on winter

"How are you going to give up all...this?"

This is a question I've been getting ever since January, when I began telling people about my impending move to Green Bay (Mind you, the question is never posed by academics because they know how difficult it is to get an academic job. It's also never posed by people who know how much I love winter, but I'll get to that in a second.). This question is always accompanied by this hand gesture which I believe is meant to refer to the nice weather, beaches, and palm trees but I can't be sure (I can only assume that "this" and the gesture don't refer to the insanely high cost of living, suffocating traffic, and the difficulties one encounters when trying to find a parking spot). If I had a dollar for every time I was asked this question, I could finally pony up for a guilt-free ferry ride to Catalina Island (that's what I should do--require everyone who inquires to contribute to my SoCal exploration fund). 

When I decided to go to graduate school, I never set out to escape winter. In fact, it was quite the opposite. I deliberately applied to schools only in the midwest and the (north)east coast. How did UCI slip through the cracks? I thought the program was too good to pass up, and so I broke my winter-only rule. Surely, I thought to myself, if you are accepted, you can forgo winter for 6 or 7 years. In the grand scheme of things, it won't be so bad.

I visited UCI in April and liked it right away. I knew it was a good fit for me, professionally and personally, winter or no winter. On visiting day, everyone apologized for the "bad weather." I think it was a little rainy, which means that there was some slight drizzling, and it was maybe 65 degrees. At the time, I thought the weather was wonderful and I welcomed it (I was coming from Minnesota, where there was snow on the ground, and the temperature was likely in the 30s), but as the years would go by, I would come to relish those "bad weather" days.

Immediately, I knew that I liked UCI and that I would go there, but I still struggled with my decision. Could I really deal with 60-some degree winters? Could I deal without the snow? I knew that my answers had to be yes and that I'd be stupid to pass up this opportunity, and so I happily accepted and decided that I would attend in the fall. But when the realization that I'd experienced my last winter (for the foreseeable future) hit me, I cried.

I quickly learned that being from Minnesota carries with it the expectation that I hate winter and am grateful to be rid of it. Upon meeting new people, after learning where I'm from, without fail, they exclaim "Oh, you must love it here!" (ha! If I had a dollar for every time I got that response, I wouldn't have had to apply for research grants!) Because I did not receive the memo that I was supposed to hate cold weather, this reaction was peculiar to me at first but became almost unbearably annoying over time. 

For the first year at least, I played along and tried my best to embrace California. I wore flip flops every single day for a year for no other reason than I just could. I packed away my sweaters and winter coat and bought skirts and a light jacket. I barbequed in January. I swam in the ocean on Christmas day, and I went to the beach almost every other week. I did my schoolwork on the beach, I graded on the beach, and I ran on the beach. When Minnesota was covered in snow, I'd call my parents and brag about the warm and sunny weather, sometimes even from the beach (and of course, I let them know that part too). 

Around my second or third year of graduate school, it all got old. I tried my best to forget about crisp fall air, crunchy leaves, snow, half-frozen puddles of water, and yes, even sub-zero temperatures. But I couldn't. No matter how hard I tried to enjoy the year-round warm weather, I never got used to the lack of seasons or the inexplicable 80 and 90 degree heat waves that arrived in the middle of January. I never acclimated to Southern California weather. Without a calendar, I wouldn't know what month we were in or what holiday to celebrate. I am always underdressed for the weather, and I can't remember the last time I wore a jacket. As the years went by, I became less enthusiastic about Starbucks' seasonal lattes because there was a disconnect between the weather and the seasons--it was always too hot outside for me to enjoy them. If a Californian asks me if it's cold outside, I still can't be trusted to give an accurate answer because by my Minnesota standards, it is never cold here.  

Over the years, I became more desperate for winter. I hung up pictures of snow scenes in my office. I changed the background on my laptop to a picture of an icy river. When my facebook friends post pictures of the snow, I feel immensely jealous. And when Minnesota gets particularly cold or gets a lot of snow, I call my parents, but not to brag about the sunny weather in California. Rather, I ask them to brag so that I can experience the winter vicariously through them.    

In less than three months, Drew and I will be headed for Green Bay. With the impending move from California and that we're near the end of a week-long heat wave with temperatures reaching the mid-90s, I've been thinking about winter lately (and to be clear, I yearn for winter when it's not so hot here too). I've also been thinking about the things that I will and will not miss about SoCal, and the weather is something I won't miss. After I accepted the job, I promised Drew that I wouldn't complain about the weather and that I'd try my best to enjoy my last "winter" in California. I think I was mostly successful.

