tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-41180872242951060352024-02-07T08:09:13.541-05:00In my (not so) abundant spare time....Random thoughts about life, the universe, everything, and parenting seven-year-old twins.Julie Rhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02933092519276567320noreply@blogger.comBlogger67125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4118087224295106035.post-71514195729073592302020-04-06T11:09:00.000-04:002020-04-06T11:11:25.710-04:00Hello? Is this thing on?It's been a while since I wrote anything here. But I think I might revive this blog at least for the duration of The Great Entroublement. I have things to say! And the people I am with day in and day out might not be interested in everything I want to talk about. But before I put too much time and energy into this I just wanted to find out if anyone is still following this blog in any sort of way. So, can you hear me now?<br />
<br />
<br />Julie Rhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02933092519276567320noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4118087224295106035.post-82146370892159010272013-07-27T09:57:00.002-04:002013-07-27T09:57:49.114-04:00The problem with summer birthdays.<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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We have always encouraged our identical twins to be
individuals and to pursue their own interests and friends.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It has worked out quite well – until now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I promised the girls they could have a
slumber party for their 8<sup>th</sup> birthday and told them they could each
invite two people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The problem?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Both of A’s friends said “yes” but neither of
K’s friends can come because they will be out of town (such is the nature of an
early summer birthday party).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now I’m
not sure what to do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Should I:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .75in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .75in; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="mso-list: Ignore;">a)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span>Postpone
both parties and try again after school starts in a couple of weeks?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .75in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .75in; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="mso-list: Ignore;">b)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span>Have
A’s party as scheduled and have K’s party at another time?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .75in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .75in; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="mso-list: Ignore;">c)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span>Cancel
both parties and take just the two of them out for an extra special event?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .75in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .75in; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="mso-list: Ignore;">d)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span>Go
with some other option?</div>
Julie Rhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02933092519276567320noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4118087224295106035.post-3902288082627437222013-04-19T11:17:00.002-04:002013-04-25T14:04:11.996-04:00Perks of working at homeMy career is currently in "transition" and I have mostly been working at home the last couple of weeks. Not going into the lab/office everyday has a few downsides. But there are definitely perks. Some of those perks include: <br />
<br />
<br />
<ol>
<li>I get to play what ever music I want as loud as I want to play it.</li>
<li>I don't usually feel guilty for taking an internet surfing break (but breaks tend to be longer)</li>
<li>I get to control the temperature. The air-conditioner is never running on days when it's less than 50 degrees outside.</li>
<li>If I find that I didn't dress appropriately for the day, I can just wander into my bedroom to change. </li>
<li>I'm not usually cleaning the bathroom when I need to use it (downside is that I don't have a janitorial service cleaning my bathroom).</li>
<li>Only my dirty dishes are in the sink. </li>
<li>I can eat or throw out anything that's in the fridge.</li>
<li>Irish coffee (or any alcoholic beverage) is perfectly acceptable. </li>
</ol>
<br />
