Full Circle

I have come to the realization that every. single. thing. we do in life has meaning and purpose. Every person you meet. Everything experience you have. Every hardship. Every struggle. Every bit of joy.

Every thing we have done in our lives at one point or another, all serves the purpose of advising ourselves or others if we were to encounter a similar situation in the future. If you think about it, all that we do in life comes full circle.

So, embrace every experience. Hone every skill. Be kind to everyone you meet. For you do not know when you will be confronted with these situations again.

Spontaneous Generation

As you all know, I've had a deep love for science growing up. One of my most memorable science lessons (aside from the 8th grade final project I did on neurological disorders where I handcrafted a brain-cerebellum, brainstem and all- with wads of green play-dough) was that of spontaneous generation. Spontaneous Generation is the idea that living organisms develop from non-living matter. Take old rice for example- and this is something I believed in for many years. Say you dispose of old, cooked rice in the trash bin one day in the summer and a few days later, you see little maggots (gross, I know) in that same bin where the rice was placed. Because the maggots are the same color and relatively the same size as the rice grains, it might seem as though those little buggers morphed from the grains of rice. But in reality, several factors attributed to their appearance:

1. the heat of the summer months
2. flies being in high abundance during this time, and
3. flies laying their eggs close to a food source (the disposed of rice) to feed their young when they hatch.

Now, let me tell you that for the longest time, I believed spontaneous generation was a thing. I believed maggots were frankenstein rice grains. Oh! And those little insects that look like twigs and leaves? I thought they were as a result of this phenomenon as well. 

Fast forward to now, when I can finally accept that spontaneous generation is indeed a theory. But I can't help but wonder where all the dust in our house comes from. I dust, sweep, swiffer, mop and in a matter of days, the place is dusty again. (And it's been a crazy cold winter, so it has nothing to do with having the windows open) Three months into living here, I seriously regretted wanting wooden floors through-out. What in the world was I thinking?! When I allow myself to think about it long enough (as I have now since I am writing this post), my mind always drifts back to the possibility of spontaneous generation. That just has to be it. Granted, dust is not a living organism. But the way that thing shows up in our house, that thing seems very much alive.

So, this post was more than random. Beau often wonders what goes on in my mind because my analytic process is apparently "off the rockers". But honestly, this is how I am. This is how my brain/thought-process works.... And now you know.  

ツ

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Company Picnics and Overcoming Social-Awkwardness

 

I feel like I have been seeing a lot of Beau's co-workers lately. Not that I'm visiting him at work everyday (or, ever), but his firm has been hosting some events lately, and we've been attending them.

Note, this is actually an exaggeration because there really has only been about 3 events, but I think that's enough to make it seem like a lot.

In any case, we drove up to Point Pleasant Beach for his company's picnic last weekend. I'm not quite sure what I was expecting, but I knew some awkwardness would arise. I have a self-diagnosis of social anxiety, so it made complete sense why I would expect awkwardness at this event.  I hate being at the center of attention. I don't feel confident when meeting new people, and I am just all-around terrified of anything going wrong.

The company picnic wasn't half bad though. I learned that contrary to my belief, people don't bite.

                                                                       ツ

This & That

images via

Ever had one of those times where you regret not making a purchase? I am currently kicking myself for not getting a pair of shoes I saw a few weeks back. They were tan open-toed clog-like shoes and I loved them. They were super comfortable, and they weren't even my size! 'Why didn't you get them?', you might be wondering. Well, because I initially went to the store for nude pumps for church, and when it came down to it, I went with what was practical. Now all I have left to remember those lovely shoes by is a blurry cell-phone pic. I can't even find them online... Almost makes me think it was just a dream.

Speaking of shoes, I won a giftcard from DSW again. That makes like, win number 5 or 6? I'm not even sure. I've lost count. Not all wins were gift cards, however-- one was a handbag, and two were brand sponsored giveaways, so we had to choose shoes from those specific brands. Since one of the requirements when you win is to post a status on Facebook (or retweet on Twitter), my friends and family are all like -- "omgsh! how do you keep winning these??!!"
and I just smile and say-- "speed and a bit of luck, I suppose'.
As if I actually believe in luck. My response is true, though.

