January

It's January. I don't believe I actually made a list of resolutions last year, choosing instead merely to reflect upon the ones I made in 2010, and I'm not sure whether to make one this year. If I were, I would include things like

- Keep hydrated. (So notoriously bad at this...)

- Cook/bake more. (It would help if I didn't share a kitchen with half my floor, but that's really not an excuse.)

- Be social (and sociable). [I started getting good at this last year! Let's try for more.]

- Take more pictures and video. Document the life. Although I cringe a little when I watch myself on camera, it's always such great memories.

- Get fit. (Resume dancing, maybe? Or try something new.)

The academic stuff is never a real "resolution" for me. Grades, papers, and lab work are always goals that I strive to achieve, but I don't have to steel my resolve to do it.

This New Year's passed, as most do, with not a whole lot of bang. I got to spend it with Kelsey (first ever!) and my family so I was rather pleased, but other than the staying up way passed when I wanted to listening to Kathy Griffin make Anderson Cooper feel uncomfortable, it wasn't really a whole lot of shabang. Which, I'm ok with, considering most of my New Year's have been me cuddled up on my couch watching the ball drop completely unceremoniously (it's not as sad as it sounds, promise).

Other things I did this break were:

-DISNEYLAND!

-Went to my first college alumni holiday party.

-First double date with Kelsey's sister + boyfriend (oh, and meeting them. Ramen and karaoke and shopping and YUM SOON TOFU).

-Volunteered with some awesome people at Project Angelfood. Scooped potatoes for a couple hours. Master scooper.

-Walking about in Franklin Canyon.

-Watching a ton of movies (Les Mis, The Hobbit, Rise of the Guardians, The Great Mouse Detective, Adventures of Tin Tin, Ping Pong Playa). We watched Les Mis in the most amazing theater with diner services and reclining chairs.

-Got hooked on QI. Oh, Stephen Fry, you delightful gentleman. (And Phill Jupitus!)

-Traditional board game birthday party complete with R.V.'s delicious brownie cake. YOM.

- A lot of Epic Mickey 2.

- And eats!

And now I'm back in chilly Cambridge, with a stock of soup and hot chocolate and blankets and sweatpants and am comfy cozy, though I do miss LA and the people there. But I have begun putting projects in place for 2013. Hee. Hee. Hee. :)

Snuggles you later,

A

BlogaVlogmas Day 11: Things I learned During My Final

1) Wild type C. elegans actively search for a vulva after penetration until they find it. Actively. Search.

2) If you want to find a blonde, go to Sweden. They're 50% blonde over there (or 70% if you count dirty blondes).

3) Flies can look like bees. You just have to mutate them the right way.

BlogaVlogamas Day 10: Finished with Finals!

But I still have 2 proposals and a fellowship application to do. Ohhh wells. Also, yesterday was the Chem Bio holiday party. That was fun. :)

BlogaVlogmas Day 8: A Week In!

Today, I learned about fly genetics, ate some cashew chicken, and demolished a whole bunch of Milanos.

I also realized that the trick to blogging every day is to not expect to speak volumes of wisdom each time you blog. Between finals and work and class, who has time to impart wisdom? I don't even know if my brain can handle any more information at this point.

Except this: at Starbucks, never get the Skinny Peppermint Mocha. The regular one is great, and delicious. The Skinny is not worth it. Ever. It's watery and gross. Don't do it, people. Just....don't.

And then I saw Kristin Chenoweth speak

(And sing!)

And the world was better.

BlogaVlogmas Day 7: Out of Sorts

I didn't sleep well last night. Maybe I was too warm because I kept waking up all sorts of thirsty. Regardless, I feel remarkably out of sorts today. I haven't felt this way in a long time, maybe since high school or the early years of college. It's the kind of day where I don't feel like talking to anyone, where I'm not happy, but I don't know why. I can turn the feeling off when I'm in class or have to interact with people, but the moment I am alone, all I really want to do is lie in my bed and listen to sad music. There's this sinking feeling in my chest that I know didn't come from the coffee I drank this morning, and if I close my eyes, my thoughts look like dark blue knots of water, if that makes any sense.

This feeling is different from my "need to recharge" feeling. Recharging for me usually consists of watching fun movies or fangirling over people on tumblr. It's antisocial, but I'm still a ball of happy. This is...not the same thing.

It's not that I'm tired. If I close my eyes, I don't fall asleep. I'm not angry. No one has wronged me. I'm not sad. Even though a tear or two leaks out occasionally, I don't have anything to be sad about.

I know that people can't be happy all the time. It's just not realistic. And I embrace what I'm feeling right now. Because I'm not unhappy. Even though I know I can probably force myself to act happy, it seems a little silly to conform this societal expectation that people should be outwardly pleasant all the time, especially when there's no one else around.

So really, I just woke up tossing and turning and don't have a good reason for feeling boneless and antisocial. That's all.

BlogaVlogmas Day 6: Today

Did science. A lot of science.

Went to BM's birthday dinner.

Had a "Little Prince." It was delicious.

Also, took 2 naps. Totally crashed during each of them. I'm not ashamed to admit that had they gone longer, I would have been drool-y. This means I need more sleep.

Goodnight.