<br />Julie Rhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02933092519276567320noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4118087224295106035.post-67692359026525316572012-12-05T17:08:00.001-05:002012-12-05T17:10:16.582-05:00Can this itch be scratched?I have an itch I can’t scratch. I can’t describe it, or locate its source. But it’s there and it’s making me uncomfortable. There are lots of possibilities. Could it be a need to go for a run? Or hang out with friends? Eat some really, really good food? Read a great book? I suspect it’s a need to create something. Making Christmas ornaments, sewing pajama pants (even though I don’t really sew), and baking tons of cookies all sound really appealing to me right now. Or maybe I just need to write something. Not the research papers that I need to get out, but to write. But what? Poems? Short stories? Christmas letters? Blog posts? What will satisfy this itch? Or is it like those itches you get on the bottom of your foot? The ones that can’t really be scratched? And should I even try to scratch this itch? I already have an unending to do list filled with required chores. You know the ones laundry, dishes, insect colony maintenance, research paper writing. How do I prioritize creating just for the heck of it among the other tasks demanding my attention?Julie Rhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02933092519276567320noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4118087224295106035.post-65132400191598889882012-02-16T15:32:00.002-05:002012-02-16T15:32:41.884-05:00Thursday Haiku Day<br />
<br />
Back into the lab<br />
To search for frozen insects<br />
New secrets to learn.<br />
<br />
<br />
Upon his soapbox<br />
Annoying office neighbor<br />
Preaches to someone.<br />
<br />
<br />
If motivation<br />
Was put into a bottle,<br />
I would buy a case.<br />
<br />
<br />Julie Rhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02933092519276567320noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4118087224295106035.post-86485567799664311362012-01-26T23:11:00.001-05:002012-01-26T23:11:48.698-05:00Pirates in the ClosetOur family has a secret. One of my daughters is a pirate. Well, not really. But she will be wearing a pirate eye patch for 2 hours every night for the next 3 months. The pirate patch is to treat her mild amblyopia, also called lazy eye. The muscles of one eye are not as strong as they need to be to hold the eye in the correct position. At this point it is very mild, but if left untreated it could lead to loss of sight in her bad eye. Fortunately, the treatment is fairly easy. We just have to put a patch over her strong eye so the weak eye has to work harder. Kind of like weight lifting for her eyeball.<br />
<br />
At least I think the treatment is easy. BG is not so sure about the whole thing. She started complaining that she was having problems seeing at school. She was sort of mentally prepared to start wearing glasses. Our visit to a local pediatric ophthalmologist was a bit of a surprise. BG doesn't need glasses. In fact, her vision is almost perfect except for the amblyopia. <br />
<br />
So what is the secret? BG is currently embarrassed by her patch. And she doesn't want anyone to know about it. She even told her friend "I can't tell you our family secret." So for now only the 4 of us know. And her teacher (I thought I had to let her in on it). And the school nurse (BG failed an eye test and the nurse gave us a sheet to have filled out and signed by her doctor). And, now 2 of her friends at school. She is slowly warming to the idea and getting used to wearing the patch. She has really been very cooperative and brave about the whole thing. I'm very proud of her.<br />
<br />
But don't tell anyone. It's a family secret.<br />
<br />Julie Rhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02933092519276567320noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4118087224295106035.post-88739792849444148392012-01-04T21:50:00.001-05:002012-01-04T21:50:56.705-05:00Resolutions for the new year.Yes, I realized that this is actually the 4th day of the new year. Every year I try to embrace the idea that resolutions are for the whole year, not just January. Waiting until the 4th to make/post about my resolution is simply keeping that philosophy. So, without further ado, I give you my resolutions for 2012.<br />
<br />
<b>Take charge of my career:</b> I've been kind of drifting the last several years, which is kind of bad for the particular field I am currently in. Partly this is because I'm not sure this career field is really for me. This year I am going to take some deliberate steps to figure this out and make adjustments where needed. Part of this goal is to try my hand at Science writing/journalism which includes science blogging. I hope to start a second blog in the near future for my sciency posts. I also want to do more public science education. Help with Science Day at my girls school. Do a few more insect shows.<br />
<br />
<b>Take care of my body:</b> I already posted about my love/hate relationship with running. One goal is to get going with that again. I'm registered for the <a href="http://www.capitalcityhalfmarathon.com/">Cap City Quarter Marathon</a> in May (note to self - you only have 121 days to train). This year I want to keep running past that. Do two or three 5k's. Maybe something more ambitious in the fall? <br />