I recently rediscovered one of the gifts I received at my bridal shower. I had it buried in a drawer somewhere. It was a bath and body set that actually came with a plug-in diffuser. I plugged that bad boy in and I am in love. It has a strong smell, but it's very pleasant (better than a Glade plug-in, in my opinion). I plan on investing in more of these.

Being a newlywed comes with its share of miscommunication--or lack thereof. But what about those times when you really just don't understand each other? Beau's lingo is a myriad of slang (stems back to his MC/emcee-ing days and continual love for hip-hop, I suppose). So I sometimes have my share of misunderstanding whenever he speaks. One night, we had a long discussion on if the other person said whole stir or holster. They sound pretty similar-- homophonous-- but are clearly different words. Add to that the fact that my short-term memory is pretty basic and I honestly didn't remember: (1) which word I used and (2) how I had used either word in the sentence previously spoken. Needless to say, that conversation went no where.

I don't have a tumblr account, but I love the concept. There are 2 tumblr accounts that I frequent because of content. Check them out:
(1) My Revelment -- I have been following this blog for over a year now and I like the beautiful landscape images,  typography, and the overall simplicity of it.
(2) Life is Beautiful -- This one is my absolute favorite! The images are so stunning and the layout is very aesthetically pleasing. The blogger is Christian and she not only shows it through the beautiful posts, but also in the way that she responds to many of the questions she gets.
** Bonus** The Murmuring Cottage -- makes you feel like you're living in the countryside, like Anne of Green Gables, or something.

Mary and Max

Strange things happen when you leave your husband home alone for a couple of hours on a Sunday night. Last night, I returned home to find Beau watching a movie on Amazon Instant Video. It was a black and white claymation film. "Mary and Max" was the title-- a film that, according to Beau, was "funny so far, but also a little sad". He explained the general idea of the film a little further and I became intrigued, so I joined him and immediately found myself giggling during certain scenes. Then towards the end of the movie, I thought "what kind of craziness is my husband really watching??", all while still being sucked into it. It ended and I wanted to cry a bit, but I refused to since I started watching in the middle and it made absolutely no sense to be so attached to characters I met half-way through a movie. I still thought the movie was a bit strange, and Beau even more strange for finding such a random movie to watch on a Sunday night.  I would totally recommend it, though.

Here's a graphic that summarizes the film (click to enlarge):

** image #1 found here

** image #2 found here

Now You Know // More Random Facts About Me

• I have to drink tea with a spoon about 2/3 of the way before I can turn the cup to my head.
• My favorite word is okay. I would like to think of myself as an optimistic person, but if someone asks me:how are you? or, how was your day? or, how is the meal? my response will most likely be: I'm/it's okay. 
• I've studied Spanish for 8 years: 4 years in high school and it was my minor in undergrad. I understand it better than I speak it. I've just never had an opportunity to practice it... except senior year of high school when I tutored a kid from Mexico in Geometry. THAT was an experience! I didn't take advantage of any of the study abroad programs while in college. I would  really love to visit somewhere in South America or Central America with beau, though... Adding that to my bucket list.  
• When I love a song, I love it to death and play it over and over until I learn the lyrics so I can sing along to it whenever it's on. 
• I have a Windows Phone. So what that means is... I have a phone that severely lacks "good" apps. Lucky for me though, I'm not really into apps [I'm more into the uniqueness of the phone, the speed, and ease of use]. The facebook and twitter apps are great though. But until recently, I was either using Beau's phone or a program on my computer (Bluestacks) to upload photos to instagram. We finally have a good instagram app for Windows Phone, not an official app, but good (maybe even better than the one for Android/iPhone). 

