Second Year of PhD Complete! [just about]

For those of you just joining in on this madness, I am just about to finish my second year as a 
Behavioral Neuroscience Graduate Student

& I live in the lovely city of Portland, Or.

[which is truly stuck in the 90s]

At the end of it all, I will make you all call me Dr. Smith.

[seriously]

For the small dedicated group that has been here since the beginning:

Lets just suffice it to say that the 2nd year has been a rough one.

I won't get too much into the details, 

but there was definitely not enough time to blog.

Or to commit to my social life or relationships.

Or commit to anything but school, really.

For that I apologize to my friends and family.

But-
Don't worry,

I did cram a little fun into this year....

 

....Because it can't be all work & no play!

[Alright, now that we are all caught up...]

Let's do a quick: 

This Year in Science

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I joined the best lab ever!

My advisor and lab mates are super-awesomo.

I am studying the relationship between alcoholism, stress and pain. 

Specifically in relation to a nifty little brain area we like to call the

  centrally projecting Edinger Westphal nucleus (EWcp)

I went to the Society for Neuroscience 

annual meeting in N'Awlins aka NOLA.

 

Where I presented my Migraine Research from UCLA,

visited with all my science buddies, & made some new ones!

[& ate lots & lots of beignets]

I wrote my first grant!

Holy moly, what a load of work 

& stress 

& time 

& tears...
even Bug was worn out by the end:

Cross your fingers for me, 

I get my score back this month!

I won 2nd place at OHSU's Research Week!

Woo!

I gave a talk on my newest Migraine research,

demonstrating an integral role for the 

Rostral Ventromedial Medulla in migraine pain ;)

I took my last final EVER!
& Yes, that is underlined, italicized and bold.... 

[well, sort of...my last one is really next Thursday]

But, this is big news, seeing as how I have been 

in college for like, a million years.

*snaps* for me!

All that, 

[plus so much more] 

& I am still alive!
& its officially summer in Portland!

[needless to say this was the briefest of updates,

 considering the time that has passed, 

but I promise I will fill in the gaps here and there!]

So, in conclusion...

I am back to blogging.

From here on out-

I will try to regularly update you on 

cool science news,

groundbreaking research straight from the source! 

[aka from me]

Funny science-related internet musings,

& maybe even some fun stuff outside of science [*gasp*]!

Until next time, here are some links to keep you busy:

Science is Awesome.

But could use some reform.

Clear Brains seriously give me a science-high.

[and Karl Deisseroth is going to win a nobel prize

...honestly! that guy doesn't quit...more on that in a future post]

OHSU breaking ground!

Grad Student Humor.

My life.

&....
I have a niece!
The cutest beeb in the WORLD.

[more on her, to come!!!!]

Have a great weekend!

xox

Longest Blog hiatus EVER= Longest post in the world.

As prefaced by the title, this could very well be the longest post in the world...

So prepare yourselves.

I haven't updated my blog in months &months...

"Why?" You ask?

Perhaps I underestimated how busy grad school would keep me when I started this blog.

Or how exhausted I would be when I did get free time.

None-the-less, I am going to try and update you on the last few months via pictures & a couple words.

Here it goes.... [hopefully?] in order:

New house!

[will give a full low down on the decor soon]

St. Patty's/Bday/Housewarming Celebration:

& my sister surprised me & showed up in Portland!!

& told me she was PREGO!!

[its a girl!!!!!!!!]

Then i flew home:

& my family had a lovely memorial for my gpa :)

In the meantime, Portland continued to remind me where i was living:

 [which was often awesome!]

 [as much as it was a major adjustment]

Oh, Portland-- 

snowing one week, sunny the next:

i added to my resume [under "Nightlife"]

 i saw some great shows:

[since getting here: Bon Iver, Portishead, Twin Shadow, Blouse, 

M83, Neon Indian, Grimes, Bombay Bicycle Club]

[with great friends]

i visited the Oregon coast!

I went camping [twice!]

& saw my first:

Freaking[!] BALD EAGLE[!!!]

i attended my first ever Kentucky Derby Party:

[so much fun!!]

Salina came to visit :)

 & we ran the Portland Rock n' Roll

HALF MARATHON!!

[i'm still shocked i finished....]

then, Gaby & I planted our garden & decorated our rooftop patio :)

& That pretty much catches us up!

Did i forget anything?

...

Oh, i received this in the mail at some point:

[woo!hoo!]

& last but not least:

i finished the first year of my PhD program!!!!

Yay :D

...& in 2 days I will be off to San Francisco to attend a conference,

[where I get to see Leah! Tasha! & Zane! OH MY!]

followed by a trip home to San Diego...

[Yayyy for the beach, best friends, horseshoe tourney, family, 

Beach House @ HOB, Glen Ivy, gettin the hair did, & enjoying the sunshine!!]

& when i return to Portland: 

the 4th of July, 

&

Amynah & Mark will be here for a visit!! :D

After which I will be sure to be a more diligent blogger :)

xox