<br />
In addition to running I also need to do some basic things like replace my glasses, go to the dentist, and other things that I manage to schedule for my kids, but not for myself. Maybe try out a new hair style and otherwise improve the way I feel in my own body.<br />
<br />
<b>Spend my time more deliberately:</b> I spend to much time monkey clicking on facebook and related sites. Spending time on these places is fine, but I want to do it with more purpose. Interact with more people. Stop monkey-clicking. Turn off the computer when I'm not actually doing something. Maybe multi-task a bit and fold laundry while I'm watching Glee. I want to spend my time better. I'm pretty sure I'll have more time to accomplish things if I just cut out the time sucks.<br />
<br />
<br />
And there you have it. My resolutions for 2012. I'm planning to post specific goals, etc. as I go along, so stay tuned. I might just end up with a functioning blog.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Julie Rhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02933092519276567320noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4118087224295106035.post-69143785645817577292012-01-03T21:44:00.000-05:002012-01-03T21:44:20.990-05:00I know these things are true...1. I like running.<br />
<br />
2. My body feels better when I run. My blood pressure is lower, I have fewer general aches, everything just works better.<br />
<br />
3. Running is good for my cardiovascular system and reduces my risk of having a heart attack or stroke. This is important because my father had a fatal heart attack at 65. My mom and brother have cholesterol problems and my maternal grandfather died from heart problems. My own history of preeclampsia doubles my risk of heart attack and stroke by itself. The odds against having a heart attack are not great unless I do as much as I can to keep my heart healthy.<br />
<br />
4. I feel great after I run.<br />
<br />
5. I am happier in general when I run regularly.<br />
<br />
6. Races are fun.<br />
<br />
Clearly, running is a good thing for me. So, why is it so hard to get my tush out of the chair and out the door?Julie Rhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02933092519276567320noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4118087224295106035.post-6018982780272986712011-08-11T12:31:00.000-04:002011-08-11T12:32:47.349-04:00Why are you telling us this now?So, this morning, from out of no where, the lead teacher in my daughter's summer childcare program, who was also her kindergarten teacher told me "I'm just not sure that K is ready for first grade." Now this comes a week before K starts school in a 1st grade class at a local magnet school. So, WTF, Teacher? Really? You tell me now? Why not back in May? I knew Teacher had some concerns about K back in January. But K worked really hard and made a lot of progress. And the end of year progress report said "K will need some extra help, but she is ready for 1st grade." So what happened to change Teacher's mind? Was she lying to us back in May? Just telling us what we wanted to hear? And, now, exactly what am I supposed to do with this information?
<br><br>
What we are going to do with this information is to take it with a grain of salt and proceed as planned, albeit, with more trepidation than we had a few days ago. We selected the magnet program because is it smaller than our "home" school. The curriculum is the standard 1st grade curriculum, but the whole school is "arts" based which means creativity is valued. Creativity is something that K has more than enough of. Plus she is smart, has an excellent memory and a huge vocabulary. She is smart and she works hard when she wants too. And we are in an excellent school district. I know they have a "reading help" program in place for kids who struggle in that area (for some reason K is a reluctant reader). And, frankly, I suspect that K will do better in a more structured setting than the one provided by her current program. I know their current teachers let them get away with some types of behavior that we would never let them get away with at home. A responds to disappointments with way more emotion than is appropriate and throws a temper tantrum whenever she is unhappy. She had to learn that was an ok way to deal with disappointment somewhere. K often she decides she is “too tired” when she is asked to do something she doesn’t want to do (e.g. clean up her toys). Where did that coping mechanism come from? Some kids do well in a more relaxed "child-led" environment, but I think my girls need a teacher who is more on the strict side. Someone who will not let them get away with things. Someone who won’t allow them to move away from the group because they don’t want to do something. I was that way, so I wouldn't be surprised if my girls are too.
<br><br>
So anyway. With some reservation, we will jump into the volcano and hope that it spits us back out. If it doesn't, I guess we can have her repeat 1st grade next year, right?
