Matriculation

Matriculation was actually really really awesome. We started the day at HGS (Hall of Graduate Studies) for breakfast, then we processed - they closed the street and followed a cop on a bicycle - to Sprague Hall. The University President and Dean of the Grad school kept their speeches quite short, and then a grad student acapella group perform. It was great fun - the faculty in academic regalia and the whole nine yards. We then (and we is like 300 people) processed to the President's house, which is filled with art from the Yale art gallery (a Lichtenstein! a Matisse! insanity!), and into the backyard where we shook some hands, were formally welcomed to Yale, then signed the matriculation book.






After we signed the book (and picked up our pins with the grad school shield), we headed back to HGS for lunch. As we were leaving, President Levin left at the same time we did and we encountered him at his gate. He said we caught him leaving his own party, then joined me and Anna's conversation about whether or not hiking would be possible this weekend with some suggestions about hiking trails in the area. We ran into him *again* later...in one day I saw him more times than I ever spoke to Oblinger or Fox. Too cool.

At lunch, they had grad school-shield embellished chocolate coins, though we imagine we can't redeem them for anything valuable, even if Chris does slay a dragon that clearly must live somewhere around HGS.



Tonight was great fun as well - we went to BAR, had some pizza, then to GYPSY.

Look what I got last Monday...

New nephew named Tyler. He's tiny but will be huge before I see him.

Here at last...

Finally, in my apartment, with internet, this is the life.

So last week was hectic, getting my life together and on it's merry way. We picked up the mattress I bought right after we picked up the Penske Truck last Thursday. Before we did all that, we went bunny chasing, but that's a story for another day.

Clearly, I'm very very happy with my new mattress.



We packed up the truck that afternoon, then some wonderful peoples who weren't in Raleigh to tell me goodbye came over for dinner...



And we hung out til late. Finally, though, it was time to say goodbye.

The next day we left Rockwell at 7, Salisbury at 8, and saw lots of the open road.



And we drove on and on and on...Maryland rocks for having free internet, New Jersey is RIDICULOUSLY long.

Here's the Deleware Memorial Bridge, btw.




We took the NJ turnpike to the Garden State Parkway to the Tapp An Zee bridge, then we FINALLY got to Connecticut only to find ourselves sitting in an hour and a half of traffic (at midnight) due to emergency road work on 95. Insane. Once we arrived at the hotel, we pretty much collapsed into bed (at 1:15 AM). This is what we saw out our hotel room, though...

Maryland ROCKS!

I finally got my computer back Wednesday. Obviously, lots of updating to do, but the really amazing thing to share right now is that Maryland is the GREATEST STATE EVER because they have - get this - FREE wireless internet at all their welcome centers.

I heart Maryland (with the exception of the Terrapins) with the firey passion of my soul!

I'm really leaving...

The moment I realized today that (for my years in the Sikes lab) I had run my last PCR, loaded my last gel, and walked into Mike's office with results for the last time...really sucked.

I just realized I can pack my close-toed tennis shoes cause I won't need them here anymore. Here come the tears - again. I'm a weepy weepy wimp.

Driving away from hanging out after homegroup last night also really sucked. I'm going to miss those saints more than anything in this world (and I know I'm not supposed to want the world, I just want them in it).

It's hardest to leave when you're insanely happy.