These are some people I work with from my research lab...Alan, Zeid, and Sulaiman. In all my pictures I've ever taken with the research group or at a conference, I'm either chees'in it or I look especially nerdy. This one is a toss-up! 

Why I Love the OSU Library

So I'm writing my pre-proposal finally. I convinced my advisor it was a good idea..now it's time for my committee to be convinced. I've been in the library A LOT it seems here at school. Searching for articles. Looking for books. Writing up my idea. So here are things why I Heart the OSU library:

1. The coffee shop has the best chai lattes...ever.
2. When I'm having a problem locating or printing an article, any staff librarian is EXCITED to help me. I feel like a celebrity.
3. The staff here know me. Somebody told me the other day, "Do you live here?" Okay, so maybe I'm here A LOT, but at least the librarians notice.
4. If our library doesn't have it, they'll get it for you in no time.
5. There are many good places to work in the library. Quiet places. Places to take a quick nap with no interruptions. (hmm...That'll be my next entry...Why I Heart Naps...)

Top 10 Memorable Things at Camp This Year

1. My cabin. I had a great group of 5-6th grade girls. Everyone actually showered this year. Yay!
2. Mice. Every night for 4 days we had a little visitor, by the second night I was screaming with my girls on top of the bed. Our heroes killed the mouse on the 5th night.
3. My co-counselor Linda. She was easy to get along with and fun. She also gave me medicine at night so I wouldn't have to walk to the nurse's to get it in the dark.
4. Snake citings. People were seeing copperheads, and I saw the rattlesnake that Jeff killed with a stick.
5. Fishing. I actually caught a fish. Of course, I wasn't going to take it off the hook. One of Josh's campers did it for me.
6. Friday night party. The 4th-6th grade girls had a party in the mess hall. I just sat down and laughed at them - they were wound up. Bigtime. I think that's what happens when you chug 6 cups of Dr. Pepper at midnight. Yes, one of our girls did that.
7. Teaching. I got to teach the 6th grade and 10th grade girls. Very different audiences. Very different subjects. Ha!
8. Canteen. I ate at least one candy bar a day. The candy and pop got me through the days when the food was too gross to eat.
9. Fireworks. Fires. Fireworks landing right behind us. That excitement caused one of my girls to start crying. I was more worried that a snake was going to come up behind me.
10. Skits. Josh singing "I've Been Everywhere" and all the performances we had this year...Lighten Up, Summer Singers, and Phil's Gameshow.

Scientifically Chic

So there's this article I read that gives tips on how to decorate your kitchen scientifically. You can use test tubes for spices, salad dressings in volumetric flasks, or candles on watch glasses. I have a feeling Josh would veto this redecorating idea...
http://www.orangemagazine.com/article.php?aid=202

PDN (Public Display of Nerdiness)

Like in many nerdy departments, we have professors that talk to themselves in the hallways. Usually he or she is giving the day's lecture to themselves or trying to solve a research problem out loud. I don't find it odd anymore when I see it in my building. Of course, if you are in public, that's a whole other ballgame. I happen to drive by one of these professor's houses yesterday and saw him outside in his yard talking to himself and the cat. He was lecturing about chemistry in public! I think the cat's eyes were glazed over.

My 3rd Anniversary Mug

I just recieved my complimentary mug for being a member of the American Chemical Society (ACS) for 3 years. I didn't get a mug the first year, and last year it broke in the mail. I'm suprised the mug survived the trip this year. It's in a thin styrofoam container with tape wrapped around it. Not the most sturdy packaging. My nerdy mug has the element lithium on it since it's the third element on the periodic table of elements. There's also some nice facts about lithium to read about on the mug. I must say, I'm very proud of my chemistry mug. I really don't have much chemistry parafernalia so it's kinda cool. I can't wait until next year's beryllium.

Josh and Newman 

Newman's Recovery

We picked Newman up today after his surgery. He's still in some pain, and his Frankenstein-looking leg is shaven with stiches going up his whole thigh. I'm glad the surgery is over, but he can't run or jump for 8 weeks! That is going to be hard for a bird dog! He's either in his kennel or on a leash inside or outside. Right now, he's sleeping a lot though so that's good I guess. Padme is cute; she tries to open the kennel up so Newman can play with her. She's probably lonely during the day.
I'm this bad with our dogs, I'm going to be a nervous wreck when I have kids and they get hurt! haha
Josh is seranading Newman now. Okay not really, but he is practicing his guitar in the living room where Newman's resting.

Music Mania

Friday night, Josh and his dad played their guitars and LaNette and me sang karokee. Josh is getting better and better at the guitar, but I still think my favorite part was when Josh sang "Redneck Woman" on karokee.

