Backseat Sushi

Holidays in Canada & California

2010-02-04T07:06:00.008Z

It's been a bit too long since my last update. With an anatomy exam on the horizon, it may be a bit longer until my next post. But for now, here are a few images from Christmas this year in CA/CA.

Parliament in Ottawa
The eternal flame
La Jolla
Newport Beach
Oceanside

Francis Collins and Colbert

2009-10-06T06:47:00.001+01:00

Dr. Francis Collins asked me about my poster once... that was an exciting day.

The Colbert Report

Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c

Francis Collins

www.colbertnation.com

Colbert Report Full Episodes

Political Humor

Michael Moore

Football season

2009-09-12T16:55:00.008+01:00

Yay for Saturdays! I'm ready to see a Pasadena crowd rendition of "lean on me."
Bill Withers and Pete Carol are awesome!

(This video may take a bit of time to load)

Excited about the Magdelen Commemorative Ball...

2009-06-28T20:55:00.020+01:00

Perhaps a little too excited?

Twirling!

At Keble College:
Time to go...

Back in Oxford

2009-06-24T12:07:00.003+01:00

I arrived in Oxford this morning with several other students for our annual Oxford-Cambridge-NIH colloquium. Would you believe that the weather is perfect here? We are staying at Keble College, and it is nice to be on familiar stomping ground. Here's the view from my room at Keble:

Chelsea! I wish you were here! Time for scones and clotted cream! :)

And were off!

2009-06-16T17:00:00.002+01:00

My thesis is submitted!!!
My health is good!
Matthew arrives today!

Maybe summer vacation is arriving sooner than I thought.

Four weddings a dissertation

2009-05-31T03:17:00.006+01:00

Love is in the air this summer with four weddings to attend. The first wedding was for Matthew's friends Rob and Annie. It was a beautiful wedding in Ottawa. Here's the Murphy family at the wedding - It makes me happy to be a part of this photo. :)

We have a wedding next week for Matthew's friends Chris and Emily. This means I am giving myself five days to finish and submit my thesis!

SYTYCD

2009-05-14T03:31:00.004+01:00

I am excited about another season of "so you think you can dance." I know I can't dance, but here's a clip that makes me wish I could:

Now, back to thesis writing so I can watch tv guilt free.

2009-04-15T20:34:00.000+01:00

Inspiration or procrastination...

2009-03-24T22:13:00.001Z

This one's for Matthew... :)

Send This Video to the One You Love "I Love You" - More amazing video clips are a click away

Snow in DC

2009-03-02T20:41:00.004Z

What started out as a beautiful snow fall last night, turned into an early morning white-out storm that canceled most domestic flights out of Washington DC, including my DC to Ottawa flight. Now I am booked on a flight tomorrow evening. But at least I had a chance to enjoy the supersnowman my roommates made in our front yard.

Things you never thought of doing while growing up in SoCal, part 2

2009-01-26T01:12:00.008Z

Ice skating on the world's largest skating rink! Ottawa's Rideau Canal is 5 miles of zamboni'd fun.

Working on turning, stopping, and falling... Fortunately, I managed to not do all three.

While appearing completely out of my element, here was a happy familiar sight. A Canadian Royal Oak pub. I'm not sure if the pints would taste the same without a game of backgammon and some tasty potato wedges, chorizo and cheese.

Quickly enjoying a Canadian specialty, a beavertail fried pastry with cinnamon and sugar. I put my gloves back on shortly after Matthew snapped this photo. Did I mention that it's cold in Ottawa?

Taylor's turkey trek

2009-01-16T02:38:00.009Z

While growing up in Orange County, there are some things you never think of doing... for example, snowshoeing with the Murphy's, a.k.a. racing across a field in 3 feet of powder. The turkey's must have been hiding. Maybe next year?

Christmas in Canada

2009-01-12T04:48:00.003Z

Christmas, a time to reflect, to revel in, and to cherish many of the things that give life meaning... a cup of Christmas tea, a hug by a wood fire stove, the glow of presents under a tree, warm sweet Christmas cake to share, an endless cookie cupboard, turkey dinner, games to play, an empty chalkboard canvas, a steep slope and an old toboggan, snowshoeing adventures, Bella dog bounding over snow banks, a gaze across a frozen lake, fields of white, a sweater to snuggle in, a buddy to snuggle with, fuzzy socks, pajamas, blueberry pancakes, the smell of pine, a welcoming tree with sapphire lights, welcoming family, laughter with new friends, laughter with old friends, love...

