyone together and hanging out with everyone, and especially introducing Alex to all those people in my life that he hasn't met. I think I'm gonna need a lot of Red Bull :)
• Coming home last night, I managed to clumsily knock over my brand new coffee mug for my coffee holder on my bike. I managed to break it (whoops!) and I was so mad at myself. Alex had gotten it for me for Christmas, and it was the only coffee mug I owned with a spill proof seal on it (riding a bike tends to shake up your coffee a bit - and, if you're not careful, it will spill all over you!). Today, Alex went out for a bike ride (in seriously cold weather), found a Target, and got me another mug. How great is he? I can't believe my clumsy ass deserves another fancy mug, but I will try not to break it again. I just love that guy! Guess that's why I'm marrying him! In only, like 252 days, or something like that!
• I managed to address about 25 save the date cards on Sunday. We are sending out family and wedding party people first, just so sending out a hundred cards doesn't seem so overwhelming. Did I work at all on the paper I'm writing? Nope, but I hope I can get somethings done soon!

Tom

One of the members of my thesis committee, Tom, died today. I just got the email. He had been battling cancer and had had a pretty risky surgery a few weeks ago, but he seemed to be recovering well. I am just so sad about this. Not only was he one of my committee members, but he was also a colleague and a friend and a really great scientist. I took a class with him when I was a first year. He was this really amazing scientist, had done some really wonderful things, and here he was, laughing and joking and amiable as they come. I was intimidated by his intelligence, but his reprimands were always delivered with a lot of heart, making you a better scientist, a more critical thinking, without putting anyone down. He set up the class in a way that we participated, and we wanted to participate. The class was always full, every year, such that people had to justify why they were taking the class in order to get it. Tom was jovial, always had a smile on his face, and came up with great questions and ideas and discussions. From the time of the class until now (nearly 8 years later), Tom has been a presence in my life at school. He's always been supportive and engaged in my committee meetings, he's attended seminars weekly (so much so, that, when he's absent, it's weird). I attended the defense of his student, I asked his opinion on my prelim, I asked his advice on postdocs and careers. And now, he's gone. Poof. Just like that. And, inexplicable (or perhaps not), I've had Billy Joel's "Only the Good Die Young" going around and around in my head. Tom, you will never know how many lives you have touched, how many scientists you have encouraged and influenced. I am so glad I was able to have you as a mentor and a colleague for as long as I did. You are truly the example of exceptional scientist that I want to emulate. This is a hole in our departments and our lives. My sincerest thoughts and condolences go out to your family and friends. I'm just not sure what we'll do without you.

Literally made me cry....

Stori Telling by Tori Spelling

Yes, I wanted this book. Yes, my Mom bought it for me for Christmas. Yes, I read it in nearly one sitting (OK, maybe two). And, yes, I loved this book. Here's why:
I've been a fan of Tori Spelling since I was a teenager, watching Beverly Hills, 90210. One of my favorite characters was Donna, mostly because she was on the show from the beginning to the end, and the series finale showed her finally marrying her longtime boyfriend, David (awwww.....yes, I'm a romantic at heart!). I also watched Tori Spelling on some of her Lifetime movies - which were always dramatic and wonderful. The one I recall the most vividly is Mother, May I Sleep with Danger. I mean, you just can't get any more brilliant than that! So, Tori Spelling has been marketing the heck out of herself in the past few years, and I've been mostly just curious to read about what her life is like. Stori Telling is a memoir, of sorts, which chronicles her life up until a few years ago (when she so famously left her first husband for her now husband Dean McDermott). I haven't watched any of her more recent reality shows (Tori and Dean: Inn Love, etc.) so I have no idea what her life has been like. I've never really read a celebrity autobiography before, and I must say that I really enjoyed it. I can see why she would really want to write this book - she's very frank and honest (as far as I can tell) and she seems almost desperate that you like her and that you identify with her in the book. She is determined to convince you that she's as "normal" as they come, and I can somewhat see where she's coming from. It's interesting that we somehow always think that celebrities have things "figured out", so to speak. We always think they are so together, perhaps more so than we are ourselves (I mean, why would we always take their advice on diet, exercise, or how to live our lives if we don't think of them as some sort of superior human, right? also, I am ignoring, for the time being, such celebrities as Lindsay Lohan and Britney Spears who have publicly broken down and struggled - perhaps we don't see them as "having it together"). Spelling actually addresses some of the most painful parts of her life with candor, including the ultimate break-up of her first marriage, several somewhat abusive relationships, as well as the relationship she has with her mother (which has been played out in the tabloids to no end!). One thing that struck me is that Tori Spelling seems to have experienced a lot of things I experienced in my life, but just so much more in the public eye. She had a couple crappy boyfriends who tried to take her money. I remember having boyfriends who always asked me to pay for things (like dinner or the movie), but I didn't have millions to lose. I only has twenties, if that. I've fought with my mother (although she portrays her mother as being so out of touch with reality that I can't really identify with that) but it's never been front page news. I've experienced a really rough break-up that was ugly and difficult and harsh, but it wasn't in the tabloids. To a certain extent, I kind of felt bad for her. She never really grew up, and she was never really allowed to. And the way she dealt with things was inane, at best. At another extreme, this book is somewhat about "finding" yourself, which is a journey most of us are on most of our lives. In this book, Spelling find her voice, her place in the world, and her cojones, so to speak, which is a wonderful tale. I'm not sure how much of this tale is true, but it's a great, light read, and it sheds some light on the way "the rich folks" live, which was interesting. But it's not deep, meaningful literature, if that's what you're looking for. At this point in time, I'm looking for lovely fantasy with some bits of drama, which is exactly what Spelling delivers.