Julie Rhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02933092519276567320noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4118087224295106035.post-32510107228860160982011-01-20T12:32:00.003-05:002011-01-20T12:52:35.580-05:00In case you were wondering....If your child comes to you in a panic because she has her hand stuck in the chimney of her Playmobil™ Take Along Dollhouse…....<br><br>
1. Don’t panic.<br>
2. Don’t laugh (you can do that later behind her back).<br>
3. Don’t launch into a speech about how this is a lesson about sticking her hand in things (at least not yet. You can do that later once her hand is free).<br>
4. Quietly tell your child to stop trying to pull her hand out. You don’t want to damage her hand.<br>
5. Don’t panic.<br>
6. Tell your child not to panic.<br>
7. Take all the dollhouse furniture and put it in a safe place. Make sure all the microscopic plates, bowls, and mugs are someplace where they can’t get lost or accidently thrown away. <br>
8. Separate two halves of the dollhouse. The hinge comes undone fairly easily. Better yet, it is easy to snap it back together once her hand is free.<br>
9. Disconnect the fireplace from the bottom floor and wall.<br>
10. Remove the top floor on the side with the chimney. Lift it up (toward the roof) until it snaps apart. Gently slide the floor piece down around the fireplace being careful not to twist your child’s arm.<br>
11. Now take a bowl of cold, soapy water and poor some of it into the fireplace. You want to:<br>
a. Reduce the swelling in her hand that is caused by repeated attempts to pull the hand out and from the hand being compressed inside the chimney.<br>
b. Make her hand slippery so she can successfully pull it out. <br>
12. Cheer and give her a hug.<br>
13. Thoroughly dry the dollhouse out with paper towels.<br>
14. Reassemble the fireplace, second story floor, and two halves of the dollhouse.<br>
15. Give object lesson about putting her hand (or other body parts) in tight/small places.<br>
16. While you're at it, remind her not to put beads or other small items in her nose.<br>
17. Finish cooking dinner.<br>Julie Rhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02933092519276567320noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4118087224295106035.post-43761171446705157922011-01-11T18:40:00.002-05:002011-01-11T18:43:36.310-05:00If I seem a little sad...If I seem a little sad today, it’s because I am. My brother called me this morning bright and early to tell me that my dad died. He collapsed because of a heart attack and never got up again. So I am sad because I don’t have a dad any more.
<br><br>
I’m also sad because I actually haven’t had a dad for quite a long time. When I was 14 he moved away to take a job. My mom and brother and I joined him in Alabama once our school year was over, but I never really got my dad back. I lived with him, but he wasn’t around very much because he was busy working and going to school and other stuff. The I finished high school and went away to college. I was mostly home on the weekends, but….
<br><br>
Then I got married. My parents moved away again. I saw him on Christmas, but…. Then my mom called me several years ago to tell me that Dad was having an affair and their marriage was over. He moved even farther away. I talked to him on the phone every once and a while. But he was busy with his new wife and her kids and I was busy with my life. We just didn’t have much in common. Plus, I was very angry with him for leaving and breaking up my family.
<br><br>
The last time I saw him, was right after my daughters were born. I was recovering from major surgery and major, life threatening, pregnancy complications and my girls were in the NICU. He came to visit. Things were ok. Then just before he left, he decided to have a “talk” with me about the way I treated his wife. Apparently, I wasn’t making enough effort and I wasn’t friendly enough. I think I promised to make more effort. But then Hurricane Katrina hit and we had one preemie in the hospital, one preemie at home, and no electricity. Then preemie #2 came home on oxygen, and we were trying to deal with all of her medical issues. And Hurricane Rita hit. Then he wanted to come and visit again, this time with the wife that I wasn’t making enough effort to get along with. And I said no. And he was mad at me and I was still mad at him. We talked on the phone a few times after that. But then the phone call stopped. There were a few cards exchanged. And he forwarded my a few of those emails that always get forwarded, but I never replied and we never talked again. And now he is gone. And I don’t have a dad any more. And that is why I seem a bit sad today.Julie Rhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02933092519276567320noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4118087224295106035.post-41846362797792994052011-01-03T14:29:00.001-05:002011-01-03T14:29:54.911-05:00How to Write a LotOk, it comes down to this. To be anything like successful with my career. I need to get papers out. And in order to get papers out, I need to write them. I need to put words on the page that people can read. Ok, that seems easy enough. Except that it isn’t. Getting words down has been a real struggle lately. Heck, just communicating has been a struggle lately. I haven’t been talking to people or witting to people, or blogging, or commenting on facebook or on other’s blogs. I start too. But mostly I don’t think what I have to offer is good enough. I hit delete more often than I hit “post” or “send.” I’m not sure what the deal is.
