This weekend at the farmer's market in Bloomington, there was no corn to be had (probably because of the extreme drought we've been having). BUT - they had Pawpaws. Paul had told me about these, that they grow wild in Indiana and have a custardy taste. But he'd never had them. So when the opportunity came, we grabbed it.
I thought it tasted just like a mango, but a little more creamy. But they have HUGE seeds - like if you stacked three quarters together, that'd be the size of one seed, and there are several in each pawpaw.
And, Paul informed me, there is a song about pawpaws that Hoosier kids learn in school. Here it is on YouTube for your enjoyment
Showing posts with label Indiana. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Indiana. Show all posts
Tuesday, August 28, 2012
Saturday, October 23, 2010
Navy Ball in French Lick
This weekend Paul and I were invited to the Navy Ball for Crane Naval Base, held at the French Lick Springs Hotel, about an hour and a half drive south from us. What the heck were we doing at a Naval Ball, you ask? Well, as part of Paul's job, he's supposed to hobnob with area businesses, and Crane Naval Base employs a lot of subcontractors and local small businesses. For me, it was a great excuse to get dressed up for a ball and have a much needed mini-vacation! Since I doubt many of our friends will ever have the chance to head out to French Lick, I'll give a bit of history about it.
French Lick Springs is an old hotel that used to be a therapeutic getaway for wealthy people to go bathe in and drink the spring water that flows out of the ground there. There's actually two hotels - one in West Baden, called the Carlsbad of America, a National Historic Landmark known for it's impressive round atrium. We actually stopped at the real Carlsbad (Karlovy Vary) in the Czech Republic on our honeymoon. Pretty much the only similarity I noticed was that both places have springs. Beyond that, Karlovy Vary is a fancy, built-up city with lots of shopping and charming restaurants. It's also home to Becherovka, a delicious Czech herbal liqueur. French Lick and West Baden, on the other hand, outside of the hotels, have Denny's and a CVS and windy back roads. There is the French Lick Winery that makes sweet regional wines, though I can't say we were inspired to bring any home. The hotels had become quite dilapidated over the years, and several years ago Bill & Gayle Cook, owners of the local Cook Medical company, donated over $500 million to renovate the hotels. So they're pretty darn nice now!
We tried to get into the West Baden Hotel to check out the dome, but it was closed for a private event until Sunday afternoon.
But, the French Lick Springs Hotel has its own nice features. Here's the casino:
And the renovated lobby
And the Grand Colonnade Restaurant, which is probably the fanciest buffet setting I've ever seen
Here's the back courtyard.
And, of course, the "World Famous Pluto Spring" itself. I was glad I had been to Karlovy Vary so that I knew that the rotten egg smell was supposed to be there from the sulfurous spring water.
And in case you were wondering for what reason someone would partake of rotten egg-smelling water, here's Paul posing with the promotional message, "America's Greatest Laxative"
As for the Ball itself... I loved the floral arrangements - they had little LED lights in them so they glowed as it got dark
It started out with the important people being announced and going to the head table. These included high-up officers of the Navy, and people like the Lieutenant Governor. Here's the flag procession which preceded the National Anthem
After a bunch of speeches by a few different high-ups about this celebration of the Navy's birthday and a recounting of the many humanitarian efforts put on by the Navy (eg, medical care in Haiti, Pakistan, etc following natural disasters, among other things), they had a special ceremony for Prisoners of War. It was a really moving event. They had a table set up with one chair, and said how it was to represent that that the POWs are alone. Then they lit a candle to symbolize the strength of our POWs to stand up to their oppressors, and a red rose to symbolize the family waiting for them, and so forth. It really makes you stop and think about the sacrifices our armed services are making right now for our country. At the end of the speeches, they had the official cake cutting. I believe they had the newest Navy member present a sword to the most senior member, and together they cut the cake. (You can see the table-for-one on the right side of the picture)
Here we are at the table
After dinner, they had a live band and dancing. Before we turned in for the night, we hit up the casino with the $5 credits they gave us at the front desk when we checked in. We each got a free t-shirt and headed in for the slots. I wound up with a cool $3.75 in my pocket that I didn't have when I went in there, so that was pretty nice. I won't disclose Paul's outcome.
