Walkin' in a Winter Wonderland

It's officially winter! We got our first snow this morning as I was walking to school. It was unexpected and so beautiful. Even though most people I've met from New England tend to grumble about the snow (it does make driving more of a challenge), it hasn't lost its magic or beauty for me. Probably because we don't get a lot of snow in Alabama. It's one of the things I love most about New England.

My experiments are continuing slowly, and not always successfully. I did something spectacularly stupid on Friday night, so I'll share, although it can't compare with Maggie's bizarre dreams. I have to pump various gas mixtures into a small cuvette filled with squid blood. At one point, I need to switch from one gas mixture to another, and only one gas fitting fits, so I have to take it off one gas tank and attach it to the other. To do this, I have to unscrew the fitting with a huge wrench, a bit longer than the length of my elbow to my hand. The tank had been leaking a little bit at this connection, so I had tightened it as much as I could. To unscrew it, I had to pull down on the wrench with all my strength while holding the tank steady with my knee. So what do I do? Being the brilliant person I am, I pull and I pull and I smack myself with the wrench as it finally comes down and the fitting is loosened. Needless to say, there was some cursing, but I was really just glad I didn't break my nose. I didn't even get a bloody nose, though I was sure I would. I do, however, still have a slight bump on the left side of my nose.......

My nose was still tender on Saturday, and I was in a bad mood because I was trying to do experiments and write a rough draft of a paper at the same time. Then, that night I went back to my apt. and watched Under the Greenwood Tree, and I immediately got in a better mood. I finished my rough draft and made my presentation on Sunday. Isn't it amazing how a good movie can completely change your mood? Under the Greenwood Tree is just so funny and sweet, romantic, with good character/actors, and the guy who plays Dick Dewey is now my official random British actor crush. I think Mags recommended this movie to me? If so, good choice! I'm so glad I discovered Masterpiece Theatre this year!

On a last note, school is almost over for all my grad/law school friends, so keep working, you're almost done! Mags, you might want to take something to help you sleep at night. Or just keep writing your dreams down, they may give you some new ideas for stories. :)