<br><br>
Ok, maybe I do. Part of it is that I am really out of practice when it comes to writing and communicating in general. I’m pretty isolated at work. My office mate is very quiet and I don’t have much in common with him. The lab is often empty, so unless I start talking to my flies (and sometimes I do), there isn’t much opportunity for conversation there either. Most of my conversation at home is with 5 year olds who are articulate for their age, but….
<br><br>
The other problem is low self esteem and a lot of doubt that what I have to offer is valuable. Recent experiences with collaborators, who ignore my suggestions, and journal editors, who ask me to peer-review articles and then ignore my comments, haven’t really helped the situation. I know intellectually that I shouldn’t take it personally, but….
<br><br>
So how do I get past all this a churn out a paper, or five, so that I continue to be employed. Unfortunately, all I really can do is just sit down and write. In fact that’s what the experts suggest. Paul J Silvia, in his book, How to Write a Lot: A Practical Guide to Productive Academic Writing, says THE KEY to, writing a lot is to write a lot. Just do it. Schedule time to write every day. And don’t let yourself out of it. You wouldn’t skip a meeting with a co-worker, so don’t skip a meeting with your computer. His advice makes a lot of sense. The more I write, the better I will be at it (practice makes perfect and all that. Plus the more writing I produce the odds that I will like what I write will increase. So that is what I am going to do. Write every day. For 30 minutes every day (or more if the muse is with me). Writing may take the form of blog posts, research manuscripts, grant proposals, or random blathering written for my own benefit.Julie Rhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02933092519276567320noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4118087224295106035.post-747007335859458832010-12-15T10:16:00.006-05:002010-12-15T13:49:18.902-05:00There and Back AgainOnce upon a time, there was a girl who had a blog. It was a happy little blog that was updated periodically – not too often, because the girl was a busy girl with “lots of stuff on her plate”, but often enough. But then one day, the girl stopped updating her blog. Not for any real reason but because, well, because. This made the girl and her adoring fans (well, a bunch of anonymous commenters) a bit sad. So the girl decided she should start updating her blog again. She had the best of intentions. She even wrote a bunch of posts and stuck them in the “blog post” file on her computer. But, still, for a long time not a single post was actually posted. She even signed up to participate in Holidailies – a thing where people commit to updating their blogs every day for the month of December - hoping to jump start her dying blog. However, while the desire to write witty blog posts was strong, the desire to procrastinate was even stronger. So, no blog post was written on the first day of Holidailies. Or the second. Or the third. A whole week passed. The girl almost gave up the idea of starting up her blog again. But then Stubbornness hit. It beat back Procrastination and allowed the desire to write a blog post win the day. So what if today is the 7th day of Holidailies,” said Stubbornness. “It is not too late to start! Go ahead a write a blog post!” Share it with the world. What’s the worst that can happen?” So the girl wrote something. And posted it.
<br><br>
The End.
<br><br><br>
And there you have it friends, loyal followers, and people who comment anonymously in Chinese. My first blog post in over a year. I plan to continue every day for the rest of December at least. Stay tuned to find out if Stubbornness can continue to win against Procrastination. It should prove to be an interesting fight.Julie Rhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02933092519276567320noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4118087224295106035.post-74165830901298795942009-07-13T09:57:00.003-04:002009-07-13T11:31:31.991-04:00Rite of passageThis morning I got an email that reads,
<br>
<blockquote>Dear Dr. Reynolds,<br><br> Given your expertise in this area, I would appreciate your comments on the above paper....</blockquote>
This is the first time someone I've never met has asked <em>me</em> to review a paper, and I have to say it feels pretty good to think that someone wants my opinion. It's like a rite of passagage almost. Look out world, here I come.Julie Rhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02933092519276567320noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4118087224295106035.post-56249367078552030102009-06-30T14:30:00.004-04:002009-06-30T14:41:31.108-04:00Corrupting the next generationOn the drive in this morning my almost 4 year old daughters and I were talking a bit about a movie we watched last night when the discussion turned to movies in general, and I asked them, "so what movie would you like to watch next?"
