It's the boodiggity

I am officially a graduate student!

They can't get rid of me now...(just take all my $$ and time!)

My first committee meeting is next week. I start my research in January.

YAY!

As my J would say - "it's the boodiggity!" :)

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team photos

I just heard back from our team leader and together we raised about $3000 for the breast cancer run. The Pathletic Lab team (eh? pathology and athletic? we're so clever...) is a great group of people made up of doctors and techies (and their families) from the path department and cancer clinic. Pledges are still trickling in from far away (thanks Kristi :) ) but despite the cold chilly day (yes, I wore a toque and fuzzy bunnyhug under my run shirt - I'm a wimp) we all had a great time. Here's me getting my pink ribbon tattoo...which later did not want to come off. Here I was worried the rain would smudge it. We all had one on our right cheek...I'm sure these were designed for the apocalypse and were not a problem to keep on :)

Now that summer craziness is done, I'm looking forward to bellydancing and morning workouts...the gloomy weather lately has made it harder to get up, but once the rain switches to snow (*sniff*) I know it'll be easier to get up and do morning things.

My bellydance instructor wants me to take both basic and intermediate lessons for a while and I'm happy to. It'll reinforce the old stuff, which I'm really lacking after not being able to bellydance int he summer from my knee thing. The intermediate class is so *cool*. I picked up some kneepads last night, as we're learning floorwork, and will continue to learn sword dancing and other trio group work. And then the zills and veils...it's nice to be challenged and have so many things to work on. I'm the newest person int he intermediate class, but I'm determined to work hard and catch up. I'm rather proud of myself, because a few years ago being the slowest/newest in a class would have made me feel bad about myself and maybe even give up the lessons...but now? It's a challenge. I'm in this for me, and for the joy of it, so how can learning anything be bad? I certainly won't do any performances or hold the group back by learning....I know know just what I can do when I put my mind to it. It's going to be so much fun!

Well, off to science town. Much to do on this grey rainy day. Have a great day everyone :)

4 days till race day

I went to belly dancing class last night - man, what a workout!
My knees and calves and abs are very stiff. I have all kinds of cool jiggly moves to practice - it's a lot of fun. AND I stepped on the scale this morning out of curiosity and I'm down to 130!
Wohooooo!
I haven't weighed that since I was a kid. I've was always a plump child and adult until I started working out and eating well a few yearsa ago and once I dreamed of weighing 125...many years ago at my largest (Just about 180 - which for short little me is a lot). And honestly where I am at now is fine. More than fine - I feel great...if I lose a few more pounds then whoopeee, but I'm happy and healthy...and THAT is what it has been all about the last while. I'm not dieting anymore, I'm just *living*.
Wow. I feel very proud of myself :)

I'm looking forward to tomorrow...it's my day off at my lab job so I can get up and have a nice long run in the sun before heading off to may last ever (YES) pledge drive shift at the community station.
Then on Saturday...I'm doing nothing. At all. I'm going to veg like broccoli. It's gonna be great.

And Sunday? Well it's the breast cancer run.
Yay...I'm nearly at my goal of raising $300.
Last chance to pledge you guys! Hop to it :)
Come on...I'm running 5K, toss me some change!