The last time I updated, I was over in sunny North Carolina, enjoying my summer research experience. Now its November in good ol’ deecee, and I’m enjoying my volleyball season.
Continue reading ‘Wowie’
Author Archive for pia
Random thought.
I was just reading ‘Dry.’ by Augusten Burroughs and came across this wonderfully candid quote.
She looks at me for what seems like a very long time. For some reason, it occurs to me that I forgot to pack deodorant.
Back in High School, anyone who could master Photoshop, that image-enhancing program was considered cool. If you didn’t know how to filter, degauss, nor solarize an image, you didn’t fit in…
Now, as I grow older (and wiser?), I denounce General Photoshoppery. No longer will I attempt to turn my best friend’s face into a balloon with ‘fish-eye’. I’ve learned to embrace the art of photography. The stillness (or action) in each picture, the vibrant (or muted) colors (or lack of), and all that makes a true picture a picture.
They’re supposed to be worth a thousand words each.
I figure, instead of writing an entry, I’m going to try and picturialize (I know, I know, that’s not even a word, but, hey) my daily life in JPEG and HTML format.
As the great Ace Ventura once said, “There ya go.”
For practically every summer since I was born, I’ve come down with some form of ear infection — Swimmer’s Ear, otitis media, and a ruptured eardrum. All have been, dare I say, instrumental in my personal growth…..
I remember when I was a little kid, and I came down with Swimmer’s Ear (or an infection of the ear canal) at the same time that my darling sister did. We were crying and begging Mom to just hurry up and take us to the doctor. I remember lying down in the van, curled up, and just hoping sleep would help the pain go away. Mom went inside to fill the prescription, and that 15 minutes while she was gone was one of the longest of my life.
The dull throbbing and the subsequent pain that shot through the right side of my head. The ache that went down my jawbone.
I have probably never been as glad as I was at the moment Mom got back with a handful of white pharmacy bags laden down with various forms of eardrops, antibiotics, and, naturally, the prescription pamphlets.
I sat up, and looked at my mother lovingly, “Sweet mother, thee who delivered me on this earth, thou art my savior.”
Then I thought, ‘Enough mollycoddling.’
“MOMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!!! Eardrops!!!”
Each summer since then, I keep hoping that maybe, just once, my ear won’t hurt. And each summer since then, I keep thinking, “Guess it isn’t going to be this year. Maybe next year.”
Yup, you got it. I’ve got my annual Swimmer’s Ear.
I’m in heaven.
For those who aren’t all that scientifically inclined, …
… , this is an image made by a scanning electron microscope, otherwise known as a SEM. You’ve seen pictures made by a SEM in biology books (think bug antennae and red blood cells) and Pantene shampoo ads (damaged hair versus healthy hair).
I’m doing this Duke fellowship all summer, and as part of my program, my advisor wants me to have the opportunity not only to conduct research, but also to get as much lab experience as I can. AFM’s, SEM’s, micro- and nano-technology (a scientist’s dream).
This is probably one of the richest experiences I’ll receive during my college years other than traveling to new countries. In other words, for all of you out there, in college or otherwise, be sure to go out and look for opportunities. It won’t come back to bite you, but rather, come back to elevate you to new heights.
Ones never before imagined.
Wild Turkey, Dry Counties, and Krzyzewskiville.
Published by 4 years, 5 months ago in blog. 0 CommentsI know, I know. It’s been too long since I last posted, but hey, at least this way, there are definitely a lot of things to write about. No case of writers’ block for me.
Well, here’s what’s been happening. After a particularly grueling finals week, I set off on Stage One of my lovely summer vacation.
Ocean City, Maryland. On the first weekend of May, to say that Ocean City was dead would be an understatement. If I counted correctly, there were three other people (other than my friends and I, naturally) staying in my hotel. Most of the boardwalk shops weren’t open. Phillips’ Seafood Buffet tasted weird.
Don’t get me wrong, though. The sun was sunny, and that made everything perfect! There’s this one restaurant called the Brass Balls Saloon that serves absolutely the best steamed shrimp I’ve ever tasted. I shared a pound with Raymonda for lunch the first day we got there, and just the memory of it makes my mouth water. After two nights in Ocean City, I was more than ready to set off on Stage Two, though.