But lately, now that "winter" is safely over here, I've allowed myself to start thinking about the things I'm excited about doing in Green Bay that I really can't do in Irvine. I can't wait to carve pumpkins, set them outside, and not worry about them rotting in a week. I can't wait to sip pumpkin spice lattes in the fall and peppermint mochas in the winter (okay, I can do that in Irvine, but it feels weird when it's 80 degrees outside). I can't wait to breathe in the crisp, fall air and step on all the crunchy leaves. I can't wait to make winter soups and stews. I can't wait to go ice skating. And of course, I can't wait for the first snow. 

a 26 hour delay

Greetings from Minnesota! Well, we finally made it. After a 26 hour delay, we are finally in Minnesota. The flight itself went smoothly. There were about 20 of us (everyone else was smarter and rebooked). By the way, I think that there is correlation between rebooking and age; I'd say the average age of the people on our flight was like 28. There were some perks to holding out and not rebooking. Boarding and deplaning were super quick and easy. We were served snacks and beverages as soon as we boarded. There were no crying children. We each had our own row of seats and could spread out and sleep. Holding out for 26 hours was a bonding experience. We applauded when we took off in LA and landed in MN. It was practically a party.

And now we are in Rochester. There is a lot of snow here, and I don't think the temperature has been above 15 degrees. There is cold and then there is really cold. Turns out that we had cold weather gear for cold, but not really cold (necessitating a search for warmer hats and mittens). Good thing my parents don't live in like Duluth or International Falls, where I'm sure it is really, really, really cold.

Like I said, there's a lot of snow here, and there's more to come. I just hope it warms up. When I say warm up, I mean hit at least 20 degrees. More to come, with pictures.

delays, delays, delays

I think the universe is trying to tell us not to go to Minnesota. Last night, Drew and I went to LAX for our flight to Minneapolis. We're still in LA. Our original flight was canceled due to a mechanical failure. Delta put us up at a nearby hotel, and we were supposed to fly out at 7am. And then that turned into 1pm. And now we're delayed until 5pm. The reason for the delay? The weather...in California, not Minnesota. Oh the irony. It is 55 and rainy here. Compared to where we're headed, it's paradise. But apparently, the weather is bad enough to cause delays. Upon hearing about the delay, my first thought was "I don't think I can repack everything in my suitcase so nice and neatly."

let it snow!

Well, the rumors are true: Drew and I made a last minute decision and decided to go to Minnesota for Christmas. We kept hearing all the reports of the record snow, below zero wind chills, and the Metrodome roof caving in. It all sounded so enticing, we asked ourselves how we could possibly resist a visit. (when I say 'we,' I really mean 'I') It certainly sounds like quite the winter vacation destination, wouldn't you say?

I haven't been to Minnesota in 3 years. You're probably thinking to yourself "well, I can see why, what with all that snow and cold!" We're probably pretty crazy to go right now. Yesterday it was 80 and sunny and we went to the beach, while temperatures were in the single digits in Minnesota (I think I'm being generous with that estimation). Despite the weather forecast, I am looking forward to having a real winter. In fact, I genuinely miss the cold and snow.

Drew, however, is not a fan of winter. When the temperature dips below 60, he's in his scarf and mittens just like all those California natives. I'm just kidding. This isn't entirely true (it's the California natives, not Drew, bundled up in cold weather gear). But he does get a little whiny and complain about the "cold" weather.

This is Drew's first trip to Minnesota, and I hope the weather doesn't scare him away. When we decided to make the trip, I strategically booked plane tickets before checking the weather forecast. And before showing Drew a Facebook photo of my cousin's car buried under several feet of snow. When I told Drew about the weather forecast, I told him that there was good news and bad news. The bad news was that the temperature was like 1 degree, but the good news was that it should be in the 20s during our trip. It appears to be warming up.

I'm crossing my fingers for warm weather, so about mid 20s. Do you hear me Minnesota? That's all I'm asking for. Three years is much too long.

waiting for snow

I've been waiting nearly two years to see snow. That's how long it's been since I've been to Minnesota. I say this every year since I've lived in California, and I'll say it again: it's December, but it sure doesn't feel like Christmas. Not when it's in the mid 70s and sunny. Not when I can wear flip flops. Not when I can go outside without a jacket. The giant Christmas tree in the shopping mall, the decorations, and the Christmas music all seem misplaced. I know that people here are used to all of this, but I still can't get over it.