2008-12-15T02:19:00.001Z

"Indian wisdom says our lives are rivers. We are born somewhere small and quiet and we move toward a place we cannot see, but only imagine. Along our journey, people and events flow into us, and we are created of everywhere and everyone we have passed. Each event, each person, changes us in some way. Even in times of drought we are still moving and growing, but it is during seasons of rain that we expand the most - when water flows from all directions, sweeping at terrifying speed, chasing against rocks, spilling over boundaries. These are painful times, but they enable us to carry burdens we could never have thought possible. Floods are painful, but they are necessary. They keep us clear and strong. They move our lives onto new paths."

- Lisa Wingate, Tending Roses

my breath fogged up the glass, so i drew in a face and i laughed

2008-12-14T05:00:00.005Z

A little Jason Mraz - inspired, in part, by my friend Maisie.

"Lucky" Official Video With Colbie Caillat

2008-12-01T04:39:00.000Z

2008-12-01T04:24:00.004Z

I just watched the Leona Lewis redo of the Snow Patrol song Run. At first I though, "eh, not bad." But then I listened to the original again, and the original version is hard to beat. Amazing lyrics. Here are the videos for you to decide.

Here's the live Leona Lewis version:

And if you're still awake, here's the original Snow Patrol version:

Philadelphia for ASHG

2008-11-14T21:14:00.005Z

Only small portions and slim residents here. Ahh the Philly cheesesteak...

... The Park Hyatt sure has a nice gym.

Fall colors

2008-11-07T15:11:00.008Z

Given that I lost my old compact camera and my old cell phone finally called it quits, I bought myself a toy, the LG Dare. Here are a few camera phone test photos of the Fall colors from my street in Bethesda.

Canada is beautiful

2008-10-12T22:02:00.005+01:00

Some recent photos of Gatineau Park, Quebec over Canadian Thanksgiving/Columbus Day holiday weekend:

2008-09-16T22:57:00.002+01:00

Back to the hustle and bustle of America, and loving it.

Last night in Oxford

2008-09-10T01:16:00.005+01:00

It's my last night in Oxford until 2009. Tomorrow I return to NIH to finish the remainder of my DPhil. I will miss backgammon games at the Royal Oak, afternoon tea time, the endless miles of centuries old architecture, and of course my amazing friends in Oxford and London. Today I had a pretty good last hurrah that started out in London with scones and clotted cream, followed by a curry lunch, a spot of tea, a shot of whiskey, four freshly fried donuts, and an exciting ride on "Chaos" at the St. Giles Fair in Oxford.

I suppose I'm packed and ready for tomorrow's next big adventure. It will be an early 5am rise.

The fair is coming!

2008-09-07T23:10:00.009+01:00

The Oxford St. Giles' Fair is back! All of St. Giles St., from St. Giles church to the Martyr's Memorial was blocked to traffic today to set up. You know what this means? Bumper cars, roller coaster, fun house, ghost train, helter skelter, the twister, waltzer, cotton candy, popcorn, and SCARY CARNI's! The St. Giles's Fair has been taking place in Oxford since the 17th century. I'm just hoping that they've upgraded the rides since then...

St. Giles Fair 1895:A few photos from my walk home today:

Bring on the fun!

Just in time for football!

2008-09-03T20:11:00.009+01:00

I can't wait to watch USC football in realtime!

Bath

2008-08-25T16:17:00.018+01:00

Bath is my new favorite city in England! As an impromptu mini vacation, Chelsea and I traveled to Bath this weekend. In addition to the Roman baths, the Georgian architecture was incredible. I would highly recommend Bath as a travel destination for anyone visiting England.

The Royal Crescent:

Bath Abby:

The Roman baths:

How to Make a Cup of Tea

2008-08-22T19:13:00.011+01:00

Thanks to the English, I now have an obsession with tea. By obsession, I mean more than just the addition of a daily cup to my morning routine. My kitchen counter is decorated with a variety of teas, and I have become quite particular about when and how to prepare each type. For instance, a "rushed" early weekday morning (aka 11am) would involve an eye opening cup of classic Twining's english breakfast (tea bag in a cup) plus a dash of milk. A slower more relaxed morning calls for tasty black english caramel or black chocolate mint looseleaf tea with a substantial helping of 1% milk. The weekend and early afternoon involves a bit of green tea, steeped at cooler temps. For a relaxing late afternoon on a cool English day, some wonderfully fragrant jasmine dragon pearls (compliments of Cheryl and Amy) hit the spot! Each night I wind the evening down with decaf tea, usually of the herbal mint, lemon, or rose variety. It is amazing how much joy one can get from the prospect of a warm drink on a chilly English day. Friends are always welcome to pop on by for a cup and a chat. Usually a cookie is part of the deal. Although a scone, jam, and clotted cream make for tasty perfection.

