And then there was internet!

Finally! I got internet today! This is the reason. . . mostly. . . why I haven't posted in weeks! I'm sure I could have written a post at home, and taken my laptop to work, gotten online, and put something up. . . but that didn't happen. Obviously.

So anyway, to catch everyone up on things - I found an apartment and moved in. Yay! Now I have a living room half full of boxes, 2 1/2 weeks later. Someday, I will get them unpacked. I seem to be having some circular problem where to unpack the boxes, I need to put up my shelves, but there really isn't enough room to assemble the shelving unit until I unpack the boxes. . .  But I'm hoping that with my brain that managed to get a PhD, I should be able to sort this one out soon :).

It's a one-bedroom. It's an okay size, and it is pretty updated inside, so that's nice. I just keep thinking that I'm paying twice what my mortgage used to be for just over half the amount of space. Sigh. Its quieter here than I expected it to be, for which I am very thankful. I'm working on getting a couch/thing guests can sleep on, so soon I'll be ready for visitors! Oh, except I probably have to unpack my boxes to fit the couch in here. Well, guess I'd better get to work! I really don't want my lack of a couch to be what stops you all from coming to visit! (hint hint)

I'm now nearing the end of my 4th week of week in my new lab. I gave my first presentation at lab meeting this week. The "what i'm planning on doing" talk, cause I haven't really done any science until today. :( I've been reading/planning a lot, which is needed, but really not as much fun.

I'm not sure there is much to report on the adventure front. Besides that I figured out how to use the card (not coin) operated washer and dryer at my apartment. (sigh, $2.75 for a load of laundry). And I can now get to Trader Joe's without my GPS. (it's only about a mile away - I'd really hope I could figure that out!) These are my current excitements. Hopefully I will have more time to go check out more San Diego soon.

The Laguna Lodge and starting my job!

Last week was my last week without work. Tomomi's condo was being fumigated for termites, so we had to vacate for two days. I took the opportunity to go on a little adventure out of the city. Turns out there is a National Forest (Cleveland National Forest) that is only an hour away from San Diego. And I found a lodge there that rented out cabins. So I got one for two nights and headed out to the mountains! It was a really nice little retreat. There were probably 15 cabins - I think I was the only one there. The only person I talked  to or saw was the guy that owned the place. Absolute solitude. It was nice just to be alone after a couple weeks with people everywhere! It was rather pretty as well. There were tall pine trees, and a family of woodpeckers outside my cabin. It still did have a desert look though. But a nice getaway that wasn't so far away!

But back to reality.  Monday was my first day at my new job. I work in a beautiful new building across the street from the Salk Institute and very close to the ocean. :) Some of the lab windows have ocean views. We are very close to the San Diego Glider Port, so those lucky few get to watch people hang gliding too. I can catch a far off glimpse through the window in the bay next to mine. But my desk is on the opposite side of the room as the window in my bay, and our view is blocked by an office anyway. They made all these offices in little squares that line the outside of the building floors, so you have to go outside to go see the boss. Its an interesting set up.
Anyway, things are going well. I'm just doing a lot of reading at first and trying to get all the proper usernames and passwords and email accounts and orientation classes. I can't wait til I really get to do Science!

And the nice part is, I got a holiday in my first week! Happy 4th of July! I decided to go on a little biking adventure. There is a mount called Mount Soledad. On the top is a war memorial. Its an 822 foot hill with great city views. I said to myself, "Well, Its only a 3 mile ride to the top from where I am. I don't know any other bike routes, I should just try it." I used to think that hill on Benton Street in Iowa City was killer. However, after I got slaughtered by this one, I think I little more kindly of Benton street. I did make it to the top, with rubbery legs and all. Unfortunately, it was little cloudy today, so the views were not spectacular. However, I shall include a couple anyway.
So the 3 mile hill up probably took me 45 min to an hour. I got home in about 12 minutes. It might be a while before I try that one again! :)