'Nother weekend, 'nother update - school

Hello!

So I've received a bit of feedback about posting....as in, post more often!  Well, I do have a very good excuse for not posting this past week - I had a physics exam on Thursday.  I probably should have thrown a heads up on the blog that I'd be MIA while I tried to cram, and in the future I will.  So have no fear, I'm alive, hubby is alive, and creatures are all OK.  My brain just hurts from the past week!  Also, I’ve got enough stuff to update on that I think I’ll make it multiple posts….so patience!!   

First, an update on school stuffs.  

I did get a rejection email from UC Davis as expected, so it makes going to Tech completely official!  Hubby and I will now officially begin the process of transition to Blacksburg.  I've had a few folks ask about how we're handling things, so here's the gist.  The DVM/PhD program is a minimum 7 years, and could easily be 8.  Seeing as Tech is in Blacksburg VA, which is over 2hrs away from Crozet, we will both be moving to Blacksburg and H. will find a new job.  It helps that he works in research, so going to a town with a large university means good job opportunities for him, relatively speaking.  Ideally, he wants to move into an environmental science lab (fresh water management particularly), but push comes to shove he can stay in his current field (microbiology).

Obviously this means we need new housing!  I love living in the country and having Dax at home, but I also recognize that for 7 yrs my priority is going to be my education.  Also, the dear H. HATES long commutes....as in would probably donate a kidney before he'd pick living with a long, traffic filled commute.  Anyway, the point is we're planning on finding a place "in town" so that we can bike to our respective jobs/classes.  I'll admit, he's converted me to the bike-commute.  If you've got the right bike and layers, it's wonderful!  Not having to worry about unexpected traffic or parking is a major factor, but of course the exercise, lack of pollution AND saving a bunch of money on gas and vehicle wear means it's a no brainer.  Yes, there is the risk factor of riding in traffic, but both H and I are extremely careful  - all safety equipment, obeying traffic rules, the whole 9 yards.  I realize this is no guarantee of safety, but I do believe risk can be minimized and the positives of bike commuting outweigh those risks.  So that means we're specifically looking for places with bike-friendly routes to the university.

When I say looking for places I mean we're primarily looking for rentals at this point.  We're still debating the buying vs renting thing.  The length of time we're likely going to be in Blacksburg means buying *might* make sense, but it's not like we know we'll be there for 15 or 30 years so....ugh!  Another tough decision.  I think we're going to talk to a realtor and probably a mortgage specialist about what makes sense - maybe rent for a year then buy?  The more cautious of my readers might say just rent and not worry about the responsibility of owning a house.  BUT have any of you had to find rentals with good landlords, that aren’t dumps, are reasonably priced AND allow two dogs and two cats?!?!?  I can tell you, they aren’t a dime a dozen.  I’ve been pretty lucky in the rental department and I realize it….I don’t like the idea of having crappy landlords that won’t get things fixed when they break and raise the rent with little warning.  It’s also frustrating to be gouged with extra pet fees because some idiots won’t give their pets flea control or prevent them from chewing on walls (our creatures get flea/tick preventative and don’t chew…..structural stuff at least).  Annnnyway, it’s clear I have NO IDEA what we’re going to do yet.  Happily, hubby is spear-heading this front since I’m so tied down with physics and getting the school stuff figured out.

Speaking of school stuff, I’m currently getting going on all of the fun paperwork and other crap starting a program like this entails.  I’ve got to contact everyone in every department to let them know I will be attending.  I need to find out exactly what I’ve got to do about the DVM acceptance since I’ll actually be completing two years of the PhD first.  I have to complete a graduate school (PhD) application as a formality, but that includes sending more transcripts AND recommendation letters…oh yea, and I also need to find a PhD mentor ASAP.  Minor details, you know.

Ok, so I realize this might make much more sense if I explain how this whole program is going to work.  Here’s an outline for those of you I haven’t filled in:

-       First two years PhD – classes, research in lab, must pass qualifying exam/thesis proposal (Summer 2011 thru Aug 2013)

-       Four years DVM, classes first 3yrs, clinical rotations 4^th year, do research for thesis during summer breaks, pass board exams  (Aug 2013 thru May 2017)

-       Complete PhD work, write and defend thesis (May 2017 thru May 2018-ish)

Wow.  2018.  Somehow I managed to sum up 7 years of busting my a$$ in three sentences, more or less.  Makes it sound easy, eh? 

Back to my point – the way they run their PhD program is that I have to contact professors who have labs and do research that I’m interested in.  I’ll meet with some to go over details of their work and get a feeling for compatibility; kind of like another interview.  Yipee.  But first I’ve got to review publication records and send out a bunch of emails to faculty – just because I’m interested in their work doesn’t mean they have space or money for a grad student (or will like me for that matter).  I will ultimately find SOMEONE who will take me J then I’ll figure out precisely when I’ll start this summer.  It could be as early as May 23^rd, but I’m hoping more like in June for sanity’s sake!  I mean, my physics class final is May 12^th – I don’t want to be packing and studying at the same time if I can help it!  More on the physics struggle later :-P 

In other news, the weather around here has been crazy.  We’ve had a really cold winter until just recently.  Yesterday was 75*!!!  Unfortunately is also been super dry.  That combination was mixed with high winds today and made for some disastrous wildfires.  There was a big fire not far from our house in Ivy and apparently there was another even closer on Brown’s Gap Turnpike.  Anyway, H. got some pics of the Ivy fire from the end of our driveway – I’d be way more concerned if the prevailing wind wasn’t driving the fire directly away from us.  Other fires in Louisa county to the east has caused evacuations and burned homes.  I know this is nothing compared to what So. California deals with, but then again this isn’t dry desert area.   

I know fire is a natural and important part of forest regeneration, but it's hard to watch.