The Lemons visit Oxford

2008-08-19T16:06:00.005+01:00

Last weekend, Amy and Cheryl visited Oxford as part of their exciting whirlwind tour of the UK and Ireland. Now that they both live in NYC, we usually only see each other at Christmas time when the "Chaotic Lemons" return home to Orange County for the holidays. It was great catching up with them Saturday and Sunday and meeting Amy's cousin Paul who is also a graduate of Oxford.

Tea time! "Enjoying" the English weather and taking a break between the Oxford botanical gardens and the Oxford natural history museum (sadly the Pitt Rivers museum is closed for renovation until 2009).

Half pints at The Bear.

Also on the evening's agenda:
A brief stop at Eagle and Child, gin rummy at the Turf Tavern, and scrabble at the Royal Oak.

What's a visit to Oxford without a view of the "dreaming spires?"

The View

2008-08-11T21:55:00.002+01:00

The view from my apartment. I spend a lot of time looking out this window...

Return to Oxford

2008-07-31T23:32:00.006+01:00

I am back in Oxford until mid-September. While stepping off the bus and onto the cobblestones of Gloucester Green square, I was greeted by a surprise. What a joy it was to see so many flower baskets lining the streets and walkways. The English love their gardens; this week, the summer gardens seemed to hug the streets.

Half Blood Prince

2008-07-30T20:08:00.000+01:00

I'm ready for November.

Luray Caverns

2008-07-26T20:11:00.009+01:00

Last Sunday we visited Luray Caverns in Shenandoah Valley, Virginia.

A fallen stalactite:

My favorite scenic spot was the reflecting pool.

Totem pole valley:

2008-07-18T18:47:00.001+01:00

"Wall-E!"

Holy crow, eh?

2008-07-09T16:03:00.013+01:00

I have just returned from two and a half wonderful weeks in Ontario, Canada visiting Matthew and his family. Here are a few photos from the trip.

Beautiful Bella

While in Kingston, we attended a Holstein auction... with bbq, beer, live country music, and of course, cows! With not just two colors, but three!

Grandpa Murphy's lake cottage.

Beautiful and serene.

Matthew's mom and me relaxing at the beach on Lake Ontario.

This is the season for weddings. We attended two while I was visiting Canada.

The groom and best man looking very dashing before the wedding.

Black Tie

2008-06-15T16:04:00.008+01:00

Christ Church college guest night. We are dressed up in honor of Bhooma's successful thesis defense and to give her an impromptu hen party. But honestly, you don't need a reason for black tie attire in Oxford.
On the way to dinner, we were looking fabulous on the famous stairs from Harry Potter.

Science stuff

2008-06-09T20:37:00.003+01:00

It's time for some real time science videos. Geeky, perhaps. But I still can't help pausing in amazement.

Higher quality flash version here (compliments of Matthew):
http://aimediaserver.com/studiodaily/videoplayer/?src=harvard/harvard.swf&width=640&height=520

Here's a clip for those of you who were bored in the genetics section of Biology 101:

2008-06-08T15:40:00.003+01:00

I am happy to say that Matthew has been accepted into the University of Ottawa for medical school. This is fantastic news and ironically brings us one step closer to being in the same country. In the meantime, I plan to keep an eye out for affordable flights from OC, CA to ON, CA.

Family time

2008-05-29T20:05:00.005+01:00

Having my parents visit Oxford last week was such a nice treat. During their trip, we enjoyed clotted cream, bangers and mash, fish and chips, and a Sunday roast. We watched cricket, attended a garden party, and spent the majority of our evenings playing backgammon at the best pub in Oxford, The Royal Oak. The transatlantic distance seems much smaller now.

Health Food

2008-05-24T22:39:00.003+01:00

In London.

