CAREER progress

Oh, ya gotta love LOLCATS (image from icanhascheezeburger.com)

Daily progress

Okay.  So yesterday I sat myself down and worked on the proposal.  Got the preliminaries done (biosketch, e-mails sent out for support letters, got in touch with sponsored research, set up the proposal in FastLane).

I also got some cleaning done and made spinach soup for dinner, and did a stint on the tea tray.  Here is a shot of where it was when I found it:

Here is where I am with it now:

Almost half way done!


Today, I will work on the one page summary and outline the narrative.   Then I will be free to do more de-cluttering and cleaning, and make some progress on Youngest Daughter's sundress.

CAREER, again

Dang. One more time, working on CAREER. It's my last shot, and somehow I am not terribly enthused or excited about writing this proposal. I have no chance, none at all, at getting the award--so this effort just seems so futile.

Still, I have to try. So today I sent out e-mails asking for support letters, and started the proposal process. If I work on it a couple hours each day I should make good progress. No guts, no glory I guess. Wish I felt more positive about it but I just don't. There are dozens of things I would rather do with my time, for sure.

We are enjoying the air conditioning very much. Next step is an alarm system; the guy comes Thursday morning to give me an estimate. Slowly but surely we are getting things done around here. My dad is going to come work on the kitchen walls and floor, once we are all set (and cleaned up--oh man, the clutter!).

Friday I am heading down South to meet up with Son at Best Friend's house. Best Friend is still overseas, but her husband and daughter are home, and Daughter is leaving next month for grad school. We want to see her before she goes, and it seemed like Independence Day weekend was a good time. I am looking forward to the drive. I love road trips!

Happy Birthday, Youngest Daughter!

Happy Birthday to you
Happy Birthday to you
Happy Birthday dear YD
Happy Birthday to you

May you live long with us
May you live long with us
May you live long, May you live long
May you live long with us

Njech nam zhye stolat
Njech nam zhye stolat
Njech nam zhye stolat YD
Happy Birthday to you!


YD is over in England visiting friends so we are missing her greatly back home. As of today, we no longer have teenagers!

Chichen Itza photos and WIPs

Oops, forgot to post pics of Chichen Itza and Tulum. Here are some:
First, the Great Pyramid:A close-up of the god's face on the temple crowning the pyramid:

Next, the ball court:
The main temple at Tulum:One of the watchtowers at Tulum:
Great experience, beastly heat and humidity.Now for WIPs:

The Floral Glove: Tried to get the sparkle of the gold, but it just doesn't work well in photos. The left-most roundel is finished. I have to put the purl and check on the other two roundels and then I can sew on the lace edging.

The other WIP I am actively working on is the cross-stitch tray for my friend L. It's going pretty fast.I haven't done anything on the fan for a while. I really shouldn't start any more projects, but I need to do my niece's pillowcases before she moves west for grad school.

On the work front, things are quiet because it's summer. I am writing two grants and working on one that was funded; Thursday one of my students defends his MS project. Other than that, nothing much is going on--except that one of the assistant deans got fired last week and no one knows why. Well, no one that *I* know knows why!

Back from the conference

I was down in Cancun for about a week at a conference. Wow, was it hot there. The hotel was great, and had fabulous air conditioning in the room. We (Son came along, this trip was his belated birthday present) kept it icy cold in the room and looooooooooooooooved it.

While we were there, we visited Chichen Itza and Tulum. I figured I wouldn't go to Cancun or Mexico willingly, so while I was in the area I'd better see this manmade wonder of the world. We had a wonderful guide, Simon, who filled us in on Mayan history, language, culture--he was a veritable fount of information. He offered a "light" version of the tour for anyone who thought the heat and humidity would be too much, but no one took him up on it. I was determined to stick it out even though my cooling neck wrap wasn't working and I was drenched in sweat minutes after getting off the bus.

I'd seen photos of Chichen Itza, but the photos don't tell you that the Great Pyramid has an echo! If you stand in front of the stairs and clap in unison, you can hear an echo of the clap, almost like a squawk, coming from the temple on top of the pyramid. Likewise, there's a sound effect at the ball court--clapping results in a pock-a-pock-a sound like a tennis ball hitting the court.

Tulum is an ancient walled city on the coast. Not too much cooler than Chichen Itza! But there was an ocean breeze now and then that was refreshing. Gorgeous views from there of a turquoise sea and white beach.

I will post photos tomorrow. And, photos of my WIP projects (Eldest Daughter's pillowcase is done, so that's one less WIP!).