• I am pretty methodological about washing dishes. We hand wash everything. So first I do the glasses/cups, then the plates, and lastly the silverware. 
• From 6th grade to 12 grade, I did not miss one day of school. 
• I have yet to change my maiden name. 
• My all time favorite flower is the hibiscus flower. Whenever I see a photo of it, I can almost smell it and I'm instantly brought back to my childhood in Jamaica.
• I secretly wish I made Youtube videos. I mean really-- what started as a hobby for many (i.e. uploading videos of make-up tutorials, styling tips, recipe videos) has landed them a brand for themselves. The channels with a large following make money- like a legit salary- from the views AND they get amazing opportunities to work with major brands internationally.  Some even get paid to record their daily lives, no matter how mundane and repetitive, and upload the videos to youtube. Crazy, right?!
• I really, really want a pet rat, but Beau would absolutely. die. Like, absolutely. My friends had a pet rat called Babu Baloo in undergrad and although it freaked me out initially (rat tails are kind of gross), I eventually fell in love. She was easily trained and very smart. Said friends later thought it was a good idea to get a boy rat, called Raúl, so they could mate and have babies and everyone in our group of friends would be able to have our own baby rat. That was a major fail! Oh college, you were full of many bad ideas. 

// this was Babu. She didn't have any babies. She was too terrified of Raul when we introduced him to her, so we let them be. 

On Having Kids

photo via

In spite of what I wrote in this post a while back, I still get a tiny bit of baby fever. Growing up, I've always loved children. So much so that I wanted to be a pediatrician. then a pediatric brain surgeon... then a pediatric cancer surgeon... I just wanted to work with kids and be able to care for them. I babysat throughout college and fell in love with the kids and their families. In undergrad, there were 2 boys, German-American. The sweetest blonde-hair, blue-eyed kids you'd ever meet. They tried to teach me German -- I failed at it. In grad school, I worked with a family with boy/girl twins. They were also very sweet.

Although I loved children, I don't think I ever saw myself as a mama. I guess I was just never in that mindset. Since getting married, I've been thinking about it more and more... and I'm excited (and nervous) to say the least.

This week, our church is holding Vacation Bible School (VBS). Beau and I have been transporting some kids (2 boys and 2 girls) to and from church and we enjoy their company. They range in age from 7 to 14 and all have different personalities. One wants Beau to cut his beard and shave his head. The other wants him to grow his beard long like Rapunzel (as if Rapunzel had a beard). One is super quiet and reminds me of my younger self. And the other is apparently the ladies' man.  They had us cracking up the past couple days. And when they left the car to go home, Beau said to me "I wonder what our kids will be like?" Suddenly, my heart smiled at the prospect of raising funny kids and loving them wholeheartedly.

I'm looking forward to that day.

Going Gray

 

I noticed my first strand of grey hair when I was 19 years old. I didn't think much of it other than it must be one super amazing strand of hair to overcome the crazy golden blond color treatment I tried on my hair freshman year. (In all honesty though, I was aiming for honey brown highlights and my roommate and I allowed it to process too long. Anyhoo, I digress.) 

I have gained several more silver strands since then and they do not bother me as much as they seem to bother friends and family members who happen to spot them. I'm only 25 years old now, so maybe when I'm a little older and feel like I'm facing a midlife crisis, I will be bit more 'against' having gray hairs.

I secretly believe that a new strand comes with  every hurdle that I've overcome in life. Sounds silly, but I believe it. Besides, as much as they grow in or convert (or however gray strands end up in your hair), I've also had some naturally shed during the normal shedding process. 

Beau has a multitude of grays in his hair as well and they don't bother him either. They are speckled about and are only truly visible once his hair starts growing back after a really short cut. He says he's had them since he was "12 yo" and to that I just roll my eyes and say, "okay, love". haha. 

Do you have gray hairs? Do they bother you? 

 

**P.S. I've had this unfinished post in my draft for months now and only remembered about it once LaNeshe posted on a similar subject**

Verbal Sunshine

It's really nice when someone pays you a compliment.  They always catch me off guard because I am not one to think too highly of myself. Also, compliments shows how someone on the outside sees you and reveals aspects about you that you may have not noticed before. 

