Finally home!

Hey, folks! We finally made it yesterday. Flying is horrible. This time was better than the last time because the handlers where very nice to me. I made a pitiful face in the baggage hold and someone gave me a piece of a sandwich. *sly grin*

Both flights were very bumpy and I was tossed all over the place. But, it was worth it to see my mom and dad waiting for me when I got off the plane. Our new place is very big. There isn't any furniture, so its fun to play around. There are lots of ducks for me to chase at the lake and plenty of trees to spray. I think I will like it here. Here are some pictures mom took of me checking things out and the view from our new balcony.

Travel Day - Take 2

Okay, so yesterday was a debacle.

I arrived 2 and 15 minutes early for my 7am flight only to be told that we (Figaro and I) could not fly on that flight because a)it was only 28 degrees and b)the plane was too small to accept Figaro in the cargo hold. GRRRRRR!

So, instead of leaping across the counter and strangling the ticket agent (who was growing increasingly bored with helping me in any way), I kept my cool and informed her I had nothing else planned that day but travel, therefore I could stand at that counter all day and wait for her to fix the problem.

Well, she got the point and hustled me a reservation on a different airline for today with a bigger plane. I've confirmed the reservation twice already - so hopefully, today will be drama free.

This is probably why Figaro hates to fly.

K

Happy New Year, Y'all!

Figaro and I have had a very busy week but will be heading further west first thing tomorrow morning (assuming the weather cooperates). I'll check in longer later. Until then, here's Figaro...

Hi, humans! Much has happened since my last post. We left Bastrop for the lovely enclave of Coppperas Cove to visit mom's aunt and uncle. We had fun. There were many deer there for me to chase.The next morning, we were on the highway all day going to grandmas. We ran into something mom called a "white out". All I could see was snow. It was pretty, but I was thankful to be in the car and not outside. Luckily, mom took me to pee before the bad weather because grandpa had called and warned us that a storm was coming. We had to drive very slowly and it took forever to get to grandma's.

This week, I hung out with my grandma and my mom and my dad and my mom's Uncle Wilfred. Uncle Wilfred likes to play rough with me down on the floor. I like him. I got a brand new "room" for the trip. It's a little bit smaller than the silver one I used to have, but I probably won't be in it too much. Whatever. My dad crawled in there to test it out and I slammed the door on his head. He has no business in my "room". That's for me!

Tomorrow, I have to get on a plane. I have been on a plane before. I don't like it because I don't know anybody on those planes. Mom says she'll be on the plane too this time. I hope that she can sit by me so I can put my head in her lap. I think she likes that.

Laters! Figs

Karla Mail!

Dear Texas, Our time together is always fun. Even though my most recent stay here was short, I will always consider you my second home. I will miss seeing cowgirls wearing boots and spurs at Wal-Mart. I will certainly miss vaqueros and taco stands. I will always cherish the manners of TExas boys, who don't hesitate to hold the door open for me at the post office, and tip their Stetsons at me and call me "ma'am" when I pass them on the street. No more Smithville Jubilee.
Hopefully, I will see you soon. Best of luck without me! - K

Please give a round of applause to our guest blogger, FIGARO

So, tomorrow marks the beginning of yet another cross-country journey for Figaro and I. He asked if he could blog about it so you guys could get his perspective. I thought that would be pretty cool. So, here goes...

Yesterday, and old man and a woman with smoker's breath came and put all my mom and dad's stuff in some boxes. I had to watch from my crate, but the old man talked to me the whole time. I don't know why he thought my name was "Buddy". He was nice. I liked him. I was being a "good boy" so my mom kept slipping treats through the bars. Yay! I like when she does that.

Today, three guys came and took all the boxes outside. I didn't like them taking that stuff. I started to tell them about it, but my mom said "It's okay" to me so I laid down and just watched. I hope all those things aren't sitting outside. My mom doesn't like when people don't take care of her stuff. None of these guys said anything to me, so I kept my eye on them. People usually always tell me "Hi" and "What a pretty boy" but these guys - nothing! I could see the big one's butt when he bent over. Gross! One guy was standing too close to my mom, so I told him to back off a bit. He didn't listen and she told me to "Shush!" Wait til I tell dad!

Mom says we're "Going to Washington". I don't know what a "Washington" is, but I know all about "Going" and that makes my tail wag. I like "Going". We're "Going" tomorrow and mom packed my bags and put them right by the door. Maybe we're "Going" to get all the stuff those guys took today.

Time for dinner. I can hear my mom putting food out. Sometimes she makes me give her a kiss before I can eat. I think that's for puppies, but don't tell her I said that. - Figs

Dani from Shot at Love

Operation Get Karla To WA was a rousing success. I will be departing after Christmas. Yay!

By the way...I have the biggest crush on Dani from A Shot at Love with Tila Tequila - which is weird because she's totally not my type (considering the only other girl crush I've had is Angelina Jolie). I was discussing the weirdness of this attraction (Dani is quite butch) with J who reminded me how much I love firefighters, and well...Dani is a firefighter. She's so hot. This is a bad picture. But, since I'm officially cyberstalking her, I'm sure I'll have a better one up soon.

Hot Girl Spotted on a Beach Holiday

The last time Anthony, Figaro and I went to the beach, Anthony captured some great pictures of me and Figaro playing together in the surf. Unfortunately, he took them with my shitty digicam, so they look all tabloidy. Now, if I was as famous to the world as I am to myself (hahaha!), I would imagine this picture taken by some papparazzo hidden behind the fresh coconut stand. The title would read:

"Former Hot Girl Not Looking So Hot"

The article would not mention how cute my dog is, or how sporty I looked in my swimsuit (that is PERFECT for beach volleyball), but only how fat my thighs look. This may win the award for most unflattering picture I have ever taken. LOL! It's a bad angle, I swear!

