Good-bye, so-long, farewell

However you put it, they are not fun, well usually the actual good-bye party is a blast, but saying so-long to dear friends is never an enjoyable experience. But they have begun. We had a farewell dinner last night for our lab dishwasher and general great all-around helper; Peggy II. Why the II, you ask? Well when we received Peggy's application it was an omen that she would be a great replacement for the then current dishwasher, Peggy (now affectionately referred to as Peggy I). We have not had such luck with a Peggy III, although Jamie said she wouldn't mind if we did call her Peggy - so it may slip out time to time.

In true Freund lab fashion, dinner was filled with inappropriate awkward moments taking about someones inability to deal with their white-creamy dressing, how enjoyable the dark woods table are, and where the hotness quotient in the lab was heading without Peggy.

Peggy has been a wonderful employee and friend who always brought great cheer and interesting stories to the lab - we will miss her greatly!

Fox News

Fox is not really my regular cable news source, but I am impressed with their creativity.

Happy Birthday Stuie

Random birthday facts: my brother and I were both born 2-days late (which rarely ever happens anymore) and in snow storms.

The fondest memory I have of his birthday was in 1988 when the family was in NY for my aunt's wedding. I do not remember if it was before or after the wedding, but we were at my Aunt Sheila and Uncle George (paternal grandmother's brother & sister-in-law) for some kind of wedding-related-family-gathering. I was six at the time, and this was the first time Stuart and I had met my dad's extended family. Aunt Shelia told me she wanted to get a cake for Stuart's birthday. There were several more wedding-related-family-gathering planned for that weekend in which to celebrate his birthday; she asked me what he likes. I declared strawberry! This is were my six-year-memory is a little fuzzy, because I can not recall if the ensuing cake fiasco was later that day or the following.

A several tier, white frosted, strawberry-lined cake arrived. Aunt Shelia set-up the cake on the buffet in the formal dining room. We all gathered and sang happy birthday to "little Stuie" (since my dad is the orginal Stuie is that circle). As they were passing around nicely sliced pieces of, what I assume was a pretty pricey combination of sugar, flour, butter, and strawberries, it became apparent that "little Stuie" did not like strawberry cake. I soon found myself hiding under the table in the cloak of the table cloth. Aunt Shelia was not too happy needless to say and let me know it. My parents on the other-hand found it a bit amusing, especially since I do not even particularly like strawberry cake all that well.

In retrospect, I can only conclude that I made this decision because I knew he did not like it. I have made him yellow-cake with extra chocolate frosting ever since.

Inaugural

Now that I am in the full-swing of preparing to start the next chapter of my life, it has occurred to me just how bad I have been at maintaining the past chapters. With all that has happened in the last 5 years and the unforgettable, life changing people I have met, this is a mistake I do not want to repeat. Therefore, I have decided to join the bandwagon of the blog-o-sphere and hopefully make up for time with those I have lost and maintain those I hope not to.

Most pertinently, I will be blogging about my move to Ann Arbor, starting my new job (writing my grant before I even get there), leaving my beloved current one, tying up dissertation and publication end at UIUC, RD exam studying, and planning my last-ever most-fantastic summer vacation (which will not be all in one day, for those of you who remember that summer vacation). There will of course be family, friends, science, silliness of Lily, crazy act of randomness (that all seem to happen), and the misadventures of Dr. X-Tina – I could be a super hero, I have a name and an arch enemy.

Boxes

Well it has begun! After selling the twin bed in the spare room on Craig's List I decided I should get the room ready for it's rolls as storage-o-boxes, so I threw out the carpet (secret note: it was a remnant), and boy carpet is sure heavier than expected.

I started with just a few things from the lab that I brought home in boxes they are saving for me about a week and a half ago. Now I have emptied out several items from the closets: Christmas decorations, linens, extra candles, and lots of books. I think this might be it for awhile. I do not want to start taking things off the walls or making it look to unlived in, I still have a few more months.