Continue reading ‘Wild Turkey, Dry Counties, and Krzyzewskiville.’
I’m officially sick - even SHS (Student Health Services) has confirmed it. Spring Fever has settled in. It’s floating around in every little cell, every joint, every part of me.
All I want to do nowadays is go outside and have fun or go to my dorm room and curl up with Harry Potter 5 until I fall asleep. It also doesn’t help that all my weekends are booked with fun things to do (read: toga parties and sporting events).
Ultimate Frisbee season’s about to start, and that means my afternoons will be spent on Olmsted Green running around throwing and catching a frisbee. I’m going to team up with Nathan, Adam, Norman, Blake, D.J, Nancy, Erin, Kelli, Nixo, and Valerie on ‘Queens and Pawns’, quite possibly the fastest and most athletic team in the league.
When I’m not playing, I’ll probably be reading. I think that, for me, along with sun comes a boost in the bookworm hormone. I’m planning on ordering Jonathan Safran Foer’s newest bestseller ‘Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close,’ as well as other quirky bestsellers.
Anyway, back to my original point. I’ve got Spring Fever, and part of it can be blamed on the points above, but one of the main reasons this is happening is because the weather’s getting better. It’s sunny. I know. D.C. is sunny. How often does this happen?
I’m off to read.
ta-ta
-pia marie
I havent posted in quite a while, and I’ve actually come to miss posting. I can just see most of you thinking, “Then why haven’t you posted in the past week?”
Well, there are only two words to sum it up.
Spring Break.
Cancun, Mexico.
I went with five other girls - Krystle, Nellie, Priscilla, Erica, and Kami. Words can’t even begin to explain what we went through as a group… The fun in the sun, the wild nights, and much more.
One day, Priscilla, Erica, Kami, and I decided to rent a little gold Geo Tracker with a convertible soft top (which, incidentally, we named ‘Shotgun’) and drive two and a half hours into the Yucatan Peninsula to check out one of the most famous ruins in the world - the Mayan city of Chichen Itza.
Shotgun (with Erica running to the car)
Continue reading ‘Wow.’
I’ve never been in a situation quite like this before. Sure, every college student goes through a period of time where they look around them, and say, “Hey, what am I doing here?”
I’m not in that position at all, thankfully. However, what I’m doing right now is looking around me, and saying, “Hey, how is it possible that I’m not stressed?” For some reason I’m feeling quite busy, like I don’t have any time to myself, but, when I go through a normal day, I usually have approximately 5 hours of down time, not counting class, homework, work, or even time I spend socializing.
This is insanely rare for a college student who’s as involved as me. Some students spend their college experience taking 12 credit semesters and occassionally going to class meetings or working out at the gym. I’m as far from that as possible.
16 credits. 2 hours of work at the visitors center daily. Tutoring twice a week. Sorority activities. Sports. Writing for this and the Buff and Blue.
Somehow I feel that there should be this heavy, heavy load on the top of my shoulders, but, even in spite of that, I feel as light as can be.
Continue reading ‘Facing situations…’
I’ve got too many books. Not that it’s a bad thing.
One of the books I have is “America the Beautiful” by Moon Unit Zappa-about America Throne, the wayward daughter of fictional revolutionary artist, Boris Throne.
America isn’t the only America I know, though…
Tonight was the night of the Miss Gallaudet/Miss Deaf D.C. pageant. Seven different organizations (the on-campus newspaper ‘The Buff and Blue’, Campus Activities, Campus Life, the Class of 2005, the Class of 2007, Delta Epsilon, and Phi Kappa Zeta) on the Gallaudet campus each nominated a representative to compete for the crown, and for the chance to go on to the National Association for the Deaf’s Miss Deaf America Pageant in New Orleans in the summer of 2006.
A crowd of my friends all signed up to be ushers - earning community service hours AND getting in free - so we were there early, seeing some of the contestants getting nervous and all that. When the show began, it was awesome.
Continue reading ‘America the Beautiful’