Post 25: Senior Year, take 2; Scene 1

I arrived at Lyco yesterday and moved into my dorm room for the last time yesterday. It wasn't until I could see Williamsport that it finally hit me, I wouldn't have the safety net of the friends I have had since the beginning. Out of the group of the 7 of us, 5 have started the next step of his or her life. Out of the two left at Lyco, me being one and Turtle being the other, I will be the only one crossing the stage in May. 

Brittany: She's at law school in Philadelphia. 

Kyle: He's at Grad school in Colorado.

Ellen: She's in Indiana or Illinois working at a camp.

Jordan: He's in Missouri at Boot Camp.

Rachel: She's at IUP, with her own apartment.

All five of them after one step closer to the real world. I hope to be at the same point this time next year. Graduate school in some other state. This semester is just starting and there is a lot to pack into the next 14 weeks.

Wish me luck.

Post 24: Frankly my dear, I don't give a damn.

 

The Boone Plantation

In 1743, the son of Major John Boone planted live oak trees, arranging them in two evenly spaced rows. This spectacular approach to his home symbolizes southern heritage and will take root in your memory for many years to come. It would take two centuries for the massive, moss-draped branches to meet overhead, forming today's natural corridor and a scene that NBC Daytime television says is "a must see stop on any trip to Charleston, S.C."

The Praise House

The McRae Family purchased the plantation in 1955 and it was Mrs. McRae who furnished the house with antiques and began giving tours. Today, the McRae Family still owns the property, and they continue to make improvements to the plantation so that you, the visitor, can experience what plantation life was like in the 1800s. As you tour each site on the plantation our knowledgeable staff will help you understand the day to day activities of those who lived on plantations as well the history of the people who lived here at Boone Hall. 

 

Boone Hall was also one of the filming sites for the television mini-series North and South, staring Patrick Swayze, Kirstie Alley, and many others.

Post 23: Summer sun, somethings... ending

So the REU is now over, and people have started their travels back to where they call home. My travels don't begin until tomorrow afternoon. The end of something is always very bittersweet. I cannot express in words how happy I am to beginning my journey home. I believe I am most excited about not having to worry about my car anymore. That is a large burden that has been weighing me down. Every time I get behind the wheel I am so afraid that something else will happen and I will be stranded on yet another highway, near a shitty mechanic, and in this heat.

Rachel arrives at 2:30pm tomorrow, from there we are going to make a pit stop at Wal-Mart and then we will be leaving Gainesville.

I used Google Maps to get directions to our first destination, but then I decided I didn't want to follow directions. I will give Rachel the choice of traveling east or north first. East will take us to the coast and then we'll turn left and continue until we reach Charleston. If we go north first we will just keep taking roads marked North until we reach South Carolina and then work eastward. We do have a GPS for when we get closer to our destinations. I have addresses and those are the important things.

Next post will be from outside the state of Florida, and will include pictures.

Post 22: Happy August!

IT IS AUGUST! 4 weeks until school is back in session and just over 2 weeks until I am back to NY!

Today: Finish research and finish 2nd draft of paper.

Still got a lot of coding to do, as well as producing figures for both my paper and presentation. After results are produced I have to write a result section, and a conclusion/discussion section in the paper. I have to send the paper I finish tonight to both my mentor and the REU coordinator. Who knows how long I will be at the lab tonight. My grad student, Shiva isn't even available until a little bit from now.

Tomorrow: Finish presentation and edit paper.

I will get the edits back from both Sachin (my mentor) and Selman (the REU coordinator) and then I will have a whole other group of edits to make, probably more from Sachin than Selman. I will also finish my presentation in order to have it read to give on Wednesday.

Wednesday: Give mock presentation and turn in final draft of paper.

Sachin wants me to practice so he can make changes. "I don't want you presenting something I didn't approve." This presentation is only supposed to be 10-15mins long. The worse part about that time restraint is that when I get back to Lyco I will have to stretch it out for and extra 15-20mins, as well as creating some kind of hand out.

Thursday: Presentation day.

I present at 11:40am on Thursday, the last one of the morning presentations.

Paul, from Aamco, has yet to call me. I am hoping for good news about my car. He called on Friday saying they had to order a part, but seeing now that it is after five, I am not expecting a call from him until tomorrow at the soonest. Feels like forever ago that I was stranded on the side of Florida Turnpike and I-75.