week one.

First week of grad school...DOWN.

To be honest I feel like the first week was a little bit of a let down. Most likely it's the result of the summer. I've already gotten used to campus, met a lot of people from my department, and been in the lab a lot, so it doesn't feel that different. I just have classes.

I'm taking three courses this semester, one of which is a seminar and only sort of counts. Biochemistry is good so far, it's a lot of review, but in much more detail, which I think will turn out to be extremely helpful. It's team-taught by three different professors and they crack me up, but I'm sure they are not trying to be funny. Enzymology is a lot of chemistry and math, which is nice, but at times confusing.

I really like the lab I'm in right now, everything just kind of clicks for me. Plus, I've only really been there a week (not even full days, just in between classes, etc.) and I'm already really comfortable, as if I've been there for a while. The PI is really open to questions, clarifications, and discussions, which is super helpful to me. I really like how hands-on he is.

Fall is shaping up to be a busy season this year. Of course I have school, but there are also two weddings and other things happening. I'm lining up my Fall concert series. I have a ticket for Sufjan Stevens (how awesome is it that he's touring?!) and will also have a ticket for either Vampire Weekend or The Flaming Lips, depending on how the scheduling works out. My ears are so pumped.

Speaking of music, I'm not sure I've ever been as anxious for an album to come out as I have been for this. I've been watching the video from that article at least five times a day since I saw it. And I've read various interviews of both Mavis Staples and Jeff Tweedy about working together. I can't believe that she is 71! My album copy has been pre-ordered so now I just have to wait for that beautiful download. Seriously excited.

I just made a new friend, Jaime. He's Columbia's resident didjeridu (didgeridoo? According to wikipedia it can be spelled either way) aficionado. He makes them, plays them, and gives lessons. He invited me to come to a free session on Sunday at the park to learn and told me even if I didn't want to actually play it, he teaches good breathing techniques that are useful for meditation. He has a cute poodle named Zombie. I'm pretty sure Jaime is homeless. I think this is the start of a wonderful friendship.

-ish?

Facebook is convinced that I'm Jewish. It started innocently enough with an advertisement for http://www.theshiksa.com/ (which I actually really enjoyed, and read regularly). However, within the past couple of weeks, I have been bombarded by a number of Jewish foundations telling me how to find my ancestors and offering heritage tours (not unlike Everything is Illuminated). I'm not quite sure where Facebook got this notion, and to be honest it's strange because I'm not Jewish.

Honeslty, though, I think Facebook can just read my soul. Because here's the thing: wish I was Jewish.

I guess it's not actually that I want to convert to Judaism or anything, but I wish I was a part of a bigger culture, clan even. Within the past few years I realized that I want more traditions and I guess the Jewish people are just a good example of tradition (thank you, The Fiddler on the Roof, for that delightful pun).

It's kind of a restless feeling I suppose, but I just want to feel connected.

unfolding fans

I'm convinced that I might indeed be the world's worst blogger. I just don't ever know what to 'blog' about. I feel like I've tried to start some themes before, but it never quite sticks. Anyway, I'm sure you're wondering what I've been doing with myself these first few weeks of my new life. Here it goes:

First and foremost I spend time in the lab. At least 7 hours a day. Currently I'm attempting to optimize a few protocols for the cells and protein we're working with. It's a little slow going so far. I've been working with another student who just finished his first year exams, but neither one of us really knows what we are doing. And we really don't get a lot of direction from our 'mentor', so we just blunder along. Which is probably better in the long run, because we have already made a bazillion mistakes...so we're learning, right? I think so.

I don't drive. On average (at least for the past three weeks) I've only driven about twice a week. I'm trying to bike/walk everywhere. Which has had some funny moments so far, like when I crashed my bike on the street and I thought no one saw me, until a few minutes later when this older gentleman came to check on me because he thought I had seriously injured myself (fyi, I had not). He offered to fix my bike too, but it was fine. Given the recent heat waves that seem to have settled over all of Missouri, I inevitably sweat all day too. It's nearly impossible to walk even a few blocks without being drenched. Gross.

I've been watching the World Cup. I've never seen the World Cup games before, but I started watching this year. And I'm hooked, for better or worse. The fans are so enthusiastic and I love their outfits. MU's been showing the games on a big screen in the union and it's fun to sit and watch with all of the international kids. Watching the games is also a great reason to have a beer early in the day (only for the weekend games...).

Last weekend I went home and went to my first bachelorette party at a Cardinals game (I think there is a new sports theme to my life). It was basically a blast.

All I can really say is that I'm having fun. I'm learning about life and living it on my own and being a graduate student and budgeting. It's weird. But I think I'm liking it.

blerg.

Blerg. It's been a while. I find it so intimidating to try and update when it’s been so long.

I have been a resident of Columbia for over a week now. I’ve been in the lab for one week. That doesn’t seem possible. I still kind of feel like in a few weeks I’ll be heading home or something, like this is just temporary. It hasn’t sunk in that this is [semi]-permanent.

I like being in a ‘real’ college town so far. I like that nearly everyone I meet is a student of some sort, coffee shops stay open late, and there is a plethora of great food and beer. That all makes for one happy girl. I don’t have cable or internet and that has been a little hard to adjust to. I've just been mooching wifi at coffee shops and all around campus, which hasn't really been too bad.

Slowly the lab situation is improving. I feel a little more each day like I actually belong in this environment. It was kind of a rough start, which has only been compounded by the fact that my mentor will just be around 3 days a week and I'm still not sure which project I'm actually working on. But the other lab members have taken me under their wing and I've been able to tag along for some of their work, which has been fun. I got to help remove embryonic mice brains yesterday in order to grow some neurons. That was pretty sweet. And I'm still learning a lot, so at least there's that.

That's all I have for now.

cut like a buffalo

I finally got to hang out with my sister and her family today and it was fantastic. I haven't seen my niece or nephew in almost year and it's been hard! They look so different now! I love playing with them. It's cool that as they get older they develop their own little personalities. Kaylee is really into music and dancing right now. She loves Taylor Swift and knows all the words to her songs. She loves to dance around and play her guitar too. And Tyler is starting to talk more and actually say sentences. Adorable.

On the way home I realized that when my sister was my age, she had been married for almost two years and was pregnant with her first child. And that made me sad. And then I felt weird that it made me sad.

starman: let all the children boogie.

Right now I'm just trying to focus on being calm. Which is hard for me.

Over the weekend I went to look at apartments in Columbia with my mom and my aunt. It was actually a lot of fun and I think I found a place that I really like. It was on the higher end of the rent spectrum I'm willing to pay, but it's a good size and it's literally blocks from campus. It has a cute little front porch area where I could put out a table and chairs. It has a new kitchen too. I'm going to look at some more this Friday. Even if those don't work out, at least I know I really like this place. Bah!

I'm also officially registered as an MU student. I'm enrolled in my class (which isn't really a class...it's just lab time) for the summer too! So excited. I still don't know exactly what I'll be doing, but that's ok with me.

Soon I'm going to Jewell's graduation. Three days later Hannah and I are heading to South Bend for Road Trip '10. I'm going to see The Black Keys. I'm going to a bachelorette party at a Cardinal's game.

This is certainly shaping up to be a wonderful summer!