For Fun

2008-05-16T11:34:00.002+01:00

In response to Chelsea's blog, here we go... for fun:

Four jobs I've had:

1. Hostess - Souplantation
2. Researcher - Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research
3. DataCAD Draftsman - EBTA Architects
4. Research Associate - Ambry Genetics

Four movies I've watched more than once:

1. Lord of the Rings

2. Office Space

3. Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle

4. Once

Four places I've lived:

1. Orange County, CA

2. Boston, MA

3. Bethesda, MD

4. Oxford, United Kingdom

Four places I've been:

1. Paris, France

2. London, England

3. Yokohama, Japan

4. Ontario, Canada

Four TV shows I watch (an amazing feat without a TV):

1. Rome

2. House

3. Heroes

4. Scrubs

Four people who email me regularly:

1. Matthew

2. Mom

3. Bryan Traynor - NIH supervisor

4. Oxford administrative staff

Four of my favorite foods:

1. Sushi

2. Buddy's pizza

3. Komoda Bakery long johns

4. Zosia's (Hamtramck Polish Vilage Cafe) liver and onions

Four places I would like to visit:

1. Whistler, Canada - bring on the moguls!

2. Kyoto, Japan

3. Bombay, India - to see Rupa!

4. Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia

Four things I'm looking forward to in the coming year:

1. Spending time in Ontario

2. Trip to Maui

3. Thanksgiving in Cali

4. Finishing my DPhil

People I've tagged (to do this too):
1. Bonnie
2. Amy
3. Rupa

Smell's like bananas!

2008-05-14T19:50:00.004+01:00

My favorite snack, Aunt Arlene's banana bread (muffins)...

...and they're fresh out of the oven!

If you live in Oxford, stop on by...
:)

My mother

2008-05-11T13:28:00.005+01:00

"You may have tangible wealth untold;
Caskets of jewels and coffers of gold;
Richer than I you can never be --
I had a Mother who read to me."
-Strickland Gillilan

2008-05-09T22:18:00.001+01:00

Collector's edition???

I want to believe

2008-05-06T16:17:00.004+01:00

July 25th? Say it's true...
http://www.buzznet.com/tags/thexfiles/journals/2071941/
X-Files sequel leaked trailer from March:

National windsurfing week

2008-05-05T21:56:00.003+01:00

Would you believe windsurfing in England? Last Saturday at Farmoor Reservoir...

London Marathon

2008-05-04T18:10:00.006+01:00

Here are two very English photos from the London marathon several weekends ago:

2008-04-29T08:51:00.000+01:00

"Whether you think that you can or you can't, you're usually right" -Henry Ford

2008-04-24T12:00:00.000+01:00

(Unless you're in Dublin...)

Enders Game

2008-04-23T22:01:00.006+01:00

It sounds like we'll have to wait a bit longer for the movie production of Enders Game. Although supposedly the script is written, producers are searching for another director. Yet, for those of us who are sci-fi fans, fear not, Marvel Comics (with input from Orson Scott Card) should be releasing a new Ender's Game and Ender's Shadow comic book series later this year. Woo!

(And geekdom shines through)

Caught in an afternoon rain shower

2008-04-16T09:11:00.004+01:00

And then the rain cleared. Hyde Park last weekend:

Oh, snap.

2008-04-11T19:02:00.002+01:00

See more funny videos at CollegeHumor

SNOW!!!!

2008-04-06T15:34:00.012+01:00

This has been an exciting weekend! My cousin Liam is visiting, and it snowed in Oxford last night!!

Billy Jean

2008-04-02T20:50:00.004+01:00

Sorry David Archuletta, David Cook has become my new favorite American Idol. Combined with a little Michal Jackson and Chris Cornell, this is pretty good stuff:

More photos

2008-03-31T20:20:00.009+01:00

Keble College Chapel

Atop the Saxon Tower of St. Michael, the oldest building in Oxford (1040 AD)If you haven't had enough Oxford/London photos, I've posted a few more recent photos in a public album on facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=31527&l=45af6&id=521578311

Adventure

2008-03-25T19:18:00.005Z

"The Road goes ever on and on
Down from the door where it began.
Now far ahead the Road has gone,
And I must follow, if I can,
Pursuing it with eager feet,
Until it joins some larger way
Where many paths and errands meet.
And wither then? I cannot say."

"Not all those who wander are lost."
- J.R.R. Tolkien

"I may not have gone where I intended to go,
but I think I have ended up where I intended to be"
- Douglas Adams

Touring London

2008-03-20T00:26:00.010Z

Matthew traveled to England to visit this Easter break (I've been smiling since). Here is a glimpse of some of our exciting London adventures:

The Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace.

Donuts at Camden Market... they look better than they taste. That's experience talking.

