I used to be a grad student. And now I'm not (thank goodness). I spent a year as a post doc in industry in Baltimore before starting a "real" job with the same company. These are my tales of science, food, travel, and life.
Friday, June 28, 2013
May Hike
Over Memorial Day weekend we went camping and hiking at Lackawanna State Park. Holy $&!# was it cold overnight! It was nice during the day, but overnight it was in the 30s, just barely above freezing. We could see our breath when we went to bed. A while ago we ordered a big 6 person tent so we could lazy man camp with the comfort of an air mattress. While it was way more comfortable, sleeping pads and mummy bags would have been a lot warmer. We hiked several miles around the perimeter of the lake and then some. Lackawanna is a great park with lots to do beyond hiking - boating, fishing, and swimming (though oddly in a lake-side pool rather than the lake itself...).
Thursday, June 27, 2013
Bizarre (and a bit irritating)
If you're going to be so formal as to call me Dr. [My-last-name] and identify yourself as Ms. [Her-last-name], why are you calling me "honey" 30 seconds later???
Easter Tradition
Some of you (imaginary readers) may be familiar with the Easter Pinata tradition that my classmates/friends and I started in grad school. Well, the pinata has come to the east coast. I brought a cute little blue and white cow pinata, and all the little cousins had a blast with it.
Over the past year or so, I've also gotten more into using royal icing to decorate cookies, and I made some cute chick and egg cookies.
When Boyfriend and I got back to Lancaster, we had some fun with the peeps my aunt gave us in the Easter basket she so nicely made for us. :)
Over the past year or so, I've also gotten more into using royal icing to decorate cookies, and I made some cute chick and egg cookies.
Wednesday, June 26, 2013
April Hike
In April we hiked a section of the Appalachian Trail northeast of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. We'd actually hiked part of that section one of the times I visited Boyfriend before moving to Baltimore. That time we did about 4.5 miles out and back, starting on top of the ridge. This time we started down at the river, hiked up to the top of the ridge and along the top to where we started from last time, for about 14 miles total. It was a beautiful warm day - some green had started to appear, though the trees were still mostly bare. Not as bad as during/after the Grand Canyon trip, but my feet were in pretty bad shape afterwards. Good thing I have such a great blister popper on hand. :)
Tuesday, June 25, 2013
Monday, June 24, 2013
March Hike
So I know I haven't posted in forever, so I thought I'd sit down in front of the TV tonight with my external hard drive and toss up some mostly photo posts.
In March we went hiking along White Clay Creek State Park in southeast Pennsylvania, right by the Delaware state line (where it meets up with Delaware's White Clay Creek State Park haha). We hiked south along one side of the creek, and back up along the other. Though when we got back up we couldn't find a bridge that we'd expected to be there...so we wound up wading across the creek. Even though it wasn't particularly warm out, I was pleasantly surprised that the water wasn't nearly as cold as I expected.
I didn't take very many photos - the creek was pleasant and pretty, but the woods were still almost completely barren.
In March we went hiking along White Clay Creek State Park in southeast Pennsylvania, right by the Delaware state line (where it meets up with Delaware's White Clay Creek State Park haha). We hiked south along one side of the creek, and back up along the other. Though when we got back up we couldn't find a bridge that we'd expected to be there...so we wound up wading across the creek. Even though it wasn't particularly warm out, I was pleasantly surprised that the water wasn't nearly as cold as I expected.
I didn't take very many photos - the creek was pleasant and pretty, but the woods were still almost completely barren.
Thursday, March 21, 2013
Thursday means it's almost Friday
Nothing big, just some random thoughts while I wait for 20 minute LC runs...
Samosas make me really happy. I'd say the most redeeming thing about BFU are the delicious samosas at the cafe on the same floor as my lab. Considering that more days than not I desperately want a glass (or three) of wine when I get home from BFU, I'm very grateful for the samosas. And the delightful Indian man who staffs the cafe, who's always excited when anybody gets the samosas. Today when he saw my samosas and coke zero he told me how as a kid growing up they always had samosas and coke at the movie theater instead of popcorn and coke!
I ran 5 miles this morning! Not gonna lie, pretty proud of myself. There's a 5 mile road race in about a month that Boyfriend has done before that I plan to join him for this year. It's still irritatingly cold out more often than not, so I haven't run outside much in several months. Tuesday it was nice and still light out when I got home from work, so I ran a 3.9 mile route from home and survived, so this morning I tried 5 at the gym. One weird/annoying thing is the treadmills at the Y cut you off after 30 minutes. So I either have to restart the treadmill or start running 6 minute miles. Which is pretty much never going to happen.
