Sorry for the lack of updates, folks. Sarah and I have both been pretty busy since mid-October. Sarah continues to work full-time at the Grant County Growth Council doing a lot of public relations and secreterial duties. My program is going well, but I am ready to dive into a new batch of classes next semester. I've been working hard this past week and just finished my massive lab report for my recombinant DNA class. It's about 23 pages and 5,100 words!
I'm off now to finish a few more assignments for tomorrow. Sarah and I both eagerly await for next week and the relaxation that will come with it. I am off Wednesday-Friday, and Sarah is off Thursday and Friday. We'll be going to my parents house in Indiana and also to Illinois to see a lot of my fam.
Till next time,
Ben
Monday, November 15, 2010
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Quick 2 cents!
Hi everyone!
Drop your jaws. Yep, it's Sarah here and I'm here to give you a quick hello. Ben doesn't even know that I'm posting this, so he'll be happily surprised I'm sure. :) Ben is definitely better at keeping in touch and following through on posts! I wanted to be able to write a little myself today. I actually keep people updated here and there with photos while Ben writes on our blog, so we compliment each other, I'd say. You can always check out our "Married Life" album on my facebook.
As Ben stated in the last post, there was a recent announcement of Echelon Furniture, here in Gas City, Indiana. The mother company, Munire (w/ an accent on the e) Furniture, creates baby furniture. The amazing and wonderful parts of the furniture are the quality of the pieces and the timeless usage of the furniture. Check out the two photos in the facebook album mentioned above. They are the same two pieces of furniture. You purchase the crib for their infancy, then as they grow up, all you need to purchase are additional frame pieces and the mattress. So if you think about it, for at least the first 18 years of their life, you only have to spend a few thousand total for their bed. And seriously, I was in the showroom, and their wood quality and manufacturing is so beautiful, and strong. I feel like a salesperson! Needless to say, I'm going to be convincing my husband to invest in these pieces in the far future...
I am now full time! It hasn't been too hard to adjust, only that I have to wake up earlier and stay at the office later. Dinner will be interesting to work out since I get home at about six. The third organization I've signed on with (I work for three different non-profits as one full time job) is the Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB) in Marion. For them I'll be doing projects related to social media. I have three positions in a way...the Economic Growth Council (EGC) and CVB are similar while the Cardinal Greenway folks are definitely different to manage. More time consuming at times and a bigger need for self direction.
I didn't say anything really new since Ben's last post, but I wanted to let you all know I'm existent and things are going pretty well, trying to adjust to working full time as an adult, learning how to manage time differently. I've attached a photo of Angie (my co-worker/friend/former Taylor colleague), the Governor Mitch Daniels, and me.
Love you everyone! Hope all is going well!
Sarah
Drop your jaws. Yep, it's Sarah here and I'm here to give you a quick hello. Ben doesn't even know that I'm posting this, so he'll be happily surprised I'm sure. :) Ben is definitely better at keeping in touch and following through on posts! I wanted to be able to write a little myself today. I actually keep people updated here and there with photos while Ben writes on our blog, so we compliment each other, I'd say. You can always check out our "Married Life" album on my facebook.
As Ben stated in the last post, there was a recent announcement of Echelon Furniture, here in Gas City, Indiana. The mother company, Munire (w/ an accent on the e) Furniture, creates baby furniture. The amazing and wonderful parts of the furniture are the quality of the pieces and the timeless usage of the furniture. Check out the two photos in the facebook album mentioned above. They are the same two pieces of furniture. You purchase the crib for their infancy, then as they grow up, all you need to purchase are additional frame pieces and the mattress. So if you think about it, for at least the first 18 years of their life, you only have to spend a few thousand total for their bed. And seriously, I was in the showroom, and their wood quality and manufacturing is so beautiful, and strong. I feel like a salesperson! Needless to say, I'm going to be convincing my husband to invest in these pieces in the far future...
I am now full time! It hasn't been too hard to adjust, only that I have to wake up earlier and stay at the office later. Dinner will be interesting to work out since I get home at about six. The third organization I've signed on with (I work for three different non-profits as one full time job) is the Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB) in Marion. For them I'll be doing projects related to social media. I have three positions in a way...the Economic Growth Council (EGC) and CVB are similar while the Cardinal Greenway folks are definitely different to manage. More time consuming at times and a bigger need for self direction.
I didn't say anything really new since Ben's last post, but I wanted to let you all know I'm existent and things are going pretty well, trying to adjust to working full time as an adult, learning how to manage time differently. I've attached a photo of Angie (my co-worker/friend/former Taylor colleague), the Governor Mitch Daniels, and me.
Love you everyone! Hope all is going well!
Sarah
Friday, October 1, 2010
More Updates
Sarah is now full time! It was a good first day of full-time work for her, as she and her co-workers attended the grand opening of Echelon, a new furniture manufacturer in Gas City. It was a big grand opening with many people in attendance, including Mitch Daniels -- governor of Indiana! Sarah was able to get a picture with him.