As we left the next morning, I noticed a high roller was visiting the casino. Check out that detail work!
Finally, here's a few scenes from our drive back to Bloomington.
This is where your grain get stored before it gets packed and put on grocery store shelves or fed to animals.
There are a lot of falling-down old barns around Indiana
Many people in Southern Indiana have farm animals
Here's a farm in Loogootee (which is where we got our former puppy, Rewley)
And we made a quick stop in Amish Country
They're great bakers - we got a huge thing of cinnamon buns - yum!
Just watch out for buggies!
French Lick Springs is an old hotel that used to be a therapeutic getaway for wealthy people to go bathe in and drink the spring water that flows out of the ground there. There's actually two hotels - one in West Baden, called the Carlsbad of America, a National Historic Landmark known for it's impressive round atrium. We actually stopped at the real Carlsbad (Karlovy Vary) in the Czech Republic on our honeymoon. Pretty much the only similarity I noticed was that both places have springs. Beyond that, Karlovy Vary is a fancy, built-up city with lots of shopping and charming restaurants. It's also home to Becherovka, a delicious Czech herbal liqueur. French Lick and West Baden, on the other hand, outside of the hotels, have Denny's and a CVS and windy back roads. There is the French Lick Winery that makes sweet regional wines, though I can't say we were inspired to bring any home. The hotels had become quite dilapidated over the years, and several years ago Bill & Gayle Cook, owners of the local Cook Medical company, donated over $500 million to renovate the hotels. So they're pretty darn nice now!
We tried to get into the West Baden Hotel to check out the dome, but it was closed for a private event until Sunday afternoon.
But, the French Lick Springs Hotel has its own nice features. Here's the casino:
And the renovated lobby
And the Grand Colonnade Restaurant, which is probably the fanciest buffet setting I've ever seen
Here's the back courtyard.
And, of course, the "World Famous Pluto Spring" itself. I was glad I had been to Karlovy Vary so that I knew that the rotten egg smell was supposed to be there from the sulfurous spring water.
And in case you were wondering for what reason someone would partake of rotten egg-smelling water, here's Paul posing with the promotional message, "America's Greatest Laxative"
As for the Ball itself... I loved the floral arrangements - they had little LED lights in them so they glowed as it got dark
It started out with the important people being announced and going to the head table. These included high-up officers of the Navy, and people like the Lieutenant Governor. Here's the flag procession which preceded the National Anthem
After a bunch of speeches by a few different high-ups about this celebration of the Navy's birthday and a recounting of the many humanitarian efforts put on by the Navy (eg, medical care in Haiti, Pakistan, etc following natural disasters, among other things), they had a special ceremony for Prisoners of War. It was a really moving event. They had a table set up with one chair, and said how it was to represent that that the POWs are alone. Then they lit a candle to symbolize the strength of our POWs to stand up to their oppressors, and a red rose to symbolize the family waiting for them, and so forth. It really makes you stop and think about the sacrifices our armed services are making right now for our country. At the end of the speeches, they had the official cake cutting. I believe they had the newest Navy member present a sword to the most senior member, and together they cut the cake. (You can see the table-for-one on the right side of the picture)
Here we are at the table
After dinner, they had a live band and dancing. Before we turned in for the night, we hit up the casino with the $5 credits they gave us at the front desk when we checked in. We each got a free t-shirt and headed in for the slots. I wound up with a cool $3.75 in my pocket that I didn't have when I went in there, so that was pretty nice. I won't disclose Paul's outcome.
As we left the next morning, I noticed a high roller was visiting the casino. Check out that detail work!
Finally, here's a few scenes from our drive back to Bloomington.
This is where your grain get stored before it gets packed and put on grocery store shelves or fed to animals.
