Well, not out of any forests by any means, but things appear to be moving along, and that’s nice. No one likes stagnation.
1. My aunt’s brain tumor removal and recovery have gone very well. Post-op, no remnants of the tumor were visible, and her pace of recovery was very good, which bodes well for the next stage of the game: chemo. She’s facing a very intense regiment of chemo, but for now, we’re optimistic. I decided to start making 1,000 paper cranes. I loved origami as a kid, even though I could only make 2 things: cranes and flowers. I always wanted to make 1,000, but as a kid I don’t think I had the staying power to follow through. I’ve made about 60 so far, but with a trip to Brookhaven I anticipate being able to finish the job. yes, I know I said I’d never go back, but I should know better, that every time I say ‘never,’ I always put my foot in my mouth. Like that time after finishing freshmen chem that I said I would never have anything to do with chemistry again. heh.
2. I’m still hunting for a job, but I’ve gotten some new leads. My boss has been a terrifically helpful ambassador for me, and has been trying to connect me with some of his buddies. I hope something works out. It’s been a rollercoaster, and it’s nice to follow the downs (of not hearing back from anyone for months) with some ups, like hearing from my boss that a few people are interested in me. In fact I might have even gotten a post-doctoral position, according to my boss. One of his cohorts was highly interested, but this interest came with a warning from my boss that I should not feign interest if I’m completely serious about committing to a 2-year post-doc because I would probably get an offer very quickly and be expected to make a fast decision. Due to there being nothing available for Alex, I can’t consider the position. Oh well. I’m also in contact with “Company X” in Boston again. I hope this goes somewhere, or something goes somewhere. Come on, interviews!
3. I have officially begun wedding planning. Due to my aunt’s illness, we’re not planning to have the wedding at her house. Which sucks, because it would have been really lovely. After a metric f*** -ton of indecision, we’ve decided to get married at Cornell, in Ithaca. Alex is an alumnus and the venues are incredible! Here, take a look!
Sage Chapel:
Willard Straight Hall:
So, as far as the DIY-wedding stuff goes, so far so good. The thing I like most about these venues is they’re drop dead gorgeous, and therefore I don’t plan to do a lot of decorating. Which means not spending thousands for flowers. Bonus. Feels good to have the ceremony and reception venues reserved. Next on the list is the caterer….
Got it on our calendar!
Well I’m still totally serious about the petticoat offer. Just let me know. Maybe I can set some kind of record for the number of weddings it has been in. But I will not be offended if you do not take me up on it. I’m very excited about the recent prognosis. I decided to DO SOMETHING rather than just tell people they should.
Thanks for the petticoat offer, seriously! I may take you up on it. I’m not exactly sure what I’ll be wearing. It depends on how the rest of the year goes, whether I get a market-competitive job or have to post-doc for another year. All things being optimal, I have a vision of what I’d like my dress to look like (silky and flowing with a devilishly low back), and I’m not currently planning to wear a wedding gown that requires a petticoat. Let me just say that I learned from Lissa how uncomfortable dresses can be (I believe the description was ‘like wearing a feather duvet sewn onto a corset – though she did look magnificent!) and I already have problems enough being comfortable with my back injuries. Of course, if I don’t land a job, I’ll probably be buying a dress on ebay, and who knows. I’m totally serious about the ebay thing. We’ve already booked the venues, so now my priorities are 1) wining and dining my guests; 2) photographer; 3) music; 4) finding something to wear.
I do need to remind myself to take the attire thing seriously. I’ve already had a dream where I put off buying a dress until the day of the wedding and asked if I could just show up in cargo pants and tank.
Well don’t stress too much. The important part is that you wind up hitched at the end.