Matthew and I thought about "feeding the birds" while enjoying a snack break at St. Paul's Cathedral. I was a bit disappointed to learn that it costs £10 ($20) to tour the cathedral. Fortunately for us, the architecture is still breathtaking from the outside.

To my delight, we attended a showing of my favorite musical, Les Miserables. It is the longest running production in London, first located at the Palace Theatre, and now performing at the Queen's Theatre.

After several fun packed days in London, it was time to travel to Oxford. I will be getting backpacking tips from Matthew.

Hallelujah

2008-03-11T21:45:00.007Z

After watching American Idol, I started wondering about the origins of Jeff Buckley's Hallelujah. So here ya go:

Leonard Cohen (Canadian!) originally wrote and recorded Hallelujah in 1984. This is a later live performance. Can we say, I love the 80's?

The version we are all familiar with was initially recorded by John Cale in 1992...

...but was ultimately surpassed by the sheer greatness that is Jeff Buckley (combined, of course, with scenes from The OC!)

Today, Hallelujah has been covered and recorded by more artists and for more movie/tv soundtracks than I feel like listing. Happy listening.

38 hours and 30 minutes

2008-03-11T20:59:00.002Z

Today was a busy day in lab. Lately, I have been in a mad rush to finish experiments because Matthew is arriving in Oxford in less than two days, and I am completely stoked!

2008-03-10T18:44:00.003Z

Watching these videos has inspired me to travel and perhaps spontaneously dance a little more often.

2008-03-08T20:05:00.001Z

Yes!

2008-03-06T23:01:00.005Z

I'm ready for summer.

To remember

2008-03-03T19:36:00.000Z

Last week an interesting article on a genetic mutation identified in a family with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis was published in Science Magazine. This research will have a significant impact on the field of ALS genetics. I mention this publication because it was coauthored by my friend Steven Ackerley who tragically passed away in January. At the end of the article, I learned that the publication was dedicated to his memory.

I do not consider myself much of a religious person. For the most part, I am a scientist at heart and believe in what I can see. Still, I try to keep an open mind about what I do not understand. Regardless of whether or not I believe in a land of eternal sunshine, I know that we will always live on in the memories and lives of the people around us. Steven was a genuine individual. He has clearly left a positive impact on so many people not only as a friend, but as scientist, dedicated to understanding the cause of the devastating and deadly disease ALS.

To read the advance online publication of Steven’s publication, go to:
http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/abstract/1154584

The burrito is here.

2008-03-03T15:16:00.000Z

Guess what?? I had a burrito for lunch!! I am now in a seriously happy mood (although oddly sluggish and lethargic at the same time). Mission Burrito on St. Michael's Street just opened today for lunch. It was a 20 min wait to reach the front of the line, and by the time I got there the carnitas and guacamole were gone (this would never have happened in socal)! But still, it's pretty hard to mess up a burrito, and despite the clearly English cheese, it was worth the wait.

Idol

2008-03-02T21:05:00.001Z

So, I live in England, and I have no tv. Yet, somehow I've become a David Archuletta fan. Adorable!

Going back to Cali

2008-03-02T16:48:00.000Z

Some exciting news this week. I was accepted into the UCI School of Medicine with full NIH MSTP funding and stipend starting in 2009. I love England, but as Biggie said, "I'm going going, back, back to Cali Cali."

2008-02-28T21:54:00.000Z

Research

2008-02-26T13:35:00.000Z

Although the majority of my time is spent in lab, I realized today that my blog contains no references to science. Therefore, today's blog is an attempt to geek it up a little.

Just last week I was coauthor on a paper published in Nature titled, "Genotype, haplotype and copy-number variation in worldwide human populations." This is a high impact journal and a fascinating study. I have been fortunate to be a part of the research at NIH, and I'm pretty excited about this publication.

Here's the link:
http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v451/n7181/full/nature06742.html

Enjoy

2008-02-25T11:35:00.001Z

In honor of Ethan's last week in Oxford, here are some memories I don't have... just kidding, this weekend we had some fun times touring the Oxford pub scene. Starting at the Royal Oak, I accompanied my friends as far as Kings Arms.

The Royal Oak

The Eagle and Child

Lamb & Flag

Far From the Madding Crowd

Three Goats Heads

And this is where I left my friends and headed home. Enough adventures for one night!