It is hard to believe I just finished the sixth week of class. Midterms are two weeks away; fortunately, I don't have any midterm exams. Most of my work is actually in the form of lab reports and take-home exams. I just completed my first take-home exam this past weekend -- it totaled fourteen pages and 3500 words. Needless to say, there wasn't a whole lot of free time last weekend.
I have a rough draft of a term paper due in two weeks; I've chosen to write about Cri-du-Chat syndrome. I'll be covering everything from its effects to its history to the genetic abnormalities of those who have it. This is for my Human Genetics class. My other class focuses on Recombinant DNA. We are nearing the end of our first cloning project. We have been cloning the gene AKT, which may play major roles in cardiovascular health. It also tends to be overexpressed in cancer patients. Research that focuses on methods for suppressing AKT is therefore important for possible ways of suppressing cancer. Once this lab is complete, I will have two write a major lab report.
My students turned in their lab reports this week, so most of my weekend will be devoted to grading those.
Ben & Sarah
It is hard to believe I just finished the sixth week of class. Midterms are two weeks away; fortunately, I don't have any midterm exams. Most of my work is actually in the form of lab reports and take-home exams. I just completed my first take-home exam this past weekend -- it totaled fourteen pages and 3500 words. Needless to say, there wasn't a whole lot of free time last weekend.
I have a rough draft of a term paper due in two weeks; I've chosen to write about Cri-du-Chat syndrome. I'll be covering everything from its effects to its history to the genetic abnormalities of those who have it. This is for my Human Genetics class. My other class focuses on Recombinant DNA. We are nearing the end of our first cloning project. We have been cloning the gene AKT, which may play major roles in cardiovascular health. It also tends to be overexpressed in cancer patients. Research that focuses on methods for suppressing AKT is therefore important for possible ways of suppressing cancer. Once this lab is complete, I will have two write a major lab report.
My students turned in their lab reports this week, so most of my weekend will be devoted to grading those.
Ben & Sarah
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Speaking of brevity...
Just a quick update to say that Sarah will officially be going full time on October 1st! She will also be moving from an hourly pay to a salary pay. It'll be nice to have that consistency in our income.
We have reached near record-high temps these last few days, and the rain today was a nice change. My classes continue to go well, and my teaching duties are starting to increase. I wrote and gave my first quiz today, which was exciting for me. My students will be turning in their first batch of lab reports next week, so that will give me plenty to grade.
Take care,
Ben
We have reached near record-high temps these last few days, and the rain today was a nice change. My classes continue to go well, and my teaching duties are starting to increase. I wrote and gave my first quiz today, which was exciting for me. My students will be turning in their first batch of lab reports next week, so that will give me plenty to grade.
Take care,
Ben
Friday, September 17, 2010
The Weather's Changing!
I've noticed a significant drop in temperatures at night, and even this morning it was really chilly. Autumn is upon us, and it has always been my favorite season, so I'm excited!
Not much new stuff to report. We were finally able to get Sarah's car fixed. It's now going to sit in our apartment parking lot for a while until we are able to add it to our insurance plan. But at least it's fixed! It's been over a month since we've moved, and the dust is finally starting to settle. We are still eagerly awaiting for October to arrive so that Sarah can go full-time. That will definitely be a blessing.
Things are really starting to get busy for both of us -- Sarah is involved with several projects at work, and my classes are getting busier. I also am balancing classes with my teaching and grading duties. But I'm very grateful for the opportunity...and the stipend!
I'm really enjoying one of my classes where we are currently cloning a gene. It's a multiple-week process for sure, but so interesting.
In our free time, we have been going to different places in Muncie and seeing friends when we can. We have been able to see our friends Dan and Cait a few times this past week, which has been fun. We were also able to see my parents in Indianapolis last Wednesday night.
Hope all is well with everyone!
Ben
Not much new stuff to report. We were finally able to get Sarah's car fixed. It's now going to sit in our apartment parking lot for a while until we are able to add it to our insurance plan. But at least it's fixed! It's been over a month since we've moved, and the dust is finally starting to settle. We are still eagerly awaiting for October to arrive so that Sarah can go full-time. That will definitely be a blessing.
Things are really starting to get busy for both of us -- Sarah is involved with several projects at work, and my classes are getting busier. I also am balancing classes with my teaching and grading duties. But I'm very grateful for the opportunity...and the stipend!
I'm really enjoying one of my classes where we are currently cloning a gene. It's a multiple-week process for sure, but so interesting.
In our free time, we have been going to different places in Muncie and seeing friends when we can. We have been able to see our friends Dan and Cait a few times this past week, which has been fun. We were also able to see my parents in Indianapolis last Wednesday night.
Hope all is well with everyone!
Ben
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
We are currently listening to...
A Copland Celebration, a collection of some of the greatest works of the composer Aaron Copland. I just wrote a review of this collection for iTunes, where I commented on his vast composing ability: his ability to capture all ranges of human emotion. One of his more famous compositions does this most powerfully: Appalachian Spring Suite, a fourteen-movement piece lasting thirty-two minutes. It is his best piece, in my opinion. Ah, I love music.
