Give and ye shall receive

I got some bomb gifts for christmas. They include:

but best of all...

OMG yessssssss. Our coffee table just got 19857298356198248x awesomer.

Green Light

I have been accepted to the class of 2016 at Temple University School of Medicine.

:D

L.

Checking it twice

I should be grading exams yet here I am. 

As I am being constantly reminded how close Christmas is, I thought I would write a Christmas post. I wanted to title it "Merry Christmas, I could care less" from a wonderful song I love called "Yule Shoot Your Eye Out". I am not feeling very Christmas-y this year and I don't know why. I haven't really listened to any Christmas muzak. I am forcing myself to listen to it tonight - maybe that will help me and my scroog-itude. I haven't done any shopping besides gifts for one person = fail. Having no money really ruins Christmas. And I never thought it could. 

I asked for a pair of crocs for Christmas. and the Lady GaGa book. For my coffee table. (On a side note, I was just called a child of the earth and smiled really big.) 

I am usually a great gift giver, but this year I am at a loss for what to give people. Like for reals. I think that is stressing me out more than anything.  

On a happier note, I watched NYCB's production of The Nutcracker last night and that made me very happy. I love The Nutcracker more than anything. I will never get tired of it. My favorite dance is usually The Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy or the Chocolate Dance...Sometimes the Waltzes. I will always love the waltz of the flowers because of this (Queue to 13:05)

The Journey

"The best journeys answer questions that, in the beginning, you didn't even think to ask."

Don't you think that is true? My life has had some amazing changes in the last month. I went from working for a creep for awful pay to working three jobs that I love. And when I think about how I thought this year would be a waste of time...I was so wrong. I have grown so much closer to good friends, been here for those who have needed me, and get to meet tons of new people through work and BES. 

I travel to distant states for med school interviews and I try to be realistic and ask myself, "Would I be ok with living here?" and I tell myself yes or no. And, every time, I fly home and I drive east on I-80 and I can see Parleys, Millcreek, and Big & Little CWC, and I just smile. I am so lucky that I live 30 minutes from any outdoor activity I want to do, my family, my work, the best pupusas in Utah, or anything else I could want. It is scary facing a reality that could mean that would be gone. 

But for now, I am enjoying the journey and hoping it will eventually answer all my questions and doubts.

Tater Tot

I can't wait till she is here! Oh and Ben and Erica too :)

I still had my bedazzler.

http://www.eonline.com/videos/v175050_exclusive-lady-gagas-marry-the-night-music-video.html

Karma

Well, all I can say is that I am glad I stuck it out over the last few rough weeks. Karma is paying plenty of good juju back :)

I found out yesterday that I am on the waiting list at Albany Medical College! I also found out that I am interviewing at Temple School of Medicine in three weeks! 

but the thing I am most excited for...

Someone turned in my iPod at the gym!!!

Yessssssssssss.

I am going to go pick it up right now :)

Funniest Episode EVER

PT Time

I had a double dose of PT today. Physical Therapy and Personal Trainer. 

The first of these PTs was helpful. I love the electric stimulation massager machine. I want one. And I had a fill-in PT who was a granola-awesome-person. In birks with socks. Yes.

Then to the second PT. A little background- I am a member at Anytime Fitness and there is a super attractive gorilla juice-head personal trainer who works there. I have had a crush on him since I signed up. So, as I am a coward and I wanted to talk to him/try to get to know him, I decided I should cash in on my free personal training sessions and do so with him. What was I thinking?!  Oh my jeebus I wanted to die a little after the session. And I couldn't even tell if he was flirting with me or just being nice because I am a client. I am so oblivious when it comes to guys. When I go to the gym with my friend, she is always telling me that guys are checking me out and I am apparently too focused on my curls to notice. Regardless, I wish I had someone observing my next sesh with the PT because I can't tell for myself ha. 

Ok enough of this. It is warm and calm outside. 

That's bad!

It means the snow is coming!

RUN & HIDE!

You've Got a Friend

Thanks to Nikki's awesomeness, last night I got to see SAVION GLOVER!!! It was amazing! (minus the fact that it was at BYU) He was my idol when I was in tap class as a kid. And last night just proved that he is the best tap dancer in the world. Basically. We saw his group BareSoundz and it was just them tapping the whole time. No recorded music - they made the music. He is so talented I am still in awe over it a bit. Also, may I say that he is gorgeous? Mocha-love, dreads, and he taps? I do. Here are some pictures I got with him after the show when he signed my program. and a vid of him doing his thing...

