Happy Birthday Jenny!

I know that I have been largely absent from this blog for a while and I will post an update on my life soon. But I didn't want to forget to mark a special occasion today, Jenny's b-day. So warm wishes to Jenny on what will hopefully be a good day.

Cyber social mores

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! To catch up with all posts at once, happy bday Irene, Jennifer, and Jenny! I'll see Jennifer in a couple weeks in her seminar. I didn't see the 1st or any Harry Potter's with Lisa's Gang, though I clearly remember seeing the 1st one the day after tgiving in the plaza (with a friend visiting for the weekend). My boss had me over yesterday to enjoy tgiving with his family.

I've experienced my 1st facebook friend death. An American I met in Haiti died yesterday. I followed the details on facebook (his wife's page). Weird. And people are leaving him goodbye messages on his page. I always wondered what becomes of someone's page after they die. Will it be on-line forever? Will facebook be around 50 yrs from now? Where do they (facebook) store all those photos? He wasn't even a close friend, was old and out of shape, had a heart attack, so I'm not surprised. But bummed out now none-the-less.

On a positive note, all the post labels to choose from crack me up.

Birthday Season

It is that time again, three of my favorite people have birthdays in the near future (or near past, depending on when you are reading this).
As always, they deserve individual birthday wishes, and, as always, I know I'll forget if I wait.
Happy Birthday Irene!
Happy Birthday Jennifer!
Happy Birthday Jenny!

(and belated wishes to Cheryl and Abby back in October)

Celebrate with vigor!

Changes

Hello Dear GBKD's friends

I hope you are all doing well. It seems like it from the posts I have seen. I haven't been posting much here, as there are some major changes in my life, and quite frankly, I didn't really know how to talk about them here. But it is important that I do, so that everyone knows. I am still not sure this is the correct way to do this, but it is the way I am choosing. Etiquette in the digital age is a bit tricky, isn't it. But you are all my friends and it is important that to me that I keep you in the loop.

The big change in my life is that I am in the process of getting a divorce. While the decision process has been long and hard, and there have been rough times and more ahead I know, this, in the end, is a good decision for me. I am happier than I have been in a long time.

I am staying with a colleague right now, but will be moving into a new place soon, which I am very excited about! When the details get worked out, I will let you know.

I have gotten involved with the SCA (Society for Creative Anachronism)when I decided to take up archery as something fun to do. One of the best decisions I have made recently.

I am sorry that I have not sent each one of you a separate email or given individual phone calls, but truthfully, it is difficult to tell over and over again. Well, not difficult so much as tiring. This is why I decided to post this here.


Hope Everyone Has A HAPPY THANKSGIVING.
I am thankful to count you all as my friends.

Jennifer

NINE years ago

The first Harry Potter movie came out NINE years ago this week. I watched it that week with many of you (Beth, Jennifer, Debbie, Liz, Tim and maybe Irene, I believe).
It simultaneously seems that it can't be nine years ago-- I haven't changed that much, nine years can't have past-- and ridiculous to think it was only nine years ago and not a lifetime.
As Abby and Jenny pointed out back when book 7 was published, Harry Potter has felt like being part of something greater than us; that we are actually part of a cultural phenomena unlikely to be repeated.
I'm going to see the new movie next week and miss all of you.
I'll be sad next summer, and very excited.

Jobs and yuckiness

Is it normal to feel depressed after submitting a gagillion job applications? I feel like I should be hopeful and optimistic, but I just feel weird and exposed. I even had the last manuscript from my dissertation accepted this week (with minor revisions...full disclosure). The one that was the biggest PITA* and took the longest to write. I should feel elated, right? Why does applying for jobs make me feel crappy?

*Is PITA a real acronym for pain in the arse? It should be.

Professional Women Scam

I received a scam in the postal mail! For the National Association of Professional Women. I was chosen to be a member, they even had a webpage for my profile. I looked up their webpage, then googled them and found many postings on this being a scam.

http://michellevillalobos.wordpress.com/2010/08/25/businesswomen-beware-how-i-fell-prey-to-an-ego-boosting-warm-and-fuzzy-national-scam-targeting-professional-executive-entrepreneurial-women-this-is-my-story/

http://www.insiderpages.com/b/15246772989/executive-women-s-association-new-york

No wonder they settled in PA

I've returned from Germany, sore throat, cold, and all! It was beautiful, and as the Mister said, easy to get around. The hills and trees were very much like those in PA. Check out the guy in Trier who snuck into our picture. Trier is on the Luxemburg border, oldest city in Germany. The other town I was in was Bad Durkheim, visiting the Hardenburg Castle. Other than that I hung out with my best friend at her house, learning what military family life was like. And sampling many wines. Oh - and she dropped me off in a hiking area that also had a wildpark: deer, swine, and old horse and cattle breeds.

You can be a seminar speaker!

If anybody is thinking of coming to see me in the spring, you should consider being a seminar speaker.
I'd love to bring a cnidarian, mollusc, bat, bee, general insect, evolution, cancer research or even a plant ecologist to campus.
Also, I received my "I voted" sticker so I am happy.