I talked Boyfriend into doing this 6-pack March workout plan, and it is so. much. harder. when you do it after running 5 miles. It's not easy fully rested either, but definitely way easier. Even though the workout keeps increasing, I can tell that I'm getting better. I had never in my life even considered doing the quantities of sit-ups or push-ups, or that long of a plank. I'm pretty sure the last day will kill me, but it does seem to be accomplishing something...
In other workout related news, I'm only 1 lb above the lowest weight I hit last year! Which means I'm only about 3 lbs away from my ultimate goal weight, but already at a point I'd be ok with long term. Which is the hard part. Making it long term. Bonus, and maybe Boyfriend would disagree, but I think I've really been pretty good at the not-complaining about my weight in the meantime goal.
My alma mater is in the NCAA tournament! Both of them actually. My undergrad played (and won!) this afternoon and the gradual school alma mater plays tonight. I generally like March Madness - though I'm not nearly as obsessed as some people - but it does irritate me that Big Bang Theory won't be on for a while! >:/
Last weekend I bought a bottle of wine because the previous week, more nights that not I'd really wanted a glass (or three) of wine after working at BFU. Go figure, Monday and Tuesday this week were fine, but yesterday, holy cow. I was ready for the whole bottle. But then I got an email from Old Navy informing me that dresses were on sale...so I went shopping instead... And now I have quite the collection of casual summer dresses. If only it would be warm!
Speaking of warm, I am so, so tired of winter. It hasn't been a particularly bad winter, but after 5 years in the desert, 4 months of perpetual cold, rain, and bitter winds is more than enough! I'm wearing a heavy sweater today (acquired on clearance last night :P ), and wore my winter coat, scarf, and gloves to come down to BFU today. Daffodils have started to appear, but it's still way too cold to consider it spring...
Ok, my initial runs are done, a worklist is queued up for the night, so I'm out. Gotta get home in time for Glee even if there's no Big Bang to watch beforehand... Goodnight!
Samosas make me really happy. I'd say the most redeeming thing about BFU are the delicious samosas at the cafe on the same floor as my lab. Considering that more days than not I desperately want a glass (or three) of wine when I get home from BFU, I'm very grateful for the samosas. And the delightful Indian man who staffs the cafe, who's always excited when anybody gets the samosas. Today when he saw my samosas and coke zero he told me how as a kid growing up they always had samosas and coke at the movie theater instead of popcorn and coke!
I ran 5 miles this morning! Not gonna lie, pretty proud of myself. There's a 5 mile road race in about a month that Boyfriend has done before that I plan to join him for this year. It's still irritatingly cold out more often than not, so I haven't run outside much in several months. Tuesday it was nice and still light out when I got home from work, so I ran a 3.9 mile route from home and survived, so this morning I tried 5 at the gym. One weird/annoying thing is the treadmills at the Y cut you off after 30 minutes. So I either have to restart the treadmill or start running 6 minute miles. Which is pretty much never going to happen.
I talked Boyfriend into doing this 6-pack March workout plan, and it is so. much. harder. when you do it after running 5 miles. It's not easy fully rested either, but definitely way easier. Even though the workout keeps increasing, I can tell that I'm getting better. I had never in my life even considered doing the quantities of sit-ups or push-ups, or that long of a plank. I'm pretty sure the last day will kill me, but it does seem to be accomplishing something...
In other workout related news, I'm only 1 lb above the lowest weight I hit last year! Which means I'm only about 3 lbs away from my ultimate goal weight, but already at a point I'd be ok with long term. Which is the hard part. Making it long term. Bonus, and maybe Boyfriend would disagree, but I think I've really been pretty good at the not-complaining about my weight in the meantime goal.
My alma mater is in the NCAA tournament! Both of them actually. My undergrad played (and won!) this afternoon and the gradual school alma mater plays tonight. I generally like March Madness - though I'm not nearly as obsessed as some people - but it does irritate me that Big Bang Theory won't be on for a while! >:/
Last weekend I bought a bottle of wine because the previous week, more nights that not I'd really wanted a glass (or three) of wine after working at BFU. Go figure, Monday and Tuesday this week were fine, but yesterday, holy cow. I was ready for the whole bottle. But then I got an email from Old Navy informing me that dresses were on sale...so I went shopping instead... And now I have quite the collection of casual summer dresses. If only it would be warm!
Speaking of warm, I am so, so tired of winter. It hasn't been a particularly bad winter, but after 5 years in the desert, 4 months of perpetual cold, rain, and bitter winds is more than enough! I'm wearing a heavy sweater today (acquired on clearance last night :P ), and wore my winter coat, scarf, and gloves to come down to BFU today. Daffodils have started to appear, but it's still way too cold to consider it spring...
Ok, my initial runs are done, a worklist is queued up for the night, so I'm out. Gotta get home in time for Glee even if there's no Big Bang to watch beforehand... Goodnight!
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