That was the best day of my life tap-dancing! Savion Glover yeah!

- Courtesy of Lisa in Pauly D mode last night

A Little Etymology...and Zombies

           So this Pediatrician I shadow gave me this book (above) and it has been a quick and interesting read. I can totally identify with the feelings of having your first dissection, the use of the term "cadaver juice", all of it. As I was reading in it today they discussed the spleen. The spleen is an organ that is purplish-maroon and about the size of the half of a grapefruit (or a huge orange in today's GMO enhanced world of produce). Anyway, in the middle ages, they thought the spleen was the source of black humour or melancholy. The spleen sits deep under your ribs. A condition, -ia, of something that is below, hypo, the cartilaginous portion of your ribcage, chrondr-, is better known as hypochondria. And, as it turns out, this condition of having poor feelings about your health was thought to stem from melancholy or the black humour. Hence they called the condition Hypochondria. Isn't that nifty? I love when you know the Latin roots of words in science, especially in anatomy. Most things are named for where they are or what they look like....only in Latin.

Take the EYE for example. 

The eye has these extraocular muscles that allow it to swivel so easily. They are named for their shape (rectus - straight, oblique - neither perpendicular nor parallel : inclined : having the axis not perpendicular to the base : having no right angle). There are four muscles that are some form of Rectus and two that are some form of Oblique. Why do we care? See the red dotted ring a short ways back from the cornea on the sclera? That is called the limbus region. And that red dotted line is the exact cut I have to make when I am recovering donor corneas from deceased people for my new job. 
Which brings us to our last topic...ZOMBIES. 

I just started watching The  Walking Dead on Netflix. I have always said that eyes and fingernails are the two things that freak me out about dead people. But now I have to deal with dead eyes. a lot of dead eyes. And I am afraid that if I combine a zombie show with the freakiness of dead eyes that I may have zombie nightmares. 

I hope not. 

Fashionista in the making

I love seeing pictures of Alex in all the cute clothes I buy her :) Snow leopard leggings = One very festive Halloweeny baby.

Roctober

I love October. It is Halloween today and the professor I work for is wearing a jester hat right now. It is impossible to take him seriously...hence, I am blogging. (I am not sure I just used "hence" correctly.) Halloween weekend was a great success with parties, friends, and good times. The forecast says it is going to snow tomorrow. Sucks! I guess it wouldn't be Halloween in Utah without a snow storm. There is a student in class right now that made herself a Tron costume that lights up and everything = sweet. October went so quickly! Earlier this month I went to Albany, NY for a medical school interview and it was beautiful!!! I absolutely loved it. I hope I hear good news from them soon. I have an interview at the U of U SOM in just over a week. I am nervous! October and Halloween also signal the Blackout football game which was very fun this year! (Last year we got thwomped by TCU...in front of the whole country...) We beat the Oregon State Beavers and got our first PAC-12 win! I also start training for my new job tomorrow! I am an Eye Bank Tissue Recovery Technician for the Utah Lions Eye Bank in the Moran Eye Center! I can't wait to start. I guess this is all I will post for now.

Toodles
L

The Louses are Coming

In the past week, I have had two dreams where I have head lice. Considering I have never had head lice, I am concerned. So I googled it. Here's what came up:

LiceA dream of lice contains much waking worry and distress. It often implies offensive ailments. Lice on stock, foretells famine and loss. To have lice on your body, denotes that you will conduct yourself unpleasantly with your acquaintances. To dream of catching lice, foretells sickness, and that you will cultivate morbidity.

                                 Apparently, I am going to be a brat. My apologies in advance.

On the bright side, I just graduated and work at a tier 1 research university where professors that study lice and, consequently have lice, invent gadgets to get rid of lice.

Behold...I give you, the LOUSEBUSTER! 

SCIENCE!!!!!!



L

So many colors

I was going to blog about an awesome hot air balloon ride I went on yesterday. But without pictures, it is a lame story. So changing focus to my favorite month...OCTOBER!
October is my favorite month because of the colors, Halloween, the activities, and Day of the Dead.

