Boogity Boogity Boogity...

Let's go racin boys!!
So for you non-NASCAR fans the previous quote is the hallmark of the start of NASCAR season from none other than the lengend himself Darrrel Waltrip. Last Sunday was the Daytona 500 and it was really great to see all those Toyotas running up front, they have come a long way since they entered the series last year! I was also really excited to see my favorite driver, Elliott Sadler, finish in the top 10, it seems like its been a long time since he finished a race at all without some kind of wreck, so I was very proud. I hope that I will get a chance to see a race live this year, but I'm finding it kind of a hard sell to convince any of my friends to go....I just don't understand why a bunch of epidemiologists who crunch statistics all day don't love NASCAR, I mean, that is what racing is all about, the numbers! Maybe they are just scared of the toxic exhaust fumes that are a potential risk factor for asthma and lung cancer...but hey, a few short exposures can't be that bad right? Sorry, that was a pathetic attempt at epidemiology humor...I swear, my nerdiness gets worse every day.
Anyway, on to other news... I found out I was not selected to receive the internship in New Zealand this summer :( But, it was somewhat expected since I am only a first year with no research experience in epidemiology to speak of, I'll try again next year. We did receive some great news this week, Shawn interviewed for a Maintenance Planner position at Miller Brewing (which is a HUGE step up from his current position as a Mechanic there) and he got the job! :) So now he will be working on day shift instead of 2nd shift, which means that I will now get to see him for more than 10 minutes a day on weekdays, yay!

Return of the missing blogger

Well it's been almost 2 months since I posted anything, so probably most of you have written me off at this point (and I don't blame you, I was on the verge of abandoning the blog myself), but one of my good friends Melissa told me I need to update it, so I guess there is still at least one person who is still reading this :)

So here's the update (there's actually a lot that has happened since the end of last semester!)
-First off, the biggest piece of news: Shawn and I got engaged over Christmas break while we were in Maine, who hooo! It happened on Christmas day with my parents and sisters there, and it was very sweet, I wasn't really expecting it so it was a fun surprise too (I knew we were getting engaged, but I thought it was going to be sometime this spring). It definitely meant a lot for my family to be there with us for that moment. So the wedding plans include getting married on the beach in Saint Lucia over Thanksgiving break, I am soooo excited! I'm not sure which day we will tie the knot yet, but I'm guessing the 26th or the 27th based on the marriage laws for non-residents. We are staying (and having the wedding) at a resort called Rendezvous, which is an adults-only, couples-only resort that looks to be very romantic with a very relaxed atmosphere. We have invited family and friends to come celebrate with us, but the cost of airfare is pretty steep, so at this point it looks like my parents and sisters as well as Shawn's mom and brothers are the only ones who can make it. They will be staying at a different resort of course (I mean it is our honeymoon!), but it is just up the road so we can still hang out and explore the island together. We have also made plans to do a day of deep sea fishing, so cool!!

The other big news is that Shawn and I have purchased a '79 Ford truck that is our new project, and all I can say is this thing is HUGE! The headlights are over my head and I can't get in it without a push from behind, which Shawn seems to enjoy thouroughly, :). It really is made for mud and I can't wait to take it around the farm and make a big mess! Our plans are to race it in the mud bog, but that won't be until next summer since it really needs a bigger motor in order to be competitive. Right now we are working fixing some of the safety issues it has, like replacing the entire braking system and putting in some racing seats and 5-point restraints. Once we get all the parts we need to build the motor we will start on that part of the project. We also have yet to come up for a name for it (I got shot down when I tried to name it MissBetty2) I guess he doesn't want to drive around town in a giant truck with a girly name...I can't imagine why!! So if y'all think of any ideas let me know! You are probably wondering what happened to the original MissBetty, and sadly the deal with getting this truck was that I had to sell MissBetty, which makes sense, but was very sad for me. Fortunately, the friend we bought the Ford from actually wanted to buy MissBetty, so at least I still get to see her (and she will run again with his automotive expertise!) but I'm pretty sure he won't be calling her by her proper name...silly boys, I just don't understand why they don't want such a cool name for their truck!

