Last week my cell phone broke. I have dropped it a few times in the 1.5 years I've owned it, but for no reason at all, in the middle of a walk down South U a piece of plastic popped off of the hinge and now the darn thing won't stay closed. So now I have a rubber band wrapped around it. No better excuse to get a new phone than that! Oh, little LG, you've been good to me, but you're being replaced with a brand new Samsung model that is most superior. R.I.P.
The new phone and new service plan means that I'm finally shaking off the old remnants of my former life in Atlanta by officially moving my number from the 770 to the 734. That also means that if you don't receive an email from me with my new number you're out of luck (and the new phone will arrive no later than Wednesday so don't start panicking until say, Friday. I'll be reachable at my current number until then). What a nice way to tidy up the ol' address book!
The dress search today was disasterous! I guess it is close enough to prom season to warrant droves of moms and daughters out hunting down the perfect prom dress. Couple the dressing room waiting lines with my innate inability to make a dress decision and you have my wonderful afternoon. Typically I'm the kind of shopper who goes in knowing exactly what I'm looking for and am usually pretty speedy in finding it, deciding, and getting out. The indecision comes into play when I'm not exactly sure what I should be looking for. What do you wear to a gala? Long and formal? Short and cocktail-esque? I tried on some amazing dresses and would have come home with one if money wasn't an issue. Apparently I have expensive taste. But after reviewing my choices in my mind tonight I believe I have settled on something perfect. Now for the shoes........
Sunday, January 29, 2006
Saturday, January 28, 2006
Mixed Bag
What a week. Both good (rest, family, symposium) and bad (sickness, not a lot of studying):
- Monday: Um, don't quite remember.
- Tuesday: GREAT symposium on zoonotic diseases; Laurie Garrett spoke (author of "The Coming Plague") and I have to say that I was incredibly impressed with her presentation. Too bad the topic of her talk was primarily Avian Influenza (remember: really. scary. shit.). Yep, that statement was definitely supported by the facts in her presentation. Yep.
- Wednesday: Jessica's 24th Birthday!! I was also pretty sick by this point.....maybe all of that avian influenza talk traumatized my immune system.......I spent a quality night babysitting Josh and then received a great surprise when Kyle stopped by for a visit :)
- Thursday: Lots of sleeping. Lots. A PHSA meeting, cancelled plans to hang out with some friends, more sleeping.
- Friday: Productive day at work, improved health status, and the "Mr. Wolverine" contest. This was a last minute decision and I successfully roped my friend Alison into meeting up with me, Steph, and V. It was put on by the Law School as a fundraiser and they were pretty darn funny! My favorite part: well, let's just say that there was some lambasting. The lambasting wasn't necessarily funny, but the fact that the target of the lambasting proceeded to lambast himself, well.....that WAS pretty funny.
- Saturday: Jess woke me up at 9:30 am with "I made eggs and toast, if you want any you better get your ass out of bed now". I love my sister. We took advantage of the amazing 50 degree weather (in Michigan.....in January??) by going for a walk/run with Joshie. Josh and I ran, Jess walked :) Josh insisted on holding my hand while we ran (which was adorable) and he ran the entire way with me! We're in training for Muppet Soccer. Yay Michigan Basketball!! 9 of us went out to the UM vs UW game and my loyalties were tested, but I went with UM, of course. I downloaded a few songs (a sure sign that I'm feeling better) and discovered the profession of love that every woman dreams of hearing: "I love you like a fat kid loves cake".
- Sunday: Shopping for a killer dress to wear to the med school gala in a few weeks. And I guess I should do some studying, too at some point ;)
Sunday, January 22, 2006
Another one down
I kinda came off as frustrated in that last post, no? There's no doubt I was at the time, but what I left out of the post is the fun I had with Josh. There was fun amidst the poo. Like when he curled up in my lap when we watched "The Rocketeer" and he called me his friend. A title typically bestowed upon his stuffed animals and his mom. I'm now a part of the gang :)
I woke up Saturday and after copius amounts of coffee I dived into the literature search. I think I found some good stuff. Consequently, I was in my pjs until almost 4 pm......then I peeled myself away from in front of the computer to head to Detroit to spend some time with Kyle. On the drive over I tried to shake off the haze from 5 hours worth of lit search by listening to my matt pond PA cd and was almost completely successful--there was some residual haze when I arrived at Kyle's, but that was gone in no time. We had plans to meet up with Steph and V for dinner after the auto show, but plans changed and Kyle and I headed out to dinner in Mexican Town. I have to admit, while dinner with Steph and V would have been lovely, dinner with just Kyle was perfect. We aren't able to spend a lot of time together so what time we do spend is nice. We even squeezed in some time for watching the Michigan basketball game.
Alas, another weekend is over. Back to the real world today: studying and more studying for the both of us. I'll be super happy when summer is here and all of this thesis work is finished!!
I woke up Saturday and after copius amounts of coffee I dived into the literature search. I think I found some good stuff. Consequently, I was in my pjs until almost 4 pm......then I peeled myself away from in front of the computer to head to Detroit to spend some time with Kyle. On the drive over I tried to shake off the haze from 5 hours worth of lit search by listening to my matt pond PA cd and was almost completely successful--there was some residual haze when I arrived at Kyle's, but that was gone in no time. We had plans to meet up with Steph and V for dinner after the auto show, but plans changed and Kyle and I headed out to dinner in Mexican Town. I have to admit, while dinner with Steph and V would have been lovely, dinner with just Kyle was perfect. We aren't able to spend a lot of time together so what time we do spend is nice. We even squeezed in some time for watching the Michigan basketball game.
