Christmas time festivities

Picking up from my last post, that recap brings us to the days before Christmas. This week was not too bad at work, and I took the Friday before Christmas Eve off as well. This was also a week my PI was on service in the hospital. One of the days I got to shadow her while she rounded the neurology unit which was really cool. I had never done this before, so everything was really new. I was trying to envision myself in this role, and it was a lot to take in. I thought it was interesting to see how my PI interacted with patients. She really does have very good bedside manner, and when I'm a doctor, I hope to be able to be as good as her! It gave me an even greater respect for everything that the doctors here do. They seem to keep a million and one things in their head at the same time! In total, this made me feel confirmed in the feeling that I'm pursuing the route I want to. I mean, I know that was not everything and there's a lot I haven't seen and experienced still. But all together, it does seem like a position and career that would be fulfilling to me professionally. I know things can get hairy on the personal life side of things, but I know there are lots of specialties with a variety of lifestyles. It will only be a matter of finding the right one :)

There was quite a bit of activity in the comings and goings in the lab overall. People going for vacation/break, one lab member leaving to start his own lab in Sweden (cool right!), and a visit from M, the former tech that actually helped me land this job! One day she visited the lab and afterwards we got dinner with two of the other lab members. It was a little like worlds collide since I hadn't seen her since college in person. But really I am the one who is new in this environment! So I'm more like the one who might be funny to see there :0 It was really nice to catch up. I admire her a lot!!

The Friday before Christmas Eve, I met up with April and Emily. April was visiting from California again since she has family here. We grabbed brunch at a popular spot here, Maman :) April couldn't stay long but we went thrifting a little bit and I got some nice sweaters~

At the Museum of the City of New York, they had a cool gingerbread exhibit. I think they called it the Great Borough Bake off or something. And different pastry chefs from the city made gingerbread renditions of the different boroughs. They were all impressive, but some really blew me away in the detail and construction!

[from the gingerbread exhibit and some others, they also had an exhibit about analog stuff in new york and I kinda went ham on the typewriter.... want one now :P haha]

Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, I spent with Mary and Zach. We ate some really fancy food for Christmas Eve and Christmas day we had vegan Chinese food :D. These days were more than freezing cold. But we made it through. Mary and I also worked pretty hard on a bûche de Noël. We were going for a pink and white forest theme. Mary was a really good host overall- she made a charcuterie board and gingerbread lattes for me ! We watched a lot of movies including the new Matilda musical movie. I fell asleep but finished it a few days later. I think overall they did a fantabulous job (I can say more but will spare you the details). We also watched Eloise at Christmastime, an old movie called It Happened on Fifth Avenue (or something like that), and Elf. A good mix I'd say.

For my family's secret santa, I had my dad. I got him a few of the things he had on his wishlist :D (fishing lures, a UV flashlight, and a book about "unusual knowledge"). Mary actually had me, and I had no idea!! She got me this cool point and shoot film camera (not disposable, so I can use a lot!) and a bento box I wanted. I need to start bringing my lunch..... My mom likes to do the 12 days of Christmas, which start on Christmas and lead up to Epiphany (January 6 this year). So she sent us a box with 12 little things to open up. So Christmas is ongoing for us hehe

[at the cake decorating store, this is made with cake molds/cutouts!]

[the food at the place we went to for Christmas Eve was amazing!! They forced us to get cocktails though... none of us are really drinkers lol. The main dish was this really delicious duck. I like duck but this might be the best one I've had before!]

[the wix collages sometimes end up so wonky... but you get the idea. Tell me this isn't a beautiful bûche!!! I dare you. Also it tasted as good as it looked. Have you had the pale strawberries before? They're cool looking but taste how they look (like if a strawberry had the life sucked out of it). I still like it though!]

I'm very sleepy so I will catch you guys up with New Years next time (I'm aiming for before my next Wednesday post... then I would be all caught up... but we can only dream (I'm trying!!!)).