So, on Monday when I was out walking I felt this pain on my arm. I looked down and had this big ol' bug (black fly? horse fly?) chomping on me. I eeeeked and slapped at it and it flew off. Then, probably 5 min later, it was back! Since then, the 2 spots have been itching like the devil. I think it is time to buy some anti-itch/burn ointment with lidocaine in it. ugh.
That, compiled with the bird that attacks me near my half-way point is enough to keep me from walking.
I have actually altered my route lately and moved my half-way point shorter so that the bird doesn't attack me. Of course, with it being hot, I am pretty much walking back and forth in the shaded section lately (the bird is on the sunny/hot section). But still. Damn bird.
Speaking of itching and flying (well, in a round about way) I'm also itching to fly away on vacation.
Just found out today that I have to do one more pain-in-the-ass experiment before I leave. This is to teach a grad student in the lab how to do it - for posterity. This would be the experiment that I was optimizing for 3 months and that took me 6 months more to actually get the data that is in the paper. That would be a total of 9 months out of my 2 years here. All for one figure in a paper. That would be ONE, numero uno, figure. Not two, but one. one.
I sound grumpy, don't I? I think itching for a night and a day is getting to me.
Flowers will be on Friday. I actually took a whole ton of close-ups yesterday. So, I'm good for a couple months or more. :-) There, something to smile about.
That and, can you say vacaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaation?
Posted by danielle at 05:29 PM | Comments (3) | TrackBack
I'm happy because in a week and a half, I go on vacation to TX!
In the meantime, I am doing things in the lab to wrap up my work. I've made sure there is an index in the front of each lab notebook. I found the best experiments and put them into a summary sheet. I photocopied and organized data that will be followed up by a grad student in the lab. I updated all of my protocols, including how to make solutions of different drugs. All good stuff.
I do this, because it is not only getting time for me to leave (last day Aug 5), but my experiments have been a bust. So, I don't have much else to do with my time that is related to lab work. I have been prepping lectures for my new job here and there too.
Posted by danielle at 11:27 AM | Comments (3) | TrackBack
I took some photos of our deck flowers in the middle of the week, but I had to come into work today before getting a chance to download them from my camera. So, I think I'll wait until I do a few up-close (macro) shots and then post them.
In other news, I've been doing well walking this week. On the day when it was hot and muggy, I walked back and forth in the shaded part of where I walk. It is probably about 0.25 miles, so I did it several times until I hit my usual 40ish min, 2.5-3 miles distance. I have now worked through my 4 walking music mixes and have tweaked a couple of them when I ran short on songs or when the song was too slow.
Not much else happening. Lab work, home, reading, TV and movies.
Oh, speaking of TV...
... there is a friend of a friend of SeaQueen's who is on the reality show I Survived a Japanese Gameshow. I think it is on Tuesday nights at 9:00 eastern/8:00 central. It was hilarious. The participants had no idea what they were getting into, they just knew they were going to be on a reality show. They didn't know they were going to Japan, that they were going to be competing for $250,000 or anything. It is definitely more interesting knowing to watch out for a particular person.
And did anyone else watch the NASA special on Discovery the past few weeks? I thought it was really well done. Of course, HB and I have always been fascinated with space flight and NASA, so we were particularly enthralled.
See ya' later!
Posted by danielle at 10:07 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
Another food first for me this week; I got to go out for tapas for the first time! Our lab went out for tapas as part of a recruiting effort for a potential post-doc who was interviewing.
It was a lot of fun and the food was awesome. The numbers in our party were just perfect, because we got this tasting menu where you get 8 different dishes. And each dish has 3 items on it (mostly). We got 2 sets of 8 and there were 6 of us, so we always each got a piece. I had things like crab, flounder, lamb, cherry tomatos (still a bit scared of other tomatos), awesome cheese, dates, chorizo, deviled eggs, lots of green veggie things with a vinegary flavor that were fantastic, and other things that I just can't remember.
The interviewee is a lot of fun and it is too bad that I wouldn't still be in the lab when he comes, if he decides to come. All in all, it has been quite a good week!
Posted by danielle at 09:02 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
I had sushi for the first time last night. We were going to go out for sushi 4-5 years ago, but HB was on the Atkin's diet at the time and the whole rice thing didn't work.
Since there is a new restaurant in town down the road from us, we went and tried it out. This place also considered themselves "fusion." I was torn between getting some traditional "sushi" rolls or a tuna steak (cooked) that had a tasty sounding description. In the end, I decided to get the rolls, since part of the point of going out (in my mind) was to try something new. I got California rolls with (cooked) crab and avocado. They were really cheap, only $5 for about 6 or 7 pretty decent sized pieces. Of course, there is a lot of rice in them, so I can see why they wouldn't be that expensive.
I also got a house specialty called Crazy Monkey Rolls that had smoked Norwegian salmon, cream cheese, mango, rice, seaweed (of course), avocado, and mango drizzle on top. They were really yummy. I'm glad I got 2 types of rolls, because I kind of needed the difference in flavors to alternate. HB helped me finish them. It was too much food for just me.
I also tried HBs Sashimi (raw fish). He got yellowfin tuna and walu. The walu was a substitute for a different tuna called toro that he really likes, but is evidently hard to find at restaurants (they had run out of it too). The yellowfin tuna was pretty tasteless, but the walu was good. I wouldn't have wanted an order of it, like he had, but it was fine to taste. I also tried his sake, which reminded me a lot of whisky or scotch.
Finally, we got dessert - green tea ice cream for HB and lychee sorbet for me. I really liked them both, but was happy with my sorbet.
All in all, it was a good food experience. I'm glad we went. :-)
Have you had sushi? What kinds?
Posted by danielle at 09:50 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
WEEEEEEEEEEEEELL,
My interview day went extremely well. So well, that they called me yesterday and offered me the job! I accepted with pleasure and excitement.
So, here's how it went down.
