Start of a brand new semester....

The start of the semester has brought on many new and exciting changes. Over the end of Christmas break, Notre Dame sent out TA assignments, but guess who never received one. That's right, I somehow escaped having to TA for a class. I am super excited about this, since it will allow me more time to concentrate on research. Also, my course load this semester seems like it will be less traumatic than the last one. I am taking Optimization of Design, which looks to be a straight-forward course that will prepare me for one of my qualifier exams in May. It also brings some application to all of the abstract math I didn't really understand from last semester. I am also taking Cardiovascular Fluid Mechanics, which is taught by my advisor. This course should be a big help since it pertains directly to my research. The course only has one test (a midterm) and then a final project. The only downside is that it is at 8:30 am. My final course is Biomaterials. There are no homework assignments or tests, only papers which we do as a group every couple of weeks.

My research is starting to pick up. I hope to actually have my flow loop operational by next week. I hope that once I actually start making data collection progress, I will start to enjoy it more. Right now, it mostly seems like an endless internet search and setup right now.

This past weekend was an exciting one. On Sunday, Nick came over and had fondue with Michael, Anne and I. This was the first time I tried making fondue with artisan cheese. The new fondue set my parents bought me for Christmas was really nice because the pot can hold two different dips at the same time. After Nick left, I showered like I normally do, but the next part of the evening was a complete surprise. I came out of my bathroom in only a towel and Michael was waiting outside of my room with the door closed. He told me he had something to show me. He led me into my room, which was dark. He flipped the light switch and my room was lit up with green laser stars. Behind him I could see some silhouettes on my dresser that I did not recognize. He asked me if I knew that he loved me to which I replied yes. Suddenly, he was down on one knee asking me to marry him. He handed me a ring that was folded out of a $100 bill. He told me that he knew I would have been happy with any ring he might have chosen, but that he wanted it to be perfect and so I could trade the paper ring in for real one I picked out. He turned a lamp on and the strange shapes behind him were several different flower arrangements. He told me that he had hidden them throughout the apartment all day and only had a chance to set them up while I was in the shower. So, dripping wet, I became engaged.