First Quiz Over

Yay for Spanish quizzes...not. I think I might have gotten one wrong, perhaps more, I might have an inflated view of how well I did:)
Thank goodness Wednesday is almost over, although, that means I only have one and half more days to complete my stats homework! AAAhh, I hear it's easy just long.
I'm looking forward to going home to another Caley concoction! He made curry last night (of his own recipe) and it was FANTASTIC! I love going home and smelling something wonderful coming all the way down the hall:) Plus having dinner ready and waiting when I walk in the door, man! Couldn't get any better:) I'm so super lucky I can't even express it!
Can't wait to see various members of my family later this spring. I think we might go to Durango for spring break! I'm sure there is going to be a group of people who want to go biking in Moab, and we've never been and people are really going to want to do that...but I might just let him go and head home for some recharging:)
Anyway, back to something mildly productive,
Megan

A Good Monday

Weird, I know, Mondays aren't supposed to be good, so I guess you could call it Great! Started off the day at 6:30am! Class at 8:00, but had to go to work to print off notes for said class. Unfortunately we were out of coffee at the house, and I forgot my purse, so a little sleepy, but managed to stay awake for the whole class. We are actually learning things in Stats!! It's amazing!! I actually feel like I could do the stuff he's asking me to do. Plus I learned from last semesters mistakes and am coming to class prepared with all the notes and examples:) Whoo:) Spanish was alright as well, I got one answer correct, and one wrong...I actually had no idea what she was talking about, so I said I didn't, not even an attempt at answering which was ok because class was almost over and she has a weird accent. Oh, forgot, Caley has class right before me in the same building so we get to say a quick hello in the middle of the day, I love it!
Lunch at home with the kitty, and then a stop a Starbucks on the way back to work. Their new vanilla rooibos latte is AMAZING! Not going to make a habit of it though, kinda overpriced...Work was productive, still here actually, I didn't even quite get through what I hoped to today, but tomorrow morning I can catch up a little. I imagine I'll be coming in over the weekend again, and even more than last week, but only because I'd really like to help Laura (my Italian colleague in Mexico) to finish her proposal by the middle of Feb. which I might add, is looming rather quickly.
I went to yoga at the rec as well this afternoon, lots of good stretching, I can already touch the floor again in a front bend!!! The knee felt ok, just a little twinge in some of the lunging poses, and felt totally good on the walk back to work. Where I am now, waiting for a gel to run.
Caley will pick me up in 20 minutes, and I'm under the impression he has some thawed chicken soup from the freezer waiting for me...how wonderful!! (and domestic, he's cute) Bike meeting tonight, and maybe some homework, or maybe straight to bed at 9pm!! With such full days, I feel like an old lady ready to crash at like 8:30:)

I'm so glad things are going better at work and school than the end of last semester!!
-Megan

It was cold today...

Almost the weekend!

Already I can feel the momentum building behind this semester! I got an email from my colleague down in Mexico, she needs information from me about my project. I still don't feel like I have enough to give her what she needs, but if I can put in some good work the next few days and get some big gels going next week, then I'll probably have a better idea of where the project will be going, at least some more specific information that the general stuff we've already talked about. I think Dr. Black must be out of town or something because he hasn't been in today, and I don't think he was in yesterday.
Also, I am signed up for a group presentation about an antibacterial drug, Vancomycin, for Feb. 12th, I have a Spanish exam on Feb. 2nd and a big stats homework due next week. Geez! Way to get right into it. Although, after my first stats lecture, I'm actually kind of looking forward to the semester because the professor is soooooooo SOOOOOOOOO SOOOOOOO much better than the last semesters prof. I just wish we'd had my current teacher last semester to get the foundation I need for this semester! Oh well, but I'm determined to get an A this time around.
The knee still hurts from CA, Caley and I figured it's probably because I have new shoes and a different cleat position and riding in that new/bad position for 7.5hrs. We went for a great mtn bike ride yesterday, but I definitely felt the knee and need to keep resting it for awhile. I'm bummed because we are still having summertime weather here in FoCo, a high of around 66 again today! I think I'll take up yoga at the rec center. Classes are free this week, and if I can get out of the officer meeting early tonight I'll go to the 6:45 class. I've also been icing poor knee today at work, feels good every couple of hours to pull out the pack and "chill out". :)
Still left to do today: start two PCR's with my new found protocol and primers, buy Spanish books, clean up what Caley didn't get to at the house (although he did a great job on the living room judging from his picture text earlier) and get a start on my stats homework if at all possible, or read some more literature about my project so I can send something at least to the people in Mexico. Like I said, momentum is building!
Wish me luck!
-Megan