Without even pausing a minute to think about it, A answered "Star Wars!" And K added, "yeah, Star Wars!" I'm afraid they already show an unhealthy appreciation for these films."Julie Rhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02933092519276567320noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4118087224295106035.post-70700842575010411422009-06-18T09:36:00.003-04:002009-06-18T09:38:39.187-04:00To do:<ol><li>Isolate RNA from exposed flies</li><li>Finish reading paper about heat shock proteins
</li><li>Finish writing methods for upcoming paper</li><li>Go to the RPAC - do day 2 of couch to 5K</li><li>Take daughters to the library</li><li>Stop and smell the roses
</li></ol>Julie Rhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02933092519276567320noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4118087224295106035.post-17258546097868253512009-04-14T22:25:00.003-04:002009-04-14T22:30:18.702-04:00When Science and "Art" CollideAnyone who is a child of the '80s <em>has</em> to watch this video. Yes I know its an advertisment for cell culture products, but trust me. <br /><br />
<object id="flashObj" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=" height="412" width="486" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000"><param name="_cx" value="12859"><param name="_cy" value="10901"><param name="FlashVars" value=""><param name="Movie" value="http://c.brightcove.com/services/viewer/federated_f9/2135663001?isVid=1&publisherID=2135351001"><param name="Src" value="http://c.brightcove.com/services/viewer/federated_f9/2135663001?isVid=1&publisherID=2135351001"><param name="WMode" value="Window"><param name="Play" value="-1"><param name="Loop" value="-1"><param name="Quality" value="High"><param name="SAlign" value=""><param name="Menu" value="-1"><param name="Base" value="http://admin.brightcove.com"><param name="AllowScriptAccess" value="always"><param name="Scale" value="ShowAll"><param name="DeviceFont" value="0"><param name="EmbedMovie" value="0"><param name="BGColor" value="FFFFFF"><param name="SWRemote" value=""><param name="MovieData" value=""><param name="SeamlessTabbing" value="0"><param name="Profile" value="0"><param name="ProfileAddress" value=""><param name="ProfilePort" value="0"><param name="AllowNetworking" value="all"><param name="AllowFullScreen" value="true"><embed src="http://c.brightcove.com/services/viewer/federated_f9/2135663001?isVid=1&publisherID=2135351001" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" flashvars="videoId=19071514001&linkBaseURL=http://roche.cnpg.com/video/flatfiles/843/index.aspx&playerID=2135663001&domain=embed&" base="http://admin.brightcove.com" name="flashObj" width="486" height="412" seamlesstabbing="false" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" swliveconnect="true" allowscriptaccess="always" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/shockwave/download/index.cgi?P1_Prod_Version=ShockwaveFlash"></embed></object>Julie Rhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02933092519276567320noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4118087224295106035.post-64317024113031850202009-03-31T15:58:00.004-04:002009-07-02T15:50:02.787-04:00All grown up?I'm 3X years old and married with two kids and a real job. I'm grown up and I should dress like it, right? Shouldn't I give up the torn blue jeans, t-shirts, and tennis shoes of my graduate student days?
Or can I still wear <a style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold" href="http://www.keenfootwear.com/product/ss09/shoes/women/blvd/coronado%20print/violet%20quartz%20-%20flower%20print">these</a>?Julie Rhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02933092519276567320noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4118087224295106035.post-38171645606111256162009-03-25T20:08:00.003-04:002009-03-25T20:17:45.570-04:00Craft-it ForwardIn a moment of insanity, I jumped on the craft meme bandwagon. <a href="http://scienceblogs.com/sciencewoman/">ScienceWoman</a> is going to send me a crafty surprise in a couple of months, and all I have to do is craft-it forward.
