A belated entry

It's been a couple of weeks since I was able to write last. Since I last wrote, much has transpired. I moved into a new apartment in Madison, just south of the BeltLine off of Gammon. Now I have my own room! It's been more than 17 years since I have had my own room so it is definitely a new experienced. This last weekend I finally finished furnishing my room with the basics (bed, desk, bookshelf, comfy office chair) in addition to all my other possessions. I've included a picture of my current setup (much credit goes to my Mom who was in town with my Dad visiting and suggested the current bed-desk layout).

Graduate school continues to be a very challenging experience. I've realized that my modus operandi from my days as a BYU undergrad are not longer good enough. I am surrounded by brilliance that I cannot fake. I must become better. It'll be very much a refining fire. While it won't be pleasant at times, I will lose my bad habits as I am forced to perform at higher academic levels than I ever thought possible. I still hope to work with Professor Juan de Pablo. I submitted my top 3 choices of advisors two Friday's ago and now I wait anxiously. In talking with other students it seems probable that I will get my first choice. However, I've had to backtrack many times before after assuming things were certain when in reality they weren't. Rest assured, when I do know I will make sure that everyone knows.

It was great having my parents in town to visit. When I saw them, I realized that I missed having my family (at least part of it) close by. No longer do I have siblings only a mile away. However, I find solace in the fact that all of my siblings are doing wonderfully and that I will be able to see all of them when I go to Jean's wedding in November. I sent my parents off this morning to visit Tom and Holly in Rhinelander and to continue their genealogical adventure. I hope the weather holds. It's been near freezing here in Madison and snow flurries were forecast a few days ago in northern WI.