getting a little excited!

T - 15 days until Washington DC. This girl is getting pretty excited. I just looked up how close my hotel is from everything, and I'm feeling like I have a pretty great location. 2 weeks!!!!!!

Arts & Culture

• The Phillips Collection  0.1 km/0.1 miles
• National Geographic Museum  1.0 km/0.6 miles
• Washington Monument  1.6 km/1.0 miles
• Smithsonian Institute  1.6 km/1.0 miles
• National Gallery of Art  1.6 km/1.0 miles
• Corcoran Gallery of Art  1.8 km/1.1 miles
• National Museum of Women in the Arts  1.9 km/1.2 miles
• Lincoln Memorial  2.4 km/1.5 miles
• International Spy Museum  2.6 km/1.6 miles
• National Museum of Natural History  2.9 km/1.8 miles
• National Museum of African Art  3.1 km/1.9 miles
• United States Holocaust Memorial Museum  3.2 km/2.0 miles
• Arlington National Cemetery  4.8 km/3.0 miles

Community

• George Washington University Hospital  1.5 km/0.9 miles
• Vietnam Veterans Memorial  1.6 km/1.0 miles
• Georgetown University Hospital  1.6 km/1.0 miles
• George Washington University  1.6 km/1.0 miles
• Georgetown University  1.6 km/1.0 miles
• Washington National Cathedral  3.1 km/1.9 miles
• Howard University  3.2 km/2.0 miles
• University of the District of Columbia  3.2 km/2.0 miles
• Washington Hospital Center  4.7 km/2.9 miles
• American University  4.8 km/3.0 miles
• Sibley Hospital  7.2 km/4.5 miles

Corporate Offices

• Dupont Circle  0.2 km/0.1 miles
• The Advisory Board  0.3 km/0.2 miles
• Deloitte  0.3 km/0.2 miles
• Akin Gump  0.3 km/0.2 miles
• Marsh Inc.  0.8 km/0.5 miles
• McKinsey  0.8 km/0.5 miles
• The World Bank  1.5 km/0.9 miles
• International Monetary Fund  1.5 km/0.9 miles
• Danaher Corporation  1.6 km/1.0 miles
• Allied Capital  1.6 km/1.0 miles
• Accenture  1.8 km/1.1 miles
• PricewaterhouseCoopers  2.3 km/1.4 miles
• Ernst & Young  2.7 km/1.7 miles
• Fannie Mae  3.2 km/2.0 miles
• Blackboard Inc.  3.2 km/2.0 miles
• Carlyle Group  3.4 km/2.1 miles
• Corporate Executive Board  3.9 km/2.4 miles

Government Offices

• Embassy Row  0.0 km/0.0 miles
• Portuguese Embassy  0.1 km/0.1 miles
• Embassy of Sudan  0.1 km/0.1 miles
• Greek Embassy  0.1 km/0.1 miles
• Indonesian Embassy  0.1 km/0.1 miles
• Gabon Embassy  0.2 km/0.1 miles
• Embassy of Luxemburg  0.2 km/0.1 miles
• Embassy of Estonia  0.2 km/0.1 miles
• Dominican Republic Embassy  0.2 km/0.1 miles
• Embassy of Morocco  0.2 km/0.1 miles
• Togo Embassy  0.2 km/0.1 miles
• Embassy of Cyprus  0.3 km/0.2 miles
• Latvian Embassy  0.3 km/0.2 miles
• Embassy of Georgia  0.3 km/0.2 miles
• Armenian Embassy  0.3 km/0.2 miles
• Costa Rican Embassy  0.3 km/0.2 miles
• Egyptian Embassy  0.5 km/0.3 miles
• Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany  0.5 km/0.3 miles
• Haiti Embassy  0.5 km/0.3 miles
• Embassy of South Korea  0.5 km/0.3 miles
• Argentinean Embassy  0.5 km/0.3 miles
• The White House  1.6 km/1.0 miles
• Capitol Hill  1.6 km/1.0 miles
• Bolling Air Force Base  14.5 km/9.0 miles
• Andrews Air Force Base  24.1 km/15.0 miles

