A pharmer's clothes: November 28, 2011

Today is my last day in Denver. Tomorrow it's back to the grind. I'm so grateful that I had this little vacation, because I have a lot of work to do when I get back! We are trying to get some papers submitted by the end of the year and I need to start thinking about my seminar that I am giving in February. Plus tutoring has really picked up. Every year I tell myself I will only take on two students, but some how I've ended up with six this semester. Busy busy busy.

 (( sweater: H&M / jeans: Target / jewelry: Forever21 / shoes: Zara / purse: Marc Jacobs ))

Did you notice my fancy hair? And by "fancy" I mean "hair extensions." Shutter. I really wanted to get some blue/turquoise highlights put in my hair, but my stylist talked me out of it. I'm actually quite underwhelmed with my whole haircut this time around. Maybe it's because I was so excited to get it cut that I just built it up too much. But at the same time I'm honestly not too crazy about this cut. I really think the top layers of my hair need to be shorter, similar to this:

(mmmmmm olives)

Obviously my hair is much shorter in these pictures, but I think the same concept would still apply with longer hair. The top layer of my hair just doesn't like to curl, but the ends will get a bit wavy. Solution? Cut the top shorter so I have wavy bits instead of weird, heavy straight hair. Right now I feel like I have major triangle-head going on. In fact, I think it is worse now than before I got it cut! Grrrr. So I think I will try out a salon in DC to get it fixed. I'm thinking of going to Immortal Beloved...it seems to get pretty good reviews. To my DC readers - have you ever been there? Know anyone who has?

Sorry for the long-winded hair rant. But hair is your most important accessory, right??

A pharmer's clothes: November 25, 2011

Happy (belated) Thanksgiving! And to my non-US readers: happy Friday! Happy days for all.

My Thanksgiving was perfect. I woke up and did the Denver Turkey Trot in the morning with my mom and some friends. I was expecting to run it alone due to slowness, but I ended up running the whole way with one of my friends. We were on the cross country team together in high school so it was nice and nostalgic.  This was the first race (except the zombie race, which wasn't much running) I've done in a while with someone else. It was really fun! Having another person made the time go by so much faster. We finished in 40:32 - 10:08/mile. Not too bad!

(( shirt and dress: UO / tights: Target / necklace: Nordstrom BP / shoes: Minnetonka ))

After the run, Mom and I headed home and finished up preparations for Thanksgiving. We had a pretty small dinner this year - only six people - but it was fun! My family is huge - my mom is the youngest of twelve which means lots of aunts & uncles and lots of cousins! Last year we had 40+ people over for Thanksgiving. By comparison this year was a micro Thanksgiving. It was definitely more low key, and I got to sit at the adult table for the first time. Yep, 25 and I've finally graduated from the kids table.

I am thankful for so many things in my life:

• First and foremost my family, who are widely supportive and loving. It breaks my heart to be so far away from them. I can't wait to be done with my PhD so I can move back to Colorado. 
• Jason. Who is endlessly loving and patient. And sees horrible movies with me. And puts up with all my crazy. I literally never imagined finding someone so perfect for me. I didn't think a relationship like this could even exist.
• My group of friends from high school. It is mind-blowing to think we are still so close after so many years and so many miles! I know they will be there for me even when I am an old lady.
• Blogging, or more specifically, all the amazing people I've met through blogging. It's only been six months, but I've already made more friends (both virtual and IRL) than I had in the other two years I spent in DC. So thank you to all of you for reading! It truly means a lot to me  :)

A pharmer's clothes: November 22, 2011

(( top: Topshop / skirt and shoes: UO ))

I wanted to post these pics on Monday to finish up the color wheel challenge. This is supposed to be my "purple" outfit, but you can't really tell the collar of my top is purple. Meh. Jason took these for me this weekend on our way to see Twilight. I was feeling vampirey and not in the mood for normal outfit pics. So we opted to use my most favorite camera mode to make fun light writing pictures. I call this mode "man at night mode" since that is what the symbol looks like. It takes a picture with flash then leaves the shutter open a bit longer, allowing time for crazy light squiggles. Love it!

I am currently sitting in a plane on the tarmac waiting to head to Denver. I'm can't wait! Thanksgiving is definitely more fun now that I live so far away - I'm so excited to see all my family and friends that I haven't seen in months. Plus all the yummy food! Thanksgiving is definitely my favorite holiday.