Alas, another weekend is over. Back to the real world today: studying and more studying for the both of us. I'll be super happy when summer is here and all of this thesis work is finished!!
Friday, January 20, 2006
2 posts...on a Friday??
That's pretty sad ;)
It implies that I have nothing better to do--oh no, my friend, I have a ton of stuff to do. So much in fact that I'm going to regret this little "relaxation" time tomorrow. Why the quotations, you ask? It has been anything but relaxation time. I've been babysitting my nephew tonight. He's three. We had a great time dancing to music off of my mac (courtesy of a nifty connector cable that connects my mac to my living room stereo). I even made a little play list for the occasion. So, he was permitted to dance on the living room table (the only time that it's allowed--consequently, he thinks that any situation that involves music is grounds for hopping up on the table, regardless if we have guests or a party going on. Good thing my friends have a sense of humor: "oh look! The kid is breakdancing on the living room table....oops, there goes a wine glass"). This dancing session was short-lived as I left the fiesta for a phone call and he proceeded to dump all of his mini-leggos all over the floor......then kick them about. I made dinner. I then realized (after picking him up) that he had a leak. A poo leak to be specific. A poo leak that was on MY shirt, on HIS shirt, on the floor, on his Care Bear slippers, and on his blanket. My little buddy had issues. After being thoroughly grossed out, we settled in to clean up the mess in the living room, I cleaned the kitchen, we ate some Nilla Wafers, and caught an OnDemand movie. I love the little guy with all of my heart, but am I glad that he finally fell asleep!
All of this action didn't stop me from checking my email about every hour (some interesting stuff was going on--TWO SPH Talent shows??). Nor did it stop me from thinking of my friends out there having a good time on a Friday night! Kyle is out partying in Detroit with a bunch of friends--no doubt having a great time. My SPH and SNRE friends are out at BW3 for wings, beer, and trivia to help ease the pain in the ass that is thesis work. My sister is out at a party. And my dad called me after a fabulous night of wine tasting.
I had poo duty.
Ah, friends and fun......
Why will I regret this "relaxation"time? Because I found out that my study population for my thesis isn't adequate to answer the research question that I am proposing (selection bias has ruined me!). I can complete the analysis, no problem, but the paper probably won't be publishable because the results won't be generalizable to the target population (aka no one will find the information useful because they most likely won't be able to apply my findings to pregnant women in general). I was told that that's perfectly acceptable because we (those required to write a thesis) aren't expected to publish a paper out of our thesis, but we're expected to thoroughly explain the limitations of our study and why the selection bias exists, etc. My thesis work load just doubled.
Translation: I need to complete the analysis, research a whole hell of a lot of stuff, and then worry about identifying all of the problems with my study. At least in the end I can say that I wasn't the one responsible for selecting the study population :)......in scientific terms, of course.
It implies that I have nothing better to do--oh no, my friend, I have a ton of stuff to do. So much in fact that I'm going to regret this little "relaxation" time tomorrow. Why the quotations, you ask? It has been anything but relaxation time. I've been babysitting my nephew tonight. He's three. We had a great time dancing to music off of my mac (courtesy of a nifty connector cable that connects my mac to my living room stereo). I even made a little play list for the occasion. So, he was permitted to dance on the living room table (the only time that it's allowed--consequently, he thinks that any situation that involves music is grounds for hopping up on the table, regardless if we have guests or a party going on. Good thing my friends have a sense of humor: "oh look! The kid is breakdancing on the living room table....oops, there goes a wine glass"). This dancing session was short-lived as I left the fiesta for a phone call and he proceeded to dump all of his mini-leggos all over the floor......then kick them about. I made dinner. I then realized (after picking him up) that he had a leak. A poo leak to be specific. A poo leak that was on MY shirt, on HIS shirt, on the floor, on his Care Bear slippers, and on his blanket. My little buddy had issues. After being thoroughly grossed out, we settled in to clean up the mess in the living room, I cleaned the kitchen, we ate some Nilla Wafers, and caught an OnDemand movie. I love the little guy with all of my heart, but am I glad that he finally fell asleep!
All of this action didn't stop me from checking my email about every hour (some interesting stuff was going on--TWO SPH Talent shows??). Nor did it stop me from thinking of my friends out there having a good time on a Friday night! Kyle is out partying in Detroit with a bunch of friends--no doubt having a great time. My SPH and SNRE friends are out at BW3 for wings, beer, and trivia to help ease the pain in the ass that is thesis work. My sister is out at a party. And my dad called me after a fabulous night of wine tasting.
I had poo duty.
Ah, friends and fun......
Why will I regret this "relaxation"time? Because I found out that my study population for my thesis isn't adequate to answer the research question that I am proposing (selection bias has ruined me!). I can complete the analysis, no problem, but the paper probably won't be publishable because the results won't be generalizable to the target population (aka no one will find the information useful because they most likely won't be able to apply my findings to pregnant women in general). I was told that that's perfectly acceptable because we (those required to write a thesis) aren't expected to publish a paper out of our thesis, but we're expected to thoroughly explain the limitations of our study and why the selection bias exists, etc. My thesis work load just doubled.
