I guess the biggest news is that I graduated (again) a few weeks back. Honestly, it doesn’t feel like I’m done yet because every spare moment I’ve had between then and now I’ve been at school working on my Microgravity Experiment that we are flying with down in Houston NEXT WEEK! ☺ I’m so excited! I’ll be in Houston taking tours of Johnson Space Center and flying in the “weightless wonder” from June 3rd – 14th. Its been really busy but I'm sure the whole experience will be worth it.
(My friend Sabrena and I making fun of the fact they wouldn't let us shake hands with the Dean people for fear of the Swiine flu. They told us to give the Vulcan hand shake instead...)
(Me in front of the stage prior to the precession - which included Pomp and Circumstance but also melodies from Star Wars, The Legend of Zelda, and other misc. nerdy movies.)
Along the same lines as graduation, I won a few awards associated with my Senior Design Project. The first one was at a paper conference in Minnesota for the AIAA - American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics. Our team took second in the team category. The remaining awards were given by the Aerospace Department. The first one was given to the entire team for the "Most Complex Build." The second award was an individual award for the "Best Mechanical Technical Lead." Its actually hilarious since I wasn't even the Mechanical Lead on my project. :)
(Joe Tanner - former astronaut - and I at the Aerospace Recognition Assembly. Joe was one of the advisers for my senior design team)
I got really sick the week before finals and finally went to see the doctor 2 weeks after my initial symptoms appeared. Turns out that it was a precursor to pneumonia. So once I graduated I had to stay-put in my bed for about a week and a half while writing technical documents and communicating with my microgravity team via internet. It didn’t help that my team leader went off to Europe and basically left us to do the entire project without him. I therefore had to step up to the plate and delegate things to people in order to get everything done. Its been a stressful month.
I get back from Houston on June 14th and the movers come to move my stuff to Phoenix on June 16th. I’ll then be living with relatives in Colorado Springs until I go down to Arizona sometime in early July. The whole “moving to another state” thing hasn’t really settled in yet. I have a feeling it won’t become real until I’ve been in the stinking heat for a good month or two.
I just got back Colorado Springs where I attended my sister's baby shower. I honestly don’t think I had ever been to a baby shower for a girl before. And since I’ve been so busy with school and then the microgravity project, I wasn't able to hand-make anything for her. I feel a little guilty because my other sister was able to complete an entire quilt for her before she left for her mission.
Its looking like my littlest sister will drive down with me to AZ. It’ll be interesting to spend time with her. I haven’t really spent a good chunk of time with her since WAY before she graduated from high school. Which means she’s probably a whole different person now. I’m excited. Though most of the driving will be done at night since my car (currently) has no AC. We’ll live, contrary to my mother's belief.
I ran the Bolder Boulder on Memorial Day. Its 10 km (6.2 miles). My time was 1:14:01.95. Considering I had "almost" pneumonia a few weeks ago, I consider that a pretty good time! I hadn't run in almost 3.5 weeks when I arrived at the start line on Monday the 25th. I was sore, but not so sore that it would deter me from doing it again!
(This picture is of me crossing the finish line at the Bolder Boulder. I'm not sure if its legal to post it but I figured the copyright is written right there so I would do it anyway.)
I switched cars with my dad a few weeks ago so he could get my muffler and clutch fixed before I drove it cross-country to AZ. I told him not to do more than that since I will only be getting a new car in a shortly now that I have a real job. But the next thing I know, he’s replaced the radiator, replaced the axle boot, repaired some damage on the fender, fixed some plates under the car that had apparently come loose, and is currently tinkering with the AC to try and see if he can get it running. Who knows what else!!! ~sigh~ As my sister says, sometimes you just have to let Dad be a dad.
I performed in MahlerFest 2009 where we played Mahler's 8th Symphony in early May. In case you didn't know, Mahler's 8th is probably one of the top largest 5 works ever scored. It calls for a 115 piece orchestra including an organ and a mandolin, two full size choirs and a full size children's choir, an off-stage brass ensemble and 8 vocal soloists. It's so big the string actually had to sit on the floor in front of the stage so we could fit everyone. Its official title is "Symphony of a Thousand"! It was my last gig in Boulder and quite a lot of fun. I missed half of the rehearsals because I was sick but they let me play anyway. :) I guess I also have an informal performance coming up on June 27th but its in a Barn so I'm not sure it can officially be called a gig. :)
(At the Dress Rehearsal)
(All of us. Well, most of us. The children's choir, 8th soloist and extra brasse ensemble are in the balcony out of this shot.)
Oh! I almost forgot to mention! I performed in a recital at the end of April with a dear friend. We played 4 bass quartets. Two pieces were from Metallica arranged by Apocalyptica and the others were "Prayer" by Bloch and "Adagio for Strings" by Barber. We've decided we are going to record the two latter pieces. We are also going to be performing them in the barn concert I told you about earlier. One of the bass players in the quartet has a friend that holds a concert in his barn every year. I guess he breeds race horses so its a rather large barn. He invites his musician friends over once a year to perform small ensemble pieces. It'll be a lot of fun and I'm looking forward to it. I'm glad I was able to arrange to stay in Colorado long enough to participate.
(My friend Jen and I after her recital)
Well my friends, I'm ready to sign off. I hope you feel a little less neglected. I'm sure with the move coming up, it'll be a few weeks before I will feel the urge to write again. Stay safe!