This Christmas, I'm headed to Virginia, the southwestern part, where large quantities of snow are rather infrequent. I've been hoping to see snow, and well, I got my wish. As of this morning, Virginia got 19 inches of snow, with another 3 or 4 on the way. Even by my Minnesota standards, that's a lot of snow.

And I can't wait. I know it will be cold, but I'm looking forward to donning my red wool peacoat, a scarf, hat, and mittens. I can't wait to trudge through the snow in search of a Christmas tree. I've been talking about seeing snow, playing in the snow, and making snow angels ever since Drew and I booked our plane tickets. In less than 24 hours, I will finally get a white Christmas.

missing minnesota

I always get a little nostalgic for Minnesota during this time of year. Maybe it's because I know that the leaves are changing color and the temperature is dropping in Minnesota. Maybe it's because it's playoff season. Maybe it's because I just tuned in to the last few minutes of Monday night football to see the Vikings beat the Packers. Maybe it's because the Twins are playing the Tigers in almost an hour for a chance to advance to the playoffs. Maybe it's because people in California are pulling out their hideous ugg boots and scarves, and I want to go up to them, slap them up side the head, and tell them that those things are for cold weather, really cold weather, not cool weather. Boots and scarves are equipment for cold weather states like Minnesota or Michigan, not warm weather states like California.

This morning, I checked the weather forecast for Minneapolis. It was raining, and in the next 10 days or so, the daytime high will hover around the mid 40s. The mid 40s. That's not cold, especially for Minnesota. Already at the beginning of October, it is colder in Minnesota than it probably ever will be in Southern California, at least during the day. I admit, I have acclimated to the SoCal weather. I can detect a shift from summer into fall. I no longer wear skirts and flip flops year round. But the word "cold" has not entered my weather vocabulary, and my winter coat and scarves remain tucked away in my closet.

Did I mention that the BF loves the weather in Southern California? I miss winter, and he hates it. The temperature has dropped in SoCal, down from like 80 degrees to the high 60s and low 70s. It has cooled off fairly considerably at night, and Drew has used the word "frigid" once or twice to describe the temperature. The other evening, we took a walk to return a DVD. He was wearing a long sleeve shirt and as we were walking, I stripped off my sweatshirt to reveal only a t-shirt. He was cold, and here I was, walking around in short sleeves. I offered my sweatshirt to him, but he declined. But nice guy that he is, he carried it home for me.

All right, I'm turning back to my work now. I'm trying to get some stuff done before I go home to bake pumpkin swirl brownies and tune in to the Twins game. Go Twins!

it is raining

It has been raining off and on all day, and I think it's supposed to be rainy over the next few days. While this has probably put a damper on some people's plans (get it? Damper?), I like the rain. When it is rainy and "cold," I like to go for walks and pretend like I'm in Minnesota on a rainy April day, which is exactly what I'm getting ready to go do now. I like to not-so-secretly enjoy that it's not hot, sunny, and 80 degrees.

a comment about the weather

I'm blogging from Columbia, South Carolina where I am in town for Hawkeye's wedding. After multiple delays, we finally made it in to Columbia around midnight on Wednesday night. Jessica and I were on the same flight from Chicago to Charlotte, and we were delayed for about an hour. Then Sardean got delayed from Minneapolis, not once, but three times. Jamie and Hawkeye picked us up from the airport, and then we were reunited with Tripper in Columbia. We are all here now, having lots of fun. Here are the weather highlights:

I saw snow! I saw it from the plane when I landed in Chicago. It was beautiful! It was in the mid-20s in Chicago, and I could feel the cold when I got off the plane. It was very exciting!

It is colder in Columbia than in Southern California. When Sardean landed, it was probably in the high-30s. To her, it was warm, but to me, it was...uh...kind of chilly. She commented that it was t-shirt weather; meanwhile, I had wished that I had brought my jacket.

I saw frost! I saw it on Hawkeye's car this morning!

All right, I have to go now. We're mini golfing this morning! Don't worry, I will have lots of fun stories and pictures soon!

missing snow

One of my friends asked me how I felt at this time during my first year of grad school. I told her that I was too busy mourning the cold weather that I had left behind in Minnesota to have any anxiety about school. Instead of worrying that I wasn't measuring up or that I didn't belong in grad school, I was mourning the loss of crisp weather, plummeting temperatures, frost, the changing leaf colors, and snow. Instead of worrying that I had made a mistake by going to grad school, I was worrying that I had made a mistake by going to grad school in California.