If you'd like to receive mystery hand craft, be one of the first five to leave a comment on this post. <p>Here are the complete rules:</p> <blockquote> The first 5 people to respond to this post will get something made by me! This offer does have some restrictions and limitations so please read carefully: <p> * I make no guarantees that you will like what I make but I will do my best.
* It will be done in the next few months.
* Exactly what I make and send will be a surprise.</p> <p> In return, all you need to do is post this text to your own blog and make 5 things for 5 others. Remember, this is a "craft it forward" so action is required.</p><p>
</p><p>And if you're reading this on Facebook, I'm still on a FB "fast" for Lent and you'll have to visit my <a href="http://myabundantsparetime.blogspot.com/">blog</a> if you want to play along.
</p><p style="text-align: left;">
</p></blockquote>Julie Rhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02933092519276567320noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4118087224295106035.post-92206225790218236162009-03-17T16:10:00.002-04:002009-03-17T16:14:32.027-04:00Counting BlessingsSo the Master of the Universe heard my cry, and things are looking up for the R household. M is going to start a new job on Monday, K has recovered from her illness, and we even found the car keys.
Even better, the rash on my arms and legs turned out to be stress induced hives rather than some awful contagious something or other. And the weather was actually fairly warm the weekend that our furnace went out. Isn't God good?Julie Rhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02933092519276567320noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4118087224295106035.post-81733837654829139892009-03-06T14:39:00.004-05:002009-03-17T16:10:06.475-04:00Sacrifice for LentSo I decided to give up Facebook for Lent. This is kind of a first for me because I've never really given up anything for Lent before. I like the general idea of making a sacrifice for Lent, but I could never think of a a suitable sacrifice. For me, the purpose of the sacrifice is to free up part of myself in order to have more to spend on Things that Matter.
Sacrificing Facebook for Lent seemed like a really good idea back in mid-February. After all, I spend way too much time sending virtual flowers and chocolates to people when I should be writing/revising manuscripts or spending time with my husband and children. For the most part, I've really enjoyed having the extra time to read, think, and play. But not spending time on Facebook is proving to have its downside too. In the last few months I've reconnected with a lot of people who I had lost contact with. Sadly, when I chose to give up FB, I also gave up communicating with a lot of people. In short, I am glad that I have recovered some time for more important things, but I will be glad when I can get back on and see what everyone is up to.
If you are reading this on Facebook (I have it set up to pick up my blog posts) please visit my real, actual <a href="http://myabundantsparetime.blogspot.com/">blog</a> to leave comments. Otherwise I won't see them until mid-April.Julie Rhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02933092519276567320noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4118087224295106035.post-77887136104450760632009-02-17T10:11:00.005-05:002009-02-17T10:30:14.082-05:00An Open LetterDear Master of the Universe,
I'd like a "do-over" please. So far 2009 has been very stressful and, in many ways, just bad. It is only the second (or third? I've lost track) week of February and already:
<ol><li>I've lost the only electronic key to or primary vehicle. After searching for it for a week I finally broke down and had the stupid car towed to the dealership so I could have the car reprogrammed and new keys made. It was not fun.</li>
<li>The heating coil in our oven melted - again. A white hot fire in the oven while trying to bake muffins - definitely not fun.
</li>
<li>M has been laid off. We sort of new it was coming, but still it was still kind of all of a sudden. It is not fun.
</li>
<li>K came down with the flu and had to spend 2 days at Children's Hospital with pneumonia. That was most definitely not fun.</li></ol>
In short, You promised you would not give me more to deal with than I can handle, so what gives? Can you please rewind the year so I can start it over. Alternatively, could you fast forward through the rest of the bad stuff that is going to happen this year to something slightly more fun?