There are a lot of falling-down old barns around Indiana
Many people in Southern Indiana have farm animals
Here's a farm in Loogootee (which is where we got our former puppy, Rewley)
And we made a quick stop in Amish Country
They're great bakers - we got a huge thing of cinnamon buns - yum!
Just watch out for buggies!
Sunday, August 8, 2010
Monroe County Fair
Last weekend we went to the Monroe County Fair with one of my classmates and his wife. They're from India, and they'd never been to a county fair before so we tried our best to show them what it's all about.
First was the dog show. It wasn't nearly as exciting as the professional one on TV, and the hostess had to remind the crowd not to laugh at the kids showing their dogs (I admit, I did chuckle at a couple points because the dogs were so cute and reminded me of our often disobedient dog). But it was super cute! Here is one of the contenders.
Then we got tenderloins, which are a Hoosier thing (pounded pork tenderloin that's battered, deep fried and served on a bun). Next Paul and I got an elephant ear. I have to admit, I like the doughboys I've had in New England better - this one was thinner and cripier than the chewy doughboys I'm used to, and they serve it with cinnamon and sugar instead of powdered sugar.
Then there were the pork rinds that Paul couldn't resist. Here he is trying to select a flavor.
Then there was the main attraction: THE DEMOLITION DERBY. This, we knew, would be a great way to show an American tradition unlike anything you'd see in India. First they send out two teens on horses with a big American flag. They ride around the derby track while the national anthem plays. Next, they introduce the cars that are competing for best looking car. This comes with a $100 prize and bragging rights. Here's an example of one of them (Note the girl with the tiara - she's the County Fair Queen this year):
We thought there'd just be one round of cars coming out and smashing up, but the program went on for hours with multiple rounds of cars coming in. The "winners" of each round (the ones that can still run) move on to the finals. See what happened to that car with the corncob design?
Once we had enough Demolition Derby, we went to check out the animals being shown by the 4-H club.
Here's one I would not want to meet in the wild
And look at the feet on this one!
And finally, the bunnies. These two wanted to get together!
Before we left, we checked out the tractor exhibit. Don't we look like naturals?
First was the dog show. It wasn't nearly as exciting as the professional one on TV, and the hostess had to remind the crowd not to laugh at the kids showing their dogs (I admit, I did chuckle at a couple points because the dogs were so cute and reminded me of our often disobedient dog). But it was super cute! Here is one of the contenders.
Then we got tenderloins, which are a Hoosier thing (pounded pork tenderloin that's battered, deep fried and served on a bun). Next Paul and I got an elephant ear. I have to admit, I like the doughboys I've had in New England better - this one was thinner and cripier than the chewy doughboys I'm used to, and they serve it with cinnamon and sugar instead of powdered sugar.
Then there were the pork rinds that Paul couldn't resist. Here he is trying to select a flavor.
Then there was the main attraction: THE DEMOLITION DERBY. This, we knew, would be a great way to show an American tradition unlike anything you'd see in India. First they send out two teens on horses with a big American flag. They ride around the derby track while the national anthem plays. Next, they introduce the cars that are competing for best looking car. This comes with a $100 prize and bragging rights. Here's an example of one of them (Note the girl with the tiara - she's the County Fair Queen this year):
We thought there'd just be one round of cars coming out and smashing up, but the program went on for hours with multiple rounds of cars coming in. The "winners" of each round (the ones that can still run) move on to the finals. See what happened to that car with the corncob design?
Once we had enough Demolition Derby, we went to check out the animals being shown by the 4-H club.
Here's one I would not want to meet in the wild
And look at the feet on this one!
And finally, the bunnies. These two wanted to get together!
Before we left, we checked out the tractor exhibit. Don't we look like naturals?
Saturday, December 5, 2009
The Best Rowing Movie Ever Made...
