I'm in the middle of writing my comprehensive exams for my PhD program. Comps are scary, stressful, and time-consuming. To finish, you live, eat, breath, and sleep comps for 2 full weeks. I'm currently on day 10, and these are the things that my comprehensive exams have made me thankful for.
#1. Food that I don't have to cook.
#2. Underground parking near the Toxicology Centre.
#3. My winter training bike class
#4. Coffee
#5. Crappy weather that makes staying inside for weeks seem like a reward
#6. Candy
#7. Diet Coke
#8. Laptop computers
#9. Sweatpants
#10. Other graduate students to complain with
Happy Thanksgiving to all my friends and family in the US!
Thursday, November 25, 2010
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Things I Am Thankful For
#6. Books. I am not sure I would survive the long Saskatchewan winter without books to read. Right now, I am especially excited about reading books all winter long on my new e-reader. Electronic or paper, I am definitely thankful for books.
#7. Bikes. I like bikes. A lot. I rode bikes as a kid, but I didn't own my first 'real bike' until 5 years ago. Now I have 3 bikes. And I'm considering buying another. Some of my best friends in Saskatoon are people I met through biking. If I ever leave Saskatoon, I am going to miss my bike shop more than any other business. I like riding so much that I commute to school all year round, including when it's -30C. I want to ride a century and start bike touring next year. I am always happy when I ride my bikes. Even when I crash. Biking makes life better.
#8. Shoes with a wide toe box. I have duck feet. When I started running, I didn't realize that this was going to be a problem with many shoes. The first time I ran 7 miles (in a pair of shoes I had been training in for weeks), my pinky toes wore through the shoes, popped out of the holes they had created, and I got the most painful blisters I had ever had (at that point....there have been worse since then). So, I went and bought a pair of shoes that fit me better. As all athletes know, the search for the perfect pair of shoes is a never-ending one, but I am still thankful that I can buy shoes with a wide toe box and avoid ever having my toes on the outside of my shoes again.
#9. Peanut butter. I am pretty sure PB is one of the most perfect foods ever. It is good for breakfast, lunch, dinner or a snack. It goes with sweet or savory foods equally well. You can even eat it straight out of the jar. Chocolate + peanut butter is one of the most heavenly combinations ever. I heart PB.
#10. Mountains. Or even just hills, I guess. Michigan doesn't have much topography, but living in the prairies has made me appreciate that at least MI isn't completely flat. It makes me sad that I have to drive 7 hours from Saskatoon to get to the mountains, but I am thankful that that 7 hour drive puts me in the most beautiful part of the Canadian Rockies.
#7. Bikes. I like bikes. A lot. I rode bikes as a kid, but I didn't own my first 'real bike' until 5 years ago. Now I have 3 bikes. And I'm considering buying another. Some of my best friends in Saskatoon are people I met through biking. If I ever leave Saskatoon, I am going to miss my bike shop more than any other business. I like riding so much that I commute to school all year round, including when it's -30C. I want to ride a century and start bike touring next year. I am always happy when I ride my bikes. Even when I crash. Biking makes life better.
#8. Shoes with a wide toe box. I have duck feet. When I started running, I didn't realize that this was going to be a problem with many shoes. The first time I ran 7 miles (in a pair of shoes I had been training in for weeks), my pinky toes wore through the shoes, popped out of the holes they had created, and I got the most painful blisters I had ever had (at that point....there have been worse since then). So, I went and bought a pair of shoes that fit me better. As all athletes know, the search for the perfect pair of shoes is a never-ending one, but I am still thankful that I can buy shoes with a wide toe box and avoid ever having my toes on the outside of my shoes again.
#9. Peanut butter. I am pretty sure PB is one of the most perfect foods ever. It is good for breakfast, lunch, dinner or a snack. It goes with sweet or savory foods equally well. You can even eat it straight out of the jar. Chocolate + peanut butter is one of the most heavenly combinations ever. I heart PB.
#10. Mountains. Or even just hills, I guess. Michigan doesn't have much topography, but living in the prairies has made me appreciate that at least MI isn't completely flat. It makes me sad that I have to drive 7 hours from Saskatoon to get to the mountains, but I am thankful that that 7 hour drive puts me in the most beautiful part of the Canadian Rockies.
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Things I Am Thankful For
Even though we should probably be doing it all the time, many of us relegate thinking about and appreciating the things we are thankful for to a few select days of the year. While November isn't traditionally the month associated with Thanksgiving in Canada, I thought I would let the closeted American out and do a thankfulness theme this month. I'm shooting for coming up with 3o things I'm thankful for before the end of the month. Since I've got a climbing trip, a conference, and my comprehensives (YIKES!) all going down in November, we'll see if that actually happens.
#1. My family. They are, without a doubt, the most important people in my life. I am thankful that we love each other. I am thankful that we are enough alike to be a big group of best friends in addition to being related to one another. I am thankful we vacation together. I am thankful that my sister is my very best friend. I am thankful that my mom and dad were my parents. I am thankful that my niece is the cutest kid on the planet.
#2. My friends. I am thankful that I have friends all over the world. I am thankful that we'll remain friends no matter how far apart we live or how often we talk (or don't talk). I am thankful to have friends that are pretty darn close to family.
#3. My dog. Those of you that know Niki need no further explanation. I am thankful that Niki is the best dog EVER (even if she annoys the crap out of me sometimes).
#4. Caffeine. Oh caffeine, I wish I weren't so dependent upon you, but I am thankful for your help in waking up in the morning and staying awake when I'm tired. I am extra thankful to have discovered the magical elixir that is the cafe latte.
#5. Powerpoint. My supervisors delight in telling anyone who will listen about the bad old days of giving lectures and presentations before computer-assisted graphics programs. I am thankful that we no longer use overhead and slide projectors. I do wish, however, that 'professional' color schemes included colors other than black, blue, gray, and white.
#1. My family. They are, without a doubt, the most important people in my life. I am thankful that we love each other. I am thankful that we are enough alike to be a big group of best friends in addition to being related to one another. I am thankful we vacation together. I am thankful that my sister is my very best friend. I am thankful that my mom and dad were my parents. I am thankful that my niece is the cutest kid on the planet.
#2. My friends. I am thankful that I have friends all over the world. I am thankful that we'll remain friends no matter how far apart we live or how often we talk (or don't talk). I am thankful to have friends that are pretty darn close to family.
#3. My dog. Those of you that know Niki need no further explanation. I am thankful that Niki is the best dog EVER (even if she annoys the crap out of me sometimes).
#4. Caffeine. Oh caffeine, I wish I weren't so dependent upon you, but I am thankful for your help in waking up in the morning and staying awake when I'm tired. I am extra thankful to have discovered the magical elixir that is the cafe latte.
#5. Powerpoint. My supervisors delight in telling anyone who will listen about the bad old days of giving lectures and presentations before computer-assisted graphics programs. I am thankful that we no longer use overhead and slide projectors. I do wish, however, that 'professional' color schemes included colors other than black, blue, gray, and white.
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