Jam session with Dennis and Josh 

Me and LaNette sing'in it up! 

Josh "playing" the guitar with his teeth. 

Josh the guitar player 

Fun on the Farm

We hung out Saturday morning on the farm and watched the dogs play. Newman was funny with the horse - when the horse started eating the leaves on that bush, so did Newman. He's such a copycat

Go'in after somethin' 

Newman stares at the horse next door. 

Newman staring into the eyes of the giant. 

There you are! 

Buddy the 3-legged dog - he could keep up with Newman! 

Farm dogs hanging out...we took Newman and Padme on a walk Saturday morning and all three of these dogs followed us...I'm sure we looked like a dog parade! 

Relaxing at Sheri and Jack's

We went over to Josh's mom and stepdad's on Saturday. We relaxed, talked, and played games. Oh yeah, and played with Tana - a lot!

Tana and Big Josh playing the guitar 

Tana, Josh, and Padme 

Tana and her May May 

Performing the Yatzee Song and Dance...Notice my mom-in-law gett'in the party started! 

Equal Treatment

We wanted to be fair...Newman wore Padme's collar yesterday for a few minutes. I think he liked it. She was jealous and wanted it back on her.

Newman liked wearing Padme's bonnet 

Newman wearing the bonnet 

Buddies 

Padme's Surgery

We got Padme spayed this past Tuesday...so she won't mess with her stiches, now she gets to wear an E-Collar, or as I like to call them, a "Bonnet." We have to keep her separated from Newman unless she's being supervised. It has been no picnic for any of us..she's tired of being cooped up. Poor baby.

Padme and her bonnet. Notice she has already chewed on it. 

Padme eating. 

Padme herds Newman around with her bonnet. 

Riding the Deathtrap

Ok, so I'm exagerrating a bit about my ride this morning on the OSU bus. It wasn't a deathtrap..but it was close. First, I got on the wrong bus this morning and ended up riding an extra 45 minutes around town. The driver tells me later that I needed the southbound gray bus...apparently you tell which ones are south/northbound by which direction they're facing in the Wal-Mart parking lot. I think I'll just ask the driver this afternoon when I go home if this is the right bus. I had seen the buses around town and knew that the drivers were pretty aggressive. I had heard stories about the bus drivers. Yet, I was still in shock when the bus maneuvered around railroad crossing bars (true, there was no train moving per say on the track and we needed to stay on schedule, but still). When some car pulled out in front of our bus cutting us off - did our driver slow down? No, apparently OSU buses have right away at all times - like pedestrians. He just sped up and gave the driver a hand signal. Nice. The bus shakes when it's moving. When it's going really fast (which is almost all the time), it shakes like it's about to take off to the moon. But I will say that our driver was nice at least. I guess that's better than having a crazy, mean driver. I can deal with crazy, but not mean. So hopefully I'll find the right bus going home and get there in one piece.

Inappropriate Things/Actions at the Gym

So Josh and I were working out together at the gym today - something we hadn't gotten to do very much this past semester. Here is a list of inappropriate comments to make or uncool actions at the gym...
1) "You're so strong!"(Apparently, this can easily embarrass the recipient in front of all the cool people working out.)
2) "What are we going to do next?" (Even though we have done the same workout for 2 years or so, I keep forgetting the order.)
3) Claim a bench or machine and then go and stretch or talk to someone.
4) Playing numchucks with some rope like you're some karate warrior (yes, I really saw that today).
5) Not having a spotter when you're lifting something really heavy...in the words of the poor guy, "Oh Crap!" when the bar started to fall on his chest.
6) Not paying attention to where you're going and running into a bar practically taking your eye out (and yes, again, I actually saw this - it was painfully hilarious).
7) Walking to the outdoor pool from the lockerroom in your speedo only...hey nobody wants to see ya like that outside, much less inside!
8) Walking around naked inside the lockerroom - I don't care if it is a lockerroom. I don't want to see a naked old woman!
9) Wearing skimpy clothes, having your hair hanging down, and wearing make-up...enough said.
10) And finally..."How do you work this machine?" (asked while sitting in it backwards)

W Visits OSU!

So the President came to speak at commencement this weekend. Seeing W was worth it even in the rain and getting up early on a Saturday.

Josh and me in the rain at graduation. I felt dorky in my orange pancho. Josh comforted me by saying, "Nobody looks good in a pancho." Yeah, Yeah, Yeah. 

President Bush flew into Enid, OK on Air Force One and then took a helicopter to campus. 

Here's President Bush speaking at Graduation. He had a lot of funny one-liners including a reference to Eskimo Joe's Cheese Fries.