The position is available (it is a 1 year position), because one of their faculty members is leading a study abroad the spring semester. He normally teaches a molecular biology course and some intro bio. Also, they are perpetually short on teachers for intro bio. They can have about 500 students that take intro bio and since the classes are 25-30 students, they need a ton of teachers. So, a full work-load is 2 lecture sections and 3 labs. Fortunately, for the fall, my 2 lecture sessions will be intro bio - so I can do one prep. And the 3 labs are also intro bio - again, one prep. Which will be awesome. In the spring, I'd do the molecular biology class with 2 lab sections (12 people apiece), and then an intro bio session with 1 lab.
!!
The molecular bio class is _right_ up my alley. It is an excellent, excellent fit. I initially thought it was more of a genetics course, but that isn't the case at all.
So, the day - I found all of this out as we walked over to lunch. I had lunch with the guy I'd be replacing, the director of the intro bio course, and the department chair. I wasn't sure if it was time for me to ask _them_ questions, or if it was for them to ask _me_ questions - so I started asking them questions. After I got a feel for the coursework, the level of abilities of the students (which is quite varied in the intro course), teaching methods, that sort of thing - they asked me a few questions about my experiences. It was not nerve wracking at all and I was very comfortable talking about myself.
Then I spent some time being shown around the laboratories and seeing all of their equipment. It will be a change from being in a super well-stocked molecular biology lab, but it isn't like they are in the dark ages either. They've got more microscopes per student than the U of M has, where they have to share some of the time. The lecture rooms are all outfitted with digital projectors and podiums with computers, so they are all set for teaching via powerpoint and that sort of thing.
I met with the director of the intro bio course briefly. We were actually running out of time to talk. But he is the one that my mentor for whom I've been guest lecturing, called up and told him he should hire me. So, the wheels were greased for that one.
I then met with the Dean/Associate Provost. That was actually very easy as he was there to tell me about the school and doesn't make any hiring decisions, so there was no "interview-like" process. The only thing about it is that it went for a full hour and we had to rush back to the building where I was giving my talk.
For my talk, we basically walked in at the time it was supposed to start - plugged in my flash drive, waited for powerpoint to come up - it came up, and he introduced me and I started. It was a little fast, but worked out fine.
My talk was very well received. There were fewer faculty than I was expecting, and about 20-30 students (they are required to attend a certain number of seminars for class, I think). Everyone seemed to be following it and I appeared to hold their attention. I think it helps that I link what I do back to Parkinson's and drug addiction - which are more exciting than not mentioning them at all.
Then supper. The drive to supper was with the most senior and respected member of the department. The chair actually "warned" me that his word carries a lot of weight - which was extremely nice of her to tell me that. The other person had been dean of the school for 7 years, so was also more senior and was the one who asked the pointed questions. I won't go into all of the questions, but suffice to say that I didn't eat much of my soup, bread or salad. As we got into the main part of dinner, I was able to ask them some questions and have time to eat. ;-)
I kinda expected it to be like that. The questions were mostly telling them about my experience. Or at least, that is what I turned them into. My questions for them were mostly (again) hearing more opinions about styles of teaching, methods for helping the students stay on top of the material, expectations of the students, that sort of thing. And some about their feelings toward the school and students - which is just amazing.
I asked the chair about more permanent opportunities and she said 2 things 1) they always have a shortage of faculty to teach, so there will likely be positions in the future 2) they have a few people who are getting close to retiring, which would open up some tenure-track lines. SOOOOOOOOOO, very encouraging.
I have to commute pretty far. But it won't be any longer than what I did in MA. And if I get something more permanent, we'd move up that direction.
I couldn't believe they called me the very next day! At dinner, they told me that would be the case. So, I knew I didn't have long to wait. Which was awesome.
Oh, and evidently my letters of recommendation were (probably) what got me in the door. They asked me why "some other school hadn't snatched me up". And I basically told them that I thought it was because the other schools only asked for names to contact and were using CVs (resumes) as a way to weed out people - and that my letters were (probably) very strong. And they said "oh yes, very strong" with lots of nodding. That and my presentation were the key, I think.
SOOOOOOOOOOOOO. All in all, I'm VERY excited! Pretty soon, I'll be "Professor Danielle X"! wooo hoooooo.
Posted by danielle at 09:42 AM | Comments (5) | TrackBack
I had the most amazing week! The orchids are going to have to go on hold for another week.
It started off by my getting to teach a lab of students how to extract DNA from their cheek cells so that they can do PCR, kind of like DNA fingerprinting. That was a lot of fun, and went well, I think. We won't really know for certain until they get their reactions back and run them on gels this coming week. Which, unfortunately, I won't be there for; I'll be at a conference in - get this - Key Largo, FL. A conference where I have from 10:30-4:30 free to sunbathe and generally soak in the southern Florida weather.
But back to my week. So, I lectured twice in introductory biology. The first was on DNA technology and the second was on HIV/AIDS. The first one on DNA technology seemed to go well. But I knew it went well when I got the reaction from the usual instructor. He came down from the back of the lecture hall all bright-eyed and smiling and told me it was "just great" and "wonderful". Wonderful! That was fantastic to hear. It was hard teaching an evening section. The students looked really worn out and not as interested as I was used to. But, in the end, that just made me try harder and get more animated and conversational with them, which was a good thing, I think. I will get more specific feedback when I am back from my conference.
The second one on HIV/AIDS was during the middle of the day and the students definitely looked more awake and interested. I think that more is expected of them in general, and they know to keep on top of the material. Again, I was pretty conversational, although there were parts where I was giving definitions that I was more formal. The feedback I got from the instructor is that during those times, with experience, I will get better at paraphrasing the definitions and not saying them word for word. I am actually a bit torn on this point, because when I was a student, I found it very hard for one set of words to be written or on a screen with the person saying a different set of words. However, this teacher has been teaching for over 20 years, and I trust his judgement.
So, here are a few key points of the HIV/AIDS lecture that were good.
