Wednesday, April 23, 2008

evacuated again, *sigh*

so the trade winds changed to "transport winds" and the sulfur dioxide rose to unprecedented levels this morning, forcing the park to close again. This time we actually wore our government-issue gas masks, it was that bad. I have no refugees staying with me this time, though.



last post's teaser was picked up on by one astute reader (who commented "here go yo otha urrrrnge!") -- Urnge v 2.0 showed up and made himself at home for a while. I thought i was going to have to keep him (anybody seen/read the Kite Runner? I felt like that Afghani dude) but as luck (or maybe the Doodle) would have it, he only stuck around for a few days and then he left. he was actually better-behaved than his daddy (Urnge 1.0). We dodged a bullet there.



there's big news on the alo-holla this week. I booked my ticket to SE Asia (23 days in November, woo!) where i'll meet my friend katrin (from berlin. did i tell y'all about this already?) Now I get to flesh out the itinerary. Laos, Cambodia, and Thailand are the focus, with (I think) more time in Laos and Cambodia than Thailand. I can't wait! I haven't been off American soil since Ireland 1999. too long. hopefully when i get back i'll have enough frequent flyer miles for a NZ/Australia trip in the spring with Christopher, who isn't coming to see me in June after all. :(



2nd news is I got an email from my old boss at the monkey house, and the grad student working in our lab has finished his paper. It's being submitted to Nature Medicine and has a good chance of being accepted. i feel all important and stuff -- I'm only the 4th author, but there's some big names all around me!



third news, which some of you have heard about ad nauseum, is that i met a boy. (Blush.) he's really awesome and is probably reading this so i'm not going to say too much more, except that he is gifted in the subtle art of gift-giving. he went to san diego for a conference and came back with fancy chocolates for me and this little gem from the museum of art:






















words cannot express how happy this makes me. i know, i'm special. but. you know.


so, upshot = things are really good here. hope all's well everywhere else!

3 comments:

Unknown said...

Hells yeah. Trip sounds awesome... hope the wind shifts back.

Archer said...

I want to go to Asia! Thailand especially. Take lots of pictures.

You have a new boy? Girl, you are so gorgeous I'm surprised you don't have 10. Very awesome!

I did read the Kite Runner and loved it. I do think A Thousand Splendid Suns was better, though.

Wear your gas mask.

Chris said...

you are going to have so much fun on your trip! it sounds great.

guess what my word verification for this comment was...

dmjaxijn

that's pretty.