Thank you in advance,
julieJulie Rhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02933092519276567320noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4118087224295106035.post-91583543551056623852009-01-07T15:19:00.003-05:002009-01-07T15:25:10.938-05:00To do:<ol><li>Walk to libray in the snow (barefoot, uphill both ways) to copy 70 page review article from "reference" book. </li><li>Figure out why qPCR results are wonky. </li><li>Revise and resubmit albatross paper. </li><li>Conquer HPLC.</li><li>Nurture flies.</li><li>Clean the house.</li><li>Spend quanlity time with kids. </li><li>Invite potential new friends over for game night to ease feelings of isolation in Postdoc Town.</li></ol>Julie Rhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02933092519276567320noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4118087224295106035.post-9605025009867935332008-12-18T14:28:00.002-05:002008-12-18T14:34:33.937-05:00Who knew?Did you know that if you cut a banana in half, you get a Mommy banana and a Baby banana? Yeah, I didn't either, but that is the way it is according to the 3 year olds who live with me. The Mommy banana is the end with the stem and while the Baby banana is the stemless end. The Mommy banana is the superior end because the girls often fight over it. I'm not sure why the Mommy end is better than the Baby end. Maybe that's the lesson for tomorrow.Julie Rhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02933092519276567320noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4118087224295106035.post-31149255261819073642008-11-19T13:33:00.012-05:002008-11-19T16:25:56.414-05:00Borrowing a memeIn spite of my best intentions, the number of posts I've actually written and, well, posted, has fallen precipitously, even for me. It's not that I haven't wanted to post. Its just that I've been a little short on spare time. That and the inability to think of a worthy topic to blog about. Well I finally have a bit of extra time. At least I'm going to take a bit of extra time. I just submitted not one, but two manuscripts so I think I deserve a bit of down time. That just leaves the challenge of deciding what to blog about, and I've solved that problem by borrowing a meme that is going around the Science <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">blogosphere</span>. So with out further ado, I give you "The 5 Things Meme."
5 Things I was Doing 10 years Ago:
<ol><li>Observing the feeding behavior of European corn borers.</li><li>Trying to decide where I wanted to do a PhD.</li><li>Playing lots of board games with fellow grad students.</li><li>Cooking fabulous food with veggies from our garden</li><li>Reading as many Sci-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">fi</span> books as I could manage (for a while there I was reading 1 per day)</li></ol>
5 Things On My To-Do List Today:
<ol><li>Write at least 1 blog post</li><li>Plan/design experiments for tomorrow.</li><li>Read about/plan experiments for new study</li><li>Request and examinaton copy of a new science book I've been coveting.
</li><li>Go the the public library with the family to check out new books for my little monkeys.</li></ol>
5 Snacks I Love:
<ol><li>Chocolate</li><li>Cookies</li><li>Doughnuts</li><li>Roasted pumpkin seeds</li><li>Crisp apples</li></ol>
5 Things I Would Do If I Were A Millionaire:
<ol><li>Buy a house with large tracks of land.</li><li>Take an extended to Australia and New <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Zealand</span></li><li>Set up college funds for my 2 girls.</li><li>Make huge donations to Woman's Hospital <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">NICU</span> and the March of Dimes</li><li>Buy some <a href="http://www.fluevog.com/code/">John Fluevog</a> shoes.</li></ol>
5 Places I've Lived:
<ol><li>4<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">th</span> floor dorm room with the roommate from Hell.</li><li>Middle class neighborhood in Colorado Springs</li><li>Little town in north Alabama</li><li>Barely big enough for 2 people apartment in Rocket City, Alabama</li><li>Southern Louisiana</li></ol>
5 Jobs I've Had:
<ol><li>Pizza artist</li><li>Bookseller</li><li>Coffee <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">barista</span></li><li>Student</li><li>Student (I spent enough time as a student that I feel it deserves at least 2 places on my list.)</li></ol>Julie Rhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02933092519276567320noreply@blogger.com1