1. I designed this in-class worksheet - handout - for them to do after I had lectured. I had them work in small groups without their notes first, to see what they could remember. Then I had them work with their notes. When we went through the "answers/pathway," I showed them this animation again that stepped through the pathway. It seemed to go over well. I actually had a student make a point of telling me after class that he really liked the handout activity and thought it reinforced the lecture really well.
2. They applauded for me at the end of class!!! I couldn't believe it! I've heard of professors getting applause, but mainly the ones who teach these really awesome classes that everyone talks about. I've never actually been in a course where we applauded. AND the instructor told me that he has Never gotten applause for this introductory bio course. So, I was bowled over and just completely excited. Evidently, the guy who teaches in the evening has never gotten applause either. HEEE!
And if that wasn't enough, NOW, for the best part!
On Friday around 11:00ish, I got a call from a school where I sent my application for teaching. They are "very interested" in me and wanted to know if I am still interested and can come for an interview! I was so excited, I actually used the word Cool on the phone at one point. oops. As soon as I said it, I wanted to reign it in and stuff it back in my mouth. However, I suppose it also communicated my interest. I will give a research talk for them. Which was a little surprising, since it is a teaching position, and I expected to be asked to teach a session. However, I obviously know my research better than any lesson I could generate (except for this HIV and DNA technology material), so it ought to work out well. I don't yet know exactly when I will do the day at the school. We have to coordinate our schedules. But it will likely be soon, since they want to get the position filled ASAP. Interestingly, it is a religiously affiliated school. Which is very attractive to me, as you might imagine. I really hope it all works out. I was starting to despair that I would not get a more permanent teaching position and that I would need to adjunct/teach course by course at various schools.
So, I have had an awesome week! And next week, I get to go Florida as part of my work. Incredible, eh?
Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay!
And now, if you read this, please comment. Because I'm starting to think no one reads this anymore and have been getting discouraged. Even if it just to say "Hi, I stopped by".
Posted by danielle at 08:34 AM | Comments (9) | TrackBack
and in large
As you know, I really try to make an effort to not talk about the weather. However, this particular snow was so out of the blue and looked so pretty, I thought I'd take a photo of the trees and share it with you.
I loved how the snow really piled up as a thick mass of white on the evergreen branches. And if you look closely, you'll see how there is a stack of snow on top of the wind chimes too.
The part about this snow that made it a perfect one, is that it was so warm that the snow on the roads was all melted and my drive into work was completely unaffected by the snowfall. AND it all melted by the end of the day! I almost took an "after" picture to go with this "before", but I decided that it wasn't that remarkable that the snow melted. Well, I should clarify that. It is remarkable for Minnesota. But for the rest of you, this is probably not that out of the ordinary.
So, there you have it. Hopefully an event that was the last of the season. I'm ready for Spring!
Posted by danielle at 09:13 AM | Comments (4) | TrackBack
As you can see from the title, I have not yet taken any close-ups of the orchids. I will be taking them soon, though. Mark my words.
I ended up having a very special birthday. It was filled with many small moments of happiness, simple pleasures, if you will. Lunch was with a friend at a restaurant that was new to me and served Mediterranean food. It was really terrific; I would definitely go back there. We stopped in at a new tea place that I'd never been to. I guess it has only been there a couple of months, and since it is not within my usual walking distance, I had no idea it was there. I bought a couple of new loose, black, flavored teas. I have one cooling right now. I'll let you know what I think shortly. ;-)
Another simple pleasure is that my lab work was relatively light on Wednesday. That meant that I had time to work up my resume for another teaching position. It was odd to be turning my 6 page CV into a 2 page resume, but in the end, I'm quite happy with the results. It makes me contemplate changing my CV. Actually, now that I think about it, Was that a pleasure? I guess that it was good to not have the weight of a big experiment on my shoulders. And it was nice to not have to stay late for said experiment.
On my drive home, I decided that I really wanted the 6-8 layer chocolate cake that Outback sells as a dessert. No, I did not "eat dessert first." Although it was quite tempting. Instead, I ate my Pad Thai, which was very good, and then ate a chunk of the cake. I'm actually still eating it. It is a 3-sitting sort of piece of cake; it is definitely too much for one sitting.
I received a lot of terrific presents from my parents and from my parents-in-law. Movies, and music, and books - who could ask for anything more? I've been wanting some new CDs to listen to on my drives to and from work, so this is perfect. Get this, 2 of the CDs are Pure Disco. ;-)
I realized watching a TV episode that had some throwback disco music in it, that I really get cheered up by disco and 70's music in general. So, I put them on my Amazon list, and Tah-dah! now I have them. I listened to one last night.
And here is the tea report. This tea has the following description:
lili'uokalani
"combines the lush tropical richness and colours of such flavors as peach, apple, mango, orange, and guava, based in a Chinese black tea. a noble tea named in honor of the last queen of Hawaii"
From a first taste, I'm thinking that I didn't brew it strong enough. The black tea flavor isn't very strong. Of course, I am more of an Assam black tea, kind of girl, so sometimes Chinese black tea tastes weak to me. I can definitely taste the mango more than any other fruit flavor, which is fine, since I really like mango. But the end result is that it doesn't seem all that different than some of the other teas I've drank. I was expecting something really wild and different. Would I drink it again? Yes, absolutely. And maybe with a slightly stronger brew, it will strike me more.
I guess that is all for now. This Saturday is when HB and I go to the museum and then out to eat. I hope he isn't too pooped out from his conference. It sounds like it has really been wearing him down.
Have a good weekend!
Posted by danielle at 09:04 AM | Comments (4) | TrackBack
I guess it has been a week since I've posted and I'm due to fill you guys in on things.
1. HB's b-day was Wednesday night. So instead of going to church and music practice, we went out to eat and watched some episodes on DVD of Homicide. It was a lot of fun. We had a really great conversation at supper.
2. HB is in Mexico for a week, starting yesterday. Nowhere really cool and touristy - he is in Mexico City for a conference. Of course, the average temp is 85. But you know how it is with conferences; you really don't get outside much.