Monday Numbers

• This weekend, I worked at least 12 hours - most of Saturday and most of Sunday. Not to mention the time I spent working from home. We're trying to submit two papers this month (because my boss has slacked off in the last few months) so that translates into long hours for me. It's always a bummer to work all weekend, mostly because I just don't get that "recharge" that I normally would with a day off. I also don't get those other things, like grocery shopping, laundry, housecleaning, etc. done. I can totally see why people would have maids, cooks, and assistants if one were rich. 
• I still managed to read 2 books this past weekend. I spent the majority of Friday night under a blanket on the couch, reading one of my Christmas gifts. And then I decided to re-read Harry Potter for about the umpteen-billionth time. I just love those books!
• We watched the Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince movie on Saturday night, mostly because I couldn't manage to do anything else - my brain is largely dead at this point!
• Alex made about 6 liters of potato-kale soup. It turned out delicious, and appears to contain all 5 vegetable servings in one meal! It's now lasted us 3 days, while normal leftovers might not even survive the night. I swear boys eat more food than I could ever imagine. I mean, Alex often (as in, daily) goes back for thirds! Who does that?
• Last night, we got home in time to see the Eagles fail miserably and pathetically at an attempt to beat the Packers. I almost heard circus music while watching that game. I mean, who throws and interception in their own end-zone in the last 30 seconds of a game? Oh well, at least we still have Cliff Lee...
• On Saturday, we got approximately 5 inches of snow. I like the snow, but it forces me to have to walk into work (which is about 3 miles). The bike ride usually takes about 30 minutes, but the walk can take almost one hour - seems excessive to spend 2 hours a day commuting to work on the weekends, even if I am walking and getting exercise instead of sitting in a car....

Haiku Snowy Friday

Walk into work hoy

No biking for me, it's just

a little snowy!

***

Working weekend with 

the boss, finally getting

needed advice.

***

So much to do, so

little time; I think I need

project managers.

Politics as Usual

• Sometimes I wonder if Republicans are naive or just plain dumb. They're screaming and yelling about balancing the budget and are threatening to cut everywhere but the biggest budget of them all - the DOD! I'm not talking about cutting troops, or cutting benefits. I'm talking about the two useless wars we're in, the ridiculous Drone operations, the CIA operatives who torture people and operate secret prisons and Guantanamo Bay. Seriously - there isn't anywhere in the UNLIMITED Defense budget that could be cut? No, it's much better to cut people's Medicare or Medicaid. Old folks don't need healthcare anyways, right?
• Speaking of balancing the budget - why has no one thought about the positive effects that both legalizing gay marriage and legalizing pot could have on the economy? Seriously, you're opening up the wedding business (which is a whole ridiculous thing in and of itself) to a percentage of the population that historically spends money on the finer things. And pot? Tax the hell out of it, just like you do for booze or cigarettes. Has nobody thought of this?
• It bothers me that people have decided to censor Mark Twain's Huckleberry Finn. I understand that some words in the book may be offensive, but I think it opens up a dialogue that absolutely must be approached and talked about. I think the minute we start to censor history is the minute we begin to repeat it. 
•  I am really glad that the President and Congress repealed "Don't Ask, Don't Tell". I can't imagine what the big deal is if someone's gay and they're serving in the military. It just seems like some insecure Marines are going to have to get over themselves. And mostly? It seems like to old guys were the ones with the biggest problems with it. Hopefully homophobia is one of those things that will die out with the older generation. 
• Not only was the initial study linking vaccines to Autism retracted from The Lancet, but it was found to contain fabricated data. It disturbs me that people will continue to believe that vaccines cause autism (no matter how reliable and reproducible the science disproving that link is). I suppose if it only affected those people then I wouldn't really mind that much. But since it affects all of us (and most of all the newborns babies) it really bugs me that people could be so selfish. I guess it doesn't surprise me, though. Autism is likely caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors which we haven't fully identified. The truth is that we don't know how the brain works and how it processes different kinds of information, but we are learning new things every day. And with earlier and earlier diagnoses and interventions, I believe we are on the right path to identification of the causes of autism. It's just a shame that a fraudulent scientist and a bunch of idiotic celebrities have created a monster that is not likely to go away anytime soon.

