I'm back! So, now time for the oooover long rambly post.
I was going to be all Rachel Ray about this, 40 words a day and stuff. But writing concisely is often 20xs harder than writing unconcisely. So, here's to the rambling.
Some time on Thursday I started experiencing sharp shooting pains through my left wrist and arm. Eck. Reminder #27 of "I need ot take better care of myself" My roommate says he notices I move my hands a lot when I type, so I'm thiunking this might be incentive ot finally learn how to touch type... accurately.
(It's slightly better now.)
Packing was difficult, given the aforementioned condition, but I made it to my (delayed) flight and got in DC late enough that I just crashed.
Saturday, I saw the Dalai Lama speak. He was great! I was so inspired by his wonder and interest in the sciences. I took copious notes, in part because a reporter-acquaintance was covering this for a major pub. and asked me about taking notes in case of controversy or outbursts (there were none) -- so, for the sake of the blog, let's just say here that it renewed my interest in a field of neuroscince -- that intersection between eastern and western medicine -- that I had for some time relegated to "the type of science I talk about after a few beers at the pub" -- now, I'm starting to think more seriously about this, in terms of furture research pursuits.
The conference was hugely overwhelming -- the sea of people leaving the Dalai Lama lecture in itself was breathtaking -- but yeah, it was crazy busy. I gave my poster on Monday morning, and met with lots of people. An intense four hours of talking about my work. How weird is it to work on two seemingly obscure proteins, then go somewhere and meet people who are just as obsessively working on the same obscurities as you? Yes, very weird.
In non-conference stuffs, I met with Blake and His Friend for Eritrean food -- a culinary first! Except, even though it is not PC to say so, it's pretty much like the cuisine of their warring country. Which I have had before, and was in fact, craving, which is why we headed in that direction in the first place.
He's doing well.
Also met up with Amy A, who is likewise doing well... and, as mentioned in the comments section below, did in fact track me down.
In one moment of irony/coincidence/whatever, we sat and chatted about Nashville, about how hideous the city seemed when first moving here, but how it grows on you. She and M would really like to move back, if job opportunities arose... and I can understand that. In fact, the thought of "I could live here! For good!" has run through my mind more times than I can conceive when *really* thinking hard about it. But then, fifteen minutes after this "I could live here!" convo, I walk through the park at Dupont Circle, in the most wonderful balmy weather, and realize how much I miss the energy and personality of a city, the people, the old buildings and parks -- and suddenly wish that I just hurry up and finish and move on.
Anyway.
Random visit-wise, I went to the big ass basilica and, for a belated Veterans Day, went to the new(-ish) WWII memorial (particularly since the discussion of my uncle dying in this war was fresh in my mind).
The World War II memorial is very well done.
During this visit, I had intense moments which caused me to wonder why I have such dramatic, emotional reactions to certain places and architectures. I can't help but think my emotional ties to landscapes and buildingscapes is above and beyond normal.
So, this is probsbly hella long now, but to wrap up, it was a good trip, and hope some reason comes up again in which I get to visit DC.
A few ahours after arriving back to BNA, at the advice of Dee, I attended the Chancellor's Lecture by Laurie Anderson, which was the most perfect endcap to my experience. She's just so wondefully comfortable in her own, somewhat out there, artistic skin -- I was very very inspired by hearing her speak. Oddly enough, she too saw the DL in DC (in a satellite conference) so after her lecture I chatted with her about this, which reminds me there's a few articles covering his talk that I'd like to look up (maybe will link to these detauls, or just write about myself, later)
I have a ticket to see her tomorrow night, which I'm looking forward to.
As an aside, I've been doing a lot of stuff solo lately. Not just lectures, but time in DC, and the performance tomorrow ... it's curious, this wave of antisocial. But fun/interesting, or, just not a big deal at all, in some ways.
Some time on Thursday I started experiencing sharp shooting pains through my left wrist and arm. Eck. Reminder #27 of "I need ot take better care of myself" My roommate says he notices I move my hands a lot when I type, so I'm thiunking this might be incentive ot finally learn how to touch type... accurately.
(It's slightly better now.)
Packing was difficult, given the aforementioned condition, but I made it to my (delayed) flight and got in DC late enough that I just crashed.
Saturday, I saw the Dalai Lama speak. He was great! I was so inspired by his wonder and interest in the sciences. I took copious notes, in part because a reporter-acquaintance was covering this for a major pub. and asked me about taking notes in case of controversy or outbursts (there were none) -- so, for the sake of the blog, let's just say here that it renewed my interest in a field of neuroscince -- that intersection between eastern and western medicine -- that I had for some time relegated to "the type of science I talk about after a few beers at the pub" -- now, I'm starting to think more seriously about this, in terms of furture research pursuits.
The conference was hugely overwhelming -- the sea of people leaving the Dalai Lama lecture in itself was breathtaking -- but yeah, it was crazy busy. I gave my poster on Monday morning, and met with lots of people. An intense four hours of talking about my work. How weird is it to work on two seemingly obscure proteins, then go somewhere and meet people who are just as obsessively working on the same obscurities as you? Yes, very weird.
In non-conference stuffs, I met with Blake and His Friend for Eritrean food -- a culinary first! Except, even though it is not PC to say so, it's pretty much like the cuisine of their warring country. Which I have had before, and was in fact, craving, which is why we headed in that direction in the first place.
He's doing well.
Also met up with Amy A, who is likewise doing well... and, as mentioned in the comments section below, did in fact track me down.
In one moment of irony/coincidence/whatever, we sat and chatted about Nashville, about how hideous the city seemed when first moving here, but how it grows on you. She and M would really like to move back, if job opportunities arose... and I can understand that. In fact, the thought of "I could live here! For good!" has run through my mind more times than I can conceive when *really* thinking hard about it. But then, fifteen minutes after this "I could live here!" convo, I walk through the park at Dupont Circle, in the most wonderful balmy weather, and realize how much I miss the energy and personality of a city, the people, the old buildings and parks -- and suddenly wish that I just hurry up and finish and move on.
Anyway.
Random visit-wise, I went to the big ass basilica and, for a belated Veterans Day, went to the new(-ish) WWII memorial (particularly since the discussion of my uncle dying in this war was fresh in my mind).
The World War II memorial is very well done.
During this visit, I had intense moments which caused me to wonder why I have such dramatic, emotional reactions to certain places and architectures. I can't help but think my emotional ties to landscapes and buildingscapes is above and beyond normal.
So, this is probsbly hella long now, but to wrap up, it was a good trip, and hope some reason comes up again in which I get to visit DC.
A few ahours after arriving back to BNA, at the advice of Dee, I attended the Chancellor's Lecture by Laurie Anderson, which was the most perfect endcap to my experience. She's just so wondefully comfortable in her own, somewhat out there, artistic skin -- I was very very inspired by hearing her speak. Oddly enough, she too saw the DL in DC (in a satellite conference) so after her lecture I chatted with her about this, which reminds me there's a few articles covering his talk that I'd like to look up (maybe will link to these detauls, or just write about myself, later)
I have a ticket to see her tomorrow night, which I'm looking forward to.
As an aside, I've been doing a lot of stuff solo lately. Not just lectures, but time in DC, and the performance tomorrow ... it's curious, this wave of antisocial. But fun/interesting, or, just not a big deal at all, in some ways.
posted by Nicole at Wednesday, November 16, 2005
2 Comments:
I, too, spoke--er, accosted Laurie Anderson, once, and noticed her calm, thoughtful demeanor
. . . particularly in the face of my adoring freakitude.
I also noticed that she is short.
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