Translation: I need to complete the analysis, research a whole hell of a lot of stuff, and then worry about identifying all of the problems with my study. At least in the end I can say that I wasn't the one responsible for selecting the study population :)......in scientific terms, of course.
Turn it up!
Tonight I think it is time to revisit my summertime Friday night ritual of busting open a bottle of wine, turning up the music, and dancing like crazy in the living room. This time it will be a bottle of beer instead of a bottle of wine and it will be just me and Josh instead of me, Jess, and Josh. I'm babysitting tonight and my little buddy and I are going to have a blast.
Josh: dancing on the living room table.
Me: bottle of beer
And some loud music.
Yep. It's been a really shitty week.
Josh: dancing on the living room table.
Me: bottle of beer
And some loud music.
Yep. It's been a really shitty week.
Wednesday, January 18, 2006
I don't like the locker room....
I had my first Ann Arbor spin class this morning.
And I didn't wear my bike shorts.
Yeah.
The class itself was good. Good music, nice people, encouraging instructor. And I was able to look out the huge studio windows at the beautiful snowfall. Alas, my several month hiatus from biking has manifested itself in a sore back, shoulders, and ass. I'm gonna be in super shape by the time this is over!
The unpleasant part: after my shower in the locker room, the ladies' swim group came in and proceeded to be naked all over the place. Being a woman myself I don't mind it, really, but you couldn't avoid them! They were talking to each other (naked), putting away their wet swimsuits (naked), at the mirror brushing their hair (naked). I mean, c'mon, why not just use a towel if you're going to have a five minute conversation with your buddy?
Before all of you guys reading this become jealous, let me just say that this was the OLDER swim group.....60s, 70s........Yeeeaaahhhhh. But, I must say "way to go, ladies for lovin' your bodies!"
I prefer to use a towel :)
In other news, I had a meeting with my thesis advisor yesterday and he illuminated for me the amount of work that I still have to do. While this would seem daunting (and it is) he is pleased with my work thus far and thinks that I may have a nice little manuscript on my hands if the data analysis turns out the way he thinks it could. And for me there's the added bonus of actually being interested in my thesis topic: the analysis of maternal factors that may influence participation in prenatal care. That's always nice.
And I didn't wear my bike shorts.
Yeah.
The class itself was good. Good music, nice people, encouraging instructor. And I was able to look out the huge studio windows at the beautiful snowfall. Alas, my several month hiatus from biking has manifested itself in a sore back, shoulders, and ass. I'm gonna be in super shape by the time this is over!
The unpleasant part: after my shower in the locker room, the ladies' swim group came in and proceeded to be naked all over the place. Being a woman myself I don't mind it, really, but you couldn't avoid them! They were talking to each other (naked), putting away their wet swimsuits (naked), at the mirror brushing their hair (naked). I mean, c'mon, why not just use a towel if you're going to have a five minute conversation with your buddy?
Before all of you guys reading this become jealous, let me just say that this was the OLDER swim group.....60s, 70s........Yeeeaaahhhhh. But, I must say "way to go, ladies for lovin' your bodies!"
I prefer to use a towel :)
In other news, I had a meeting with my thesis advisor yesterday and he illuminated for me the amount of work that I still have to do. While this would seem daunting (and it is) he is pleased with my work thus far and thinks that I may have a nice little manuscript on my hands if the data analysis turns out the way he thinks it could. And for me there's the added bonus of actually being interested in my thesis topic: the analysis of maternal factors that may influence participation in prenatal care. That's always nice.
Friday, January 13, 2006
50: Such a milestone
Not really. This is my 50th post--quite the non-celebratory fact. I just didn't have a catchy title. I don't have a catchy title because there isn't a theme to this post, more like an amalgam of random stuff that'll probably bore you......I'm just having a hard time falling asleep :)
Random stuff:
Random stuff:
- I can finally access the status of my PhD application online, which will inevitably lead to frequent site visits hoping for the coveted "You have been recommended for admission" link.
- I picked Josh up from day care today and we hung out for a good two hours before Jess came home. We discovered (Josh and I) that he likes red, yellow, and green bell peppers with ranch dressing. What a kid! I fed him peppers, raisins, popcorn, baby carrots, and chex mix. Does that sound bad? I guess I could have made him a sandwich, but he was lovin' the healthy stuff!
- I was feeling kinda nostalgic and watched "Hello, Dolly" On Demand tonight--it is kid friendly (considering Josh and his innate ability to hone in on inappropriate movie scenes, if showing...which we definitely try to avoid!) and the movie reminds me of mom. When Jess came home she jumped right into the "Old Musicals that Remind Us of Mom" fest and proceeded to go to Blockbuster and rent "The Sound of Music", the "Music Man" and "My Fair Lady". They didn't have "Carousel".
- I made huge progress in "Mountains Beyond Mountains" tonight.
- I received a great email from Kyle.........
- Tomorrow I'm making sugar cookies with Josh as an aunt-nephew bonding experience.
- Tomorrow night is Tank IV. Solomon, Damon, and James' fourth party at their place, aka "The Tank". There will most certainly be lots of fun, with maybe some drama added in there (there always seems to be drama when certain people get together). My flipcup team "Team Bowfin" will once again dominate! Oh, and there is going to be a fish quiz. I'll try to remember my camera and take pics.....I don't know if they'll be shooting a party video this time around (those are always entertaining).
