As a kid, my family would go on short trips from our isolated town of Page, America to the larger towns of Flagstaff, AZ and St. George, UT. We wouldoften travel to even smaller towns (less than 1000 ppl) to visit familyin Fredonia and Greasewood, AZ.
Aerial view of Page, AZ. Lake Powell is north of the town. Pretty, yes, I know. It is a hidden oasis. However, it is as remote as an island in the ocean. "Short trips" are 2-3 hrs one way.
On such trips, my dad would tell us fictional stories of a Navajo police officer that nurtured the imagination. My parents would quiz us on trivia related topics that we had interest in. Significantly, my parents challenged us to memorize poems, scriptures, and other words of wisdom. My older brother would often check out from the library the book One Hundred and One Famous Poems. I loved that book. The first poem I memorized in response to my dad's challenge was Walt Whitman's O Captain! My Captain! I quickly fell in love with those classic poets, memorizing Kipling and Longfellow, Wordsworth and Dickinson. I memorized Lincoln's Gettysburg Address and portions of Dr. King's I Have a Dream speech. As of late, I have been reading Maya Angelou's work because it is downright beautiful. I have memorized her poem, Phenomenal Woman, which you can hear her read in the clip below.
I love this poem for so many reasons. Whenever I hear it, read it, and say it, I think of my sister, my mom, my aunties, my grandmas, my friends. I can see "the flash of their teeth", "the sun of their smiles", "the stride of their steps", and "the curl of their lips". I can recognize "the grace of their style", "the reach of their arms", "the palm of their hand", and "their need to care". I can hear their laughs and their tears. They are all women, phenomenally! This poem brings a smile to MY face and I can't help but say to myself, "Phenomenal woman, that'sme."
I am a fan of Halloween. It makes no sense if you think about it. No sense at all. Because of its nonsense, I rally behind the idea for such a day. My strongest point in favor of Halloween is the creativity that it demands of adults. As a grown-up, the sky's the limit in terms of what you can become. As a grown-up with children (OR nieces/nephews), the creativity required becomes more complex. Among my favorite suggestions are the following:
Today as I swung by Wal-Mart to pick up some things, I couldn't help but walk through the three aisles of Halloween merchandise. Look what I found!
My elation was short-lived. I became irked by the glaring predicament that this was only available for men. I thought to myself, "why are there no sizes for women?" I searched through the other costumes with the hopes of finding a woman Hot Dog. As expected all the women costumes were skimpy sailor gal, "fun" nurse, Princess Leia (with a slit thigh high), etc. The gall. On principle, I may go as a hamburger or hot dog. Time will tell my final decision.
Note: I do not like to purchase a Halloween costume because I like the challenge to put it together as cheaply as possible. HP shindigs are different events.
I love to read. Unfortunately, I haven't devoted my usual time to such an activity. In my prime, I would rotate through 4-8 books in a given week. Young adult fiction, popular thriller novels, the Classics, comics, historical non-fiction--I squeezed in reading time at breakfast, lunch, dinner and breaks through the day. Although I am not reading as I was during my prime, I am making a come back. Here are my current reads:
Yes, some of these are pretty deep or emotionally difficult to digest (Kite Runner, What is the What) but all of them are food for the brain. I love it. I always keep my "currently reading" books in a pile near me or in my backpack as a traveling companion.
Perhaps my favorite read at the moment. I like math and I like history. I like to know what concepts revolutionized the world. It's a great combo.
Classic. Classic. Classic. I think a Classic book should always be on a current reading list. Once I finish this book, I am pretty sure I am going to read Pale Fire by Nabokov.
I thought I could easily rank my top ten favorite pins on my "hahahahahahaha" pinterest board. That proved to be difficult. I couldn't narrow it down to ten. I don't even know how to rank these because they are funny for different reasons. I have noticed that I laugh at people. Awkward family type photos are my favorite. I don't know why I find it so hilarious, but I do. I also like the over dramatic responses, 'Merica jokes, memes, etc.Tumblr is a heaven sent form of amusement, especially for nerds. I also like how there are pins that allow me to bond with strangers (you comic sans and bubble wrap people). So without further ado here are some of my favorite pins...
Who doesn't love bubble wrap?! It's a good thing that it is no longer sold as wall paper.
This guy sounds like my dad, who tells me something different everyday. Today was to "Be an ant."
Pins like this make strangers become friends. If not friends, at least I have the comfort of knowing that I'm not the only ridiculous person in the world.
I think this is hilarious, but I don't know if it's extra funny because I'm a scientist?
I appreciated this pin from my sister who responded to the annoying adage that "There's plenty of fish in the sea..."
