27-JUL-2007
Somewhere over the rainbow, way up high
There's a land that I heard of, once in a lullaby.
Somewhere over the rainbow, skies are blue,
And the dreams that you dare to dream
Really do come true.
Someday I'll wish upon a star, and wake up where the clouds are far behind me.
Where troubles melt like lemon drops, away above the chimney tops
That's where you'll find me.
Somewhere over the rainbow, bluebirds fly.
Birds fly over the rainbow.
Why then, oh why can't I?
-E.Y. Harburg, 1939
PS - More photos on the way, stay tuned....
31-MAY-2007
End of May...
Busy, busy, busy to say the least. Work and Life. The last half of May was amazing. Lots of interesting results in lab, lots of excitement in my life, and visits from my friends. One of the many highlights of their visit was a 4-day trip to Paris, so please check out my new Paris album for 2007. Cheers!
16-MAY-2007
Final result.
I'm happy with the way it turned out. Ah, it feels so good getting rid of that hideous yellow. I decided to go with an off-white color, with a slight tint of beige, to blend the green bedroom and the peach kitchen together. Overall, I'm happy with the way my flat looks now. I feel that the color of a room has a big effect on your mood, and now I'm finally in a "peaceful" mood in any room, even the hallway...!
15-MAY-2007
More Painting!!!
Last year I tackled the task of repairing the walls in the kitchen and painting both the kitchen and the bedroom. But for the longest time I've been walking down a 'post-it' note colored, pale pastel canary, ugly yellow hallway. It was literally making me angry every time I had to stare at the walls. So, here is a 'Before' photo of what things looked like. I finally broke down and decided to focus some effort in pulling out the paint supplies and getting rid of this hideous hue. After masking all of the edges and putting down my drop-cloth, I grabbed the brush and...
14-MAY-2007
More work.
Surface electrostatics of the molecule. So much fun....
13-MAY-2007
Work.
Just an image I made of one of the molecules I've been working on. Lately I haven't had much time for anything else. This week I'm pretty busy in lab because my friends are coming to visit me here in Geneva next week, and I want to spend as much quality time with them = no quality time this week....
12-MAY-2007
Parking.
Okay okay, not the most beautiful picture I've ever posted - but I just wanted to show you my parking area. Parking here in Geneva isn't so readily available, and IF you're lucky enough to find a lot to park in around here that has a free spot, it costs around 200 CHF per month - not so convenient.
It just so happens, though, that a short while back a building was demolished directly behind my building. And now, this footprint became the parking lot for my building, hidden from the street by a lockable garage door. Pretty sweet. When I signed for this apartment, I was told there is a construction project that would start January 2007 to rebuild in this spot, and that I would have to look for parking elsewhere. However, it is now May, and still no sign of construction (keep your fingers crossed). It's super convenient to have the car and bike off the street, hidden, and directly underneath my apartment.
11-MAY-2007
My Place.
One of the older buildings on my block. This place is in surprisingly good shape for it's age. Unfortunately, there are a few big apartment complexes surrounding my place that were built fairly recently. I don't know what the Swiss/French/German architects were thinking, but their use of metal, glass and concrete is beyond my artistic comprehension. The building directly across the street from me is fairly modern and not so nice looking, and the building to the left (in this photo) is covered with some pretty horrible siding. I kind of like the fact that my building is a little "treasure from past times" sitting amongst concrete and metal giants. Directly to the right of my building in this photo is a tiny cafe that I have yet to check out. Once the weather gets warmer I'll walk down and try some of their food.
So, which cage in this rack is mine? I live directly above the "International Peace Bureau" (Rainbow flag on the balcony). The windows on the edge of the building are for my kitchen, and those next to it for my bedroom. Notice, though, that my balcony spans the width of the building. I actually share the balcony with the owner of the building - a really nice, old French lady. Sometimes we meet out there, getting some sun in the morning, and since she doesn't speak much English, she always greets me with a big smile and tries to teach me a few phrases in French. So, as you can imagine, the neighbors are pretty quiet and pretty peaceful (especially those below me ;-). I'm happy with this place, and as I finish things up inside with the painting and "moving in" I'll put up a few more pictures.
10-MAY-2007
Beautiful Sunny Afternoon.
A nice comfortable afternoon. Temperature around 24 (75F) with dry air. A nice cool, constant breeze blowing across the lake and filling sails. Sitting in the sun, enjoying great food and drinks. Wish you were here.
09-MAY-2007
After the race.
Since the race started and ended near Bains des Paquis, of course we decided to grab some lunch in the sun. This was the view of the marathon aftermath as we made our way to the restaurant.
Look! The leaves on the trees are starting to come out. I would say by now, about 80% of the trees have leaves (in the parks, away from the city). But the trees that line the streets are pruned every winter, so these guys take a little more time to sprout some green.
08-MAY-2007
Rewards.
To the victor goes the.... bananas?
Sucrose, fructose and glucose - combined with fiber, bananas give an instant, sustained and substantial boost of energy... oh yeah, and also some vitamin C, vitamin A, some B complex vitamins and even some folate
...all wrapped up in a tiny yellow biodegradable package.
07-MAY-2007
Semi-Marathon.
Here is a snapshot of the semi-marathon. About 13 miles, or 21 Kilometers. They designed the course so that the runners passed the onlookers a few times towards the end of the run. We were able to cheer on our friends that ran the course!! Overall, a very fun weekend - even as a bystander. Most of the streets in Geneva were closed to traffic throughout Sunday morning, and the races were very well organized. Can't wait to run next year!
