Summer Update

Wow, I can't believe it's only been a week since school's been out - with the summer research program getting underway, it feels like WEEKS since school ended!  Even the "kick-off" party last Sunday seems like ages ago; it's so weird to think it was only a week ago.  Weird.

So... the first week was pretty great!  Well, the first 2.5 days were boring - orientation, safety training, animal handling training, etc.  BUT - when we finished training on Wednesday afternoon, I headed to the lab to get started!  Some people's labs told them to just not worry about it and come in Thursday, but when I emailed, they told me - "Okay, see you at 2!"

I figured it would be a getting-to-know-things kind of day, but nope!  I got right into working on things!  I ended up working 'til 6pm, and when I left that day, I was over my anxiety!!  If any of you had talked to me the week before (or read my blog post I guess), you would know that I was excited, but so incredibly anxious - fearful almost.  After that first afternoon though, I really felt like, "I think I can do this... and I think I'm going to ENJOY it!"  And by Friday afternoon I was talking Tim's ear off about it, researching/studying brain anatomy - I even bought this gorgeous book, "The Human Brain" because I'm just so interested!  If you are at all interested in how the brain works, you should pick this book up - it's not everyday I call a science book "gorgeous," but it truly is!  And it's not overly-neurosciency... I feel like anyone could flip through it and enjoy it.  And though this pic makes it look like a textbook, it's not.  I got it at B&N and it has tons of full color, glossy photos/illustrations. 

They told us the first day of orientation that we could talk about what we're doing in the lab, but very generally... the example they gave was posting on Facebook something along the lines of, "Had a great day in the lab today!"  I was like, WOW - that is ridiculously general.  No indication of ANY of the cool things I'll be doing.  So... unless I find out otherwise, I don't think I can expand on what I'm working on.  I think it's okay to say that my research involves different proteins that seem to be related with different neuro-degenerative diseases, and that I will be making tissue slides and analyzing them.  Not sure I can say much else though for now.  I will tell you though, that it is looking to be a very good summer!  The people I am working with in my lab are awesome, and I'm already doing several things on my own - including using a very sharp slicing machine with no direct supervision!  Ha!

Let's see... what else is new... oh!  We are for sure going to Disney World!! 

I am sooooo excited!!  We haven't booked it yet, but we've been doing research and are definitely going.  We've decided to stay at one of the Disney hotels, because they have so many amenities for going to the different parks... now it's just a matter of deciding which one (a main factor being price, because they are pricey!).  So if any of you have any tips or helpful hints in planning a Disney World vacation, please let me know!  We're also debating the whole Universal Studios thing, so if you have any opinions about that, let me know that as well.  We kind of just want to do Disney (I didn't even realize they were separate entities, if that tells you how little I know of it!) to keep things simple (we're not into a go, go go! kind of vacation), BUT - I reeeeeally wanted to go to the Harry Potter theme park!!!  :/  I am torn.  Thoughts?

Now I know all you HP freaks (like me) are thinking this is a no-brainer... but think practically with me people!!  Imagine that you were really going, you have a finite amount of resources, days to spend there, etc... and think about it honestly! 

Okay, so I think that's it as far as interesting(?) updates of things so far.

Oh, one last thing - this summer's goal: go workout in the mornings!  Now I think I make this a "goal" every summer, but I reeeeally want to do it this time (and I think I can).  I don't have to be at the lab 'til 9:30, it's less than 10 minutes from our place (and the gym is less than 5), and I will be on a schedule, which always helps.  Plus I have the ol' ten year reunion at the end of the summer, so I want to look nice and svelte for that... although getting MARRIED didn't exactly have the "get your butt to the gym" effect that I figured it would, but oh well.  :)  Tim said he would go with me, so that helps.  Wish me luck!!

I'd like to look about how I did when I first started teaching... which is not too different from what I am now, so it seems like a doable goal.  Obviously if I could look like I did for my junior prom or my 21st birthday I would... but we'll cross that bridge when/if we come to it. 

Here's a (not great) pic of the beginning of my first year of teaching.  I tried to find a better one, but to no avail.  You might not be able to tell a huge difference w/ the big shirt, but I can... my face & neck look a lot thinner to me, and I got rid of those jeans LONG ago (and they don't even look tight in that picture)!

I'll let ya know how it goes!  The summer is only a week in and already flying by - hopefully it's not time for school to start before I update again.  :)