Today Paul and I watched a movie we got from the Bloomington Public Library called Miracle at Oxford. The review on the back said it was "the best rowing movie ever made". I'm not about to doubt that claim, but it was pretty good. Since both Paul and I have rowed (and Paul at Oxford), we were probably a little more interested than most other people would be in the film. But it was still really neat to say "ooh, I know that street!" or "Hey, isn't that the butcher shop we liked?" It also had some interesting commentary on how Americans are perceived in the UK.
What was a really bizarre coincidence is that one of the main actors, Dominic West, also starred in Mona Lisa Smile, which was filmed at Wellesley College while I was a student there.
So now I'm thinking it might be a good time to watch Breaking Away again - that's the movie about bike racing in the Little 500 in Bloomington, Indiana. It's always fun to watch a movie about a place you've lived, and now that I've been in Bloomington for over half a year I should be able to recognize some places!
What was a really bizarre coincidence is that one of the main actors, Dominic West, also starred in Mona Lisa Smile, which was filmed at Wellesley College while I was a student there.
So now I'm thinking it might be a good time to watch Breaking Away again - that's the movie about bike racing in the Little 500 in Bloomington, Indiana. It's always fun to watch a movie about a place you've lived, and now that I've been in Bloomington for over half a year I should be able to recognize some places!
Monday, October 5, 2009
Pronunciation
A funny thing in Social Science theory, or at least I think it's funny, is that people who are normally speaking English suddenly develop a German accent when referencing Max Weber. Apprently, saying Maaahx Vay-baar must sound much more sophiticated or intellectual than saying his name like you'd read it out of a US phone book - Macks Web-ber. I don't know, I just think it's kind of pretentious, but then again I'm the odd one out on this. For now, I'm holding out as long as I can with my American accent. Maybe I'll sound just as abrasive as the Germanophiles sound to me, but I can deal with that better than pretending to have an accent.
Might I also add that Hoosiers doesn't mess with foreign pronunciation, as in Peru, Indiana, pronounced "pay-roo". Our neighbors in Illinois do likewise with Des Plaines (dehs playnes). Even Kentucky gets it, pronouncing Versailles, KY as "ver-sails". I'm definitely not the only one to Americanize pronunciation.
So let's see how long I get away with my little rebellion.
Might I also add that Hoosiers doesn't mess with foreign pronunciation, as in Peru, Indiana, pronounced "pay-roo". Our neighbors in Illinois do likewise with Des Plaines (dehs playnes). Even Kentucky gets it, pronouncing Versailles, KY as "ver-sails". I'm definitely not the only one to Americanize pronunciation.
So let's see how long I get away with my little rebellion.
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
We're homeowners!
Despite some crazy events leading up to it (like our key not opening the car door a half hour before the closing), we are now officially homeowners. It is a really great feeling to know you don't have to move out in a year, or deal with random maintenance people letting themselves into your home. Plus, we have a yard which is just fantastic for the dog. So far his favorite thing about the house is that he can chase grasshoppers in the lawn (if you can call it that!). Getting him back in the house, on the other hand, is a lot harder!
Otherwise the house is a total mess, since we have a lot of boxes of stuff but no furniture except a couple chairs and a kitchen table. But we'll get there eventually. The best part is having a bed to sleep on that no one else has ever slept on. We also got to pick out all the appliances since it's a new house. Finally, after 2 years, we can use all those awesome wedding presents we got!
We love the location because we are in a subdivision that's a bit out in the country. Really, it's just a few minutes drive from Indiana University, but it's far enough away that you have to drive past cows to get here. And when we went to change the address on our drivers licenses today, the local BMV office was using a cowbell on the door to announce your arrival.
Otherwise the house is a total mess, since we have a lot of boxes of stuff but no furniture except a couple chairs and a kitchen table. But we'll get there eventually. The best part is having a bed to sleep on that no one else has ever slept on. We also got to pick out all the appliances since it's a new house. Finally, after 2 years, we can use all those awesome wedding presents we got!