- Yup, that's all I've got for tonight.
Thursday, January 12, 2006
So, I lied.....
I registered for a spin class! Which happens to be Wednesday morning....so I WILL get my butt out of bed (at least one day a week) to exercise. I'm partial to afternoon exercising, but with the Michigan winter bringing darkness around 4:45 my options are limited. And, this spin class has a 20 minute weights workout afterwards for "people on the go". I'd say that's me. I participated in an adventure racing spin class back when I was doing adventure racing and it killed me. But, to be fair, it was a 2 hour long class that had us up out of the saddle "climbing hills" for the majority of the time. I don't think this will be that intense. So I get some exercise, get in shape, and train for the mountain biking adventures I'll have once spring and summer arrive. Sweet.
morning motivation
I'm having a hard time waking up before 9 or 9:30.....disregard the fact that my alarm clock is set for 7:20. It doesn't seem to be effective. The problem: I have a 10:00 class Tuesday and Thursday. Needless to say, I missed my class this morning (which I hate) so I'm gonna try to get motivated to get my ass out of bed in the morning! Maybe I'll start an exercise routine in the am. Yeah, probably not.
Wednesday, January 11, 2006
State of (my) mind: Part III
Enthusiastic: about my Applied Epidemiology for Public Health Practice class. I'm all about practicality and this class is all about dishing it out.
Restless: too much sugar and not enough exercise.
Un-athletic: see "Restless" above.
Happy: I get to see Kyle this weekend.
Determined: to appreciate whatever time I can get with the people I care about.
(a tiny bit) Sad: because I can't spend as much time as I'd like with the people I care about (reference "Determined" above).
Nervous (I): that I won't get into the PhD program.
Nervous (II): that I WILL get into the PhD program.
Preoccupied: with trying to sell my piano (that is currently in storage in Atlanta).
Upset: that I have to sell my piano.
Disconnected: classes this semester are practically friend-free due to thesis work and the absence of required classes......I miss my friends!
Worried: my car is falling apart and I don't have the money to fix it (see "Upset" above).
Excited: about finishing reading "Mountains Beyond Mountains"--the life story of Paul Farmer.
Inspired: by Paul Farmer's diligence in the face of adversity, his endless commitment to doing the right thing regardless of context, situation, environment.....what an amazing man.
Loved: my nephew makes me smile and warms my heart :)
Lucky: to have a sister who is willing to put up with me.
Silly: for writing all of this down!
Monday, January 09, 2006
Heartfelt lesson of the day:
You cannot predict when something natural to you, something that is just part of who you are touches another person's life by showing them that they are cared for or simply thought about. It is a precious feeling to know that you made someone feel special just by being who you are. Strive to be a good person and you may just make a difference, however big or small, in someone else's life.
Sunday, January 08, 2006
I love a challenge......
.....and I think that's exactly what my first attempt at skiing will be. I have confidence that I'll be able to do it and do it reasonably well, but sitting back and watching all of the skiing action going on around me this weekend has given me new perspective on what to expect my first time out.
First, let me just say that I really liked northern Michigan. It was beautiful up there! Peaceful, tranquil,....woodsy. Kyle's cabin was perfect. It was comfortable and homey and just what I pictured it to be. Hopefully I'll get the chance to visit again this summer and spend some time on the lake and just enjoy the scenery.
We went to Boyne Highlands on Saturday so the boys could ski. It was my first time being around the slopes, so I took it all in and took some mental notes for my skiing debut in a few weeks. While it would have been fun to ski this time around, I'm glad that I was able to check out how things are done, what people are wearing, proper skiing etiquette, etc. I pulled up a chair to the window overlooking the slopes, right in front of the "magic carpet" that takes newbies up to the top of the bunny hill. I watched (mostly little kids) get onto the conveyor belt with their parents standing behind them, ride up to the top, then awkwardly slide down to the bottom of the bunny hill.....some clinging to their parent's leg, some going solo and toppling over, some crouching down like little pros and making it down without problem. Then I pictured myself climbing onto the magic carpet (standing a good 3 feet above my fellow magic carpet riders), riding up to the top, and then biffing it on my way down. Hmmmm.....maybe I'll be lucky enough to only have to go down the bunny hill once or twice......
So I sat in the lodge and did my homework, listened to my ipod, and stared out of the huge windows at all of the little skiers. Now I'm super-excited to go skiing. I also have an idea of what kind of ski outfit I'd like to get.....once I can afford it :).
After dinner, a trip to the hot tub, and successfully avoiding sticking around for the Miss Hawaiian Tropics Competition, we headed back to the cabin. It was a really nice weekend--a great way to enjoy the final days before school gets into full swing again.
Pics:
Kyle in his cabin
Jason and Kyle ready to ski
northern Michigan
First, let me just say that I really liked northern Michigan. It was beautiful up there! Peaceful, tranquil,....woodsy. Kyle's cabin was perfect. It was comfortable and homey and just what I pictured it to be. Hopefully I'll get the chance to visit again this summer and spend some time on the lake and just enjoy the scenery.