I can't believe October is almost here. I went boating at Jordanelle yesterday (that's right, it was warm enough to go boating on September 24!) and it made me miss the summer. I do love fall so I'll get over it I'm sure.
1. October is when my interview in Albany, New York is taking place! And who wouldn't love autumn in new york?

So beautiful!

2. October is when I start getting excited for HALLOWEEN! and just a preview of what's to come:

Rainbow Dash!

                                                      Oh yes, start getting excited.
Lastly, 3. October-ish is when Day of the Dead is. I want to make a skull of my own this year. Maybe like these...

Well, it looks like it is going to be an awesome month. Hooray for October. Can't you come sooner?


L

Haysi

For someone who is super unattractive, he sure makes my hips want to dance. I love this song.

Hooray

I leave for El Salvador today.
Peace out, see you in 3 weeks :)

L

From the mouth

Even death is not to be feared by one who has lived wisely.. -Buddha

I just think this is a beautiful quote.

L 

Vows

As I perused some blogs of former friends from high school that have been married for almost as long as we've been out of high school....I decided that I have a decent list of things I vow never to do. Sorry if you thought I was engaged and posting about my vows to my nonexistent fiance...you clearly do not know me very well ;) haha. Ahem.

1. I am not a princess (clearly, I would be queen), so I vow not to attempt to dress as one on my wedding day. Something classy and blue-white for the ceremony, something fun and short for the party!

2.  I vow to have an engagement party and, while I'm at it, an engagement longer than 3 months.Only in Utah is it socially acceptable to announce your engagement via facebook.

3. I vow to have a plated dinner. Dessert spreads are tired. Now a popsicle bar is something I could get behind.

4. I vow not to have a fondant wedding cake. It's a texture thing.

5. I vow not to wholly disregard my own hopes and dreams for that of my partner's. It just leads to spite, regret, and other sad and upsetting feelings.

6. I vow not to rub it in these women's faces that I have a bachelor's degree. An honors bachelor's degree. Ok, take that back...I will try really, really hard not to.

7. I vow to be very excited for them all to have kids. I have nightmares about having kids. So the fact that having them makes these girls so happy is just great. 

8. I vow not to have any type of taffeta/silk/ugly-non-earth-friendly material in my home. period. Not in the form of window curtains, and certainly not in the form of bedding.

9. I vow not to have more than one hand towel on any hand towel rack. More than one is awkward. And let's be real, I plan on not having many house guests for a while...I am going to take full advantage of my newlywed status and the excuses it will make for my ridiculous behavior.

10. I vow to reserve the right to get married at a courthouse if I feel like I'm going to bolt at the real deal. As my friends and family, I'm sure you'd rather have me do that than bail on my own wedding. Let's be honest, I'm a flighty deer in these emotional situations and chances are, if I get scared I'm going to bolt into the nearest thicket. Like bambi was told to do. 

So those are the ten that come to mind. And while I'm far from marriage or married life, at least I hope so, I still think about these things. It happens when all your friends are married or engaged. Meh.

L.

Avatar VS. Ferngully: The Last Rainforest

My roommate Erin and I just had a heated discussion brought on by looking at pictures on Liz's blog from China. She went on a trip to the mountains that inspired Avatar scenes and they have a replica statue of the bird-like things the navi ride on in at this park in the Chinese mountains. I was trying to describe said creature when it came out that Erin has never seen Avatar. This pro/con list is inspired by our convo that followed.

AVATAR                                                                       FERNGULLY

Pro: sweet CG effects                                                  Pro: the original

Con: giant blue people                                                 Con: corny 90s music  

Pro: sweet wormy connections to the earth                   Pro: matriarchal society

Con: long                                                                    Con: mullets

Pro: Sigourney weaver                                                 Pro: Tim curry

Con: guy who plays norm                                            Con: guys who play workers and pip

Pro: beautiful fake scenery                                           Pro: Batty's rap

Con: stole story-line from ferngully                               

Well, that's what we could come up with. And since Ferngully is the original, and has one less con, it wins.

Score one for planet Earth.