We love the location because we are in a subdivision that's a bit out in the country. Really, it's just a few minutes drive from Indiana University, but it's far enough away that you have to drive past cows to get here. And when we went to change the address on our drivers licenses today, the local BMV office was using a cowbell on the door to announce your arrival.
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Crackdown on Puppy Mills
As a new owner of a fantastic puppy who we got from a responsible breeder, it makes me really sad to see puppies in pet shops. It's pretty much guaranteed that if you buy a puppy from a pet shop, it has come from a puppy mill. A few weeks ago, we peeked into the pet shop at the local mall here in Bloomington and saw a golden retriever boy a few days older than Rewley. We were back there today, and he was still there, his sad little eyes looking up at us from his droopy, scrawny body. I had to leave before I started to cry. I don't know why we went there; I guess just to remind ourselves that even though we got our puppy from a breeder who clearly loved and cared attentively for our pup, a lot of dogs don't have that kind of life.
In talking to some of the people working at local shelters, we heard that there's a huge number of dogs in puppy mills in Indiana. But there's good news - a new law that goes into effect on July 1 will seriously crack down on puppy mills. An interesting editorial about one recent puppy mill closure is here. The AKC is actually against the new law because it may punish responsible breeders, and because shelters are exempt from the standard of living clause. Read more here if you're interested.
Overall, I'm glad there's some progress being made to stop this deplorable treatment of animals. Sometimes I think how if the pet shop puppies look so sad and unhealthy, it's probably a heck of a lot better than the conditions the puppy's mother is living in. And if it means responsible breeders have to charge more to make up for the new taxes, I'd be happy to pay that extra fee if it means an end to puppy mills.
All of this means Rewley gets extra hugs today, even if he doesn't know why.
In talking to some of the people working at local shelters, we heard that there's a huge number of dogs in puppy mills in Indiana. But there's good news - a new law that goes into effect on July 1 will seriously crack down on puppy mills. An interesting editorial about one recent puppy mill closure is here. The AKC is actually against the new law because it may punish responsible breeders, and because shelters are exempt from the standard of living clause. Read more here if you're interested.
Overall, I'm glad there's some progress being made to stop this deplorable treatment of animals. Sometimes I think how if the pet shop puppies look so sad and unhealthy, it's probably a heck of a lot better than the conditions the puppy's mother is living in. And if it means responsible breeders have to charge more to make up for the new taxes, I'd be happy to pay that extra fee if it means an end to puppy mills.
All of this means Rewley gets extra hugs today, even if he doesn't know why.
Friday, May 29, 2009
Licensed Drivers
Today both Paul and I got our Indiana driver's licenses. We had to go separately so one of us could stay with the dog. It took two visits on both of our parts, not because of the testing but because they first wouldn't accept our proof of address paperwork (car insurance policy). But on second examination, they decided to accept it with "special permission" from the manager. We had opened a bank account this morning in town because they hadn't accepted any of our paid bills (vet bill, car bill, health insurance bill, car insurance bill) because they did not contain the phrase "amount due". So we didn't even need to open the bank account! I'd also been told when I first went there that I couldn't register to vote at the BMV, but when I did go back to get my license, they asked me if I wanted to register to vote. Guess it depends on who you get!
It's a good thing we passed our tests, because if we weren't "in the system", we wouldn't have been able to get our car title registered, nor get license plates. Normally, it'd be OK to do this late and get late fees, but since we're moving in August, there's no way
Yet another reason why I'm tired of moving!
It's a good thing we passed our tests, because if we weren't "in the system", we wouldn't have been able to get our car title registered, nor get license plates. Normally, it'd be OK to do this late and get late fees, but since we're moving in August, there's no way
Yet another reason why I'm tired of moving!
Friday, May 22, 2009
Le Moustache
Paul, Anne and I could not stop laughing at this picture of Rewley taken this morning. It looks like he has a mustache!
See any resemblance with Steve Martin in the Pink Panther?
Yesterday Anne and I had an awesome sushi lunch downtown, then drove around looking at houses. We found one street in Ellettsville that was just perfect - gorgeous houses with nice yards and and established trees... only to find out later the houses for sale were listed around $600,000. Yikes!