J Hud better watch her job...

They are BRINGING IT in the Philippines!

I'm only laughing to keep from crying...

Hello, November!

Operation Get Karla To Washington is currently underway. Putting in applications for jobs that I am genuinly interested in doing for the rest of my life. I'm still optimistic enough to be selective. Check back with me in a month and see how picky I am then. LOL! (but an awkard, I'm joking, but I'm not, kind of laugh).

Meanwhile, I'm looking forward to a short trip to mom's house weekend after this one. Figaro's going to tag along. Hey, we all need a vacation every now and then.

Off to go explore the world of luciferase and Bgal assays. Lucky me.

One year down - eternity to go

Super-hubby and I celebrated our first wedding anniversary on Sunday in the only place I hate more than Jackson, MS. - Lafayette, IN. Unfortunately, my BFF D planned his wedding on that weekend, so there's was no choice but to go. But, I think God felt sorry for us having to spend our anniversary weekend there so he blessed Lafayette with gorgeous weather (in the 80s and sunny!) and all the friends I have left were in town and available for drinking/playtime/hanging out/watching football. So, a good time was had by all.

Ironically, we celebrated our anniversary by going to see "Tyler Perry's Why Did I Get Married?". LOL! It was a great movie, though and we had a fun, low key, sweats and jeans date night.

Last night, we dug into our thawed cake top. And boy was it delicious. It took me nearly 30 minutes to wrap that thing, so I was going to be extremely pissed if it tasted frost-bitten. But, it was in perfect condition! We gorged ourselves, because it will probably be rotten by the time I get home today. Even Figaro got to eat a piece! It was the least we could do since he couldn't make the wedding...

Anyhoo - Happy Anniversary, babe!

New flash! Bigotry exists in academia! - Tell me something I don't already know.

A colleague forwarded me an article that was recently published in a UK newspaper that quoted Dr. James Watson (won the Nobel Prize for discovering DNA double helix) remarking that [he was "inherently gloomy about the prospect of Africa" because "all our social policies are based on the fact that their intelligence is the same as ours – whereas all the testing says not really". He said there was a natural desire that all human beings should be equal but "people who have to deal with black employees find this not true".]

*blink. blink*

Check the article out through the this link. Some people may be BAFFLED by his statements and will immediately try to rationalize why he couldn't possibly have meant what he said. However, this is the kind of attitude that I have to deal with often as an educated black person. Once people get over the fact that they should address me as "Dr.", then they act like I'm some kind of prodigy. An exception, because blacks can't possibly achieve anything other than being rappers and baby-makers.

To illustrate - I was at a Big Brothers/Big Sisters event with my Little Sister a couple of weeks ago. We were introducing ourselves around to the other guests and the following conversation took place when I introduced myself to an older white woman. For the record, I was the only black Big Sister in attendance (that's a whole 'nother topic for another day).

White Lady: So, what do you do?
Me: I'm a scientists.
WL: Really? You mean like a technician in a lab?
Me: Not quite. I am an independent researcher at [high profile research institution].
WL: Do you have a four year degree (looking at me suspiciously).
Me: Yes. And a Ph.D.
WL: Really?! In what?
Me: I'm a cancer biologist.
WL: And you work at [high profile research institution]?! Where on earth did you get your Ph.D. (her exact words - no kidding!)
Me: At Purdue University.
WL: Really?!
Little Sister to WL: My Big Sister is so smart! What kind of degree do you have?
WL: Oh, I...um...I...I chose to raise a family (this was said in a very small voice).
Little Sister: Well, that's okay, too. But I'm going to college!

LOL! And this type of converstation is not as abnormal as some of you might like to think.

Apparently bicoastal marriage is the new black

My husband just got a great job offer in Seattle (which by the way is 2400 miles from where we are now). So, we decided he should take it. Meanwhile, I'll hold it down here in Tejas until I find something - no need for us to go broke trying to fulfill some "I stay at home while my husband works" fantasy of mine. Funny thing, I did an internet search on bicoastal marriages and found that a lot of couples are finding marital success this way. Sure, most of them are movie stars and moguls. But, hey! If Naomi and Sting can do it...

I've started applying for positions already. Hopefully, I'll get something soon. In the meantime, I need to decide how to break this to my boss. Did I mention that I just got tens of thousands of dollars in grant money and spent a thousand of his grant dollars on a (work) trip to ATL? Could be tricky.

But, since I don't have any calls for interview, I'll just keep it to myself. No need in getting him all excited for nothing, right?

Now some people would be appalled that we'd choose to live separately. But, you know what? I have a Ph.D., dammit and I deserve to only leave my great job for a fabulous job. Our marriage is solid and I have the loving support of my hubby. I plan to enjoy my time of independence - I can only hope its brief. ;)

I'll keep ya posted...

Which one of your friends...

...is most likely to post your bail?
...is most likely to need you to post their bail?
...is most likely to "take one for the team?"
...is most likely to be famous?
...is most likely to be infamous?
...is most likely to be elected for public office?

Note to Chops - you have to answer this about people at work. LOL!


Okay, here are my answers for my friends:
post bail - Jewel
need bail - Erica
t.o.f.t.t. - she knows who she is - don't want to incriminate anybody
be famous - DaVida
infamous - Lorna (she has a wild streak)
public office - why, Josey, of course!

my answers for Chops:
post bail - Pammy
need bail - pick any of the animal technicians
t.o.f.t.t. - Gloria. LOL!
be famous - Ron da don
infamous - Gloria. Bad girl!
public office - DiG...I know, right?