L 

Timing

Have you ever felt that someone is just messing with you by the timing of events in your life? I can't help but complain because that is happening to me at the moment. HARD. I wish Liz was here to talk to me and tell me what to do. She usually has sound advice. I really should just figure it out by myself. But, as those of you that know and love me know, I am often a poor decision maker. I like to make pro/con lists whenever possible. (Shout-out to Stace there.) I need to hammock so I can contemplate this. (Yes, I just used hammock as a verb.) Too bad it snowed here today :(  so no hammocking.

Dear weather, please get warm soon. 

Sincerely, an angry sunbather.

I'm so upset about things that I want to cry. Which is bad because I never cry. Anywho...I know i'm being all whiny and vague but I had to put this down somewhere. 

L.

Fin

I graduated today.

:-)

Now, to relax.

SERS

SERS or Surface Enhanced Raman Scattering is what I should be thinking about. But I'm not. I'm studying in my biology lab classroom in my favorite spot...right in front of our 500 gallon aquarium. And it's night-time in the tank (meaning the lights are off). Because of this my favorite nocturnal creatures in the tank are very active right now....and very distracting. Let me give you all a quick lesson on Brittle Stars :)


Brittle stars are Echinoderms. They're related to starfish, sea urchins, sea cucumbers, and sea lilies. They are in the class Ophiuroidea and are divided into two groups:

Basket Stars

Brittle Stars

Basket stars have dichotomously branched arms - which means at each node there are two continuations. Their arms can keep branching until they're very fine, at which point the basket star uses them almost like a net to catch things drifting by in the water. They like to live deep in the ocean, near strong currents. I'm currently watching the basket star in our tank feed - COOLEST ANIMAL EVER.


Brittle stars have a central body disk containing their organs and then their arms with muscles to help them move. Brittle stars are called brittle stars because their arms break off easily, probably an escape mechanism. They are predators, eating smaller brittle stars and sometimes fish as well as scavengers. They have spines and plates covering their arms which protect them and give them traction as they move about. I am currently looking at the body disk of the biggest brittle star in our tank. In the four years I have taught this class, I have never seen his body disk. ever. So this is a pretty big deal.




All in all, I <3 Echinoderms. Their physiology is fascinating. They're cool to look at and fun to play with. And now that I have shared some brittle star knowledge, I will go back to figuring out what the hell SERS really is. Wish me luck.


L

Mutiny

As finals approach (one week from today) and graduation inches closer (one week from Friday), I have come to a few realizations:

1. I'm so excited to watch the royal wedding!

2. I'm so excited about my new workout plan...having a football player as your trainer is awesome.

3. I'm a lot more brave now than I was when I entered the university of utah - winning.

and 4. my body has decide to mutiny.

Let me explain-

As my friends know, I've been suffering from migraines for several years. They've recently gotten bad enough that I am a patient of a neurologist. In addition, my knees have been giving me pain for ~4 years but I finally went to a sports medicine doc to see what was up. Their best guess is that I, a fit 21-year-old female, have rheumatoid arthritis in my knees. sweet. As icing on the cake, my tonsils are inflamed...again. A post two weeks ago revealed my tonsillitis which was AWFUL and today, my tonsils have started swelling again. wonderful. Trust me, I'm not one to complain- but I think that I need to trade in my body for a newer model. 

I think I got screwed with a lemon. 

So EFF YOU TONSILS, I'M TOO BUSY FOR YOUR NONSENSE.

This Glorious Easter Day....

I give you...Peep dioramas! Enjoy!

 

Lecture

I am giving a lecture tomorrow and wednesday on Echinoderms, and early/half chordates. 

Eeeep.

L.

Swollen

This is what my tonsils look like.

                          Tonsillitis: An inflammation or infection of the palatine tonsils.

Pretty sure being sick is the worst thing in the world. Especially when you have a bunch of things to do. Cue stress freak out in....3....2....1. ARGGGGGGGG!

Springing

It was WARM today.

yay.

L

Our kind of love

I'm not a girly girl. I'm just not. The same way I'm not a "huggy" person or do not say "I love you" a lot. But I had a revelation.

My kind of love is summed up in one perfect line of a beautiful song:

"All that I am, all that I ever was, is here in your perfect eyes. They're all I can see."

Call me corny. or say that having all the girls I graduated High school with getting married has finally afflicted me with the sentimental bug. or whatever. 

but I think it's real. and it's what I want my love to be. 

L

Bay

 

So proud of him!!!!

L.

Boy oh boy......Just Kidding!!!!

