Summer-Like

Last week was SO HOT!! We are already getting out the summer fun things, which makes Asher very happy.  He had a wonderful time with his sprinkler ball, sand box, and trampoline over the last week.  

Look at that SMILE

Work has been BRU.TAL. the past couple weeks with Genetics doing PCR and running gels, Micro doing biochemical testing, and Viral Discovery annotating the FINN genome.  I have worked 12-14 hours every day of the week for the past two, and I have been going in on weekends too.  So tired.

Thursday, I took 17 students to present at William and Mary about their work this year.  I was filled with such pride listening to them present their data.  That being said, it was a very long day.  I left at 7, got to the lab at 9:30, cleaned up the enormous mess left by 3 sections, and no "me," then hopped in the van picked Valerie up from the driveway at home, then headed to the Hunger Games.  We got home from that right at 4 am, I took a shower, and was right back up at 7 on Friday.

So, the movie is compelling, that is for sure, but I will be honest, the hype evades me.  I feel like the people who just LOVE the books don't really know loss and struggle.  It is pretty hard to think about your children starving and illegally hunting for food when they have never gone hungry. It is hard to fathom sending your children off to be killed for the pleasure of others when your children, nieces, nephews are all perfectly healthy with no struggles.  For me though, I cried from the time Prim asked her sister to sing for her, till the movie ended. And I did not have tissues. And I was sitting next to a man I did not know who kept reassuringly patting my arm.  He was being sweet, I am sure I was a sight.

I read the first two books Saturday, and I will say again, they are compelling, but they are so sad.  We do not have the third, but I have heard Prim dies at the hands of President Snow.  No thank you, I will pass.

I just don't get the hype.  Maybe it is because my generation is so far removed from struggle for bread, or from polio, etc., I don't know.  I have had the priveledge of knowing struggle and heart-rending loss, though, so I am deeply saddened by the story.  

So, Friday, Valerie asked me to take pictures of her at this special spot I discovered last spring.  I rushed through work Friday, chasing the sunset to barely get there before dusk and then Valerie refused to get out of the car, but my efforts were rewarded and... my photos are FINALLY looking like I envision them when I am shooting, thanks to a lovely series of books and my very own copy of CS5.  

Forever Friends

Any idea how fun it is to set up a shot, focus, hand the camera off, run to family and say "OK!" 

Lovely land

Saturday, we embarked on making Easter decorations for the 2nd annual "we ain't got no family near and it is the most important holiday on earth" dinner.  Asher was very interested on why anyone would waste so much candy on decorations.  They sure are cute though!

This week is no joke. I woke Sunday with a sore shoulder (thanks to Asher's bed), and in the shower, I was rendered unable to finish using my arm to wash my hair. Never fear, I thought, as the day goes by, it will loosen up like always. Only, it got so painful in church that I was shaking, and I could barely take a breath. Last night, I was up all night in excruciating pain. Same for all day at work. It was super trying to lecture and not breathe, lemme tell you.

But the meeting about bed bug microflora was 2 hours long and very fruitful, with publication deadlines established. That was good.

Also, I realized my hours were not correctly tallied for the semester, and I have not been compensated for 2 contact hours. I knew I was awfully tired for not being in an overload. More to come on that, I am sure ;-)