Writer's Block, from Pigs

Pigs had this idea and I am blatantly stealing it. (In my defense, she says that we should!) It seems like it could be entertaining.

"If you read this, if your eyes are passing over this right now, (even if we don't speak often or don't really know each other) please post a comment with a COMPLETELY MADE UP AND FICTIONAL memory of you and me. It can be anything you want - good or bad - BUT IT HAS TO BE FAKE. When you're finished, post this little paragraph on your blog and be surprised (or mortified) about what people DON'T ACTUALLY remember about you!

Sounds like fun.

Post away." (Pigs, 2006)

(At least I make an effort to let my reader know from where I have taken the above work. Unlike my college level students. *sigh* )

Babies, Babies, Babies

I hereby declare 2006 the year of the Baby. Three good friends of mine are having children so far this spring, and all are due within about 10 days of each other. Wow! Plus, another couple I know (my confirmation sponsors, actually!) are also having another child in a couple of months. All this adds up to very few diapers for me personally, but a whole lot of knitting. I have found that I do really enjoy knitting and making baby blankets or little baby hats are nice, fun little projects that I can do for relaxation. I kind of wish I had some friends to knit with around here, as I am all about a little bit of socializing with some tea and knitting and chit-chat, but that's ok. I'm also happy by myself on my couch.

Speaking of babies, here is a picture of my "baby":


She's not actually my dog. She (Clara, the dog) technically belongs to my former roommate, but Clara lived with both of us for about 3 years back on the east coast. So since I helped to raise her I still think she's a little bit mine. I was puppy-sitting for Clara a few weekends back and had my suitcase open to do laundry when Clara decided that my pile of dry cleaning would be the right place to take a nap. I couldn't find her and looked all over the house only to find her nestled in amongst my dress clothes. How cute is that??

It's been a while

I know I haven't posted much recently. It seems I don't really have much of interest to say! I have kept rather busy at work. I am in the last few months of graduate school and finally all of those little details that I have been putting off until later have to be done. Apparently, it's now officially "later".

I just returned from an astronomy conference; there were 3100 people there. That's a lot of astronomers. I presented my dissertation talk during one of the sessions. I think the talk went well, although I had another minor shoe mishap. This time, instead of stepping in a hole, my shoe just slipped off my foot as I walked up to the stage. I don't think much of anyone noticed, though I about burst out laughing. Thankfully my back was still to the audience.

I think I have the details of my move pretty well worked out. I found a tiny furnished apartment, so I am headed out there in a month to spend three months with my collaborator. Hopefully, I'll have the bulk of my thesis done by the end of that time. I can come back here for about 6 weeks, defend my thesis, and then move to wherever it is I can find a job.

I recently got my evaluations back from my class last semester. There were several "I loved this class" and there were two "This is the worst class I have ever taken and I will never take another astronomy class because of you". There wasn't any overarching theme behind the criticisms so I guess that's a good thing. Everyone had a different complaint. I know I cannot please everyone and people tell me I should have a thicker skin, but I can't help thinking that I could have done a better job and more people might have been happier.

Not-So Rockin'

Did anyone else see Dick Clark on New Year's Eve? I think that sitting there listening to him speak as the ball was dropping was the very moment that I decided that there was no way I could get out of moving. So I'm headed halfway across the country in about 6 weeks. I have commitments here up until then, and I don't want to keep going back and forth (it's an 18-hour drive). Yesterday I quit all of the committees in which I participated and I quit my other teaching job earlier in the week. In the next few weeks I have to pack up and store all of my belongings and find a tiny, furnished, short-term lease apartment that I can afford 1000 miles away. Just the added bonus activities one wants the semester before defending their thesis. I am hoping to only be in the new place for 3-4 months before I can come back here and move again to wherever I can find a job (or a Starbucks that's hiring).

I saw my advisor today for the first time in about 2.5 months. What would have been a 3 minute conversation last fall took over an hour today. The good news is that he is in good spirits. Sadly, his right side is almost completely paralyzed and his speech is pretty bad. I don't know how he ranks on the scale of recovering stroke victims, but I don't see him ever returning to work again. He knows he won't ever teach again, but thinks he can still do research. I just don't know how he will. It's sad.

At any rate, I hope everyone had lovely Christmas and New Year's holidays. I didn't get to do nearly as much visiting with friends & family as I had hoped I might, but I guess that's how it goes sometimes. 2006 has got to be better. I know that much.