So let's see, what other things have happened....
Well I went skiing for a weekend with some friends from the epi dept and that was an experience! I can't say I've ever been skiing before when it was 65 degrees in January....crazy! Also I managed to get a ticket to the Carolina/Duke game last night, which was really fun until the 2nd half when Carolina totally blew it, but experiencing first-hand one of the biggest college rivalries ever was truly awesome, it's a day I'll never forget. Other than that I have basically been completely inundated with school, but I'm still enjoying it and looking forward to getting through some of this coursework so I can get back into the research world again. I am teaching again this semester to pay my tuition, but I have applied for a summer research internship in New Zealand and should be hearing back any day now, so keep your fingers crossed for me!

One down...

I just finished my last final for the semester, who hooo!!! I am feeling drained but very relieved that it's over, and now I can have a few weeks of R&R before starting it all over again. I still can't believe that my first semester is already over, it flew by! (or at least it seems like that now). Well it's time to celebrate with my fellow first-year epi students, and I am bringing some wicked party favors... who wants some syringe jello shots??? :)

Update: Bugs

OK, so the cats still have fleas....unbelievable!! I thought Frontline was supposed to be "the shit", I guess not!! I know I said they would be tossed out with the cows, but I really can't do that since they are my babies (even in they are flea bags). So what do I do now?? Anyone have any suggestions?? HELP!

Got bugs?

We do! Well actually our cats do, and it has gotten out of control! Part of the problem is that Pookie is an OCD groomer anyway, so it took me a while to realize that her excessive licking habits were due to fleas, not just her mental issues. Her kitty Prozac didn't seem to be working (which, by the way had to be compounded into a g**damn transdermal gel so that I can give it to her since she refuses to take pills!), and I figured out why when a flea jumped onto my book while I was doing some pleasure reading (yeah right! I don't even remember what that is!) Anyway, since then I have given both Pookie and Twister 3 flea baths each (and I have the scars to prove it!). We also bombed the house on Sunday, and I can tell you that the preparation and amount of work involved in that is ridiculous, I think we should have just moved instead. Anyway, today I discovered that we STILL have fleas. I finally decided to do what I should have done in the first place, get some Frontline. That shit better work or else those lovely kitties will be living in the barn with the cows next week...

Iwwww...

You will be missed...

I have had a heavy heart this week after I found out that a former co-worker of mine died suddenly from a stroke. Dell Hilliard was only 42 when his life was cut short. I met Dell while working at the CVI when we moved into the new lab, he was the technician who was contracted to help install and set-up the four new autoclaves for the lab. The poor planning of the builders and plumbers who renovated the floor led to Dell and I spending many, many hours together working out the glitches so that we could have functional autoclaves. Even though the autoclave problems were the bane of my existence during those months, I always enjoyed working with Dell, as he always had a funny story to tell and somehow knew just what to say to help me keep my sanity when it came to my boss. I still struggle with accepting the reality of the fact that someone so young and healthy can be here one moment and gone the next. Sadly, it is only when something tragic like this happens that we reflect on the fragility of our lives, and how much we take for granted every day.

Happy Halloween

So I opted to stay home for Halloween this year, I'm just not feeling up for craziness that is Franklin Street on Halloween. While it is undoubtedly the biggest Halloween party in the country, and I had a hell of a time last year (maybe too good of a time actually...) after the week I've had with school and the endless grading that has taken over my life as a TA, I really don't have the energy or creativity to come up with a cool costume and then stay up all night with the rowdy undergrads. So.... instead I decided to have a little Halloween party of my own.....at home...with my cats....
I know, it sounds pathetic and sad (and really it is), but I don't think I've laughed this hard in a very long time. There is something cruel, but hilarious, about dressing up cats in costumes, because they are cats, and cats are independent and consider themselves to be superior to all others. So when you dress them up, not only do they look funny, but they are completely humiliated. I took some pictures so you can see exactly what complete humiliation and disgust looks like (please don't report me to PETA, I swear I only made them wear it for a few minutes...or at least until I could stop laughing at them) They may hate me for a couple hours, but after a little wet food all will be well again and they'll forget it ever happened...maybe.
I hope you get a good laugh out of it too :)
And for those who know Pookie, really, how appropriate is it that she is a witch? That was a no-brainer picking out that costume!!