It snowed in Minnesota today. I am getting used to the fact that while my family and friends are cold in snowy Minnesota, I am here in 80 degree sunny California. As Halloween draws near, I find it ironic that as an adult, I am in a climate where there is no worry that it will be too cold to go trick-or-treating. There is no worry that a Halloween costume will be ruined by a winter coat, or that it may snow.

I don't plan to stay in Southern California after I'm through with grad school. I need to return to a climate with below zero temperatures and snow. Until then, I'm going to take advantage of the perpetually sunny days and nice weather. I'm already planning a beach day next weekend.

confessions

I have a confession to make: I am losing my cold weather immunity. Hey, it's not like I'm breaking out the scarves, mittens, and coats. It's not that bad, and I hope that it never will be- I'd sooner suffer than wear a scarf in October. Don't get me wrong- I welcome the drop in temperature. Just the other day, I called my dad to complain about the scorching 90 degree days.

I first noticed that I'm losing the cold weather immunity about a month ago. Unlike the 2 previous Septembers, I noticed a slight drop in temperature when the sun went down. I noticed a cooler nighttime air. Sometimes I would forgo the usual skirt and put on a pair of jeans. My roommate (a native New Yorker who's lived here 2 years longer than me) confirmed what I had already suspected: my diminishing tolerance for cold weather. She had gone through a similar experience a couple years ago.

This is embarrassing, but here is further evidence that I'm losing the immunity. I just checked the weekend weather forecast to see if Saturday would be a good beach day. It's supposed to be 66 degrees on Saturday. I was surprised, and I actually thought to myself, "it's going to be cold on Saturday." I cannot believe that I just admitted this. You Minnesotans are probably shaking your head in disappointment and disbelief right now.

Not in SoCal Anymore...

I just got back from a quick trip up to San Francisco, which I will be sharing with you in the next few posts. So, I've never been north of LA, so quite a few of my friends told me that San Francisco would be really cold and they instructed me to pack a sweatshirt and jacket. Ha! I thought. I'm from Minnesota, which is like the get-out-of-jail free card of weather. I laugh at people's definition of "cold." Well, the weather in Irvine had been really warm, but I heeded my friends' advice anyway. I'm glad that I did; otherwise, I would have packed a bunch of skirts and would have been totally SOL.

I will concede that it was colder in San Francisco than in Irvine, but I wouldn't say that it was cold. When I got off the plane, I could immediately tell that the weather was a bit chilly and that the wind was brisk. I was glad that I packed a sweatshirt, but the days were so warm that I didn't need it. Anyway, this experience reminded me of trips up to Duluth because southern Minnesota is always warmer than northern Minnesota, and it seems that it's the same in California. Of course, that all makes sense, except that the definition of "cold" is relative to each state.

Another thing that I noticed about San Francisco is that people don't drive as fast and crazy as those in Southern California. I mean, I actually thought that I would feel comfortable driving in San Francisco. I wouldn't feel as though I were going to die if I got behind the wheel. Someday I will tell you the story of how I drove from LA to Irvine. Well, I guess someday could be now. So, my first trip to California was for my UCI Political Science recruitment day. This was after I had been accepted to UCI, but before I had officially decided to attend. As I mentioned in an earlier post, recruitment is a time when prospective grad students visit the school, meet professors, and talk to current grad students to determine if the school is a good fit.

I flew into LAX and decided to rent a car and drive down to Irvine. It was about midnight, and there were a lot of cars on the road. A lot. At midnight. Where the hell were they going? I have no idea. Anyway, there was so much traffic and like a million freeway lanes (okay, maybe 6 or 7). I had never driven in so much traffic and in so many freeway lanes before. So, I made it down to Irvine just fine, even though driving was a pretty scary experience. The next day, I noticed that my forearms were really sore, as if I'd been lifting weights. I thought that this was pretty peculiar, until I got into the driver's seat the next day to drive back to LA. It turns out that I was gripping the steering wheel so hard on the drive to Irvine that I was actually sore the next day. So, anytime anyone is incredulous that I don't drive and lack a car, I tell them this story to illustrate how scary driving is for me.

So, now you have the story. I'll fill you in on the details of my San Francisco trip later this weekend. I'll add it to my long to-do list.

Happy (belated) Easter!

Happy Easter! I spent the weekend in Oceanside. We had an Easter morning brunch, and then I spent the afternoon sunbathing at the beach. It was fantastic, and I was able to appreciate the beautiful weather more so after having heard that there was snow in Minnesota.

