Situation Normal

Hey there!

After years of stalling, I finally started a blog! I just moved from California to Normal, Illinois to start a post-doctoral research position. I uprooted my kids and husband from the glorious golden wasteland of Riverside, CA to start anew in this blandly pleasant midwestern college town. I have often thought about my adventures in graduate school as being similar to Odysseus' travels. If I were to continue the analogy, I would say that Normal is less of an adventure, and more like running aground, or stopping to clean the barnacles off the boat or whatever--there is not much to do around here.
On the plus side, (1) our house is HUGE compared to our tiny 900 sq ft place in CA, (2) there is a nice park a block away from the house, (3) both kids really like their new schools, (4) I am very excited about my new research project, (5) Danny has his own office with all of the peace and quiet that he wants and (6) Argos is obsessed with the squirrels and rabbits.

Sam at the public pool; Who needs Santa Claus when you have Abraham Lincoln? The Bloomington Farmer's Market; A picture of squash taken by Sam