We went to Boyne Highlands on Saturday so the boys could ski. It was my first time being around the slopes, so I took it all in and took some mental notes for my skiing debut in a few weeks. While it would have been fun to ski this time around, I'm glad that I was able to check out how things are done, what people are wearing, proper skiing etiquette, etc. I pulled up a chair to the window overlooking the slopes, right in front of the "magic carpet" that takes newbies up to the top of the bunny hill. I watched (mostly little kids) get onto the conveyor belt with their parents standing behind them, ride up to the top, then awkwardly slide down to the bottom of the bunny hill.....some clinging to their parent's leg, some going solo and toppling over, some crouching down like little pros and making it down without problem. Then I pictured myself climbing onto the magic carpet (standing a good 3 feet above my fellow magic carpet riders), riding up to the top, and then biffing it on my way down. Hmmmm.....maybe I'll be lucky enough to only have to go down the bunny hill once or twice......
So I sat in the lodge and did my homework, listened to my ipod, and stared out of the huge windows at all of the little skiers. Now I'm super-excited to go skiing. I also have an idea of what kind of ski outfit I'd like to get.....once I can afford it :).
After dinner, a trip to the hot tub, and successfully avoiding sticking around for the Miss Hawaiian Tropics Competition, we headed back to the cabin. It was a really nice weekend--a great way to enjoy the final days before school gets into full swing again.
Pics:
Thursday, January 05, 2006
Venturing North
This weekend I will travel north of Lansing and venture into the great Michigan "up north". When I tell Michiganders that I'm from Atlanta and just moved up here last year for grad school, they invariably ask if I've been "up north" yet. Then I say "no" and they respond with a "wow, I can't believe it! you have to go!!". It isn't as if I haven't wanted to go, it's just that the opportunity hasn't presented itself until now. My boyfriend has a cabin "up north" and has invited me and some of his friends on a ski trip. I'm quite excited, not just because Kyle has spoken fondly of his cabin since our first date, but also because I get to see the countryside that everyone has been raving about AND I get to spend a cozy weekend with him (as in, there's no heat or running water--but I can do rustic no problem). I will not however be skiing this trip. While I have never been skiing (another "what??" response-getter), I'll be waiting to test out my skiing finesse until our second trip up north to stay at a friend's cabin. I can't afford two ski-trips in a month's time :)
Kyle and Me on New Year's Eve
Tuesday, January 03, 2006
Welcome to 2006!
2005 was a good year for me and my family. Never mind the debt due to school loans or my car progressively falling apart, my loved ones are healthy and happy. That's what matters. As my grandpa says "well, I'm still suckin' air". Well put :)
Christmas in Tennessee was nice. There was lots of great food, the bar was stocked to an insane level--grandpa, do you really need 7 bottles of vodka?? (the family tradition of offering up cocktails before dinner, after dinner, and whenever you felt like it was very much upheld). Not to say that my fam drinks a lot, because we don't, my grandparents just like to offer drinks at any available opportunity. Their house is beautiful. It sits right on the lake and is perfectly tranquil. I can't wait to go back this summer and enjoy the warmer weather and the perks associated with their pontoon boat. You may not believe it, but these kids know how to party on their pontoon boats. The residents meet out in the middle of the lake and tie their pontoon boats together to make one long fiesta barge complete with a "drink" boat, "grill" boat, and "desert" boat. People walk from boat to boat socializing, drinking and eating. The retired community definitely knows how to have a good time :)
At one point Jess, Josh and I drove down to Atlanta to take care of some stuff and visit with Mike and his new wife Laura. I had forgotten how horrible Atlanta traffic is! No joke, way worse than Detroit. Luckily grandpa let me borrow his pimped-out Ford Excursion for the journey. There's nothing like a big, black SUV to pursuade people to MOVE THEIR SLOW ASSES OUT OF THE LEFT HAND LANE!! Ohio drivers are the worst--they just don't get that the left hand lane is for passing, not piddling along. When we hit Atlanta the weather was 62 degrees and sunny, which led Jess and I to ask ourselves why in the world we left......until we heard it: our first reintroduction to the southern accent. Oh. my. goodness. And I'm not talking about the pretty southern-belle accent. I'm talking about the SOUTHERN accent that predominates. Ugh. I do love Atlanta....
After a brief visit in Tennessee again, we started the 9 hour road trip back to Michigan, arriving just in time for New Year's Eve with Kyle and his friends in Detroit. I was able to spend some quality time with Kyle and we had a really, really good time....there's a funny pic below :) We went to Summerset mall to shop around, I saw where he grew up, met his family, and when we were eating a (very late) breakfast at the Original Pancake House New Year's Day we saw Hamilton from the Pistons....I'm ashamed to say I would have had no idea who he was if Kyle hadn't pointed him out.
In the few days before school starts back up I have successfully submitted my PhD application, used all of my Christmas gift cards, and have tried to get organized for my last semester as a grad student. I keep forgetting that I have to do my thesis this semester...that's probably a bad thing. Gotta get that done.
