Procrastinating on friday night

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It's a Friday here in Juneau and I of course am procrastinating and not doing my homework. I've always hated doing homework on Fridays. And since my primers for my DNA research have not come in yet, I am not in the lab, spending my afternoon with a guy who seems like he's high all of the time. A fact which I am kind of thankful for. Instead, I am at home, catching up on a Grey's Anatomy episode (I've missed two already -- how did that happen?!?) and being stood up on my phone interview with our Canadian contact for our DNA project. She probably forgot -- this would not be the first time. But I am thankful that she is still interested as we are acquiring her sample data, mixing it with ours, and sending off our results to a small science publication some time next month or early March. It's amazing, the possibility of getting published! I have such an awesome advisor that is really giving me a HUGE head start for the real world. But then I get to thinking about it...I'm becoming an adult. When did that happen?

A week ago, I took a drive out to the Shrine of St. Therese. I went and I took a seat on the roots of an old tree near the fence, pulled out my journal, and started to write. And the sun slowly peaked down through the trees as I observed the world around me, the movement of the water, the sea birds floating along the ripples, and eventually, the spray of the humpbacks far across the channel as they dove, feeding on the tiny animals that they filter through their baleen. And I smelled the air and just felt, "Yeah. This is where I am supposed to be at this very moment. I am a scientist, lost in nature and loving it." And it passed all too quickly as I headed back to campus, had a chat with Lisa, and then went home to get ready for dancing with my friends.

I ended the night with a smile and an awesome car conversation about Lady Gaga and Louie's foot. And the next day, I even channeled my inner Julia Child and made an entirely Gluten-free pizza that actually tasted pretty good. And now, even a week later, that good feeling hasn't entirely left me, even if it has been an up and down week. And I hope it continues tonight as my roommates are transforming our quiet, clean apartment into the F-building hot spot, inviting a bunch of people over that I do not really know and just seeing where the night takes us. It should be an interesting one as tonight is the largest full moon of the year and if it is even partly a clear sky, it's going to be bright and beautiful here in Juneau!

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Photos

Jasmin, me, and Robert!
Photo belongs to Jasmin Montgomery

Fun shot on the sidewalk! :) hehe
Photo belongs to JM

Amy, Jasmin, me, and Katelyn
Photo belongs to JM

F10 door...yes, I am the Game Boy, the Nintendo on the GO
Photo belongs to J.M.