This afternoon Paul's taking Anne to Lake Monroe, and to see the Star Wars movie.
And in trying not to only blog about the dog that's taking over our lives right now, here's a few things I've noticed about Indiana. First, the big box stores like Wal-Mart and grocery stores are open 24 hours. What a change from England! Second, food tastes in general are not so adventurous as I'm used to. I like to ask local people wherever I am about what restaurants they would recommend to someone new in town. Here, the kinds of recommendation are places like the Golden Corral buffet, Olive Garden, or Applebees. Strange considering Bloomington is home to dozens of fantastic ethnic restaurants. And third, people are really a lot friendlier. Even checking out at the grocery store, the cashiers are friendly and multiple people at various shops have offered to carry my bags to the car for me
Ok, and for my fav puppy pics of the day:
Nap Time
And just looking handsome
See any resemblance with Steve Martin in the Pink Panther?
Yesterday Anne and I had an awesome sushi lunch downtown, then drove around looking at houses. We found one street in Ellettsville that was just perfect - gorgeous houses with nice yards and and established trees... only to find out later the houses for sale were listed around $600,000. Yikes!
This afternoon Paul's taking Anne to Lake Monroe, and to see the Star Wars movie.
And in trying not to only blog about the dog that's taking over our lives right now, here's a few things I've noticed about Indiana. First, the big box stores like Wal-Mart and grocery stores are open 24 hours. What a change from England! Second, food tastes in general are not so adventurous as I'm used to. I like to ask local people wherever I am about what restaurants they would recommend to someone new in town. Here, the kinds of recommendation are places like the Golden Corral buffet, Olive Garden, or Applebees. Strange considering Bloomington is home to dozens of fantastic ethnic restaurants. And third, people are really a lot friendlier. Even checking out at the grocery store, the cashiers are friendly and multiple people at various shops have offered to carry my bags to the car for me
Ok, and for my fav puppy pics of the day:
Nap Time
And just looking handsome
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Packing and moving stinks!
Move number 19 is quickly approaching. We leave Massachusetts on May 9 and arrive in Indiana on May 10, with a stopover and visit to my friend Julina and her husband Michael (who I still haven't met!) in Pittsburgh (thank you once again for putting us up!). I don't remember going to Pittsburgh, so I'm looking forward to seeing a bit of the city that was voted one of the best places to live.
I'm also looking forward to the drive itself (ok, well Paul will actually do the driving), the open road and seeing lots of different places along the way, however fleetingly. Plus, there's a law of nature that calories don't count on road trips, so it's burgers, milkshakes, hot dogs, beef jerky and other tasty all-American goodies along the way. And the idea of having our own place once again (even if it does have someone else's furniture) is exciting, as is the possibility of getting a puppy once we settle in - I peruse the petfinder.com listings daily.
But for now, we're finishing up the packing and stacking of boxes. Sure, most of it has been packed for nearly 2 years now, but it's all those small odds and ends that are left, particularly those treasured trinkets from when I was 5. Do I need that slightly dented tin ring from a 25c machine? How about that box full of ticket stubs from events like Sesame Street Live? Or my collection of shaped soaps that I'd forgotten about 10 years ago? Or those computer disks from college - yeah, the square ones. I don't even have a computer that reads those! It really feels like it never ends!
I guess we all go through this cleaning out process eventually, especially those of us who grew up in the same house throughout our childhood. I'm trying to pack only those things that are actually useful or valuable and throw out the rest. I've moved so much and thrown out so much that I do feel guilty for trashing so much perfectly useful stuff, but there's no sense in keeping things that you're not going to use.
We've probably got enough boxes to fill half to 2/3 of the truck. Our only piece of furniture is a desk chair from the Marshall Field's outlet in Chicago. So that leaves us a good deal of wiggle room and space for those things Grandma said I'd have "one day", because "one day" is here!
