Fun with SI people
Okay, so as the semester is winding down I have to say grad school is no longer completely depressing me. Classes are still pretty stressful, but I've made lots of nice friends and enjoyed experiences I wouldn't normally imagine doing. It's weird how much I've changed in a few short months, but I wouldn't have it any other way :)
Alternative Spring Break, Feb.-March 2006: I spent my week working at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History
I processed a collection of photo negatives. This rare instrument dealer in NYC (Jacques Francais) took 1000's of pictures of his instruments while he was alive so people could one day compare various wood grains and see if that old violin in the attic wasn't really a Stradivarius. Unfortunately, a week was hardly enough time to make a dent in his collection!
At least I had time to go out with people too :) These are my spring break roomies, who are also all first-year SI students. This is us at the ESPN Zone, which was right across the street from our hotel. If I look particularly happy to you, it's because I'm about to chow down on a cheesburger - something I hadn't eaten in at least seven months. I figured I'd earned it after walking non-stop around the DC area.
And, finally, being at SI has given me a chance to practice my "dancing" skills further, although I use the term loosely. Really, I more just sway around to the music and try not to look too much like an idiot. My best friend Nisha, who was on crutches for various soccer-related injuries still managed to look better than me. Oh well though, I had fun just being able to dress up all pretty :) I felt bad for Rackham (the U-M department that hosted this dance night for grad students). Not many people turned up, and those that did more enjoyed the free food than the opportunity to "get down" with fellow classmates!
Alternative Spring Break, Feb.-March 2006: I spent my week working at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History
I processed a collection of photo negatives. This rare instrument dealer in NYC (Jacques Francais) took 1000's of pictures of his instruments while he was alive so people could one day compare various wood grains and see if that old violin in the attic wasn't really a Stradivarius. Unfortunately, a week was hardly enough time to make a dent in his collection!
At least I had time to go out with people too :) These are my spring break roomies, who are also all first-year SI students. This is us at the ESPN Zone, which was right across the street from our hotel. If I look particularly happy to you, it's because I'm about to chow down on a cheesburger - something I hadn't eaten in at least seven months. I figured I'd earned it after walking non-stop around the DC area.
And, finally, being at SI has given me a chance to practice my "dancing" skills further, although I use the term loosely. Really, I more just sway around to the music and try not to look too much like an idiot. My best friend Nisha, who was on crutches for various soccer-related injuries still managed to look better than me. Oh well though, I had fun just being able to dress up all pretty :) I felt bad for Rackham (the U-M department that hosted this dance night for grad students). Not many people turned up, and those that did more enjoyed the free food than the opportunity to "get down" with fellow classmates!