The "Hah-vahd" Effect

Fi and I were at a club Saturday night, with a bunch of friends. In the midst of all the "nerdy physicist" comments I frequently endure (and secretly enjoy very much), our roommate Y started selling The Big Bang Theory to me. (I've never watched it.)

Around the same time, we were joined by some friends of a friend in the group. Introductions performed, Y mentioned that she was trying to get me to follow the show. One of the guys in the other group said that he liked the show a lot, which prompted Y to mention that I was a physicist.

Guy: "Oh yeah, and you work at Harvard, right? Ha ha ha!"

Me: (with a bright smile) "Um, yes, I do."

Guy: "... Ohhh... ." (Jaw drops).

Me: (in my head) "Ha ha ha, to you too."

It's fun to be on the non-underdog side for a change!

I'm busy working on a deadline, the first in my new position. Hopefully I'll trump it before it gets me.

Fi is in Germany, fortuitously, because I'm too busy to want to pay much attention to anything else. Work - 1, Husband - 0. Hmmm, he's finally met his match.

Yes, marriage seems to have changed me. It has made being with my husband acquire slightly more importance than writing a blog.

Hopefully I'll be back.

Although much warmer, my first winter in Boston seems no better than my first winter in Chicago.

Oh, wait... scratch that out, will you? I can cosy up to my Fi all winter!

*snuggling sigh*

"Thanksgiving"

Most people do this on Thanksgiving day, which went by a month and a day ago. We (Fi and I) were, of course, observing a completely different set of traditions. In memory of all that this year has been, I feel it is only correct today to give thanks for all the good things that have happened this year.

I've received my long-awaited Ph. D., accomplished a semi-cross-country move, celebrated the wedding, and begun my research fellowship at Harvard. I have many, many thanks to give my lucky stars for the relative ease with which I was able to negotiate each of these. But there was a common undercurrent of "pushing through" which required time, patience, sustained hard work, encouragement, and, sometimes, money, the source of a lot of stress to one who has been living on grad school stipends for a long, long time. I have one person to thank for sparing me as much stress as it was possible: my husband. I know I might have done these things on my own as well, but I'm sure they wouldn't have been as easy, as quick, or as pain-free as they were with his love, understanding, and support. And now, I'm here. Fiville is finally my home.

Wish you a happy holiday season, and I hope you see your dreams for 2012 come true!