Back to Reality

Christmas break is over, school has begun, and I'm back at work trying to pass the time until the machine is done (seems like half my life I'm doing this...). Fort Collins saw a high of 67 degrees today! We might as well still be in CA minus the ocean! Santa Barbara was absolutely amazing. I arrived at LAX around 7:15 and Caley arrived around 8pm after braving LA traffic to pick me up; as I waited outside in tank top and flip flops I could already tell the trip was going to be awesome. The apartment we stayed at with friends from the UCSB cycling team was packed to the gills with bikers, clothes, and sleeping material, but we fit just perfectly on an air mattress in the living room. The first full day we split up into two groups, basically group one was whoever made it to the top of the first climb before the rest of us, and we headed out for an epic ride...a little too epic for me. The route took us through a small town in wine country named Solvang. Look it up, it's a trip for sure! Basically a small Danish town transplanted among the palm trees and yucca plants of the CA desert. Outside of Solvang we rode along Santa Rosa road which was absolutely gorgeous and rolling and picturesque with cows on the steep hills and vineyards as far as the eye could see. Even some orchards (not quite sure what) and a very muddy cauliflower field. We then hopped on highway one for some awful headwinds and continuous up hill. By the time we hit 95 miles, I was done and had to call someone to pick me up. Unfortunately my knee did not survive the ride and I had to take the next day off. Tried riding again the third, made it about and hour and a half, and didn't ride the last day, but spent a lot of quality time on the beach and relaxing which I think I deserved after the week before at work:) The knee is feeling better now, still kind of tight and a little sore, so taking today off as well. Probaby back to it tomorrow though. Caley and I also got to have a lovely family dinner at the Kents house up on the hill overlooking Santa Barbara and the ocean. Fantastic salmon and salad and bread. The whole team is invited back to stay with them next year which I am all in favor of!!!
Sadly words and pictures do not do justice to the magic of the coast, but I try, and here are some pics to gaze upon with envy!
Love,
Megan

HIP HIP HOOORRRRAAAAAYYY

My new primers worked!!! Happy happy happy day!! I still have to tweak some things, but holy moly I'm so excited!!!!

Regrouping

This past weekend I did nothing but stay at home, hang out with the cat, and watch some 30 Rock on Netflix. Needless to say, it was not a fun weekend, and I'm thoroughly disgusted with myself and how I succumbed to self pity and laziness. The main reasons for this wallowing stem from my inability to get excited and motivated about my work. I know what needs to change about my attitude, and I'm trying to move in that direction, but that doesn't make it any easier to actually change my attitude.
I get way too far ahead of myself and start stressing about the future, like what am I possibly going to do either for my PhD, or a career or even just a stupid job for awhile after we get back from Europe. I start thinking about who would want me after my abysmal performance on my masters degree, or how I could ever have the confidence and know-how to teach in a classroom, but more than that, how could I ever have a job that would pay me enough money to live off of? Pay all my bills? Get contacts every month? Pay rent? Cell phone? Everything that a functioning adult in todays world has to deal with. As I think all these thoughts, I almost feel disconnected from my body, as if I'm looking in at this person, who is a college graduate, almost has a masters degree, but doesn't seem to know how to be an adult. Does everyone feel that way when they have to finally become completely independent from their parents? I know I'm luckier than a lot of people by not having student loans and having parents who were able to support me for so long; maybe that's my problem, I've been coddled:)
But, then, I try to take a deep breath and "count my blessings" if you will. I have a wonderful family, an amazing boyfriend who puts up with all this crazy, an adorable cat who tends to show his affection by biting me awake in the morning, a great place to live, and great friends to go bike with. I'm trying so hard right now to not let the negative cast a shadow on everything else that's so great about my life! I admit, this past weekend I failed at that. But today is a new day, off to a slightly shaky start, but it has some potential.
-Megan

Aquarium and Boston pics!

Scenes from Home and Christmas '08

Well, it's 60 degrees in January

So, I think I'll play hooky from work this afternoon. It's not actually playing hooky since I have nothing to do until my new primers come in. They'll probably be here on Saturday (not sure if things even come on Saturdays here...) A mtn bike ride seems to be just what the doctor ordered. Then we have to pack up! Kind of weird since I don't leave until next week, but I don't want to check a bag at the airport, so Caley will be taking my stuff. I'm soooooooo excited!! But nervous to fly alone, and I still have to book a space on the shuttle...
I wish we had our little camera for this trip!! We'll have to bring my "small" one that isn't really small enough to bring on rides and such, but oh well, we'll just have to deal I suppose. I hope we get the little one back!
Well, I better try to go do something productive. Not sure what...there really is nothing I could do right now. My lab notebook is all caught up, and I think my DNA is ok (I checked it last night) at least for one population it's ok...BLAH I just want to leave right now!
-Megan

Home, and almost to Sunny California!!

1/2/09
Caley and I are finally home after our epic Christmas/New Years adventure trip! Sebastian was soooo sooooooo happy to see us and is being extremely loving, and extremely feisty as a result of us being home:) I always love coming home after a trip, even though the laundry and dishes seem to accumulate with unusual speed when you least feel like doing anything.
I am currently back at work, waiting for a gel to finish up so I can go home. Not sure what we'll do tonight, maybe make use of the movie gift certificates the Fretz's gave us for Christmas! I want to see Benjamin Button, and I think there are a few other good ones out right now.

1/5/09
I sooo looking forward to flying out and meeting my team in California for some warm weather training! I guess that means I need to get on my bike the next week to get some long rides in. Sadly it's cold today, and I'm stuck at work waiting for Dr. Black to get in so we can figure out what's wrong with my PCR's. I'm hoping he actually makes it in to the office today. If he doesn't I still have one more thing to try, but that machine is in use right now, so I have to wait for another hour and a half to get that going. I don't mind waiting, but it's still kind of annoying that these PCRs aren't working, and I've made absolutely no progress on my project for a whole semester, and I'm worried I won't even make progress next semester! Blah! Oh well, I shouldn't worry so much about it right now, plenty of time to get this figured out if I'm proactive about it.

Pictures from Christmas!