It's been a long time, baby

So, I thought that I would pass along a few updates in my life.  I apologize for my negligence.

Since last time that I posted, I have finished teaching my second lab class here at good ol'Princeton.  I enjoy teaching about 90% of the time, which I think is pretty good.  Grading isn't so much fun, and lazy students who think the rules don't apply to them don't make me smile, but most of the time I enjoy interacting with the students and teaching them.  My time of teaching has actually inspired me to reflect on what my TAs thought about me when they talked to me or graded my papers.  I hope it was generally positive - I tried to be a reasonable student and not grub for too many points, though I suspect that I caused a few grumbles around the edges.

Laura and I find prospects for this summer bittersweet.  We are going to Spain this summer, which is going to be excellently awesome, but some of our best friends are moving away, moving on with their lives, becoming cooler while we struggle to maintain our current level of awesomeness.  In a way, though, this realization has helped us to spend a lot of time with these people (I'm looking at you, Ryan and Carey), which has really made me happy.  We have had Firefly marathons, laser tag extravaganzas, movie nights, graduation parties, etc.  At the risk of sounding sappy, I hope we continue to keep in touch with Rydawg and Carey.

To prevent this from getting boring, a few Firefly quotes and a picture (sorry to those who haven't partaken of the luscious fruit that is Firefly).  All rights reserved.

Mal: "Which one do you figured tracked us?"
Zoe: "The ugly one, sir."
Mal: (beat) "Could you be more specific?"
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Mal: "Looks can be deceiving."
Jayne: "Not as deceiving as a lowdown, dirty... deceiver."
Mal: "Well said. Wasn't that well said, Zoe?"
Zoe: "Had a kind of poetry to it, sir."

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Inara: "So, explain to me again why Zoe wasn't in the dress?"

Mal: "Tactics, woman! Needed her in the back. 'Sides, them soft cotton dresses feel kind of nice. There's a whole airflow."

Inara: "And you would know that because...?" Mal: "You can't open the book of my life and jump in the middle. Like woman, I'm a mystery."

Inara: "Best keep it that way. I withdraw the question."
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Mal: "Are you offering me a trade?"
Jayne: "A trade!? Hell, it's theft! This is the best damn gun made by man. It has extreme sentimental value. It's miles more worthy than what you got."  

Mal: "What I got? She has a name."
Jayne: "So does this!" (caresses the gun lovingly) "I call it Vera." 

Mal: "Well, my days of taking you seriously are certainly coming to a middle."

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In other news, the big chemistry move is coming up - soon we will be out of this old building and in our new, state of the art building.  As far as I know it still lacks a name, so if you have obscene amounts of money you wish to donate and get a building named after you, feel free to contact me.   Here is a nice article with pictures - it will be a pain to move (we move in late August), but it will be wonderful to be in a properly air conditioned/built/maintained building. 

So, I am starting to ramble.  Sorry that I have been MIA so long.  Maybe (but we all know the truth) I will be more regular in updating.

Dan