3. I've applied to 3 places now. The jobs are very different. One, the first one I sent that I told you about, is for a 2-year visiting professor position. One is for a community college. One is a tenure-track position at a small branch of a state school near where we live. Can you tell that I am open to all kinds of possibilities? I haven't quite made my mind up about research - whether I'm ready to give it up entirely, or whether I want to pursue it. I am also open to being an adjunct, but it is such a tenuous situation. You work from semester to semester and from school to school. I'm not sure I would be able to deal with the instability. However, if it is the only thing that allows me to get more teaching experience, I'd probably do it with the hopes that I could apply to something more permanent later.
4. My b-day is Wednesday! I'm turning 34. I guess that makes me middle-aged. ? An odd label, middle-aged. But whatever. I don't really fixate much on ages and labels. I figure you are as young as you feel.
5. In the midst of doing my first application for a job, I completely forgot Texas Seestor's birthday. I am a bad seeeeestor. But she had a nice b-day, it sounded like.
Guess that is it for now. I hope all of you are doing well. I know about some of you from blogs - I know Jenski is BUSY like a beaver and is writing a post a day for 365 days, Kalki is busy with work and her EMT course and with stripping wallpaper in her kitchen, Texas Seestor I hear about on the phone and has a new job!, and Squirl... hmmm... I'm not sure what it up with you, Squirly-dear. Well, I know you have tried out photoshop lately and that you've had a ton of snow. :-)
Talk to you later!
Posted by danielle at 12:09 PM | Comments (8) | TrackBack
Well, my job application is officially sent in. I'm excited/relieved and nervous all at the same time. Well, not a lot nervous, just a little bit - because it is now out of my hands.
I talked to someone who is in the department yesterday. It was a bit of a fluke that this class I'm in had a panel on tenure, and someone invited a woman from the department and school where I'm applying. I asked her a few questions that helped me get a bit of an inside scoop. One of the things she mentioned is that she doesn't think there are many applicants...
... so I'm hopeful.
She also said that the teaching example for the interview is really hard, because people are reluctant to participate in the interactive learning techniques. But she also said that they definitely don't want someone who just lectures the whole time. So, it is necessary to use these discussion-style small group activities, even if it doesn't go quite as well as you'd hope. All in all, very useful information.
I think this merits a celebratory Starbucks! decaf, of course. ;-)
Posted by danielle at 01:24 PM | Comments (7) | TrackBack
I haven't spent time working on any ice skating pictures this weekend like I thought I would. What have I been doing with my time? Well, I've been busy with church, reading things for school, and working on a resource sheet for a presentation that is coming up. And when I have had extra time to relax, I've been using the time to read a fluffy book that helps me unwind.
There have been a few things going on with me that I thought I'd share.
1. For Lent, I've committed to three things. A) reading the bible everyday - specifically chapters of Matthew and the Psalms. B) Praying everyday (I've let that slide 'til now). C) Going to church weekly - that is pretty easy, since I already do it. Of course, during Lent, there are services on Wed nights too and those are the ones I'm singing at. Doing the bible study and praying in the mornings is what I'm now doing during breakfast when I would normally be editing pictures. I will still probably make the blog rounds during that time too. But maybe not as much of that either. I'm not sure.
2. I taught some labs this week. I LOVED it. And I learned a lot about what makes me happy in the process. Teaching in small groups like that where I have direct interactions with students really makes me happy.
3. There is a teaching job I'm going to be applying for that requires that I polish up my CV & Teaching Philosophy. I also have to generate a cover letter and a Research Statement - I've never done a research statement before, so that will take some time. The Preparing Future Faculty class that I'm in will cover those things this semester, but it won't be until later.
I hope things are going well for you. See you!
Posted by danielle at 07:32 PM | Comments (4) | TrackBack
I have more pairs pics. A lot of them are similar lifts and poses, but I am posting these partly for myself (you know, for posterity), so here they are. :-)
Caitlin Yankowskas & John Coughlin
Chloe Katz & Joseph Lynch
Chloe Katz & Joseph Lynch
Brooke Castille & Ben Okolski
Amanda Evora & Mark Ladwig
This is the start of the routine by Rena Inoue & John Baldwin. I love the energy of this pose. And it is also noticeable how much shorter she is than him; this is the case with almost all of the pairs. Can you imagine how hard it would be to match strides while skating with such differences in height? It just seems impossible.
Another pic of Inoue & Baldwin - note that they finished in second place.
I like this photo, because you can see how as the skaters get better at skating together, they skate really closely to each other. See how close their feet are on the ice?
At the end of their routine, before they took their bows, John Baldwin got down on one knee for an extended period of time. At first, no one really knew what was going on, and then, the crowd got hushed and expectant, because it sure looked like he was proposing. In the end, he was! And she said yes, and they hugged - at which point I got over my shock and actually took a photo. It was fun to witness a proposal for marriage in person. Have you ever seen one?
There was another time when we caught the aftermath of a proposal (the clapping), when HB and I were having our anniversary dinner out at a nice restaurant last year. There was someone he knew from work sitting at this special table overlooking a lighted cave, and that guy ended up proposing!
Well, that is all that I'm going to post of the pairs. More skating pics to come though. I hope you aren't tired of them yet. But if you are, well, like I said, I'm doing this for me too.
Posted by danielle at 10:00 AM | Comments (5) | TrackBack
Meeran Trombley & Laureano Ibarra
Bianca Butler & Joseph Jacobsen
Kendra Moyle & Stephen Pottenger
Katie Beriau & Alexander Merritt
Naomi Nari Nam & Themi Leftheris
Tiffany Vise & Derek Trent
Tiffany Vise & Derek Trent
Tiffany Vise & Derek Trent
Posted by danielle at 08:11 AM | Comments (4) | TrackBack
This is the pair who got the gold medal in the Senior Pairs competition - Keana McLaughlin and Rockne Brubaker.
side by side jumps
That is where he throws her in the air, she spins, and he catches her.