My TA duties are officially over for the winter quarter. Today we met with MW to go over final grades and submit them to the registrar. I will miss TAing for MW- he was the first professor that I TAed for and he showed me the ropes. It seems that no two professors are alike with respect to their expectations of their TAs. Some are more high maintenance and others are pretty laid back. MW is definitely a hands off professor. Even though he prepares weekly discussion questions for us, we have the latitude to tweak his questions and tailor the sections to the needs of our students. MW checks in with us to make sure things are going okay, but he doesn't micromanage us.

This week is our spring break. I'm trying to rest up and get ready for another quarter. Okay, I must go out and enjoy another beautiful day!

It Never Rains in Southern California?

This morning, I woke up to the strangest occurrence: It was raining. Like, really raining. It wasn't sprinkling or lightly misting; it was truly raining. I wanted to crawl back into bed, but I had to head to campus to meet with professors and attend a job talk. Here is the view from my window:

You can't see that it is indeed raining, so just take my word for it. See how dark and dreary it is? There were few students on campus today, and many were without an umbrella and unprepared for the weather.

Progress is slow but steady on my qualifying paper. KB and I did some quick stats stuff yesterday with my data, and it looks like the results will be interesting. I am currently busy reading, reading, reading lots of theory about citizenship and the welfare state for my paper. KB has proposed that we co-author this paper so that we can get it published (after I have it signed off as my qualifying paper.) This is obviously a great opportunity and I am very excited because I doubt that I could get this published on my own.

I met with DM today, the prof who will be the 2nd reader for my qualifying paper. I dropped in his office to give him the latest update and discuss a couple points from our previous conversation. We talked about research methods, and he gave me a few of his articles to read so that I could get a better feel for what he does. DM has also offered me abortion events data for me to use. I'm not sure what I would want to do with it, but it is always good when a prof offers you data. Data collection for this current qualifying paper has been a long and tedious project, so I could use a data collection break for my next paper.

I also met with CU to talk about my class paper for my political participation class. We have to write a research design, which means that I have to come up with a research question, propose my hypotheses, and then discuss how I will go about answering the question. There are a few more components, but that's what it is, in a nutshell. It is due in 2 weeks, so I don't have to completely commit myself to a project. It only needs to be something that I can live with for a short time.

I also went to a job talk today. We are hiring a professor that focuses on International Political Economy. Today was the 2nd or 3rd candidate for the position. Basically, a job talk is when a candidate gives a presentation about a chapter from their dissertation. It usually lasts about an hour, with a question and answer session. Afterwards, some grad students meet with the candidate so that he/she can ask the students questions about the program or UCI in general. I don't know too much about job searches or the job market because I am nowhere near going on the market.

A Perpetual Fall

It is that time of the year again, the time when my internal weather compass expects falling temperatures, chilly, brisk winds, and the promise of snow. If I were in Minnesota, I would be bracing myself for the first snow and pulling my red winter peacoat out of the closet. I would be getting my mittens, hats, and scarves in order so they would be easily accessible when I needed them. (Actually, I probably would have done this last month.) Instead, I am in California where the daytime temperatures have been consistently in the 70s and where my peacoat will see the light of day only when I go home to Minnesota for Christmas. The weather is so reliably beautiful that I don't bother with a fall jacket or even a sweatshirt, save for at night when the sun goes down.

Now, before you quit reading and disown me from the family, hear me out. Because I have grown up in Minnesota, I have become accustomed to the bitter cold and snow. I didn't move to California to escape the harsh Minnesota winters. In fact, I miss them. You probably would too if below zero windchills and snow were all that you had ever known. A year ago, I had quite a bit of a weather shock when winter never arrived. I kept waiting for the leaves to change and for the crisp, cool air to usher in winter. Instead, I experienced what I call a "perpetual fall." The temperatures do not dip below the 60s, and Californians consider anything in the 50s to be cold. Of course, this is laughable to Minnesotans. Already, Californians have pulled out their "winter" coats and scarves. I chuckle when I see the neat display of scarves, hats, and mittens at Target.

I can feel that I have started to climatize. I periodically forgo my uniform of flip flops and skirts for real shoes and jeans. Last year, flip flops and skirts were my uniform well through the California winter, despite the strange looks that I received from passerby bundled up in scarves and coats. This year, I am coming back to Minnesota for Christmas. Already, I shudder as I wonder if I will be able to handle a "real winter"- I am trading highs in the 60s for highs in 20s. Brrr....it's hard to believe that a year ago I was playing in the ocean on Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Last Week of Summer

All right, it's been a bit since I've posted a new entry. A lot has happened this past week, so here goes:

I have moved...again. This is the 4th move in a little over a year (Minneapolis to Rochester; Rochester to 8719; 8719 to 8619; and 8619 to my current apartment). I moved from New Palo Verde to Old Palo Verde, which means that my rent went down nearly $100 a month. I'm not going to air my dirty laundry on this blog, so I will spare you the details of why I moved. The O-side fam came up to help me with the first move, so I had my friends help me with the 2nd. I am already looking for new friends in case I need to move a 3rd time. ..joking. Friends say that I have a 7th month itch since I haven't been able to stay in one apartment for longer than 7 months.