Here are some pics from my vacation:
Me and Jess in our "Christmas Pose"
Grandpa waiting for the action to start Christmas morning
a peaceful morning view from the back deck
Kyle, Brandon, and Matt in "the cage" after a rowdy drinking game
Christmas in Tennessee was nice. There was lots of great food, the bar was stocked to an insane level--grandpa, do you really need 7 bottles of vodka?? (the family tradition of offering up cocktails before dinner, after dinner, and whenever you felt like it was very much upheld). Not to say that my fam drinks a lot, because we don't, my grandparents just like to offer drinks at any available opportunity. Their house is beautiful. It sits right on the lake and is perfectly tranquil. I can't wait to go back this summer and enjoy the warmer weather and the perks associated with their pontoon boat. You may not believe it, but these kids know how to party on their pontoon boats. The residents meet out in the middle of the lake and tie their pontoon boats together to make one long fiesta barge complete with a "drink" boat, "grill" boat, and "desert" boat. People walk from boat to boat socializing, drinking and eating. The retired community definitely knows how to have a good time :)
At one point Jess, Josh and I drove down to Atlanta to take care of some stuff and visit with Mike and his new wife Laura. I had forgotten how horrible Atlanta traffic is! No joke, way worse than Detroit. Luckily grandpa let me borrow his pimped-out Ford Excursion for the journey. There's nothing like a big, black SUV to pursuade people to MOVE THEIR SLOW ASSES OUT OF THE LEFT HAND LANE!! Ohio drivers are the worst--they just don't get that the left hand lane is for passing, not piddling along. When we hit Atlanta the weather was 62 degrees and sunny, which led Jess and I to ask ourselves why in the world we left......until we heard it: our first reintroduction to the southern accent. Oh. my. goodness. And I'm not talking about the pretty southern-belle accent. I'm talking about the SOUTHERN accent that predominates. Ugh. I do love Atlanta....
After a brief visit in Tennessee again, we started the 9 hour road trip back to Michigan, arriving just in time for New Year's Eve with Kyle and his friends in Detroit. I was able to spend some quality time with Kyle and we had a really, really good time....there's a funny pic below :) We went to Summerset mall to shop around, I saw where he grew up, met his family, and when we were eating a (very late) breakfast at the Original Pancake House New Year's Day we saw Hamilton from the Pistons....I'm ashamed to say I would have had no idea who he was if Kyle hadn't pointed him out.
In the few days before school starts back up I have successfully submitted my PhD application, used all of my Christmas gift cards, and have tried to get organized for my last semester as a grad student. I keep forgetting that I have to do my thesis this semester...that's probably a bad thing. Gotta get that done.
Here are some pics from my vacation:
Friday, December 23, 2005
Happy Holidays!
In case I am not able to post while in Tennessee on Holiday, Merry Christmas! I hope that everyone who is traveling (or has already traveled) has a safe trip and enjoys this time with family and loved ones.
Ann Arbor has been a desolate place since all of the students have departed for their respective homes......it kinda reminds me of the summer when Ann Arbor is a peaceful, pleasant town that feels more like a great place to live rather than a crowded college town. I love Ann Arbor regardless of the state of the fluctuating population, it is just more easy-paced without the undergrads all over the place. :)
I went to the mall this afternoon to buy my sister and Josh a Christmas present and I made it in and out of that madhouse within 35 minutes! I was on a mission, weaving through the crowd, walking by all of the parents and their children in the ENDLESS line to visit with "the big guy" (not that one, the one who wears the red suit), and making split-second decisions regarding the appropriate gift to buy. I got Josh this great music-instrument set from the Discovery Channel Store. It has a drum (that duals as a container to hold all of the other musical instruments), a set of maracas, a tambourine, a recorder (as in flute-thingy), and a mini rain stick.
The guy at the counter and I had an interesting exchange:
guy at counter: kids love these [instrument set], but parents aren't too thrilled.
me: yeah, it is for my nephew and he lives with me, so I'm bringing this upon myself.
guy at counter: nice. good luck with that.
We opened all of our presents from each other and from our mom while we listened to classic Christmas music. It was nice :)
On a completely unrelated subject, thanks to Kara for introducing me to Matt Pond PA!! I downloaded their latest CD "Several Arrows Later" tonight as a gift to myself in preparation for the 9 hour car trip tomorrow. And I'm lovin' it. My favorite song so far is "It Is Safe". Once I get more money I'll download the "Emblems" CD that has "Lily Two" on it.....
Oh, I live for new, great, beautiful music.
So I leave for Tennessee in about 7 hours. Darn. I should get some sleep. You never know what grandma will throw your way, so I gotta be alert, on my toes, and prepared to field all imaginable questions and appropriately react to random comments. She's a wiley one.....which is why I love her :).
Here is a pic of our beautiful tree:
Ann Arbor has been a desolate place since all of the students have departed for their respective homes......it kinda reminds me of the summer when Ann Arbor is a peaceful, pleasant town that feels more like a great place to live rather than a crowded college town. I love Ann Arbor regardless of the state of the fluctuating population, it is just more easy-paced without the undergrads all over the place. :)
I went to the mall this afternoon to buy my sister and Josh a Christmas present and I made it in and out of that madhouse within 35 minutes! I was on a mission, weaving through the crowd, walking by all of the parents and their children in the ENDLESS line to visit with "the big guy" (not that one, the one who wears the red suit), and making split-second decisions regarding the appropriate gift to buy. I got Josh this great music-instrument set from the Discovery Channel Store. It has a drum (that duals as a container to hold all of the other musical instruments), a set of maracas, a tambourine, a recorder (as in flute-thingy), and a mini rain stick.
