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Lucky ???? - November 28,2002
Also, things have been going quite well in the lab lately as far as research is concerned, so I took a much needed small break to go white water rafting in West Virginia. Melissa and I had gone before to the same place; this time we got four others to go with us. We went with the same company as before, drift-a-bit, which I highly recommend. We did an overnight trip. The first day was the upper New River, which has only class I-III white water. We took four people in the main raft with our guide Shannon, and then took turns in these inflatable kayaks called Duckies. The picture of Dan below is while he was in his Duckie. Melissa managed to tip hers over while deciding that,in the middle of a rapid, she should really have her helmet on, and while attempting to fetch in from near her feet, came upon a large, stationary rock. At any rate, in typical Melissa fashion, she did not lose the helmet or the oar, and managed not to get stuck under the big undercut rock. I had my turn in the Ducky (or DUNKY as I now call it) the next morning, and, as I am not a morning person, it is no surprise that I tipped mine over. I decided I was doing so well with it, (and by all accounts I WAS) that I would take it down this big hole in a nice easy class II rapid, so little danger. I hit the hole just slightly sideways (according to the guide--I thought everything was going fine..) and out I went. So, the big raft had to come get me, and my ducky. All's well that ends well, I guess. This was the motto of the trip. So, the trip was a late evening arrival on the fourth of July, camping out at the Drift a bit place, then on to the rafting trip at about 9 AM the next day. We rafted until 4 PM or so, and then camped along the river, which was really really great. THe company sent a raft with supplies out ahead of us, so when we got there, everything was all set up, and then the guides cooked us a big steak dinner. No kidding. It was awesome. Then the next day, we were on the river (after breaking camp and eating a wonderful breakfast ) by 8:30 AM, which was not at all painful. This is where the Dunky story happens...then, we stopped for lunch along the river, ditched the Duckies (They are not allowed on the bottom part of the river as it is too dangerous to go down without a guide to steer you and the Duckies are a one person thing) and headed out for the next part of the river, the lower New River, which has all the good whitewater. Our only injury of the trip happened on our first big bump where Dan was not properly braced in the boat, and got dislodged (he's a big boy to be bouncing around in the boat) and in his efforts to stay INSIDE the boat, while flailing, he hit my oar, and I ended up, fortunately, hitting myself in the LIP with my hand that was clenching the oar. If it had not been my hand and if I had not been ducking already, it would have been Dan knocking my oar into my nose. But, it wasn't. All's well that ends well, and a busted lip never killed anybody. Although, it's spawned some pretty funny jokes....
So by this time, our guide is openly mocking us, and things are starting to get pretty exciting on the river. The group pictures below is the FIRST class IV rapid, and we are doing pretty well, although a bit panicked. Dan is yelling "DIG! DIG! DIG!" to keep us paddling in sync, which our guide was screaming at us was very important. Our guide, Shannon, is some sort of saint...however, he is a soft spoken one, so in the front of the raft, you could never hear him. Which was sometimes funny.
In the picture, Dan and Melissa's brother George are in front, I am behind Dan, Elena is behind me. Behind George is Lily, and behind her, Melissa. Shannon, in the back, is looking quite collected here. All total, we went from Prince to Fayette Station, which is about 21 miles on the river. ON the map, the group picture was taken at Keeney's rapids, and Dan punched me in the face at Surprise Rapids (yeah, it was a surprise....)
All in all it was great, and I think everyone should try it at least once!
So, I sent the PI an email the next day (Friday), just to say thanks and touch base, and he responded a couple of hours later with an offer of a post-doctoral position. So, I took the weekend to think about it, and talk to Dan about it, and sunday night I emailed to say that I would accept the position. So, the good news is this: one, I don't have to spend the summer flying here and there and interviewing, so I can finish my work sooner (ie graduate sooner) and two, I really think this could be quite a good move for me, and I think I can (hopefully) actually contribue to the lab and do some (maybe?) meaningful research. They do work a lot on the spinal cord, development and regeneration type stuff, so it is quite important subject matter. They also work on the neurons that go from the retina to the brain, so, there again, a fundamental process about which suprisingly little is known. So, now, I just have to get out my last papers, run one last set of experiments, and finish writing and go on to the next job. Oh, for those of you wondering what a post-doctoral position IS, in my (lovely) field, it is what you MUST do before you are really competive for a faculty position at a university AFTER you get your PhD, or doctoral degree. So, hence the name, post-doctoral, or for short, post-doc. This position is not a student status, there are no classes to be taken, or exams or anything, it is primarily research and grant writing training so that you can do good work and get it funded when you get your own lab. This usually lasts between 2 and 5 years, but it is like the PhD in that there is NOT a set list of things to do, and then BINGO you get to graduate, like in an undergrad degree. So, it's like job purgatory!
So, here's what I've been up to lately...I have my first interview for a post-doctoral position June 13th (no it's not a FRIDAY!!) so do a little good luck dance for me, or at least put away those dolls with pins and such. Just for one day, ok? Coincidentally, I am hoping to graduate in October. It's my favorite month of the year, so I figure that should ruin that. I have started on my dissertation writing, I have over 150 pages thus far, but it needs a lot of editing and organization. It's just so huge that I'm having trouble deciding where to start.