This weekend, I received 2 compliments in different forms: 

A girl from my church said, 

"You are a really good person to look up to." 

'Wow!', I thought. 

Never would I have believed I was admirable, especially to younger girls. My heart melted at that statement, and I am completely humbled. 

Then, last night a friend I've known for many years said,

"I can tell your marriage is good. You have an exuberance about you, Jhanzelle..."

Again I thought, 'Wow!' Not because our marriage isn't good, because it really is, but because people on the outside are able to see it. Anyone who's married knows that it's not always easy, especially early on, but beau and I give it our all and the beautiful days far outweigh all the difficult days. I am glad that the joy my marriage brings me visibly lights me up. Lord knows I didn't shine as brightly before. 

Thoughts + May Highlights

I've been pretty quiet on the blog this week. I wanted to share what we did during Memorial Day weekend along with a couple other posts, but I thought it best to just remain quiet. (That's the good thing about blogging for fun. There is no real obligation to get a post up if you're not feeling up to it.)

A lot has been on my mind lately. Nothing in particular, just thoughts... questions. My mind is like that, you know. Curiosity strikes almost always and my mind proposes many question. I sit down and think of all the possible answers and allow the Holy Spirit to even reveal some answers to me. I really enjoy that quiet time.

Here, I am sharing some highlights from this month.
Enjoy and happy weekend! Stay cool!

 

The Weekend + Random Thoughts

This weekend was extremely soggy and dreary, so we opted to not do much. We went to see The Great Gatsby, browsed around a shopping center and had take-out for dinner on Saturday. Sunday was the usual church with an evening service to honor our pastor. I was given the opportunity to pay tribute to our pastor this year and it was so fitting, as he played such a major role in our marriage in the Fall in such an invaluable way. Beau and I are so grateful for him. I love my pastor dearly -- 84 years old and chock full of wisdom! 

Now, some random thoughts:

- a house dress is possibly the most unflattering wardrobe piece you could own, but it is oh so comfortable.

- I absolutely dislike when people grab my hand to not-so-subtly look at my rings and then have a look of disdain on their faces after spotting the non-traditional ruby ring. A person could have the biggest diamond ring ever and be very unhappy in their marriage. It's not about the ring, but the life you life. I'm going to start snatching my hand back after this.

- When a sweaty individual occupies a  machine right under the gym fan allowing it to blow all the funk over to you AND when someone occupies a treadmill right next to your end machine when the entire row of machines is empty are two of my pet peeves at the gym.

- I have fallen in love with the PBS Masterpiece series, Mr. Selfridge. I vaguely remember Masterpiece Theater from my childhood, but I know the shows were very well respected. I really enjoy the current shows and look forward to getting entranced in more. I only wish the seasons were longer. 

Baby Voice

I have always been soft spoken. As a child, I apparently had an annoyingly whiney voice, comparable to Edith Bunker (or so said my mom and sister). I always thought I would grow out of it, and actually felt as though I did. Alas, I am constantly reminded by some soul that this voice of mine is still very small.

Earlier in the week, after a short presentation I did I at church, a little boy came up to me (he could not have been more than 10 yrs old) and said "You have the cutest little baby voice". My self-esteem sky-rocketed after that... Really, it did. -__-

I admit it's a little frustrating at times. Not being heard or not taken seriously. Apparently when I yell in anger, that's when I'm actually speaking at a normal, audible tone. Some people often struggle to hear me when I speak. This makes me wonder:

- Am I not being taken seriously at some interviews? I actually speak more sternly during interviews than I do in general. But that 'stern voice' is also what I used during my presentation the other day. What does that say?

- Am I to fake a voice with more bass in it until it sticks? That sounds just all types of wrong. 

- Or, do I accept what I've got? I've always hated my voice. But beau loves it, and I have had many a people take me seriously when I speak. So what does that say?

