Who did you drive home tonight?

My program code (for my summer research project) started rocking the house today!  I was on the hott tamale train, making my closed loop seamless and as beautiful as computer interface can be.    

After a successful day and a race to beat the storm home, I headed out for a sushi dinner at my favorite restaurant OSEY.  It was DELICIOUS!!!  

Then things started to head 

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                                                         w

                                                               n 

 

                                                                     h  

                                                                    i

                                                                      l

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                                                                               relationship issues to say the least.  

Before I could get too worked up my sister called (it's amazing how they have such good timing!).  

When I got home I realized... Marshall, my little brother, left me the sweetest voice message saying how much he missed me. 

My friend, Karen, also had sent me a text asking how my day was because she didn't get to see me after work.  

And because ice cream is nothing without whipped cream, there's the part where I missed my best friend's (from home) 21st birthday party & forgot to send a facebook message, a text, or make a phone call.  So, I sent a belated text, and she replied "No worries, I understand." 

Does it get any better?  

Even when I have a hott tamale train falling off a cliff for a night...  there are some stellar people to pick me up and give me a ride home and buy me ice cream!

Who did you drive home tonight? 

Waha

Errr... Is this REALLY the ER?

I've had the opportunity to shadow my mentor, Dr. Beiser, in the Emergency Room a few times this past week. As expected, it's not like the T.V. show! I was surprised at how calm the doctors stay while working in the critical moments. It's an art to say the least...

While not in the ER, I've been busy in the lab. I've got a plan for my syringe pump program. However, it's going to be tough one. I find computer programming pretty intuitive, but I'm not sure if I know enough to develop this software. Also, there is the challenge (which is the challenge of all biomedical engineering) of making the computer and machine work with a living being. We'll see, it's going to be an adventure.

This research has also been an opportunity to attend lab meetings, code review, and medical research lecture. I'm just trying to soak all the information in, and get the most out of it!

Maintaining a balance,

Waha

Un-Scandanavian Midsummer

This past Sunday, my parents and brother drove in and my sister and boyfriend came too! We celebrated fathers day and headed to Andersonville's Midsummer. Although Midsummer in Andersonville was a stupendous street fair, it was missing the Scandinavian elements I connect with the Swedish Midsummer Holiday:

maypole dancing
flower crowns
painting dala horses
strawberries and ice cream

What was cool about the street fair:

Guitar Students Rocking Out


The Different Vendors


The Non-Swedish Dancers





But I think my favorite part was when we left and went to a particular favorite of mine...


It was a good day!

Waha

Exploring Summer Chicago

Last weekend I ventured out to the Printer's Row Book Fair.  I found a book for my dad for father's day (have you gotten your dad something?).  I was able to talk to the author and he signed my dad's book!  There were tons of books about everything you could imagine.  I could have spend hours there lost in books...

This coming weekend, I venturing to Andersonville for the Midsummer Festival!  I'm way excited, because midsummer is a Swedish tradition!!!!!  I used to love going to midsummer in Rockford, Il growing up.  I particularly remember making flower crowns, strawberries and ice cream, and painting Dala horses.  

Kirsten, my Kappa sister, just made RICE CRISPY TREATS!!!!  She's my hero...  

Waha

8 transformed to 12

Introduction:

Brenden, another IIT student working in the same lab, and I decided we would bike to University of Chicago for work today.

Methods:

1. Aquire bike
2. Ride bike to UofC
3. Lock bike
4. Go to work
5. Unlock bike
6. Ride home

Hypothesis:

We thought the ride would be roughly 4 miles in each direction.

Results:

To our unpleasent surprise... it was accually a 6 mile ride in each direction.

And, I can hardly move my thighs.

Discussion:

The ride is tangable, but I'm going to need to get myself in shape. I live on the 3rd floor of my sorority house--it's been a long night. I particularly happy to be sitting down right now.

Conclusion:

Transforming numbers has never been so painful. Furthermore, I'll be in great shape at the end of the summer.


~Waha

[Inside the closet]

stage 1: tearing down the existing wood

...and discovering fire damage.


stage 2: Wash & Spackle that!

Oh wait, there's two doors to this closet...

Did I mention my emotions about 12ft ceiling?



stage 3: going green is in style, so we thought we'd get in with the trend


You'd never know there was fire damage here!!


stage 4: installing the shelves--in progress

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[sometimes going home is like hiding in a closet]


Waha