Remember when I said the Charles was frozen?

2.11.12

...that lasted all of two days.  It's truly the winter that never came. 

The Blogger Bun

(photo by: Brooke Dennis); Anna of Tulip Louise and Michelle of Second Street East  (via Say Yes to Hoboken)

For the past couple weeks, I've been frustrated with buns.  With my hair so long (not quite waist length, but getting there) ---well, the weight of my hair just drags it downward and ends up looking awful.

The solution?  The so-called blogger bun, beloved of the fashionable attendees of Alt Summit out in Salt Lake City.  And my goodness, I do look a bit like Cindy Lou Who, but you know what?  My hair stays put.  It's out of my face, out of the way.  Love it.

Upon request:  me with a blogger bun (sorry about the picture quality, lighting in my apartment at night isn't the best...)

Happy Valentine's Day!

from here

Hearts

Thanks for the candy hearts, mom!

My new shoes.

Why yes, they do have bows on them.  That's how I roll.  (obviously).

January Reads

With finally feeling better comes the inclination to read  (and the unofficial hope that I will be a far more frequent reader this semester).  For some reason, three of the four books I've read this month were about English girls in India.  No idea how that one happened...

Apple: A Global History, by Erika Janik
(from the MIT Browsery, a section of the library set up for new fiction and non-fiction)

Part of the new Edibles series, it's a look at the cultural and environmental history of apples.  The most interesting part of the book?  Learning that apples are not native to North America.  They are native to Kazakhstan.  Amazing.

A Great and Terrible Beauty, by Libba Bray
(checked out the Kindle version from my library in Minnesota)

Fascinating but a bit on the contrived side.  I didn't dislike it, exactly, but I think I would have loved it far more if I was still 14.  I'm told by a friend that the rest in the series simply aren't as good.  It is marvelously freeing to say, well, then, I just won't read them.

The Secret Garden, by Frances Hodgson Burnett
(free Kindle version)

I had forgotten how atrocious those two children were, my word.  They are both sallow spoiled brats.  Thank goodness for gardens to bring out the best in people (also---Maggie Smith as Mrs. Medlock is perfect.  Love).

East of the Sun, by Julia Gregson
(borrowed from a friend)

I'm just a few pages into this one, but I already like it.

Doggelganger

Upload a photo, it finds a dog that matches you (a la 101 Dalmations).

Science and a great user-interface...too bad the puppies are across the globe.

The Charles is finally frozen

 

1.14.12

1.21.12

Pompeii

A friend came down from Maine this weekend to see the Pompeii Exhibit at the Museum of Science - if you get a chance, go.  It's very---affecting.  I don't know that much about Pompeii, or volcanoes (pyroclastic flow isn't really a part of my active vocabulary), but it was incredibly sad and yet fascinating all at once.  I'd like to know more about it, but there are about a zillion books on it and I have no idea which one would fit best with my curiosity (this one looks promising, but the MIT librray doesn't have it, bummer).

Lots of tromping in the snow.  My boots have had enough.

 Love the kinetic sculpture.

now and then

Then:  both presenting at John Wesley Powell, as research rockstars.

Now:  A birthday Boston Creme Pie at the Top of the Hub; one in Boston interviewing for post-medical school residency programs, the other, surprise surprise, still in school.  Both, however, are still addicted to scarves.