Such is life, I guess. 

I know blogosphere doesn't allow for us to hear a person's voice, unless that person also makes videos. But what do you think of my voice? (I can't believe I'm actually asking you guys this) Below is a video I made for a class I had a couple years ago. My voice can be heard asking the questions. Let me know what you think? Do you believe the way a person's voice sounds takes away from their personal attributes? 

Bun & Cheese

During the Easter season, Jamaicans are known to eat two things in excess: fresh fish and bun and cheese. My favorite of the two, although both are equally delicious, is the bun an cheese. 

The "bun" is a spiced bread laced with fruits (cherries and raisins) and spices (nutmeg and cinnamon). It makes for a really sweet loaf that can be eaten by itself, or paired with butter or cheese. Our custom, however, is to eat it with cheese. Of course there is a traditional cheese that goes with the bun, known as "Jamaican cheese", and to be honest, I have no clue what kind of cheese it is...  and that's completely okay with me. I will say though, that it kind of tastes like cheddar cheese, but I'm pretty sure that it's not.   ツ

Beau and I bought the biggest bun we could find in stores this year! 

I hope we are able to finish it.

Home Sweet Homebody

//photo via

I keep telling myself "You have got to get out of the house and do something!" 

Alas, it doesn't happen. 

I am a homebody through and through. I do have desires to go out and take a walk sometimes. Find a creek  (in our new county just outside of Philly), or even go for a stroll and take in the brisk air. But I always opt to stay at home. 

I've always been like this. Since I was a child, I opted to stay in. Maybe it was the shyness in me. Maybe it was slight self-diagnosis of agoraphobia. Maybe it was the sheltered lifestyle I lived.  Whatever it was, it was there. I never went outside to play with the kids on my block. I avoided speaking with them and making eye-contact at all costs -- this may attribute to my lack of double dutch skills. (ha!) I remember one time I went outside to ride my new bike. I excitedly rode to the bottom the street, a couple of guys looked at me strangely, and that was enough for me to turn around and ride my bike back home, never to have that bike see the light of day again. 

The conflict in all of this however, is actually wanting to go out sometimes. There are days when I do want to go out, explore, and be adventurous, but I feel so much more comfortable staying at home. 

What's a girl to do? 

On Spring and Other Things

 “It’s Spring again. The earth is like a child that knows poems by heart.”

//Rainer Maria Rilke

Winter lasted for what felt like an eternity. Maybe because of the seemingly endless bouts of cold, rainy days. Or, because this has been my first winter spent outside of school in 6 years. Whatever it was, I’m glad it has ended and will be followed by a shifting in the air... budding flowers, warm sun, cool breeze and refreshing rain.

On another note: I was reading a post on blog evolution yesterday and this question was asked:  What do you do when you feel the direction of your blog and your voice changing? Do you just go with the flow or start all over? I personally believe that an evolution in our blogging voice should be embraced.  I’ll use myself as an example-- When I started this blog, my writings were a hodgepodge of different things that came to mind at the time. I was in my final weeks of undergrad and desired an outlet to voice opinions and share things not related to school. I wrote about anything from celebrity crushes to random things found in my childhood room at home. Since then, I've experienced moving to a new state, graduate school, engagement, hardships, graduating with a Master’s degree, marriage, and unemployment. Why would I want to give up on all of that because I have a ‘new voice’? It is more than likely that my new voice stemmed from all the wisdom I have gained through those experiences. So I believe it’s important to hold on to previous posts.

Now to be completely honest, when I look back on the complete and utter randomness of my blog posts throughout 2010, I wince a little and consider taking them down but keeping them there is all part of the fun. It’s nice seeing where I came from. How my thoughts and concerns changed and how much I have grown in just 3 years time. I enjoy reading those kinds of posts from other bloggers as well.

What do you think? If you feel your blog evolving or your voice changing, will you go with the flow or start fresh? 

