Finals are over. Now I just have to make it through the next month to writing my prelim. I know that Dr. Vercellotti is very excited for me to get in the lab full time. I know that this week alone I have tons of work, but that will ebb and flow over the next few weeks.
Karen is in her new apartment. The move wasn't too traumatic, thanks to the help of Tom and Wayne. I owe them big time!
Matt's softball season is winding down. It is worth the extra income, but is really tiring. He is ready for summer. Hopefully he can find a job that isn't too much so he gets a chance to relax.
Well, I need to get to sleep.

I have come to the conclusion that I am not a good friend. I came to this conclusion yesterday because I received a voice mail from one of my Med School friends doing RPAP. She had excellent news to tell me. She called because she didn't want me to find out from anyone else. In the process, she informed me of MAJOR developments in several other peoples lives because she thought I would know. In fact, if she had not called me I probably would have not found out for a LONG time. I left medical school to start graduate school, and therefore have seemed to drop off the face of the earth for most people. I never thought my friends would be among those. I was very happy for my friend, but also upset at the others for not being like her and call me/emailing me, etc. Then this morning I realized that communication takes two and that I am just as guilty of not contacting them. I am writing this now to apologize to all the friends that I have taken for granted. I am sorry that I don't reach out and contact you more often. It is not because of something you said, or did, it is because I am busy and figure no news is good news. I love having friends, but I am not very good that the work involved. I hope my true friends understand that I will always have time to listen and write when contacted by them, I just might not initiate the communication very often. Have patience with me, I am working on being a better friend.

GOOD NEWS! I got my grant! It is amazing that I convinced the NIA to fund a sickle cell project. My track record of writing a "good story" is holding up. Since I had little faith in my writing ability, I now have to catch up on all the bureaucratic paperwork in order to get my funding. Along with positive new of the PPG, Dr. Vercellotti is actually pretty happy. Luckily he isn't one to rest on his current success, so we are foraging ahead with several other grant ideas. I enjoy the intellectual process of coming up with a grant idea....I just hate the process of writing, revising, revising, and more revising.
It is the end of the semester and things are finally starting to wrap up. I have my last day of cancer class tomorrow. I plan on finishing the final ASAP this weekend so I can focus all of my academic energy on the Immunology final on Friday. I am really behind on my prelim proposal, so after Friday that is all I am focusing my attention on.
Karen is moving again in a week. I will not like having her farther away from my pad, but her new place is still closer than Kansas (or Fargo), so I can't complain too much. I just don't enjoy moving all her shoes (I am jealous).
Matt is wrapping up his second year of teaching. Now we just have to find him another gig for the summer. I hope he finds something that he likes.
Last night I had the pleasure to go to the movie Dirty Dancing on the big screen with Jenny and Nancy. It was so much fun. With the sad news today that my favorite TV show Gilmore Girls is ending in two weeks I think the four of us girls need to plan a party.
Everyone wish Karen and me good luck this next week!