Movie Review: "Stick It"

I will say I had my doubts about going to a movie made for 12 year-old girls (my exact words when I was told the plan for Girls Night Out, "Are you serious - Stick It?!"). Then I realized I had nothing better to do and it was playing at the Fremont so it was only $6. The movie was pretty funny (everyone in the theater was laughing throughout most of the movie) and reminded me a lot of "Bring It On", though K and E think this movie is better. I also have to say that I liked that it was short (90 minutes) and the storyline moved quickly. I do think you should wait until it comes out on DVD, seeing it on the "big screen" isn't necessary.

While I am reviewing, here are some other things I recommend:

• Daniel Powter CD (Ben bought this in the UK and I love it!)
• High Street Deli - Best Sandwich Shop in SLO (I am eating a BLT right now!)
• "The Amazing Race" - This is the only reality competition show I watch and it's SO addicting!
  

Quarter Life Crisis?

These last two days had me pondering (something I don't do very often). On Saturday while I was walking around looking for tri-tip at Cal Poly's Open House with S and K, I saw the many booths and started to think about how Grad School can be your second chance to experience parts of college you may have missed. Basically it has many of the perks of being an undergrad with the maturity you have obtained over the past 4+ years. You are still a college student, surrounded by people your own age and not having to go into the "real world" quite yet, but yet you have grown up and understand responsibilities. I realize that you only get a second chance once and I need to figure out all that I want to do before graduation in a few months. I want to make sure I complete this stage of my life so I can move into the next with no regrets.

Then last night I had my usual Sunday evening phone conversation with my family, but sadly it ended in a little fight with my mom. I do love my mom very much, but sometimes she says stuff that gets on my nerves. Usually I can just ignore her little comments, but last night I couldn't (though I wish I did). I think I am at an interesting point in my life right now - I am starting to be even more independent then I already am and my mom has a problem with that (her personality tends her to be on the more controlling side). It is going to be tough, but like past conflicts with my mom it has worked out for the best.

So is this a quarter life crisis...? Ok...I think that's enough thinking!

The future Dr. and Mr. Friend

Two friends (J and SC) got engaged last Sunday night, so we decided to throw them a surprise engagement party while J's sister was down visiting for the weekend. I was given the task of obtaining the sister's phone number (I felt very Mission Impossible) to get her help in coordinating everything. It was a little tough as some people in J's phone are labeled by nicknames, but I got it. There was only one small problem -- I copied the number down wrong! Luckily we made an excuse to stop by their house Thursday night and K and I pretended to be very interested in her phone and got the correct number (I was only off by one number). Anyways, I think I am fired from any future Mission Impossible work.

Then on Friday afternoon K, S, E, and I had so much fun running around getting all the supplies for the party. We felt so guilty for going out and not inviting J, but we figured all would be forgiven in a few hours. The highlight of the planning was the Burger King crowns being successfully converted into a Groom-to-be crown and Bride-to-be tiara via E's amazing craft skills. After the surprise and small party at K's, we continued the party downtown at Frog & Peach to allow the happy couple the opportunity to be royalty for the evening and continue to have a great time. As the above picture shows, a very cute couple. We are all so happy for them and can't wait for the wedding!

Is it the city or the country?

I was catnapping in bed this morning (it was just too cold to get up and I was feeling lazy) and was awaken by some rustling in the backyard. I look over to the open window and see a doe and her fawn grazing in the backyard. This got me to immediately jump out of bed to go get the camera. I feel bad that the deer's yummy backyard weeds will get removed this weekend, but it definitely needs to be done.

中國這裡我來!

In case you don't read chinese, the above title is "China, Here I Come!" which is where I will be in October/November. My abstract was selected to be presented as a poster at the 2006 International Dairy Federation meeting on Dairy Science and Technology in Shanghai. I am very excited, but that means I am going to be VERY busy this summer on my research.

(I didn't post when I found out, but I will be in Minnesota at the beginning of July for the joint annual meeting of the American Dairy Science Association and the American Society of Animal Science to present another poster. Definitely looking forward to seeing all of the lakes and enjoying the sites of Minneapolis with S!)