I am finishing up my RA responsibilities with KB. It looks like I should be wrapping things up by next week, which is good since classes begin on Thursday. Under KB's guidance, I will be starting work on a qualifying paper. This paper will explore the current abortion debate as it develops along the lines of privacy, family, and the welfare state. I also met with CU, the first reader of another qualifying paper this week. This paper will look at opinion formation and the processes that impact abortion attitudes. Theoretically, I could write these papers simultaneously. However, this probably will not be feasible since I will also be taking classes, TAing, and working on a coauthored paper. Instead, the development of these qualifiers will most likely be staggered.

Our summer is wrapping up, and we begin classes next Thursday. I am taking Statistics and Political Participation. TA assignments were announced today, and I got my first choice: US Supreme Court with the department chair, MP. I love teaching about the US government, and the Supreme Court is my favorite branch. This will also be a great opportunity to cultivate a relationship with MP.

After spending a year in California, I find that I am finally getting used to the weather. During this time last year, it was still really warm to me; I wore flip flops and skirts year round. I have noticed that it is getting cooler during the day and chillier at night. Of course, it may be due to the thunderstorm that we are expecting tomorrow. You know the song about how it never rains in Southern California? Well, that's the truth. When I was in Minnesota last July, I saw more rain in a day than I had seen in almost a year.

After a year long hiatus, I am knitting and crocheting again. Since I don't want to be a one dimensional grad student, I am trying to cultivate non academic hobbies. Here are my current projects:

I am knitting a colorful scarf and crocheting an off white baby afghan. Tonight, my friend Lorien and I went to the Stitch n' Bitch in Long Beach. This is a group of women of all ages and backgrounds that meet on a weekly basis to knit (or crochet) and socialize. It felt great to get away from Irvine, meet new people, and take a much needed vacation from academia. Being in grad school is like being in a bubble because we are surrounded by other grad students and professors. This can get really monotonous and overwhelming. It is easy to forget that there is this big world full of "normal" people, and sometimes I start to feel like I am defined by what I study. It was really nice to be in the company of non academics because it means that conversations can never be about school, classes, professors, research, etc.

APSA Recap

I had no expectations prior to going to APSA in Chicago. As a student entering her second year, I did not intend to focus on networking and meeting other grad students and professors. I am not at a point where networking would be truly beneficial. I met a few grad students and had a brief conversation with a professor, so I was pleased with the "networking" that I did. Most grad students do not start going to conferences until their second or third year, so I am already ahead of the game. My goal was to simply sit back and learn, acting as a sponge and absorbing everything.

I came back to a heat wave in California. It has finally cooled off and we have some relief! I also experienced my first earthquake last Sunday. Since I did not even realize that it happened, I guess I didn't really experience it. I am back in the office working on my data collection for KB, and I'm reading relevant literature so that I can nail down a research question to expand my abortion and citizenship paper. And finally, I'm getting organized so that I can expand my abortion attitudes paper. It will be a busy few weeks before classes start!

It's not the Heat, it's the Humidity

Lately, it has been hot here in sunny California- humid and temperatures in the mid 80s. Of course, it is nowhere near as uncomfortable as the most humid days that I've experienced in Minnesota or South Carolina. We don't have air conditioning in my apartment, but there is a nice breeze. Nevertheless, I have been spending my days at my air conditioned office or at the pool. I find myself wishing for a winter day; of course, I mean a 60 degree California "winter" day, not a below zero Minnesota day.

I have started RAing for my Sociology professor, KB. Our research interests are compatible (gender, abortion, women in government), so it is a good match and I am eager to build a relationship with her. At the moment I am keeping busy compiling data for her, sorting membership compositions of committees. It is tedious, but a good learning experience. KB was one of my professors last spring when I took her class called Gender, Family, and the Welfare State. I wrote a paper about citizenship and abortion for that class, and I will be expanding it under KB's guidance. I am excited to take this paper further, and I hope that it becomes a qualifier.