2008-02-22T23:18:00.000Z

The Royal Oak

2008-02-22T00:01:00.000Z

... the best pub in Oxford and the site of many fierce games of backgammon. For a recap of tonight's game and some great action photos, check out my friend Chelsea's blog:
http://chelseachelschels.blogspot.com/2008/02/backgammon-night.html

G&D's!

2008-02-20T21:51:00.000Z

My peers in the NIH-Oxford-Cambridge program have become world travelers. We are often "ships passing in the night," sometimes only overlapping by a week or two. Despite our schedules, I often see my peers more often than my neighbors, simply because we always take time to visit, catch up, and even pass on valuable advice when we are in the same city.

A couple days ago, Ambika, Ethan and I met up for lunch and ice cream on Little Carendon. Ambika has now returned to NIH, and Ethan leaves in a week.

Here are a couple photos of good friends spending a cold English afternoon enjoying G&D's ice cream:

Jake Shimabukuro

2008-02-17T19:18:00.001Z

'Cause he's just awesome:

If you're not convinced yet, here's more:

2008-02-16T13:43:00.000Z

I'm wide awake and it's morning

2008-02-15T19:33:00.000Z

Ya know, I'm pretty excited about this one.

It's Valentine's Day!

2008-02-14T08:21:00.001Z

How do I express my love?
Attempting Haiku!

Springtime warms my face.
I welcome this gift and smile.
Another suprise!

A letter from home!
How do parents always know
How to package love?

Even distances,
Of impossible measure,
Can never sever...

The family bond,
That binds us all together.
Unconditional.

Winter was creeping

The night I stood in Dublin.
Where my love found me.

Two years passed us by.
A frost of time and distance.
But what joyous Spring!

To reunite now.
And embrace my love who brings
An endless Summer.

Un tigre para mi pololo

2008-02-13T22:37:00.000Z

Wow, phone conversation doodles with Matthew were a little out of control today
...

Crisp and refreshing?

2008-02-13T14:17:00.001Z

Fair is foul, and foul is fair:
Hover through the fog and filthy air.
***
Something wicked this way comes.

The fog this morning was a sight. I half expected witches stirring a bubbling brew and chanting a foreboding song...

...But gladly, the sun returned, and my day is looking up. No Acland ghost sightings yet!

2008-02-11T21:49:00.000Z

Beirut

2008-02-10T16:52:00.001Z

One advantage to having lots of tedious computer work is the opportunity to catch up on new and old music albums. While listening to Beirut's The Flying Club Cup, I've come to the following conclusions (with supporting evidence):

1) Beirut is awesome!

2) Canadians are weird.

3) The Japanese are completely insane.

While jogging.

2008-02-09T15:00:00.000Z

While working this afternoon, my apartment lost power and internet, again. Therefore, it seemed like a good time for a jog. Now, I do not normally carry a camera with me on my jogs, but today I made an exception. It was another beautiful day in Oxford! Here are a few photos from my brief jaunt across the English countryside:

Dreaming of Maui...

2008-02-09T10:44:00.000Z

...and my friend the humuhumunukunukuapua'a

Take Me Home Country Road

Almost Heaven, West Makaha,
high-ridge mountain, crystal-clear blue water.
All my friends there hanging on da beach,
young and old among them,
feel the ocean breeze.

Country road, take me home,
to the place I belong,
West Makaha, Mount Ka'ala.
Oh take me home, oh country road.

-Isreal Kamakawiwo'ole

Procrastination

2008-02-09T01:33:00.001Z

Ahh, minesweeper... so many dull moments successfully avoided.
http://www.collegehumor.com/video:1770138

Sunshine!

2008-02-08T18:56:00.000Z

An amazing thing happened today in Oxford...

It was completely sunny!

In honor of this extraordinary event,
here are a few photos from my walk
into city center this afternoon.
@}-,-`-

The Radcliffe Camera

While heading south on St. Giles,
I snapped a quick photo of Martyr's Memorial...

...And then the spire at St. Mary's
where the Oxford Martyrs were tried in 1555.

Buses on High Street.

Today I met Ambika for afternoon tea on High Street.
I am thrilled that she will be in Oxford for the next week.
There is nothing better than English teatime with wonderful friends.

Beautiful Bella

2008-02-08T00:12:00.001Z

This photo of me and Bella is currently my profile pic, but as Matthew pointed out, it's sooo small as a thumbnail image (and Bella is the most gentle, adorable, lovable dog ever), so here we are again!

First blog!

2008-02-07T23:23:00.000Z

So this is my first blog ever. And it's a video too! Exciting times. ;)