3.31.20 - Joy statuses

12.4.16 - First weekend of December

This month is off to a great start. On December 1, I practiced my thesis presentation twice, including once for Jack, who had some good follow up questions. I felt pretty good about it. On December 2, I practiced twice more, and then Jack, Clara, and I all got dressed up and drove to Davis for the actual presentation.

Clara's fancy outfit.

We got to see Erin, Braden, Rachel, Shannon, and Julianna. It felt good that they all came to watch. I also got to introduce Clara to interim director Fred and program chair Kent, who thought she was adorable.

Jack, Clara, and me just before my presentation.

I was the first to give my presentation, and it went just fine. I actually really enjoy speaking in front of crowds and wouldn't have minded if there had been a larger crowd there. Either way I was proud of the presentation because I had intentionally tried to make it easy to follow even for people without much DNA background. Nearly every slide was mostly pictures more than data, and afterward a few people told me they enjoyed it, including people without much science background at all. I was pretty pleased about that. I only got two questions in the end and they were both very easy, and then that was it. I was done with the presentation and with my entire master's degree!

Screencap from the video of my presentation.

Jack and Clara made it through a good 75% of the presentation before Clara got too chatty and Jack had to take her in the hallway. Fortunately he'd already seen me practice so he wasn't missing much. I decided to go ahead and stay a bit after so I could have some of the delicious free dinner they always offer, including some fudgy brownies. Then we drove home and Jack and I got a chance to talk about how it all went and how good it is to be done. I can't believe writing the thesis, writing the manuscript, giving the presentation, and my overall master's degree are all finally off my to do list!

The next day (Saturday, December 3), Erin came over in the morning (bringing a hot chocolate for me) and we started making Christmas cards. Janice skyped with us for most of the time we were together--had to be at least 3-4 hours--while on her end she worked on table numbers for Erin's wedding reception next summer. It wasn't exactly the same as having Janice here in person but it was pretty close.

It may have been the most productive card-making session we've ever had. I made 10 cards in the time Erin was here, and I think she made about 7. It helped that I have all the more craft supplies now thanks to Sarah's generosity; she moved earlier this year and while cleaning out her stuff decided to send me a box of high quality craft supplies (card stock, new punches, ribbons, etc.) that she never really gets around to using. So that made it all the more fun.

Just some of the cards Erin and I made.

In the background we alternated between Clara's youtube Christmas playlist and my Spotify Christmas playlist.

One of the videos from Clara's Christmas playlist.

For the most part Clara did a great job keeping herself busy (Jack was shut in his room studying for a test Monday). She did sit with us at the table a few different times and examine the many objects we had on the table--it looked almost like the pages of an I Spy book. Eventually she finally went down for a nap and she was still asleep when Erin left.

A table like an I Spy book.

Now I have the hot chocolate potluck to look forward to next week! Love this season.

8.25.16 - Janice's joys

5.31.16 - May joy statuses

5.26.16 - Limericks

4.12.16 - Mom's laughs

8.8.15 - Janice's last card-making session

Janice is moving out-of-state now that she has graduated and gotten a job elsewhere. Today she came over for one last card-making session. For various reasons no one else could make it, so it was just her and me crafting and chatting for a few hours (plus Clara and Beegee, neither of whom had much to say). It was enjoyable and very nostalgic. I've had a lot of fun the last few years having crafting parties with different friends from my program. It was a nice past time and tradition while it lasted. I mean I guess it may still happen but as more people move away it gets harder. I'm glad for the times we already had.

6.20.15 - Birthday picnic!

Today was the day for the real celebration of my 30th birthday. I invited a bunch of friends to join me for a wine and dessert potluck picnic in the park, and I was really looking forward to it.

Unfortunately, the day got off to a rocky start. I got up with Clara for her early morning feeding, and after she ate and I changed her, I started to feel kind of dizzy. I put her in her crib and thought, "Maybe after a couple more hours of sleep I'll feel fine."

But a couple hours later (when Clara woke up again), I was even dizzier than before. In fact I couldn't walk without stumbling and I felt like I was going to be sick. However, I'm including this non-joyous incident in my joy inventory because of how it got resolved. (1) I called Jack and he was able to come home from work immediately to take care of Clara, which was a huge relief. (2) I called Mom and she sent me a link to a video showing different positions I can try to get rid of the vertigo. (3) The positions worked! That was a huge relief. And (4) it was interesting to learn the physical reasons behind the vertigo and its resolution (basically a calcium crystal breaks loose and moves to the liquid in the ear that normally tells you when you're moving your head; as the crystal moves through the liquid it makes you feel as if you're head is moving when it's not; trying the different positions helps you move the crystal back out of that part of the ear.)

Anyway, I was so so relieved to not feel sick anymore, and even more relieved that I wouldn't have to cancel my birthday picnic. So in that sense it was a good start to the day.

The weather had originally called for a high of a whopping 103, but luckily it only got up to the low 90s, even less in the shade where we set up. It was actually pretty nice out.

There was a ton of delicious food: bruschetta (Bryon and Ellen), Nutella rice krispies (Erin), pies (Janice), black bottomed cupcakes (me), a chocolate covered cheesecake (Gennilyn), apricot with gorgonzola and walnuts and honey (Shane and Max), ribs (Sarah), tons of fruit salad (with pineapple!) (Rachel and Ben), and chips and salsa (Shannon and Mike).

Leonard and Choque beg for ribs.
(There were about 6 dogs at our picnic.)

There was also plenty of wine, and I enjoyed some Moscato and some rose and got a nice buzz.

We brought stuff to play Tichu...

Jack and Clara's matching Tichu outfits say
"Don't Break The Rule" on the back.

wall ball...

Clara's first wall ball experience.

and the Paper Game (or "Index Card Game," in this case).

Reading Paper Game results. Jack falls off the slack line in the background.

Shannon also brought a slack line, which she, Jack, Shane, Max, Henry, and Ben especially liked playing with.

Jack, Shannon, Rachel, and Mike played a few games of wall ball, including one game to the word "Molly," which Jack won. However he lost on super game point to Shannon for the game to "#badknees."

I didn't do anything very physical, but I really enjoyed playing the Paper Game and eating so many delicious things and visiting with everyone, especially Ellen, who I wish was not moving far away. And almost everyone took a turn cuddling Clara, who still doesn't mind who is holding her one way or the other. It would be great if that lasted.

Shane and Max got some baby cuddles too, I just didn't get pics of it.

Our picnic was near a playground, so Clara got to experience swings for the first time ever. Look at her overjoyed face:

And, despite the potluck food and wine, some people also brought me gifts. Ellen delivered a prettily wrapped gift from all the siblings and Mom: a 2Tb external hard drive (and a Starbucks gift card). Gennilyn got me some gift cards and baby wipes, haha. Erin got me a gift card and some baby-themed scrapbooking stuff, which was really cute. Sarah got me a gift card too. And they all wrote really nice notes in the cards they got me, which I love. I'm not very interested in store bought cards that just have someone's signature or "Happy Birthday!" in them. But these cards had longer, thoughtful messages. Ellen delivered Mom's card and I read it aloud and Erin said it was going to make her cry. Mom talked about how the overwhelming feeling of love I have for Clara is how Mom has felt about me since Day 1. <3 It was all very touching and sweet.

After the picnic, Henry and Sarah came back to our apartment and played Tichu for awhile--Sarah and Jack won. Sarah had to head back, but Henry stayed and he and Jack and I talked at length about the recent Game of Thrones finale (Season 5) and everyone we love or love to hate. That was really fun too.

Overall it was a great day. I'm continually touched by how many friends I have and how generous they are and how loved they make me feel.