The Great 2006 Eggstravaganza

S decided we all had been working too hard and needed a fun distraction so he planned an Easter Egg Hunt in the labs at work. It was quite competitive, which pretty much left K, J, and I at a disadvantage. ER got the most eggs (10), E found the prize egg (She got a gift box from Sees -- the place that yesterday I surrendered to temptation and purchased some chocolates, I promise to start eating better tomorrow), and I found the last egg (green egg on a green box under a lab bench - we are searching for it in the above picture and you can see the green box in the bottom right corner)! It definately felt good to be a kid again, even if only for a few minutes.

In work news, I think I may have solved a problem I have been working on. An enzyme digestion I was doing on some cow genomic DNA samples was coming out with an extra band I didn't want (an incomplete digestion). I figured out that when I randomly selected cows, I only selected ones heterozygous for the specific gene (I have no idea what the chances of that are statistically and currently am too tired to figure it out). I am now thinking that those homozygous for the specific gene will come out with the correct bands. I promise to post a pretty picture on Sunday if it works.

Happy Cows Come From California

You have to love California with it's beautiful 73 degree weather in April. We are all crossing our fingers that the rain that is predicted for this weekend will stay away, because today was just perfect. Here's to a sunny and warm Easter!

No Sushi For You

Emily and I had lunch plans together this afternoon, plans I had to change twice this past week so I couldn't cancel again. I convinced her to try sushi for the first time, but after we finally found parking and walked over to Shin's we missed them being open by minutes! I was very disappointed and it didn't help my already grouchy mood. We thought about thai, but decided not to give up on sushi and to drive over to Yanagi's. They were closed too!!! So we fell on our standby (which we always eat at) Pizza Solo, which was good but not the sushi I was wanting. On top of all that she also broke the news that we probably will be driving home for Easter instead of our parents driving down...I'm not happy about that at all. Today just wasn't my day.

Good Friends & Good Food

Today was another good day - I have been very lucky and having many of those this week, but unfortunately it doesn't lead to me getting much work done. A is in town to pack in preparation to permanently move to LA next week and D (with a very cute and happy baby) was here for a (cancelled) meeting, so it was decided to have a nice lunch at Firestones. The weather was perfect, not too warm and not too cold, so we ate outside and talked under the sun. Of course the quick lunch turned into over two hours but no one wanted to leave. A lunch date is happening again next week when the rest of the group is back from College Bowl in Utah, but looking at www.accuweather.com we probably will be eating inside this time. Oh well, Spring is right around the corner, I can feel it!

A Good Day

Today is J's birthday - HAPPY BIRTHDAY J! Also, the Cakery had their amazing Artichoke Bisque as the soup of the day so I am very, very happy.

Road Trip

It all started because C had been bragging about this amazing lobster he had in Puerto Nuevo one time and S needed a vacation (he didn't go anywhere over Spring Break), so we decided we had a perfect reason for a road trip. Well I haven't done a road trip since I had my Tempo, so it was my Civic's first trip - and she did great! Saturday it took awhile to get going (it is hard to get all 10 people up and moving after a long night of driving) but we quickly crossed the border and my civic went where my tempo never did - into Mexico! The lobster was delicious and we all were having a great time until we sat for 3 hours waiting to cross the border - the look on E's face was priceless as people kept coming up trying to sell her stuff. Saturday night was spent in downtown San Diego where Ben got to have the Yard House (he misses it since his CalTrans days are over) and all us got to enjoy the drinks and dancing. EG was able to get really cheap tickets ($10) into SeaWorld since her brother works there, so we checked it out on Sunday afternoon. The funniest part on the drive home was when C was going to get us authentic Mexican food in east L.A. and we missed it being open by 5 minutes (I blame the L.A. traffic) and then whenever we stopped we would miss everything being open by a few minutes. It was a very full and fun weekend, so it was pretty dead at work yesterday as we all were recovering.