And that is where he throws her in the air and she has to spin and land. Can you believe how high she is off of the ice? W.O.W.
I was pretty far away from the medal presentation, but I cropped this photo way down, so it looks closer than it is - albeit a bit blurry.
The top 4 pairs, in order 1st to 4th are as follows:
McLaughlin & Brubaker
Inoue & Baldwin
Castile & Okolski
Vise & Trent
They are standing in podium order, so the couple on the left were the winners of the silver medal.
I have lots of pics of lifts - which are one of my favorite parts of pairs skating. But I'll get to those later.
:-)
Posted by danielle at 01:24 PM | Comments (5) | TrackBack
I had an awesome time at the 2008 U.S. Figure Skating Championships in St. Paul! I had really great seats at one corner and got to see a lot of jumps, spins, and incredible elegance and athleticism. I took over 350 photos, because I just couldn't help myself. Unfortunately, the ice was so bright and reflective that my camera made almost every photo dimmer than it should be. So, it is going to take me a while to go through them and fix them.
The things that just amazed me were how gorgeous everything looked in person. The ice was so bright and when the skaters would get out there, it would just look incredibly flashy and dynamic. It was very exciting to see them warm-up and practice. And then when each performance would start, the potential to see another great routine would give me a thrill.
Some of them looked so happy as they nailed their performances, that was really special.
There are more little tidbits, but I will tell them as I post the pics.
These are photos of Mirai Nagasu, the gold medal winner in the senior ladies division. She is only 14! Can you believe it?
This is my favorite spin position. I just think it looks incredible - and also hard to believe that they can do it.
Another elegant position.
Jump
and landing
I will probably post more photos almost every day this week - most likely of the top skaters in each category. I'll have to work on the rest as time permits next weekend. So, check back if you want to see more!
Posted by danielle at 09:34 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
... give information.
So, since I don't have any flower or fuzzy friend friday pics, I thought I would just write up a post about how things are going.
It is a new semester at school and I am on the verge of getting approval to lecture in a general biology course for non-majors. The instructor is okay with my teaching a lecture on viruses and prions. The woman who is the director of the Biology Program is fine with my teaching - she is actually the one who recommended that I teach in this particular course and section. Now I just need the nice man in the middle who is in charge of the course as a whole to agree. Hopefully that will go through today. I am also going to teach some labs, I think. But the details on that still need to be worked out.
Along the same lines, I am on the wait list to get into this course which is about learning how to be a good faculty member - what to expect, what to watch out for, be aware of, that sort of thing - and the other half of the course is doing this mentorship. If I get into the course, I'll need to turn my teaching that I just told you about, into an official mentorship. So, think good thoughts for me on this front.
My work at the lab is progressing on one front. I'm writing up a manuscript for publication about the work that I've done in the year and a half that I've been there. I've done a first draft on every part of it, except for the introduction (which my advisor likes us to do last). The intro is supposed to be short, so it ought to be relatively straightforward. I'll get to it next week, I hope. I'm trying to replicate one last experiment to go into the paper, which has been frustrating. Big surprise there. Research is frustrating, in my humble opinion.
This weekend I go to the US Figure Skating Championships. I got the tickets as Christmas presents from HB. I get to see the finals for the top 10 men, the top 20 women, the top 10 pairs (where they throw the girl across the ice and do all of the lifts), and the top 10 ice dancing. I'm allowed to take my camera - no flash photography - but it ought to be well lit. I'm not as close as I was for So You Think You Can Dance... and my photos will probably be more for me to remember than to show you, but you never know. Maybe I'll get a few good ones.
I love ice skating. Although I can't skate myself (except to an extent where I hurt my feet), it is my favorite sport. Gymnastics runs a close 2nd. Note that the finals are televised, so tune into your local stations if you want to see them. The womens finals are Sat night and the men's finals are 1-5pm on Sunday. I think that they are live, although perhaps they are tape delayed.... I'm not really sure.
Finally, singing at church is going really well. I'm learning enough of the songs that each week I only have to learn 2-3 new ones (instead of all 6 or 7). For lent, I'm singing at special services they are holding on Wed. nights. That will be good, I think. Sundays are a long day with being there at 7:30 and getting done around 11:30. Wed nights will be shorter. 2 hours I think including practice.
Well, that is all for now. Take care and have a good weekend!
Posted by danielle at 09:40 AM | Comments (8) | TrackBack
So, I'm off today for the observance of MLK Jr.'s b-day, and my throat really hurts. And I'm wondering, is it better to feel ill on a day when you are already off - so that, for example, you can mope around and no one cares. Or is it better to be healthy and happy on a day off and ill on a work day.... I haven't decided. Not that my decision is really going to make that big of a difference. I think I just feel like whining.
mwah mwah, my throat hurts.
It is probably better to be home, all in all.
By the way, it was -5 as the high here yesterday. Minus. Can you believe that. Oh the joy of minneeeesota.
The Girlie-girl is hanging close, which is a bit unusual. Usually, she finds a chair by now and sticks in it until later.
Posted by danielle at 11:03 AM | Comments (5) | TrackBack
Do any of you have MySpace and Facebook profiles? It seems like at the lab, everyone has them except for the slightly older crowd - read - me and another post-doc.
I get my fill of online social networking with blogging and checking friend's blogs, but I was curious if any of you are into it. Or all we all past that?
Just wondering....
Posted by danielle at 09:59 AM | Comments (7) | TrackBack
So, you may or may not think this is funny - but it totally made me laugh out loud at work.
I'm reviewing a manuscript that was written by a group in China, and English is clearly not their strong point since I've already found numerous errors. But the best one is under statistical methods. They did ANOVAs followed by a TURKEY test!
Turkey!
(instead of Tukey)
Can your data go gobble gobble? Do they strut around hoping that they make it through one more Thanksgiving?
*grin*
Posted by danielle at 05:03 PM | Comments (7) | TrackBack
Why do people use the words breakfast cereal? Why not just cereal? Is there such a thing as lunch cereal or supper cereal and we need to be sure to differentiate among them?