Born to Run by Christopher McDougall

I picked up this book a few months ago because so many people (including Alex's Mom) recommended it to me. And they weren't wrong. This book is phenomenal. I really, really loved it (and Alex did, too - we normally don't exactly see eye-to-eye on reading materials, either). This book is by Chris McDougall, a former AP reporter who now writes for magazines like Men's Health and Runner's World. His journey begins when he injures himself running and ends with him running a 50 mile odyssey through the Mexican Copper Canyons. What lies in between is a story of adventure, intrigue, amazing human abilities, a little bit of science and a whole lot of heart and soul. McDougall had heard about a group of native Mexicans called the Tarahumara who are phenomenal runners. They live in the Copper Canyon, basically in the middle of nowhere, and they are known for running extreme distances (not like a marathon, like 4 or 8 marathons, or 100-200 miles at a time!). McDougall begins by asking how a group of people who live in harsh conditions and arguably don't have access to our technologies (shoes, nutrition, etc.) can run such extreme distances without the injuries and setbacks that he has faced during his running lifetime. And it's not just him who has faced these setbacks - it's many other runners, too. So, he sets out to find out the "secrets" of the Tarahumara, and he comes upon a number of characters along the way.
There were several things that I loved about this book: mainly the emphasis on the idea that everyone struggles with their running. Everyone starts somewhere and ends up somewhere else. While his book obviously includes some of the most well known people in ultrarunning (races of much farther than a marathon, like 50-100 miles), it's written in such a way that I could identify with the characters, and with their dilemmas. While most of us wouldn't just head out for a 20 mile run "for the fun of it", I could identify with using running (or anything sport or exercise, really) to make me a better person. I loved that some of the best ultrarunners are women, and some of them discovered they were great ultrarunners at a later stage in life, not when they were a teenager. I liked that ultrarunners walk as part of running. Granted, I walk as part of a 30 minute run sometimes, but it still made me feel OK about walking (instead of beating myself up over it). Ultrarunners have to listen to their bodies much more than a regular athlete, developing strategies for dealing with fatigue, hunger, motivation - which are all things I have to deal with, but perhaps in not such an extreme state. And to a certain extent, this book embodies the search for that feeling you had when you ran as a kid. I remember getting a jolt of energy, and just taking off, running as fast as I could, and just loving it. I didn't really think about my butt bouncing, or how much farther I had to go, or anything like that. I just ran. And when I got tired, I stopped, and then I ran some more. I don't do that anymore (and I haven't in a long, long time). Some of these people run for the sheer joy of it. And this book is, to a certain extent, how to regain that joy, and how to tap into that feeling during running.
This book reminded me that running can be a form of meditation. It never has to be perfect, and I don't have to run as fast or as far as anyone else. It reminded me to listen to my body, to feed it and care for it, and to sometime push it beyond its limits (they're always farther than you think). Human beings literally evolved to run, and it reminded me that we all have the ability to run, even if you think you don't. And it also reminded me that running isn't work. It's not a chore. It's a necessity in my life, and one that I don't want to lose. And it reminded me that running, throughout the book and beyond, is a metaphor for life. It's not always easy, and sometimes it's a struggle. But it's more fun to challenge yourself in life, to take risks and push your limits, than to limit yourself.
Read this book, even if you're not a runner. It just might turn you into one!

Monday Numbers

• I had 10 whole days off for a lovely "stay-cation". I stayed home and organized things (can you believe I still had unopened boxes from when we moved 6 months ago?), made a huge pile for the Goodwill, cleaned out the kitchen, switched out the summer clothes for the winter clothes and just in general took it pretty easy.
• We got about 12 inches of snow on the day after Christmas. Then, the wind began to blow, and we ended up with 3 foot drifts all over the place. Our street is small and a dead end, so the city didn't bother to plow it. The snow's still melting!
• I was able to read one book, which I'll likely review soon. I was also able to watch a whole lot of terrible movies, including Big, About a Boy, Some Kind of Wonderful and A Christmas Carol. I have to say that the streaming Netflix app on my iPhone is delightful, since I can go all over the house (wrapping presents, ironing, doing dishes) and watch a silly movie at the same time. It's great!
• We cooked a 20lb turkey for Christmas dinner. Yeah, we're still eating it!
• It was so nice to be a "housewife" for a bit and be able to make dinner for 6:30 or 7pm, which I think of as the time when normal people eat. It's so much better than getting home late, feeling so tired and starving and then putting something together only to eat around 10pm! Ah, the life of a grad student!
• On Christmas Eve, we biked about 5 miles around the city to check out everyone's Christmas lights. Although they are likely nothing compared to the lights out in the 'burbs where people actually have yards, I was impressed. Although, it was pretty cold. My toes stared to freeze, so we headed back home.
• At 10pm that night, we had someone try to get into our house. I was glad that we locked the door, because he seemed a little confused as to why he couldn't use our bathroom. I hope he found a warm place to stay that night. Ever need to see why drugs are bad? Come to my neighborhood sometime!
• On New Year's Eve, we had 2 friends stop by and stay with us. We had a great time hanging out, heading out to bars and ringing in 2011! Here's hoping this year is much better than last!