quiz results! fun!

What American accent do you have? Your Result: The West   Your accent is the lowest common denominator of American speech. Unless you're a SoCal surfer, no one thinks you have an accent. And really, you may not even be from the West at all, you could easily be from Florida or one of those big Southern cities like Dallas or Atlanta.
The Midland
Boston
North Central
The Inland North
Philadelphia
The South
The Northeast
What American accent do you have? Quiz Created on GoToQuiz

I'd love to know other people's results!!

energy boosts

I've been taking a look at this blog lately, Ririan Project. It is full of lists, and I love lists. Top 5 tips for increasing happiness. 19 ways to battle stress at work. 23 activities to boost your brain power. Things like this. A recent post provided 27 ways to give yourself an energy boost. Here's my favorite, number 13:

"Get some laughter... putting on a happy face is actually good for you, and those around you. If you really need to cheer up and increase your energy, then watch a sitcom for half an hour, or better yet, get tickets to your favorite comedy club. Laughter has been proven time and again to be the best therapy for depression and lack of energy."

Though I like the sentiment, personally I've never found that watching TV increases my energy level, no matter how funny the show. Maybe that's because by the time I am giggling at absurd situations in Seinfeld or at Jon Stewart's clever take on the current news headlines, I'm stretched out on my couch and ready to spend the next few hours in one position. On the other hand, watching TV at the gym keeps me on the elliptical machine an average of 10 minutes longer than I would otherwise expect. A body at rest.... a body in motion....

getting back to work

... which entails getting back to reading blogs in my down time. I thought this was cute today:

http://rooijan.livejournal.com/12382.html

I just got off the phone with my "friend" at the NIH. He said I need to wait a few more weeks... again. I remember that when I submitted my application a published time line accompanied the instructions. (I know, I'm lucky there was even a time line to begin with.) The time line clearly stated that a meeting in May would decide the fate of my grant, and the earliest possible date for funding to commence was May 1st. Turns out the meeting didn't happen until June 7th. Now that the meeting has come and gone, it turns out that they must have discussed what sandwiches to order rather than what grants should be funded because they still have not made a decision on the payline.

Two more weeks. Do I dare hope to hear good news from them then?

Italia, prologue

Mike and I returned from our 10 day trip yesterday. The return flight is so different from the flight over. Less stress, less excitement, more contentment - the warm glow following a grand accomplishment. And of course the tiredness that comes only after you stop running. Our plane took off late, around 1:45pm. We landed ahead of schedule at 3:45pm. Thus in two hours elapsed time, I practically finished A Room with a View (though admittedly it is a short book, which I plan to re-read immediately, it was so good). We also remarked that this was the only time Mike's birthday has lasted more than 24 hours.

Even though my bed feels softer and more inviting than before I left, I was up at 4. Earlier even, but that is about when my attempts to sleep just a little more ceased to work.

In brief, we flew into Rome, straight away found our way to the Termini train station to take a train to Chiusi, where my sister and boyfriend picked us up for the curvy, scenic drive to Montepulciano. We slept there 7 nights, walking up and down the main Corso repeatedly and taking side trips to nearby towns, such as Montalcino, Siena, and Pienza. Mike and I also visited Florence one day. On Saturday we took the train back to Rome, and spent the afternoon covering as much of that city (and the Vatican) as possible.

It was a whirlwind. A beautiful whirlwind. Pictures and more detail to come.