Just wondering.
Posted by danielle at 10:07 AM | Comments (8) | TrackBack
After 3 days of taking naproxen (Alleve) my jaw/teeth were feeling much better. I'm also using Sensodyne and Pronamel that Texas Seestor told me her dentist recommended. I'll be using it for 2 weeks and then switching to Crest that doesn't have any special whiteners or anything in it. Evidently, the dentists are starting to think that those toothpastes are too tough on teeth.
So, I was able to eat Thanksgiving food without any problem. :-)
I was really glad about that.
Posted by danielle at 02:48 PM | Comments (4) | TrackBack
Well, I have good and bad news, depending on how you look at it.
The good news is that I don't have a crack in my tooth, and I don't have any cavities. I also don't have any obvious gum or root issues.
The bad news is that I don't have a crack in my tooth, and I don't have any cavities. I also don't have any obvious gum or root issues. Thus, they can't "fix" what hurts.
*sigh*
The dentist told me that if things would get worse, it would be more obvious what is wrong. He and I discussed the possibility that I'm clenching my teeth and how that might fit with the pain I'm describing. There isn't much to do to make it better other than take over-the-counter painkillers. I'm just hoping that I can chew normal food well enough to enjoy Thanksgiving....
Posted by danielle at 03:27 PM | Comments (8) | TrackBack
So my jaw/mouth has been hurting since Sunday. Mostly when I chew. When the pain is bad, it goes up into my ear and down my neck. Consequently, I called a dentist here at the University and scheduled an appointment ASAP - which is Monday of next week. In the meantime, they recommended that I see my general practitioner to make sure it isn't a muscle/gland issue.
I went yesterday, she looked around my mouth and felt all of my muscles, bones, and glands. After discussing it all, she concluded that it is a dental issue (oh, joy). When I asked her if she saw anything in my mouth that looked suspicious, she looked again. She thinks, and I agree, that it looks like there is a crack in my back molar. *sigh* She reassured me that crowns are pretty straightforward and not painful. But now, I just want to get it done and not wait until Monday. I'm just hoping that it isn't some kind of major cavity. I'm not sure which is worse, but somehow a cavity seems worse.
Ugh.
This is the first major teeth issue I've had since I had my impacted wisdom teeth taken out. That was such a joy too, let me tell you.
I'm hoping this isn't as bad.
Posted by danielle at 01:54 PM | Comments (3) | TrackBack
I've been in San Diego since Friday now. I'm here for a scientific conference. I fly back to Minneeeesota on Wednesday. It has been really terrific. I have photos from some of the fun things that I've done since I've been here, but I'm not sure when I'll get to them. It might be after I get back to MN. I might have some free time in the evening, but it all depends on how much hanging out I do with friends before going to bed.
I have learned a few things while being here so far.
1. It has been way too long since I took some time off on a weekday to do something fun.
2. If the hotel uses down pillows and comforter, it is VERY important to ask for non-down versions. I ended up feeling semi-sick the day after I slept with the down stuff and couldn't figure out why I felt so terrible. Then something my roomie said made me realize it is probably the sleeping materials. After sleeping with foam pillows and a traditional blanket, I feel much better.
3. I'm excited about my research again. I'd gotten pretty bummed out about being stuck on something, but presenting my work and having people tell me it is really good and exciting got me excited about it again.
I think that is all for now.
Talk to you later!
Posted by danielle at 03:03 PM | Comments (6) | TrackBack
Today is the first time I've lectured to undergraduate students. It was a 90 person class of undergrads who are Neuroscience, Biochemistry and Genetics majors. The course is Introductory Neuroscience and the topic was Intracellular Signaling.
It went really really well!
Afterward, I _thought_ that it went well, but I wasn't exactly sure until the woman who normally gives the lecture came up to me and told me that I did a better job than she usually does! In addition, my advisor was there and he said that they both thought I did really a great job (said while smiling really big). I explained the topics really well. And that I just need to keep it up for Friday.
Yes, I lecture again on Friday. The second of a 2-part lecture.
So, I'm feeling really good.
The reason I go into all of this, is because I've been seriously considering leaving research and trying to teach full time. I'd aim for undergraduate students. It is an exciting prospect, because I've always loved explaining topics to people - especially one-on-one. But until today, I'd never tried to give a lecture. So, I wasn't sure how much nerves or anxiety would come into play and if I'd just turn into a pool of jelly in front of the students. But I've always loved giving oral presentations, so I figured it would be okay. And I definitely held it together! And after the first slide, I really got into my groove.
Friday's lecture has some really easy parts, but it also has some complicated parts, so we'll see how that goes. The goal is to make it all clear, regardless of how hard it appears to be on the surface.
All in all, I say "Yay!"
:-)
Posted by danielle at 05:13 PM | Comments (10) | TrackBack
Hey all,
Amber gave birth! Lucy Marie. 6 lbs 13 oz.
Evidently they are both doing well. :-)
Posted by danielle at 02:06 PM | Comments (4) | TrackBack
Over the weekend, a friend and I went to the Minnesota Renaissance Festival.
There were lots of costumes...
...lots of entertainment of the musical variety...
...and of the random variety.
There were also lots of pets, because it was pet weekend.
We also went to lots of shops. Some of the ones that were the most fun were the costume/clothes shops.
I bought two things at the festival. One was a beautiful mug to commemorate the event. And the other was a flag from this shop
Oh, and I got to eat a big turkey leg.
-no photos of that one- ;-)
All in all, it was a fun day. The weather was overcast, but that made it perfectly comfortable all day long. The clouds made it so that I didn't have to wear sunscreen that makes me have a skin reaction or get burnt and have permanent pigmentation problems. All good things. :-D
If you want to see the whole set, click here.
Have a good weekend everyone!
Posted by danielle at 05:24 PM | Comments (3) | TrackBack
So, I took some photos of flowers this morning but won't have time to deal with them until later tonight.
See you later!