The guy at the counter and I had an interesting exchange:
guy at counter: kids love these [instrument set], but parents aren't too thrilled.
me: yeah, it is for my nephew and he lives with me, so I'm bringing this upon myself.
guy at counter: nice. good luck with that.
We opened all of our presents from each other and from our mom while we listened to classic Christmas music. It was nice :)
On a completely unrelated subject, thanks to Kara for introducing me to Matt Pond PA!! I downloaded their latest CD "Several Arrows Later" tonight as a gift to myself in preparation for the 9 hour car trip tomorrow. And I'm lovin' it. My favorite song so far is "It Is Safe". Once I get more money I'll download the "Emblems" CD that has "Lily Two" on it.....
Oh, I live for new, great, beautiful music.
So I leave for Tennessee in about 7 hours. Darn. I should get some sleep. You never know what grandma will throw your way, so I gotta be alert, on my toes, and prepared to field all imaginable questions and appropriately react to random comments. She's a wiley one.....which is why I love her :).
Here is a pic of our beautiful tree:
Wednesday, December 21, 2005
I *heart* Chris Martin
Quote:
"We're kinda musically bisexual....we like both".
-Chris Martin, lead singer of Coldplay, speaking on how the band enjoys being on the road AND in the studio (from their recent performance on Austin City Limits).
Michael Stipe of REM made a guest appearance on the show and he perfomed "Nightswimming", which has to be one of my favorite REM songs. I was fortunate to see them (REM) in concert in 1995.
Again, I must reiterate that I love creative people. Both men mentioned above definitely fall into that category.
So, on to bigger and better things. I'm done with this semester!! I went to a great girls-night dinner party Monday night after we finished our last final. Great food, fun girl convo, and cosmopolitan martinis. :)
Tuesday night I had an amazing dinner prepared quite skillfully by Kyle. He went all out and thought of everything--including desert! Then we hung out "at home" for the first time ever, really. It has always been catching a drink, having a nice dinner out, or studying. And I found out that he didn't quite LOVE "White Christmas" as much as I do---Beth, we'll have to watch it after break, OK?
I have to buy A christmas present (as in one) before Friday, which is gonna be interesting considering I'm completely broke. I actually had to cancel plans to see a movie that I really wanted to see because I have no money. Life as a student stinks sometimes.
Other interesting tidbits:
Check out these hilarious comics that my sister sent me:
"We're kinda musically bisexual....we like both".
-Chris Martin, lead singer of Coldplay, speaking on how the band enjoys being on the road AND in the studio (from their recent performance on Austin City Limits).
Michael Stipe of REM made a guest appearance on the show and he perfomed "Nightswimming", which has to be one of my favorite REM songs. I was fortunate to see them (REM) in concert in 1995.
Again, I must reiterate that I love creative people. Both men mentioned above definitely fall into that category.
So, on to bigger and better things. I'm done with this semester!! I went to a great girls-night dinner party Monday night after we finished our last final. Great food, fun girl convo, and cosmopolitan martinis. :)
Tuesday night I had an amazing dinner prepared quite skillfully by Kyle. He went all out and thought of everything--including desert! Then we hung out "at home" for the first time ever, really. It has always been catching a drink, having a nice dinner out, or studying. And I found out that he didn't quite LOVE "White Christmas" as much as I do---Beth, we'll have to watch it after break, OK?
I have to buy A christmas present (as in one) before Friday, which is gonna be interesting considering I'm completely broke. I actually had to cancel plans to see a movie that I really wanted to see because I have no money. Life as a student stinks sometimes.
Other interesting tidbits:
Check out these hilarious comics that my sister sent me:
Sunday, December 18, 2005
The Best Birthday Week EVER
I must say that this past week, well, Thursday night on has been great. The best part of the weekend: my Birthday celebration with K and friends on Saturday night. K took me out for an incredible dinner and after-dinner drink (with a sweet little pre-dinner surprise) and then we met up with some friends at a local martini bar to enjoy some live music. I can't help but say that K made it a very enjoyable evening. :)
Thursday night was the "Erin's off of probation and Janine's bday" party. There were tons of funny and random pics taken, with a few posted below.
I went to my friend Peter's birthday party Friday night and instead of gifts he suggested that whomever was interested participate in a Music Exchange. Basically, make a mix cd. The good thing about this was that people who made cds made enough copies so that everyone participating got one. The end result: 8 new mixed cds for my listening pleasure.
I'm so excited!
Some people I know left the party before taking their required "Dance Dance Revolution" turn......(including me) :) Peter was having way too much fun with DDR for anyone else to even compare with his mad skills.
Now afer taking quite an extended nap this afternoon I'm back to studying for my LAST final tomorrow. After that it's all about the "Holiday Feast" at Beth's, work, visiting K in Detroit, last-minute Christmas stuff, then heading down to Tennessee for a crazy Christmas with the family.
The Party Girls
Beth, Me, and Damon after drinking Erin's "Invisible Kool-Aid" Punch
Hal, AJ and Me after MORE punch :)
Thursday night was the "Erin's off of probation and Janine's bday" party. There were tons of funny and random pics taken, with a few posted below.
I went to my friend Peter's birthday party Friday night and instead of gifts he suggested that whomever was interested participate in a Music Exchange. Basically, make a mix cd. The good thing about this was that people who made cds made enough copies so that everyone participating got one. The end result: 8 new mixed cds for my listening pleasure.