Local Attractions

• Kennedy Center  1.6 km/1.0 miles
• Congressional Country Club  14.6 km/9.1 miles

Transportation

• Metro Station  0.2 km/0.1 miles

first rejection

Today I officially got my first rejection! Why didn't they want me? Because I am LDS! (They are a Baptist university and apparently want someone whose faith aligns more closely with theirs.) Haha, if I'm going to get rejected, at least it's for a reason I'm proud of right??

being productive and APPLYING

6 hours

27 potential jobs found

2 gogurts

1 cute little cup of applesauce

3 personalized cover letters

1 peanut butter sandwich

3 COMPLETED applications :)

1 tired Liz


This is the longest I've been super productive without getting distracted in a LONG time. Blog-worthy.

Did I mention I arrived in the lab at 6:50 am this morning? Miracles do happen people.

Copacabana Night!

I love my calling. For reals. I am super happy today because last night's activity was an epic success. I would say reality was even better than the vision I'd had in my head.

Copacabana Night!
*Frank Sinatra
*40's-style formal wear
*cheese and crackers
*italian sodas
*live music by three fantastically-talented singers in our ward (Frank Sinatra style)
*swing dancing
*dice and card games, bingo
*green visors
*good times :)

 (Tracy can you send me that one of me and you?)

Secretly my favorite activity I've planned so far...

Lent

Let it be known that I, Liz Gibbons, will be giving up the snooze button for Lent 2013. That's right...when I set an alarm, I vow to wake up at the time I planned rather than sleeping for 5 more cycles of 5 minutes at a time (which isn't restful anyway). Hopefully, this will give me more time in the morning for scripture study and exercise and help me prepare for Easter. So from now until March 30, I will be super responsible. I'm pretty excited about it.

purchased

Purchased:

*1 plane ticket from Seattle to Washington DC
*1 plane ticket from Washington DC to Salt Lake City

(The best purchases are those that will be reimbursed...let's be honest.)

Oh...did I mention I get to go to Seattle for almost a week with friends in March? And did I mention I will head straight from that excursion to DC for a 2nd interview for a position as an Assistant Professor of Biology? (When did I grow up?) Oh...and did I mention the job interview in DC is actually for a university in KAZAKHSTAN?

Seriously?

more Philly

2 more highlights from Philadelphia 2013:

ROOM SERVICE!

PRESENTING MY POSTER TODAY!

Philadelphia!

I am currently in Philadelphia for the Biophysical Society Annual Meeting. Translation: a bunch of scientists from all over the world gather to present their research to each other. Secret confession: I LOVE IT. This is my fifth year attending (see this post, and this one, and this one, and one more) and it's fun to see my progress since 2008. I understand a lot more, I feel more like an equal with the professionals, and I even have friends I recognize every year! I present my poster tomorrow, but I thought I'd share some pics of our sight-seeing adventure today! Dr. Bell, Alyssa, and I walked in the bitter cold (only about a half mile from our hotel) to see the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall where the Declaration of Independence and US Constitution were drafted. It got me all fired up about US History and made me want to read some good books about it.

I've also loved staying right next to the Reading Terminal Market! There are sooo many places to eat (Mexican, Chinese, Sushi, Greek, even the Amish are here!), jewelry shops, bakeries, flower shops, and fresh produce (where the man gave us a discount because we are students...awesome). It reminds me of a mix between Pike's Place in Seattle and indoor renoks (spelling??) in Russia! LOVE IT.

Also, I've loved hanging out with Alyssa! We even got free matching t-shirts because we're cool like that.

Riding the subway to church on Sunday and discussing research ideas with Dr. Bell have also been favorites! Once again, I've realized how much I LOVE visiting big cities and how much I do not want to live in one haha. I do love visiting though. I love seeing the sights and getting a feel for the city's personality. Also, my favorite part of some of these cities back east is how you will have these BEAUTIFUL old buildings mixed in with the new ones downtown. Favorite.