Posted by danielle at 11:38 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
I saw this quiz going around at Squirl's and Ern's. I often don't participate in these things, but I was curious, so here is the one it picked for me.
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I guess it is true. It seems like an odd assortment of characteristics to glean from questions about ice cream, leisure habits, and helping friends out with money and moving. But ah well, it is all in good fun.
Posted by danielle at 10:36 AM | Comments (6) | TrackBack
I just thought I'd leave a smalll note about our weekend since it turned out to be a lot of fun. HB had been feeling sick, but on Friday night, we got into a really fun - and funny - discussion of a book he'd read called the 4 hour workweek. Some of the excerpts from it were just hilarious.
Then, on Saturday, he got better in time to go out a bit early. You see, we had a supper reservation at a nice restaurant in a town we'd never visited. And in this town, there are all kinds of shops for tourists. So, we went a bit early and looked in a few shops. One of them was either called Chef's Gallery or Gallery for Chefs or something like that. It was really fun! You could really day dream of all kinds of ways to spend money on glassware and cookware in a place like that. It was like Crate and Barrel's glass and dinnerware section on steroids.
We also visited a used/rare bookseller who had all kinds of neat prints on display in addition to the books. You can imagine what I spent my time doing. Yep, looking at all of the prints. Supper was at Luna Rossa (I say this for my own sake, so that I can look back on the name of the restaurant) and we sat back in the cave area. The restaurant is literally built into the side of a cave. The food was Italian and really terrific. We had this amazing dish of antipasto as an appetizer. I could've eaten just that kind of food for my whole meal, it was that good.
Yesterday, we went to see Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. I liked it. Some of the other ones stand out for me more as being more exciting or more plot twisting. But this one sets up some important themes that will be used for upcoming movies, so it is important in that way. I think, perhaps, one of the problems I had with it stems from the fact that I just re-read the end of the book recently. Usually, I go into a movie pretty 'blind' having not read the book for a couple of years. But this one I had, and I noticed the changes. Not that they weren't necessary for turning the story into a movie, but they were things that I liked about the book and was disappointed to see changed.
Oh, and did I mention that I finally saw The Godfather? Yes, I finally watched it - for the first time. I liked parts of it. Other parts were pretty slow. All in all, I'm not sure what all of the fuss is about it.... but maybe that is the double X chromosomes coming out in me. ;-)
All in all, it was a good anniversary weekend.
Posted by danielle at 09:45 AM | Comments (3) | TrackBack
So, I don't have any photos of flowers of of fuzzy friends for Friday today. On the weekends when I could be taking photos of flowers, I've just been too hot. Taking photos always makes me hotter and I just haven't felt like doing it.
I mainly wanted to leave a note, so that all of you don't worry that I'm having a migraine. I've actually been doing pretty well with them lately, which is a real plus.
I haven't really typed much out lately about how I'm doing, so I thought I'd take a moment to share a few things along those lines too.
One is that I'm facing these experiments at work that I've been trying to optimize for the past month. For the first time, last week I got data that looked like the protocol is working and I'd finally gotten the kinks worked out. Then I did it again, got the results this week and bam! it looks weird again. I'm hoping it is a bit of a fluke, but it is frustrating to wonder if having the time that it worked was the fluke instead.
Ah scientific research. It is like banging your head against the wall interspersed with moments of exhilaration.
Another thing is that I gave a presentation at lab meeting this week. I was very nervous going into it, because the only time I've presented for my current boss was when I interviewed. And it is quite a different matter when you present work that they are very familiar with vs. data that they've never seen before. It is easier for them to spot any glaring mistakes when they know the data. But it all went well and when I asked him the day after if there were things I should change, he indicated that it was very clear and understandable.
It was also good to have him thinking about my project for a while. He is very good at looking toward the future and dreaming up experiments that might be useful for a publication. Now, I just have to get those dang experiments to work. *sigh*
For now, that is all I really want to say. Some family is coming to visit soon. I've got a trip planned to see some friends from undergraduate college. And there is some stuff going on with my choir/church. But I'll save all of that for another time.
Hope you all have a good weekend!
Hugs to you,
Danielle
Posted by danielle at 10:10 AM | Comments (4) | TrackBack
For a couple of years, I shared one of the original iPods with HB. I'd use it when I went out for my walks and then return it to to the charging port for him to use when he went bicycling. Then when he got a new one about a year ago, I 'inherited' that old one that had crashed with him on the bicycle a few too many times. The sound had become problematic and sometimes sound would only work on the left, but it would usually go back to normal if you unplugged and replugged in the headphone connection, or if you twisted it just right. However, for the past couple of weeks, it has only been working on the left with no sign of returning to stereo sound.
SOOOOOOOOO! Guess what I got last night!?
An iPod Nano! in Blue/turquoise! I'm uber excited about it. It is so very teeny compared to the one that I'd been using. I could probably even get an exercise band for it.
It still needs to be charged up and hooked into the computer that has the iTunes library on it, but it won't be long now and I'll be jamming in stereo as I go on my walks.
heeee!
Posted by danielle at 10:31 AM | Comments (7) | TrackBack
Last night I got a small thrill from a piece of mail. We received a wedding invitation that addressed HB and I by our proper titles! You see, my last name is hyphenated, so it throws people off on what to do with us. We were never Mr. and Mrs. HB's-last-name. Technically we were Mr. HB's-last-name and Mrs. my-last-name. Although we told everyone that for social purposes, they could call us Mr. and Mrs. my-last-name.
But now, Now, that I have my Ph.D. I sooooooooo love getting mail with Dr. Danielle my-last-name on it. Because now we are technically Mr. HB's-last-name and Dr. my-last name. If you wanted to stick with the way we were letting people address us in the past, we would be Mr. and Dr. my-last-name.
I don't get much of the Dr. mail. I did receive a Christmas card or two with my title on it. And this wedding invitation really nailed it! So, I was excited.