So, naturally, with all of this work to be done, I've recently taken two trips. The first was to Denver. A long-time friend, Suzette, got married. Their wedding was lovely. Here are some of our best pictures (Dan went along also; he is the camera master). We stayed at a lovely hotel outside of Denver in the mountains, and I met some interesting people at the wedding. We also had some interesting travel happenings; first, Dan nearly caused us to miss our flight out of Dayton as his computer bag scanned positive for plastic explosives. Yes, a former marine and a PhD biochemist traveling together, with a bag that tested positivie for explosives. For all of you wondering, NO, he didn't actually have anything in his bag, it was a false positive reading. After that, things went along much better, we went to SouthPark CO (think MTV comedy; cartman etc) which is nothing like what we thought. We drove out through the mountains and then to Colorado Springs, and then back to denver.; We went to a red rocks park, which is where most of the pictures were from. We also drove quite near a forest fire in Bailey CO. I should really watch the local news before planning a driving route. It was quite a sight; there were about 100 tents set up near a mountain stream adjacent to a high school, right along the fire line. People had vacated their homes, evacuated, I assume. They had left signs saying "God bless firemen" and such. It was all in all an amazing trip; nothing like what I've grown accustomed to in Ohio.
Anyway, I came back, somewhat reluctantly, to Ohio, and then about a month later was off to Las Vegas NV. Why? Well, some friends of mine I met in undergrad, Dani and Jeff, live out there and were having a baby shower for her first baby, which is going to be a girl. So, I wanted to see the Colorado River and the Hoover Dam, and see the desert. I've never really been to a desert-type place, so I decided to take some time and drive out of Vegas a bit and see the sights. I went to (yet another )red rocks park, which was one of the best maintained national parks I've ever been to. There was a guy learning to climb there, and also in nearby Bonnie Springs, a petting zoo. I made friends with the pig. Also, I went to "the strip" one night to see the sights. I have to describe this one part...the one hotel, the Bellagio, has this huge lake in front (yes, right in the middle of the big nasty strip in the desert) with fountains. Every 10 minute or so, the fountains spring to life, and music blares from on high. When I was there, they played that country song "Proud to be an American" (cuz at least I know I'm free...). Anyway, everyone starts cheering and whooping. It was sort of bizarre. So that's what all those pictures of water in front of that big hotel are. Oh, and the funniest thing was on the flight in to Vegas, a bunch of guys from chicago were seated scattered all over the plane, and every so often, one would yell DUDE!! and then all the others would respond DUDE in turn. Just stand up and yell DUDE. It was all so strange. As we got closer, and you could see the strip in the distance, they started yelling PARTY!! and WHOOOOOO-OOOOOHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and even doing the wave. All I can say is, I must be getting really really old. I landed and got my car, drove straight to my hotel, turned on CNN and went to bed. On a Friday night. Sad.
Also, somewhere in between the two trips, I saw Champions on Ice. I only went because I heard that Sarah Hughes would not be performing, and Michelle Kwan would be. I have never actually seen Michelle Kwan skate, which is strange as she has been a favorite of mine for a long time now. Anyway, I forgot the camera, so no pictures. She (MK) was fabulous, as expected.
I saw the new star wars movie on opening night, that was fun. Had to drag myself in to lab the next day, but it was so much fun it hardly mattered. I love those movies.
In anticipation of the coming hiking season, I finally bought a camping stove. This should really help. The last time I took food where you pull a string and a chemical reaction heats the food, you guessed it, the string broke. Thought I was gonna starve to death....
Last week, which was stellar on so many accounts, was finished off by a bizarre occurence. I was leaving the lab friday evening, and as I was walking in to the elevator, my new keyring (a volvo insignia one Lisa gave me originally from her father I think) broke, taking my keys with it. Somehow, my keys did not hit the floor, but instead managed to fall right down that tiny crevice between the elevator and the floor, right down the elevator shaft. NO kidding. I heard them (My volvo key and house key, plus all those little discount cards they scan at the checkouts these days) hit twice on the sides of the elevator shaft, and then hit the very bottom, over six floors down. So, naturally it's friday at 5:30 PM, so no one was around. However, a very nice man from maintenance fetched them for me this morning in about 15 minutes. So all weekend, I was without a car, so I got to drive Dan's new truck. I like that thing; I feel big and tall. Plus, its a stick shift, and it moves like 3 feet between each gear. very amusing, plus the clutch actually works, unlike the volvo. This opens up endless possibilities, like going in reverse and such.
Also, Lisa graduated and had a grand party in the neighborhood. Which reminds me...THE CHIHUAHUA MOVED!!! (and its people too, which is also very good). Anybody need a 2 BR townhouse in upper arlington??? Next to me and all the pets??? *laugh*
Speaking of graduation, George Dubya is speaking at OSU. Yet another day one won't be able to actually function on campus. *sigh*
New obsession: figure skating (still ) and Twin Peaks. Never saw TP while it was on TV, so I am now watching everything I can get my hands on. If you know, PLEASE don't tell me who killed Laura Palmer!!!!