I'm so excited!
Some people I know left the party before taking their required "Dance Dance Revolution" turn......(including me) :) Peter was having way too much fun with DDR for anyone else to even compare with his mad skills.
Now afer taking quite an extended nap this afternoon I'm back to studying for my LAST final tomorrow. After that it's all about the "Holiday Feast" at Beth's, work, visiting K in Detroit, last-minute Christmas stuff, then heading down to Tennessee for a crazy Christmas with the family.
Wednesday, December 14, 2005
Wax-on, wax-off
There is a point to all of this (seemingly unnecessary) work, right? Do I really need to know the derivation for the proportional hazards regression equation? Will I thank Dr. Biostats down the road when I am battling Johnny and the evil forces of SAS-gone-bad? Crane-move, my ass. (If you don't get the reference, you're too young--c'mon Sol, you should know it!!)
Ahh, studying for 12 hours straight makes me crazy.....and there's such a long way to go.
Redeeming moment in the midst of finals-hell: Christmas packages from mom arrived tonight! That means homemade breads and cookies. Mmmmmmmmm! Too bad my sedentary lifestyle over the past 4 days means that I'll have to refrain from enjoying too many of those cookies, otherwise I'll be rolling myself out of the door to head to Tennessee for Christmas. Boy do I want to go for a run.
So do I include some ghetto music on the mix cd to be distributed at Peter's bday party Friday night?.....somehow I just don't think "I wanna get to know you" by G-Unit will go over well with that crowd. It IS fun in that ghetto sorta way :).
Ahh, studying for 12 hours straight makes me crazy.....and there's such a long way to go.
Redeeming moment in the midst of finals-hell: Christmas packages from mom arrived tonight! That means homemade breads and cookies. Mmmmmmmmm! Too bad my sedentary lifestyle over the past 4 days means that I'll have to refrain from enjoying too many of those cookies, otherwise I'll be rolling myself out of the door to head to Tennessee for Christmas. Boy do I want to go for a run.
So do I include some ghetto music on the mix cd to be distributed at Peter's bday party Friday night?.....somehow I just don't think "I wanna get to know you" by G-Unit will go over well with that crowd. It IS fun in that ghetto sorta way :).
Tuesday, December 13, 2005
What a happy birthday!
Today was a good day, nevermind the fact that I had work, class, and studying to do, it really didn't matter. What made it a good day: friends and family who wished me a happy birthday :).
So thank you to everyone who sent me birthday wishes via text message, email, phone call, blog posting, ecards, and real cards (thanks AJ and Kara!), and just by saying "Happy Birthday". Ya'll are great.
AND YOU KNOW I'LL BE CELEBRATING THURSDAY NIGHT!!
My sister brought home birthday pizza for dinner (I actually requested it) and a really tasty chocolate cake. And Josh sang Happy Birthday to me. Gotta love that.
OK, my study break for the evening is over. Back to Global Health and the health problems of the world......the only thing is that I'm listening to my ipod and I keep thinking of songs to add to Peter's birthday cd.....FOCUS!!
As I told a friend today, the longer I'm in grad school the more I think I have ADD. I just can't seem to not multitask when I have stuff to do. I guess some would call that procrastination, too. Hee.
Monday, December 12, 2005
I can see again!
I have spent the past week reading journal articles and writing papers. So much eye strain! But I finished my social epi paper this afternoon and turned it in. Now I am well versed in community-level socioeconomic status and the incidence of low birth weight in infants. It really isn't that interesting. I did have some fun, well, a lot of fun Friday night with Kyle. And today I took a little shopping break with the birthday money my mom sent me (Thanks mom! I bought a really great silky shirt for Christmas time!) and then decorated the HUGE Christmas tree my sister and Josh brought home yesterday while I was in the paper-haze. The tree is so big that we had to rearrange the livingroom furniture in order to fit it in. It takes up practically a whole corner of the room! But it smells like a Christmas tree and gives off that Christmas tree glow when all lit up. I love it.
That was probably the only break I'll get until my two finals are over on Thursday. I guess as you get older Birthdays don't really matter as much because I didn't really realize that my birthday is tomorrow until today. Besides the cards from relatives (which I appreciate) I received a really great present in the mail from my dad's girlfriend: a weekend bag. It is big and leather and just what I said I had wanted when I visited them at Thanksgiving. So now I can go away for the weekend and feel like a grown up carrying my nice new weekend bag. :)
I'll post pics of our big beautiful tree when I take some and I'll be sure to post lots of pics from this coming weekend's festivities: party Thursday night, party Friday night and then my birthday dinnner with Kyle Saturday night.
That was probably the only break I'll get until my two finals are over on Thursday. I guess as you get older Birthdays don't really matter as much because I didn't really realize that my birthday is tomorrow until today. Besides the cards from relatives (which I appreciate) I received a really great present in the mail from my dad's girlfriend: a weekend bag. It is big and leather and just what I said I had wanted when I visited them at Thanksgiving. So now I can go away for the weekend and feel like a grown up carrying my nice new weekend bag. :)
I'll post pics of our big beautiful tree when I take some and I'll be sure to post lots of pics from this coming weekend's festivities: party Thursday night, party Friday night and then my birthday dinnner with Kyle Saturday night.
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