. 

photo via

Liebster Blog Award

I have been awarded the Liebster blog award by Eimile at Reflect. I discovered Eimile's blog through another blog a few months back. She is Christian, newlywed,  and studies molecular biology, like myself. I felt a connection with her right away and enjoy the tidbits she shares about grad school life and her faith. Thank you for nominating me for this award, Eimile!

Rules to the Liebster award:

1. Each person tagged must share eleven things about themselves.
2. They must answer the eleven questions the tagger has made for them
3. They must then choose eleven fellow blogs to nominate.  The nominees must have under 200 GFC (Google Friend Connect) followers and be told in a comment on their blog.  Choose as many or as little as you want.
4. Lastly they must then think of eleven questions to ask the bloggers they have decided to nominate.

** I too will be eliminating the last 2 rules as I have not discovered any newer blogs with a small audience in quite a while. **

1. I emigrated to the U.S. from Jamaica almost 18 years ago. And this was the first and last time I've been there since. The only known family there is my father, aunt, half-brothers and sisters and cousins. I would love to visit again with beau. 

2. I am highly observant and perceptive. I notice the small things. 

3. I am really starting to enjoy cooking dinners. Like I previously stated, I am extremely observant, so I learned how the basis of meal prep when I was younger just by watching my mom and sister in the kitchen. My favorite cuisine is Jamaican, of course, but lately I've been dabbling into pasta dishes and just different ways of preparing standard meals. Beau loves it!

4. I am a germaphobe/mysophobe. Not sure if this stemmed from all the things I learned about bacteria and viruses as a science major or the sheer fear of feeling miserable during the course of an illness -- just know that I have an unhealthy fear of getting sick from others. Like when a random person sits next to and lets out a brawny exhale? I think I'm all of a sudden exposed to tuberculosis. 

5. Every weekday, I enter to win Ellen DeGeneres' giveaway. 

6. ... And every Tuesday and Friday, I try for DSW's giveaways (on Facebook on Tuesdays and Twitter on Fridays). So far, I've won 4 times. 

7. Violent films before bedtime produces nightmares. Sorry beau, but the X-Men Origins: Wolverine did not agree with me at all. 

8. I would love to take on a hobby (aside from blogging). I have yet to discover my hidden talent. I desire the ingenuity for nesting and building things for our new home like these beautiful honeycomb shelves. 

9. Like many other blog "features" I've started and never completed, I failed on the Project 365 photo a day challenge. 

10. I admit that I have gotten a bit of baby fever after this post, especially with all the "mama blogs" (i.e. The Daybook, Love Taza, Kelle Hampton, etc) and vlogs (i.e. DearNaptural85, itsJudysLife, LefloofTV) I follow. However, beau and I are still waiting.  

11. It's amazing how much I have grown since starting this blog. I don't know if blogging has made me aware of this, or just the stage of life that I am in, but I love where I am now. The journey was hard at times, but that's what makes me who I am right now -- in this moment. 

1. If you could live anywhere, where would it be? 

-- Somewhere close to water -- either a shore or a lake. 

2. Do you match your socks? 

-- Yes. Always. But I wonder what it would be like to live on the wild side sometimes.

3. What is your favorite flower? 

-- I love yellow roses and hydrangeas that bloom during the summer months in Philly. 

4. What is a hobby you want to start? 

   -- Rollerblading

5. What is/was your favorite subject in school. 

   -- Math was my favorite in high school. I always aced exams and even got all the extra credit questions right. In college, my favorite subject was Immunology. I loved how hands on the laboratory course was and I enjoyed in-vivo experiments.

7. What made you decide to start a blog? 

   -- I wanted an outlet to share the random things I encountered and thoughts that I had. 

8. Sweet or Savory? 

   -- Sweet! but I love a good savory meal! 

9. You just realized you have an extra hour, what do you do with it? 

   -- spend time with my beau. I feel like I rarely see him during the week. 

10. Who is your favorite Old Testament character, and why? 

   -- Oooh! I like this question... I have loved Zipporah (Moses' wife) since I was a child. Initially, it was only her name that I admired, but later on, I admired devotion to her husband during the Exodus and the Hebrew custom of circumcising their sons even though she was of a different origin than he was. 