ALL of liz's itunes on shuffle today

(1) All my Life (K-Ci & JoJo)
        -- One of the best intros ever
        -- Why have I not listened to this song for like 5 years?

(2) Sexy Plexi (Jack Johnson)
        -- Reminds me of Summer 2007 in my lab...analyzing data...8 h a day...with Jack Johnson playing all day every day

(3) Everyone (Backstreet Boys)
        -- from "Black and Blue"...the first cd I ever purchased.

(4) Felicity (Sense and Sensibility Soundtrack)
        -- I love my Jane Austen movie soundtracks. Great for studying back in the day.

(5) Myth America (Liz Story)
        -- A little New Age piano music. Love.

(6) She's My Kind of Rain (Tim McGraw)
        -- I feel like almost any boy could woo me with this song. (Perhaps an exaggeration. At least any cute boy)

(7) Seize the Day (Newsies)
        -- Gotta represent my love of musicals on the shuffle line-up.

(8) Thriller (Michael Jackson)
        -- Love MJ.

(9) Sonata No 7 in D Major (Beethoven)
        -- No one beats Beethoven.

(10) All I Want is You (U2)
        -- Classic.

(11) (Secretly A*Teens popped up next...let's pretend this didn't happen.)

(12) Things People Say (Lady Antebellum)
       -- I've been on a Lady A kick this week.

(13) I Feel My Savior's Love (Mormon Tabernacle Choir)
       -- :)

Just thought I'd give you a taste of the randomness that is my itunes. Love music.

thank heaven for my fishing licence and manual door locks

What a morning! I needed to renew my driver's licence. I was so proud that I had filled out the application online and made an appointment so it would go smoothly and quickly.

FAIL #1: I walk out my door and realize it has snowed AGAIN and the roads are covered. This isn't really a big deal, except I hadn't planned extra time for this. Result? I am about 20 min late to my appointment after creeping along I-15 trying not to die as my little car slid around.

FAIL #2: I walk into the driver's licence place a little flustered since I hate being late. I walk up to the counter and hand them my application. "Do you have your documents?" ....awkward silence... "Documents?" Yep, turns out there were detailed instructions on the application that I failed to read. This is where I started feeling like the clueless girl that the workers at the counter would roll their eyes and laugh about after I left. Luckily I had most of the necessary documents with me in my purse. "Do you have proof of address?" Hmm...I remembered I checked the mail last night and left it in my car so I told her I'd go check my car quick. (I'm sure she thought I was super incompetent.)  Unfortunately, all the mail was for my roommates.

TENDER MERCY #1: Starting to panic, I check my wallet one more time. I find a reimbursement check with my address on it and my fishing licence that I had forgotten was in there, also containing my address. Relieved, I headed back inside and gave the lady all the necessary documents.

FAIL #3: As she is paper-clipping all my documents together, I start to panic as I realize I am not holding my car keys. I ask the lady if I handed her my car keys. She looked at me like I really was crazy. "No ma'am, I do not have your keys. Do you want to go look for them?" "Yeah, I should probably go look for them...I'll be right back!" I check the snow-filled parking lot along the path I had walked. Nothing. I get back to my car and peek in the window...and there they are! They are sitting nicely on the seat. I try the door. Locked. I try another door. Locked. And another. Locked. I start talking to myself, "It's all good Liz...don't stress...we'll just call roadside assistance...you will laugh about this later!"

TENDER MERCY #2: I try the 4th door...it's unlocked! I am officially so glad I don't have power lock doors! I get my keys and head back inside.

I get my picture taken. I get my temporary licence until my real one arrives. I drive away legal.

FAIL #4: Noooo parking at BYU.

TENDER MERCY #3: Someone pulls out of their spot right as I drive up.

TENDER MERCY #4: As I walk to my lab, I pass a guy with headphones on. He is BELTING out "I've got the magic in me"...you know, the version from Pitch Perfect. Made my day that much better.

So today has left me super grateful for my fishing licence and my little car with no power locks. And people that sing with their headphones on. And life.