What are your Thanksgiving plans? Are you traveling or staying home?

A pharmer's clothes: November 20, 2011

(( sweater: Anthropologie / shirt: Common Era / jeans: Express / shoes: Converse / glasses: Warby Parker ))

What a weird day. It really doesn't feel like Sunday. Last week was very, very long between the conference and lots of tutoring. I thought this weekend would give some much needed down time, but it just feels odd. I think it must be because Thanksgiving is this week so I know I only have two days of work, making this weekend a weird sort of almost vacation/lazy weekend limbo. Or maybe it is because I went shopping today and spent much more than I should have, and now I'm feeling guilty about it. Damn you H&M and all your cute sweaters!

True fact: goofy pictures are 1.32 billion times better than serious ones. Trust me, I'm a scientist.

Jason and I are about to head off to another BarCraft event - nerds watching Starcraft at a sports bar. It way awesome. No, seriously it is! Maybe I just feel most at home with a gaggle of geeks, or maybe I like being one of the only girls in the room. Either way, BarCraft is awesome. It is a bit hard to explain, but this article does a better job than I ever could.

A pharmer's clothes: November 19, 2011

(( sweater and boots: Target / skirt: DIY / necklace: Forever21 ))

So this is me officially failing at the color wheel challenge. Damn. I meant to post this outfit yesterday for yellow day, but then I got home super super late. My boss decided to have an impromptu party, and his parties always go until the wee hours of the morning. I was actually surprised/pleased to get home before midnight. Either way, by the time I got home I was too tired to blog. And then today I looked at my closet, realized my complete lack of anything green to wear, and said "you win color wheel challenge, you win." Regardless, I am going to finish up the rest of the colors. Well, except indigo. Because, really, who decided indigo is different than violet?

Despite my less than stellar performance with the color wheel challenge, I have opted to sign up for another challenge (if at first you don't succeed, right?) I've decided to participate in the Holiday Bootie Buster Challenge from the blog Run To The Finish. The challenge is actually kind of serious/complicated with a points system and prizes for the winner, but I just want to use it as motivation to exercise a little more this holiday season. Somehow I usually manage to maintain over the holidays, I think partially because I eat healthier when I am at home (except for eating a billion calories on Thanksgiving, obviously). Either way,  after going to Italy and not running as much I have gained a few pounds in the past months. I try not to be overly sensitive to numbers on the scale - I'd rather focus on fitness-based goals. That's why I really like the idea of this HBBC thing. Just a good way to motivate myself to exercise a bit more. Plus I really do like running. I just don't remember that until I am actually out running, haha.

If you are interested in participating, the challenge starts today and lasts until January 6. It is set up so that people with all levels of fitness can join in. I'm going to try and update the blog once a week about my progress, and I'll track my day-to-day progress on DailyMile. If you are joining let me know so we can motivate each other! Or if you are on DailyMile let me know, cause I can always use more running/motivation buddies.

PS Jason and I just got home from the new Twilight movie. LOLOLOL they just keep getting better and better. You know a movie is a winner when everyone in the theater keeps giggling and making snide remarks throughout. Totally worth $10. I needed a good laugh.

A pharmer's clothes: November 17, 2011

It's very fitting that today is orange, because the Broncos played tonight! I restrained myself from more sports paraphernalia though - you're welcome! Instead I opted to wear these tights, aka the only other orange I own. I bought them last winter from We Love Colors. I was looking for cranberry/dark red tights, and online these seemed to fit the bill. Needless to say, when I received them I was surprised by how orange they were. But as a Broncos fan it is quite the happy accident! Since then I have learned the We Love Colors has a blog that shows the colors of their tights much more accurately, so I won't make this mistake again. Live and learn, right??


BTW, did you watch the Broncos game tonight? All I have to say is TEBOW!!!!!!! He's definitely not the best quarterback out there, but he knows how to win games! And isn't that what really matters? Okay, I'm admitting it, I guess I'm on the Tebow train. I can't help it! It feels so good to be excited about the Broncos again!

When I go back to Denver next week I am getting my hair cut/colored. I'm excited because I really hate the shape it is now and it is so damaged and I know I need to take a lot of length off. But at the same time I'm bummed because I kind of love how long it is. This is the longest my hair has been in years and it took quite some time to get it here! But I suppose healthy hair is better than long hair, right? And who knows, maybe once I get it chopped I will love the shorter length even more.