11. What is the most exciting thing you've ever done? 

   -- White water rafting, for sure.

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Again...

 via

They (insert your definition of they here) say that "boredom is a state of mind". Well, me? I think it's lounging around watching the first five seasons of Girlfriends... again. 

I must get out and enjoy life... The breeze, sunshine, and blossoming green trees. Walk around Kelly Drive. Read a book. Eat some ice cream. Maybe meet a new somebody. 

Something!

I just need a better way to occupy myself.

... Although, there's nothing wrong with watching Girlfriends...

This Face

 You know how people sometimes have this inspiring life-story to tell? How they went from being like some happy kid, to going into a fast uncontrollable downward spiral of deep emotional despair and then somehow managed to overcome it all to tell you and I about it?

Yea.

I feel like that will be me one day... Like it should be me.

I wrote the above post on Sunday, March 4, 2012 with no intentions of posting it. I just wanted an outlet to express how I was feeling at that moment. I was feeling a bit out of it. I couldn't quite pinpoint the exact emotion I felt at the moment, but I knew it wasn't good. The week took a turn for the worst from then on. I felt sad, empty, with a need to cry, but I wasn't sure why. I didn't feel overwhelmed with life and school as I did the week before, I just felt disconnected from the world.

I still did schoolwork, read blogs, watched youtube videos and things like that, but apart from doing those things, when all was still and quiet, I burst into tears for no apparent reason. I didn't feel like being in class, I did not want to be around people in general, and I was excused from my work study early on Tuesday because I had tears pouring from my eyes, but still proclaimed that I was "okay... no, really. I'm fine".

As the week went on, I felt a little better, but I still had/have an underlying sadness. I have always been pretty moody and melancholy to say the least, but I haven't felt like this in a long while... and I would hate to go back to those times where I did feel pretty depressed and burdened with sadness.

I hope I am able to shake this thing off soon, because life is still going on around me.... And honestly, I'm getting pretty tired of waking up and going to bed with this face.

Letters

photo via

Dear Housemate,
I've heard your wet, mucous-filled cough since you returned from your weekend at home. Rest assured, I will be disinfecting every single common surface (bathroom door, refrigerator/freezer handles, thermostat, etc) we touch to get rid of those fomites once your cough has subsided.

QU classes,
Could your classes be anymore segregated? I'm not sure why it's taken me this long to realize it, but I have and I don't like it one bit. My pathogenic microbiology class has all the guys in the back corner on the left side of the classroom. All of the females are then tucked away in the back on the right side of the classroom. All the Saudis stick together in the front, and myself, 2 other black girls and my Asian friend are clumped together on some other end of the room. It sickens me. I've decided to break the mold. I'm sitting in the middle of the class from now on! 

Dear Patho Micro professor,
You are too intriguing for words. I adore your animal themed ties, and the random one with gram-negative bacteria. Your subtle little quirky jokes always make me giggle during lecture. And, I also think that playing "dolls" with your 3 year old daughter is endearing and was the best way to avoid writing up a Turning Point clicker quiz for us today.

Southern Beauty

I spent a wonderful 2 weeks with my beau and his parents in South Georgia. They live in an area sprinkled with lakes, and since meeting them 2.5 years ago, I've been in love. The lake in their backyard is so peaceful and quiet. I could sit out there for hours on end, just taking in the soft breeze and the excitement of a glimpse of a Loch Ness Monster fish.

One afternoon last week, I snapped away at the scenery. Beau is convinced that I take way too many pics of trees. I admit that I do, but no scenery is the same. The landscape in Connecticut is way different than that of what I have seen in New Jersey during undergrad, and even that of Pennsylvania. That's what makes nature so beautiful to me. The change of season produces variance in foliage. The speed at which the wind blows also changes the look of a tree you've been so accustomed to seeing for years on end.

I love it.