I am so very very excited that my gorgeous cousin is pregnant!!!!

And even more excited that she is having a BABY GIRL!  

Two words, Erica:

                                    BABY. JEGGINGS.

Ahhh so cute! And flattering ha

 

 

Between me and my sister Melissa....your beautiful girl will be the biggest fashionista to hit gymboree.

Congratulations to Erica and Ben Smith! Love you!

L

Back from break

Well, Spring break is over. Sad day. If I didn't have spring fever before....

I went to my class this morning and when I came out of the lecture hall, it was blizzarding.

BLIZZARDING?!       Eff that. 

I got home from Mexico yesterday. In Mexico, it was 80 degrees and gorgeous every day. 

Quiero regresar a mexico. 

L.

List

This is my list of things to buy. Gotta put it down somewhere or I forget.

1. Exchange sweet tribal sundress/possible buy additional one
2. Bright red lipstick
3. Sparkly anything
4. New tank top
5. New book/audiobook
6. Spandex
7. Weird hair accessory

Note: items 2,3,6, & 7 are all for the Gaga concert. Others are para Meh-hico.

Little monster

This next week is going to be rough, but it will all pay off. Let's start with bad news first...

My thesis is due Tuesday.

My scholar designation publication is due Tuesday.

I have to have grading done by Wednesday.

I have a nanoscience test on Thursday.

I have a statistics test Saturday.

BUT THEN.....

I'm seeing LADY GAGA

SATURDAY NIGHT!!!!!

I'm the best LITTLE MONSTER EVER.

Oh...And I'll be in Mexico the whole next week. 
VIVA LA MEJICO. VIVA LA SPRING BREAK.


L.

Me, summed in a single sentence:

Funniest comment of the whole evening was when Lisa looked around at everyone and said "wow, I feel really tan."

- Dec 2009 from Mrs. Brooke Robinson Peacock 

WINNING.

L

Just another reason May 6 will be epic.

Can't wait for this movie!!!

L

Erica...This is for you

Please. I repeat, PLEASE, don't EVER do this.

Loveyoukbye

L

Aspirations for this week.

I have a short list of goals for this week that I'd like to share. 

Ahem.

1. Go to the instacare and see if I developed whooping cough, in addition to my bronchitis and pneumonia.

2. Finish grading tests. 

3. Get through my presentation on Wednesday afternoon.

4. Catch Pete Yorn's guitar pick. AGAIN.

Haven't heard of him? He's only my fav solo male musician/artist. 

Watch Pete rock out (acoustic-style).

6. Oh, ya, and email Liz.

L

Down to the ground

You know when you have one of those days that turns in to one of those weeks? The kind that keeps getting worse and not better? In the words of Kanye "This week has been a bad massage, I need a happy ending. Or a new beginning." A new beginning is definitely in order...but not for me. My best buddy Liz is off to China in one week and I am very excited for her to have a bunch of new and exciting experiences. And oh, so jealous. Here I am, dreading my week...and not going to China. 

                                                   BOOOOOOOOOOOOO.

But in a bit of good news - I finally finished my abstract! Woo. Now to start/finish my thesis. That project will have to wait til later this week. Fa sho. Right now, I just need to be positive. I feel like my negative energy is spreading to everyone around me. and that's not cool. So will me some good energy, would ya? On a happy note: I am burning the christmas-y candle I got in december. so it smells like christmas in our apartment. 

yay :)

L

Oh, how about this video - ya dig?

Tye-uwrd

I'm up writing an abstract when I should be sleeping. Mainly because I have a month to write my thesis. I procrastinated and now my life will be hell until I get it done. Basically. On the bright side, I cooked a bomb.com vegetarian meal tonight with Bre. Going vegetarian was a good move. I definitely feel better. I am glad my friend Gus will be blogging now too. Perhaps someone will read this other than Liz.....not that I don't adore her. Neeeee-Howwwwww. MEOW. ps call me ho. I can't believe it's only the second week of school. BOO. but it is the second week of MY LAST SEMESTER. holla. I'm so excited to graduate, I can't wait. I have to think about graduation announcements and other nonsense like that soon. Woot woot. I hope to get some closure with med schools soon - waiting is awful. Well, since I've run out of random things to talk about.....time for bed. yesssssss. 

L.

PS check this out....Love this song.