Hair is so funny. Why do we obsesses about it so much? I have become much more worried about it in past years. I think it has a lot to do with wearing my hair curly now and embracing how it is naturally. It has made me develop a bit of pride in my hair, which may be a bit silly. Either way I 'm glad I don't straighten it everyday anymore. That's how my hair got so fried in the first place! Plus, I definitely don't have that kind of time/motivation. Nowadays I call it a success if I get up in time to have a breakfast that is more substantial than a slim fast shake. I've said it once and I'll say it again: being an adult is hard. Grumble.

A pharmer's clothes: November 16, 2011

Here we go for color wheel challenge round two! Today's color is red. I know I know...this outfit is probably not "blog worthy," but here I am anyway because 1) I felt like being comfy today after four days of conference clothes, 2)  I will finish this challenge, gosh darn it! And 3) this is honestly what I wear about half the time anyway. And while I might casually refer to my blog as a "fashion blog," I am never going to say that I am in anyway a cutting edge stylista. I'm just a grad student who likes clothes.

(( plaid shirt and jeans: Target / bracelets: Forever21 / shoes: converse  / black shirt: free! I mean "c/o Thor Imaging Systems" lol ))

Anyway, on to my lovely outfit. Sooo...I totally got this shirt for free at the conference. I'm a little bummed it is not more obviously nerdy, but it does have a rockin' neuron on the back:

Score!

One thing I love about ginormous conferences is all the swag you get. I got two t-shirts, three stress balls, a bunch of candy in nerdy packaging (ie centrifuge tubes), and a lifetime supply of pens.

   

Isn't that brain hat the most glorious thing you've ever seen? I was wearing just walking around the conference, wearing my brain hat like a boss, and someone came and gave me a $25 gift certificate to Barnes and Noble! Apparently there was a contest involving wearing the brain hats around. Awesome!!

FYI- if you want to be awesome like me you can download the brain hat here. 

Now the only question is what to buy with my gift certificate. I don't think I've bought a non-science book in...wow, I can't even remember. Any good recommendations?? I'm going back to Colorado next week for Thanksgiving so I'll have a good chunk of plane time for reading, yay!

A pharmer's clothes: November 14, 2011

Damn me and my impatience! I took these pics at 8am on my way out the door to the conference. It was gray and icky outside, so I tried my hand at taking them indoors since they came out well the other day. The pictures look okay, except you totally can't tell my shirt is yellow! Grrrrr incandescent lighting.

This officially completes one round of the color wheel challenge! It has been a lot harder than I thought it would be. Like I said, I sort of live in black- wearing color everyday has taken some creativity. For the next week of the challenge I am going to go in ROY G BIV order, both to soothe my scientist soul, and also cause that means one less color and I need a day off. I have a super busy day tomorrow: I'm presenting my poster and then tutoring late, so I'm  planning on existing in the real world only.

(( jacket: Banana Republic / top: Anthropologie / neckalce: Modcloth / jeans and shoes: Target ))

I got this top a few weeks ago from Anthropologie. I had some things to return and went in fully expecting not to find anything within my price range that I loved. Then I saw this lovely, and on the sale no less! I realized a few days ago that I had actually pinned this exact top on pinterest a few weeks prior. It must be fate.

A pharmer's clothes: November 13, 2011

Color wheel challenge, day 7: green. Almost done!! I would have worn my green pants, but I wanted to dress a little nicer for the conference today. I think it turned out well though cause I really liked this outfit! I don't wear this detachable velvet peter pan collar nearly enough. It was so fun wearing it today, I kept petting my neck, haha. And a sales rep at the conference told me that I look "like someone who does cell culture." Hahaha. Given the context, I am definitely taking that as a compliment.

(( sweater and tights: Target / dress and shoes: UO / collar: Modcloth )) 

Today, I went to a symposium called "the neurological basis of social pain." It was fascinating! I learned that physical pain and social pain activate the same regions of the brain. So being rejected is literally painful, as far as your brain is concerned. One researcher even presented some data that suggested that pain killers like Tylenol could dull the sting of social pain. Crazy!! This is why I love big conferneces (and this one is huge - 30,000 people!) - it's a chance to hear interesting things from lots of related fields, not just your own. It's nice to get excited about research in general. It makes me feel so much better about my choice to get my PhD, which is something I've really needed.