As I was reflecting on this mail thing I started thinking about how the insurance company can never get my hyphenated name right. They are always chopping it off at my maiden name. You'd think an insurance company, of all things, would get it straight. After all, they are receiving all kinds of medical bills and such with my correct name on it. The credit card companies sure have that one figured out. Of course, they never use titles anyway, so it isn't really right or wrong in the whole Dr. aspect.
At school, when I was a graduate student, I would get junk mail addressed to Dr. Danielle my-last-name. You see, the companies always erred on the side of giving someone the Dr. title because they didn't want to offend anyone who _did_ have their Ph.D. But the ironic thing is that now that I _do_ have my Ph.D., I don't get junk mail at school. I haven't had to request anything from a company yet, so they don't have me in their system at my current locale. But isn't that ironic?
I usually just look at it, see that it is wrong, and after a small sigh of disappointment, get on with opening the mail. But seeing it correct last night reminded me just how new my Ph.D. is and how I'm not yet used to having a new title.
Dr.
It has a nice ring to it.
Oh, and as an aside, when I go to a medical doctor and an M.D. comes into the examining room, he or she always introduces him or herself by Dr. so-and-so. I go ahead and introduce myself as Dr. my-last-name too. I kinda blush when I do it, because it seems a bit officious. But I've noticed that they treat me a bit differently when they know. I'm more apt to get the medical explanation for my condition or drugs that they are prescribing for me. And it is nice to have that info. It saves me a trip to Wikipedia when I get home. ;-)
Posted by danielle at 10:28 AM | Comments (6) | TrackBack
I had a good weekend. Did you?
This weekend, I slept in - oh, glorious sleeping in! - and finished the Templar Legacy by Steve Berry. It was okay. I think that the whole time, a part of me was comparing it to the Da Vinci Code, and of course, it came up short. I was also kind of disappointed in their big treasured find in the end. So, all things combined makes it just an okay book for me.
Which reminds me, I am a big fan of National Treasure - the movie. If you haven't seen it, it is a good one, I think.
Now, I'm reading a 30th anniversary coffee table book of The Making of Star Wars. I didn't realize that for 2 years, George Lucas couldn't get the studio to give him any money for production and he was paying the model makers and artists out of his own personal funds. Crazy. And the part in the contract where he kept the merchandising rights is just hilarious, because no one thought it was important enough to even pay attention too. Lucky break for Lucas, I'd say.
I am just now getting to the part where they are finalizing their casting decisions, which is pretty interesting. Jodie Foster was actually up for the role as Princess Leia for a while, but she was only 15 at the time and the limited hours she'd be able to work was a strike against her.
I've also read the draft synopses for the first, second, and third drafts. Wow are they different than the end product! Turns out that he mostly envisions different scenes and then worries about a plot that will let him string them together. It is quite different than how most traditional writers write their novels (from what I've gathered from Sara Donati's blog). But obviously, got the job done in the end. I am at the part now where he is fleshing out the fourth (and I believe final) draft. Very interesting stuff.
HB also gave me a couple of surprise gifts this weekend - just out of the blue. He got me a Figment from Epcot (Disney world) (note, the link has sound) and the Planet Earth DVD series. This way, I can watch all of the Planet Earth series in HD - which is so much more impressive than TiVo's quality of taping it. And the timing was such that I missed about half of the episodes. It is a perfect surprise gift and really cheered up my weekend.
Did anyone exercise this week?
I know Squirl, Texas Seestor, and Amber were going to try. Any luck, ladies?
Posted by danielle at 10:14 AM | Comments (6) | TrackBack
Well, the weather has finally perked up and seems to be making a conscientious effort to feel like Spring. And you can't imagine how much that has perked me up. Having it be sunny in the morning and warm when I walk from my parking garage to my building just really makes my day start out right. Of course, today I feel migrainey - which is the first in a while on a work day - but now that I'm up and about and have taken my drugs, I'm feeling better as I see the sun coming through the window and the Girlie lounging in a sunbeam. The sun makes her white parts look so Very White. Almost like they are glowing with light themselves.
One other note, remember how I noticed that with the snow the tulip leaves had all fallen over and looked broken and dead? Well, they have put out new leaves and some of them even have buds! It won't be long until there are tulips on my walk to my building. And won't that be another nice reminder of spring?
Another sure sign of spring is the number of students already wearing shorts. Also, the warm weather seems to bring everyone out in droves to jog and run around campus. It is quite spring-like.
Posted by danielle at 11:17 AM | Comments (6) | TrackBack
It is snowing again.
!?
What is it with all of this snow in April? ugh.
They had forecast 3-5 inches of snow, but last night, it was mostly rain. So, I don't think it will be as much as they had predicted.
I'll try to not blog about the weather anymore. :-)
Posted by danielle at 09:56 AM | Comments (6) | TrackBack
Can you believe that it has been snowing here today?
ugh.
It is actually accumulating too.
double ugh.
On the positive side, I have noticed that there are the green leaves of daffodils coming up around campus. :-) I just hope that they can bear the snow...
UPDATE:
Here is what it looks like Wednesday morning
Posted by danielle at 08:37 PM | Comments (6) | TrackBack
I am back from my trip to Texas to see Texas Seestor, Trainwreck, Munchie, Mom and Dad (and Max! - rabbit).
I had a great time. It was very relaxing and just what I needed at this time of year - a bit of warmer than MN weather to help me get through this last bit of blah weather until Spring. I also got to play and play with Munchie, which was oodles of fun.
I have lots of photos that are on my computer but are not on Flickr yet. And they obviously haven't made it onto here yet. I will be working on that throughout the week and weekend and hope to post a selection of the best ones here for ease of viewing. The ones I post here will have to be ones that are more cropped than usual to protect identities, so it will take some extra time.
Anyway, just wanted to let you know I made it back safely and that I had a great time. Now I have to go back to work, which I feel kind of ambivalent toward. I'm not dreading it as much as usual when I come back from a vacation. I think it helps that I am going in a bit late today because my flight got in late last night.
Talk to you later!
Posted by danielle at 04:34 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack