Graduation and my journeys since

Sorry this post is so late, but I thought it was still worthwhile to mention that I walked in graduation!  I have also submitted all of the paperwork to graduate, including my dissertation, so the only thing left is the piece of paper to hang on the wall!  I had a really great time with my family that came into town from Texas, Maryland, and even Pakistan!  See more photos on my Google+.

Graduation procession

I've also spent some time doing those things that I haven't had a chance to yet, like heading to San Diego to meet up with the two people that I worked with during my undergraduate internship.  It was great catching up with them!  

Me and Tim Gerrodette at the new NOAA building

Me and Paula Olson

It was also a chance to do some tidepooling!  I went to San Diego twice, and on the first trip I saw an octopus!  I found it right before I had to leave.  I wanted to stay and watch it more!  On the second trip, I discovered that a particularly useful method for catching specimens is handing a net to a kid.  They put so many things in my bucket for me to identify!  Unfortunately, there are still several species of sculpin that are difficult for me to ID, including this one, despite consulting multiple field guides.  They can be so tricky!

Big sculpin someone caught for me!

I also drove up to CO a few weekends ago to check out Fort Collins and rent a house.  Because it's one of the most desirable places to live (apparently), housing is in high demand and it was difficult for me to find something that was available long enough for me to look at it.  So when I did find one that I was REALLY interested in, and that the landlord was also REALLY interested in me, Diego and I got in the car and drove up (round trip = 2149 miles!).  We ended up leasing a really nice place in central Fort Collins, right on the bike trail and a creek and about 2 miles from campus.  It was also a chance to meet up with Cameron and one of his grad students and see the lab.  I am really looking forward to the new experiences now (and another road trip)!

Utah, near the Green River

Diego in Utah

"The Summit", Colorado

Diego tuckered out at the hotel

 It's been a busy month, and now I have a ton of packing to do, but it's exciting to think about new places and new project and new phases of life.