Summer School

There have been lots of new developments since my last post. First, I've started my research residency. Second, we adopted a new kitten named Boris. And finally, I seemed to have started having panic attacks. And no, I don't think these are all connected...much. Maybe I should talk a little about each one separately...

My research residency is at a wonderful, wonderful place! Amazing research is performed there and I am soooo lucky to be there, even in my limited role. I've only been in for one week and already I love it. Right now my residency isn't particularly well-defined, but I'm expecting a more narrowly focused project or area to eventually  emerge. For now, I read a lot, spend a lot of time feeling pretty intimidated, and attempt to absorb any of the intelligence that just seems to be floating around the office!

After a long period of mourning for our companion animal, KitKit, we have adopted a new shelter kitten, Boris. He is very sweet and really cute. However, I had totally forgotten how *crazy* kittens are! I'm putting a picture of him after this paragraph:

Boris, 12 weeks old

Hopefully, in the next few months, he will stop chewing cords and start sleeping more at night. Until then, I will keep unplugging everything in my apartment at night and sleeping with earplugs!

Finally, my new and weird pseudo-panic attacks began last week. I have no idea what they are or why they are occurring. Basically, I start feeling really sweaty and panicky and short of breath and then it passes. It only happens when I have to speak in front of a group or when I'm in high-stress situation. I am hoping that they go away. Soon. I do think that they are a result of stress, but why they would start after I have just returned from a vacation doesn't make much sense to me. I kind of think that they might be my brain's way of protesting my return to work and school.

Anyway, things are going very well in general. Once I've spent a little more time in my research residency, I'll write a post with some more information on research residencies.Talk to you soon!