Well, time for more packing and less typing. Let's hope move #20 in August is easier!
I'm also looking forward to the drive itself (ok, well Paul will actually do the driving), the open road and seeing lots of different places along the way, however fleetingly. Plus, there's a law of nature that calories don't count on road trips, so it's burgers, milkshakes, hot dogs, beef jerky and other tasty all-American goodies along the way. And the idea of having our own place once again (even if it does have someone else's furniture) is exciting, as is the possibility of getting a puppy once we settle in - I peruse the petfinder.com listings daily.
But for now, we're finishing up the packing and stacking of boxes. Sure, most of it has been packed for nearly 2 years now, but it's all those small odds and ends that are left, particularly those treasured trinkets from when I was 5. Do I need that slightly dented tin ring from a 25c machine? How about that box full of ticket stubs from events like Sesame Street Live? Or my collection of shaped soaps that I'd forgotten about 10 years ago? Or those computer disks from college - yeah, the square ones. I don't even have a computer that reads those! It really feels like it never ends!
I guess we all go through this cleaning out process eventually, especially those of us who grew up in the same house throughout our childhood. I'm trying to pack only those things that are actually useful or valuable and throw out the rest. I've moved so much and thrown out so much that I do feel guilty for trashing so much perfectly useful stuff, but there's no sense in keeping things that you're not going to use.
We've probably got enough boxes to fill half to 2/3 of the truck. Our only piece of furniture is a desk chair from the Marshall Field's outlet in Chicago. So that leaves us a good deal of wiggle room and space for those things Grandma said I'd have "one day", because "one day" is here!
Well, time for more packing and less typing. Let's hope move #20 in August is easier!
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Our visit to Bloomington
This past weekend we took a trip out to Bloomington to accomplish two things. One, for me to meet a bunch of professors and students who I'll be working with for the next few years, and two, to find a place to live for the summer. It seems both worked out really well!
We stayed in Bloomington from Thursday to Monday. Paul's friend Nicole was generous enough to host us while we were there, and give us the run-down on the town. Apparently in the last few years since Paul graduated from IU Bloomington has grown a lot. They've increased the number of undergrads and there's been a lot of students coming from NY and NJ, sparking vast construction of condos and "New York style" apartments. Needless to say, there is a huge selection of housing options. We decided it'd be best to go for a summer sub-let so we can get (re)familiarized with the town, and figure out where we want to live more permanently. Houses are ridiculously cheap compared to what you get in Massachusetts, so we are basically cutting our expected housing budget in half or more.
We wound up finding a summer sub-let on the east side of town. It's fully furnished, includes a washer and dryer, dishwasher, central air, and best of all, we can get a puppy! I think the puppy idea is what I'm most excited about right now. A lot of you probably know I grew up with 2 golden retrievers, Lisa and Disa, and I do miss them. They were wonderful dogs, so friendly and always happy to see anyone. Having a dog really brings a special kind of joy into your life. I think you don't really understand it unless you have had a dog. So we're looking at adopting a golden retriever puppy once we find a reputable breeder. We'll probably look at the pound too, but it's hard to find purebred golden puppies.
As for my program and the people in it, I am really blessed to have found such a great group of people to be working with over the next few years. Since a bunch of prospective grad students were visiting, the graduate secretary set up 15-30 minute meetings for each of us with different professors. I was amazed that professors who I thought I had nothing in common with actually do have research interests that overlap with mine. It's so reassuring, because while there are probably 2 or 3 professors I see as the best "fit" for me, I really appreciate having input from different perspectives and I know I'll have that at IU.
As for pictures, we didn't take a whole lot, but here's what the campus looks like from inside the Sample Gates (named for an alum).
