Q: Are you still alive?
A: Yes. I’ve been busy taking qualifying exams (an unsuccessful endeavor) and working in my lab. Plus, I’m not that good at being an active member of online communities, though I will have to stop badmouthing Facebook because this morning I reconnected with a dearly loved friend / former roommate because she happened to work in Jackson Hole the same summer DJ did.
Q: Are you going to stay in school and re-take your qualifying exams?
A: It seems likely, but I'm going to see how the summer goes.
Q: When are you getting married?
A: I'm sorry, I don’t understand the question.
Q: Have you half a mind to forsake family, friends, lovers, and academics to go wait tables part time and play full time in Meredith, NH?
A: Why, yes I have.
This past weekend, Chris and I headed north to explore the beautiful and underappreciated White Mountains. First stop? The lake made famous by Bob Wiley and Doctor Leo Marvin. We rented a double kayak ($30 US, Wild Waters, Meredith NH) and then had a picnic at a public beach nearby. This would make a fantastic family outing for those bored of Chutes and Ladders. They also rent canoes and sailboats.
Look carefully at this picture and note the following: a) the flexed nature of my shoulder and arm region, indicating that I am actively expending ATP to drive the actin/myosin-driven process called “muscle contraction” in another process called “work,” b) the sweat on my brow, and c) the strained look on my face.
Now look at this picture and note the lack of the characteristics described above that would suggest the subject of this photo is participating in what might be called his “fair share.”
After the water-device rental workers terrified us regarding the very cold nature of the water and importance of staying close the shore, we deemed the water calm enough to venture to this small island that we named Pit Stop. On the way back the water was choppy and I got soaked… burrr.
