Close Call

While filling up the gas tank of our Uhaul truck in Nebraska, I glanced down at the tire and noticed this:



Apparently the inner tire on this side was flat, so all the weight on that side had been going on that one tire. I can't even begin to describe how glad I am that I noticed this and we got it fixed (NOT at our own expense) before the tire blew out.

We'll be in NC on Monday!

The Plague

Congrats to Linda, Lauren's Nana, for correctly guessing the disease. Her guess was "bubonic plague", which is only half-right. It's actually septicemic plague, but they're both caused by the same bacterium, so close enough.

That blackening of the flesh? Yep, that's why the called it the Black Death.

Pop Quiz!

If you see this...

...what disease do you probably have?

Hint #1: this blackening in the flesh is the source of one of the common names of the disease, and despite what it may look like in the picture, is not due to fire or otherwise burned flesh.

Hint #2: this disease is endemic (naturally-occurring) in the four corners states.

Hint #3: If you DO actually have this disease, then by the time you see these symptoms, if you aren't already on antibiotics (meaning...it's caused by bacteria), then you'll soon be dead.

Anyone? Marissa, you're not allowed to answer.

UPDATE: The answer will be posted on Friday, April 17.

I need to read The Onion more often

Prague's Franz Kafka International Named World's Most Alienating Airport

Thanks, Unkie Steve, for reminding me how hilarious The Onion really is.

Going to Carolina in my Mind

Well, it's official. We're leaving Provo soon after BYU graduation, and will move into our new home in Chapel Hill at beginning of May. We haven't completely pinned down where we're going to live in Chapel Hill yet, but that should be decided quite soon.

Apparently, Utah has decided to remind me just how much I dislike it by giving us another snowstorm, after a week of 60-degree weather. Stupid jerk-state.

Accepted

UNC called me this week, and I'M IN. Lauren and I will be moving out there as soon as possible.

I'll be entering the program in Biological and Biomedical Sciences, and after a year, I'll enter the Ph.D. program in Microbiology and Immunology.

Carolina Born, Carolina Bred, Not Yet Carolina Dead

Two weeks ago, I went to Dallas, for an interview at UT-Southwestern. I loved the whole weekend. The weather was perfect, the campus was beautiful, and the science happening there was amazing. The weirdest thing I noticed there? In the morning, the air smells distinctly like barbecue. I'm completely serious. I wasn't there long enough to decide if I liked hickory-smoked morning air, but it was definitely a nice idea. The following Monday, I received a call from one of their admissions faculty letting me know that they had decided to make me an offer--- I got accepted. Not only was I excited that I was accepted there, I was relieved that even if no one else accepted me, I would still have a place to go to this spring and flee Utah.

This past weekend, I've been in Chapel Hill, interviewing at UNC. My feelings about the entire trip could probably best be summarized with this picture.


What a gorgeous place. The campus is even more beautiful than in Dallas. The weather is more moderate. The town is adorable. The research is more pertinent to my own interests. I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of my time there. They said that they will probably need a week or so to let us know their decision, and oh man, I'm already getting antsy.

So, in answer to the question I asked in my last post, love of Cheerwine clearly won out. Not much of a surprise there--- Cheerwine will always win out.

Grad School

So, at right, there is a poll that has been up for many, many months, concerning where we should go for grad school. Since then, the University of Washington has rejected me, and hurricane-related concerns helped me decide not to apply to UTMB in Galveston, Texas. Remaining are the Albany Medical College, the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, the University of Texas-Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, and the University of Virginia.

Virgina has yet to respond to me.

I interviewed with AMC last week by phone. They seemed nice, and I'm sure I'd get a good education there, but unless everyone else rejects me, I can't imagine us living there. Albany is too freaking cold.

This week, I'll be flying out to Dallas for an interview at UTSW, and I'll be doing the same next week in Chapel Hill. Dallas is a much cheaper place to live than Chapel Hill and Charlottesville (not to mention Albany), but Lauren's not all that thrilled about spending 5-6 years living in a Texas climate, and we would definitely be closer to family in North Carolina or Virginia.

I wonder what will win out: who gives me the most money to go to their school, or love of Cheerwine?

CNN and Race

So. I was checking the news this morning from CNN and I saw something unusual. Here's my screen capture. Let's see if you can spot it. You'll need to click on the image to see a larger version.



Here's a zoom on the unusual area.



If you didn't know that Robert Gibbs is the White House Press Secretary, would it be unusual to you to see CNN apparently clarifying that Obama's press secretary is white?

Nice job, CNN. Nice job.

By the way, a careful observer will notice something in this screen capture that tells you some information about a recent change in my computer situation. Since January 2007, I've been using a Mac Mini. Did you notice the battery icon in the upper right? I just got a new aluminum Macbook!

Jealous? I know.

Better Know a District-- BYU

Stephen Colbert has "better-known" the district where I live! I'm so honored.

The Colbert ReportMon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c

Better Know a District - Utah's 3rd - Jason Chaffetz

Colbert at Christmas
Colbert Christmas DVD

Green Screen
Bill O'Reilly Interview