And here's what you get in the countryside just outside the town. Beautiful, isn't it? I'm so looking forward to this fantastic combination of college town and country roads!:
We stayed in Bloomington from Thursday to Monday. Paul's friend Nicole was generous enough to host us while we were there, and give us the run-down on the town. Apparently in the last few years since Paul graduated from IU Bloomington has grown a lot. They've increased the number of undergrads and there's been a lot of students coming from NY and NJ, sparking vast construction of condos and "New York style" apartments. Needless to say, there is a huge selection of housing options. We decided it'd be best to go for a summer sub-let so we can get (re)familiarized with the town, and figure out where we want to live more permanently. Houses are ridiculously cheap compared to what you get in Massachusetts, so we are basically cutting our expected housing budget in half or more.
We wound up finding a summer sub-let on the east side of town. It's fully furnished, includes a washer and dryer, dishwasher, central air, and best of all, we can get a puppy! I think the puppy idea is what I'm most excited about right now. A lot of you probably know I grew up with 2 golden retrievers, Lisa and Disa, and I do miss them. They were wonderful dogs, so friendly and always happy to see anyone. Having a dog really brings a special kind of joy into your life. I think you don't really understand it unless you have had a dog. So we're looking at adopting a golden retriever puppy once we find a reputable breeder. We'll probably look at the pound too, but it's hard to find purebred golden puppies.
As for my program and the people in it, I am really blessed to have found such a great group of people to be working with over the next few years. Since a bunch of prospective grad students were visiting, the graduate secretary set up 15-30 minute meetings for each of us with different professors. I was amazed that professors who I thought I had nothing in common with actually do have research interests that overlap with mine. It's so reassuring, because while there are probably 2 or 3 professors I see as the best "fit" for me, I really appreciate having input from different perspectives and I know I'll have that at IU.
As for pictures, we didn't take a whole lot, but here's what the campus looks like from inside the Sample Gates (named for an alum).
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| From Bloomington March 2009 |
And here's what you get in the countryside just outside the town. Beautiful, isn't it? I'm so looking forward to this fantastic combination of college town and country roads!:
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| From Bloomington March 2009 |
Sunday, February 15, 2009
FINALLY some BIG NEWS!
After months of pretty dismal job hunting, we just found out today that I've been accepted to Indiana University, Bloomington to do a PhD in Sociology! We are just thrilled to have this opportunity, and even more thrilled that I'm getting funding to do it! Now Paul just needs to find a job out there, so if you know of anywhere around Bloomington, Indiana that's hiring MBA's, let us know!
My focus is going to be in medical sociology, which probably a lot of you who follow our blog aren't all that familiar with. Some examples of the kinds of topics I want to research include issues surrounding how people access medical care (what makes someone decide to visit a doctor? would national health care change that?), what happens once someone is diagnosed with a disease or condition, and how policies affect access to medical care and treatment decisions - and probably lots of other topics. More specifically, I've been concerned about the influence of the pharmaceutical industry on treatment, especially with regard to mental health. After living in the UK for a year, where direct-to-consumer marketing of pharmaceuticals is prohibited, and moving back to the US, where every other commercial is for some drug, I was reminded of the great extent to which pharmaceutical marketing is a part of everyday life for Americans.
I am so excited and thankful to be given this opportunity, and I know it sounds trite, but I honestly do hope to make a difference in the world with my work and I think that will be possible with this experience.
My focus is going to be in medical sociology, which probably a lot of you who follow our blog aren't all that familiar with. Some examples of the kinds of topics I want to research include issues surrounding how people access medical care (what makes someone decide to visit a doctor? would national health care change that?), what happens once someone is diagnosed with a disease or condition, and how policies affect access to medical care and treatment decisions - and probably lots of other topics. More specifically, I've been concerned about the influence of the pharmaceutical industry on treatment, especially with regard to mental health. After living in the UK for a year, where direct-to-consumer marketing of pharmaceuticals is prohibited, and moving back to the US, where every other commercial is for some drug, I was reminded of the great extent to which pharmaceutical marketing is a part of everyday life for Americans.
I am so excited and thankful to be given this opportunity, and I know it sounds trite, but I honestly do hope to make a difference in the world with my work and I think that will be possible with this experience.