how long does it take to catch up on life?

ohhhhhhhhkay. i think i've finally started to breathe again. perhaps i can have the life of a normal graduate student, whatever that might mean. so, i defended on tuesday and can now be honest in adding the letters m.s. after my name if i ever get the urge to be a bit more pretentious. i'll make revisions and turn in my final document to the graduate school sometime in november.

but the rest of this month will be devoted to getting my poster ready for spr and get this manuscript finished, hopefully, by october 1st.

our lab has gotten a new website up and running and because i had nothing to do with it, i can say it looks fabulous! i'm begging for a new picture, however. you'll understand why.

otherwise, its pretty much been business as usual. i've finally been able to have some quality phone time with nick and kara and soon to be erik as well. so, in the spirit of things that make nick happy, i'll post a picture of the woodchuck that lives outside of my apartment. i think we are equally scared of each other at this point and tolerate each other in medium proximity. he is vastly less terrifying since lacey named him (chuck, appropriately). he's our friend, though, and is likely equally dismayed about the quickly approaching fall.

lacey had a friend visit last week. meg, who is a teacher in new york with the teach for america program. they made yummy, yummy migas which are quite possibly my new obsession. it was so nice to have her here because she's so sweet and it made me eager to get home and see my own loved ones some time soon. thank goodness my mom has been persistent in asking me to get my tickets booked and "out of the way." it's almost time to start a countdown, i think :)

ttfn.