In other news, life continues. I am getting in the groove of things at school, and Sarah's job is going well. Her boss told her that she will soon be promoted to full-time, which is a blessing. She is also getting busier, but she is enjoying the work.
We just had a relaxing three-day weekend where we did a lot of laundry and some general housekeeping. My good friend Corey was able to come visit us on Monday, which was great. We hadn't seen each other since the wedding in May.
We are visiting different churches every Sunday in our continued quest to find a new place of worship. So far, we have liked all of them in different ways. We will continue to visit other churches in the next few weeks. We pray that God will make it clear where He wants us to be.
I have finished a second draft of my curriculum vitae. I have expatiated on some of the sections in my first draft, and I have added a few new sections. It's coming together pretty nicely.
Take care,
Ben
In other news, life continues. I am getting in the groove of things at school, and Sarah's job is going well. Her boss told her that she will soon be promoted to full-time, which is a blessing. She is also getting busier, but she is enjoying the work.
We just had a relaxing three-day weekend where we did a lot of laundry and some general housekeeping. My good friend Corey was able to come visit us on Monday, which was great. We hadn't seen each other since the wedding in May.
We are visiting different churches every Sunday in our continued quest to find a new place of worship. So far, we have liked all of them in different ways. We will continue to visit other churches in the next few weeks. We pray that God will make it clear where He wants us to be.
I have finished a second draft of my curriculum vitae. I have expatiated on some of the sections in my first draft, and I have added a few new sections. It's coming together pretty nicely.
Take care,
Ben
Thursday, September 2, 2010
A Few Updates
Ben Here. Not too much to report. I have a new desktop computer! It is a college graduation gift from my parents, and I'm very grateful! It's so fast and awesome. I'm using it to type this right now, as you probably have guessed.
I am sitting in the apartment, and I have the window open. Over the music that I have playing from my computer, I can hear the cheers and screams coming from the nearby football stadium. Tonight is the season opener. It's good to hear those cheers. I feel that one of the big events I missed out on at Taylor was being able to attend sporting events with thousands of students screaming and shouting with fervor and passion for their home team. Taylor has sports teams, but that excitement for sporting events was never really present.
Here, on the other hand, the elation and passion are quite audible from where I sit, a quarter of a mile away. The excitement is almost palpable. But I digress...
Earlier today, Sarah helped clean parts of the Cardinal Greenway trails in Gas City and Jonesboro. She previously organized an outing for Taylor freshmen to come out and help her as part of what Taylor likes to call Community Plunge. This occurred today. Community Plunge is an annual event at the beginning of the school year where freshmen perform community service. From what she told me, it went well, but it was hot and tiring. She, with the help of her fifteen or so freshmen, were able to trim and carry away hundreds of excess branches.
Well that's about it. I just finished a rough draft of my curriculum vitae. Once this draft has been polished and is final, I will use it in the spring to apply to several summer internships. I hope to procure one in either the Muncie or Indy area for next summer. A summer internship is a required part of my Biotechnology Certification.
I will leave you with a quote from the late pope John Paul II. I just recently found this quote when I was perusing through some expository essays, and I feel it summarizes very well the crux of my worldview:
"Science can purify religion from error and superstition;
religion can purify science from idolatry and false absolutes.
Each can draw the other into a wider world, a world in which both can flourish."
Blessings,
Ben
I am sitting in the apartment, and I have the window open. Over the music that I have playing from my computer, I can hear the cheers and screams coming from the nearby football stadium. Tonight is the season opener. It's good to hear those cheers. I feel that one of the big events I missed out on at Taylor was being able to attend sporting events with thousands of students screaming and shouting with fervor and passion for their home team. Taylor has sports teams, but that excitement for sporting events was never really present.
Here, on the other hand, the elation and passion are quite audible from where I sit, a quarter of a mile away. The excitement is almost palpable. But I digress...
Earlier today, Sarah helped clean parts of the Cardinal Greenway trails in Gas City and Jonesboro. She previously organized an outing for Taylor freshmen to come out and help her as part of what Taylor likes to call Community Plunge. This occurred today. Community Plunge is an annual event at the beginning of the school year where freshmen perform community service. From what she told me, it went well, but it was hot and tiring. She, with the help of her fifteen or so freshmen, were able to trim and carry away hundreds of excess branches.
Well that's about it. I just finished a rough draft of my curriculum vitae. Once this draft has been polished and is final, I will use it in the spring to apply to several summer internships. I hope to procure one in either the Muncie or Indy area for next summer. A summer internship is a required part of my Biotechnology Certification.
I will leave you with a quote from the late pope John Paul II. I just recently found this quote when I was perusing through some expository essays, and I feel it summarizes very well the crux of my worldview:
"Science can purify religion from error and superstition;
religion can purify science from idolatry and false absolutes.
Each can draw the other into a wider world, a world in which both can flourish."
Blessings,
Ben
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