Butwhy is Beyonce a feminist? Because Beyonce is "among the ranks of women" (Watson's speech) who assumed the mantle of feminist. Why did I ask that question, if it can be simply answered? Because it wasn't so clear until Emma Watson's speech on Saturday, September 20th, 2014. Truthfully, the question has been simmering in my mind for quite some time. It crossed my mind in 2013 as I logged thousands of miles traveling through the great American West.
Without entrenching myself in feminist discussions, I realize that my view of Beyonce was somewhat on par with certain feminist leaders such as Bell Hooks:
I see a part of Beyonce that is, in fact, anti-feminist, that is assaulting... I actually feel like the major assault on feminism in our society has come from visual media and from television and from videos. Just think, where do we even know, as of late, of any powerful man of any color that has come out with some tirade against feminism? The tirades against feminism occur so much in the image-making business, and what we see.
As I researched more of these interviews I quickly realized that I disagreed with some phrases here, some phrases there, and I agreed with a concept here, a concept there. Let me be clear, I would not use language as harsh as Hooks, who calls Beyonce a "terrorist." However, she brought up points that are valid and worth considering. Earlier in the interview from which the above quote was taken, she alluded to the impact of Beyonce's socioeconomic status.
I've really been challenging people to think about, would we be at all interested in Beyonce if she wasn't so rich? Because I don't think you can separate her class power and the wealth, from people's fascination with her... If Beyonce was a homeless women who looked the same way, or a poor, down-and-out women who looked the same way, would people be enchanted by her?
My answer to Hook's question is "yes, people would be interested in her because of her talent." Herein, my thoughts diverge from whatever direction the feminist scholars are going. As I have considered the discography of Beyonce's work, I have reasoned that her incredible voice has been a positive platform to express a message. If you listen to the music she has been a part of in producing, writing, and singing over the course of her career, it is apparent that she is rooting for women.
She flipped the scenario of a tumultuous relationship between a woman and man. This was a brilliant video with powerful lyrics.
Upon watching Emma Watson's empowering speech, I recalled my question from a year ago. I smiled to myself and answered my own question about Beyonce by writing this blog post. As I have read various blogs and opinion pieces about Emma Watson's speech, I have come to realize there are women who sensitively use the word feminist, going so far as to refer to it as the "f-word." It baffles me that there are women who shed themselves of such a word. Like Emma Watson and Beyonce, I do not eschew the word and proudly write,I am a feminist. I believe in the equality of men and women on a political, social, and economic level. Though Beyonce and I have differing musical preferences (I love rock n'roll), I appreciate her bold stance on the topic. That is why she is a feminist, because she chooses to be one.
Every Thursday morning, the Kong lab gathers for lab meeting. We munch on some sort of breakfast food and we talk/rant about the injustice of the world. I sprinkled a few of those comments in the quotes below. There is much more to add. I quoted lab mates as we worked at our benches as well. This is an excellent list, so think of it as Kong Lab Quotes, part 1.
"You guys are not greedy enough!" [As a lab, we stress out because we are not spending enough.] "I'd rather live 50 years as a normal person than 100 years as a monk." [science discussion regarding the metabolism of different types of humans] "This is a weird place."[a reference to City of Hope] "You guys expect too much of me!" [The boss] "This is a different kingdom." [Reference to the 2nd floor of our building where the lab works] "We need to attack." [To get more lab space] "They have their two lurkers watching the two workers." [observational data to support more lab space] "It's all about marketing, not data." [secrets of writing a paper] "Do you want to play with mr. biggelsworth tomorrow?" [translation: Do you want to come help me inject tumors into hairless SCID mice tomorrow?]
mr. bigglesworth
Hairless SCID mouse
"Who ordered human ASS?" [I needed it for my experiments!] "Most scientists plan their lunch break around experiments, we plan ours around the burrito stand." [reference to the infamous burritos and quesadillas served every MWF at the edge of campus] "I swear I gained ten pounds when I started working at the COH." [Free Panda Express, cheesecake factory cheesecake, employee appreciation, post-doc appreciation, grad student appreciation, etc... who wouldn't?] "You know the developer room used to be the old hospital's surgery room?" [more evidence that our floor is creepy] "Soon we'll be eating woolly mammoth burgers." [science discussion about reviving extinct mammals] And when I first started at COH, I was given this video to watch to assess if I had a sense of humor...
I moved to California last December. It was a necessary move made primarily for my career, but truth be told, also for my sanity. Don't get me wrong, Minnesota was a wonderful experience. I have no regrets in choosing to further my education there. I met so many friendly people at the grocery store, Jiffy Lube, on the bus, on evening runs, in traffic. They were everywhere! In contrast, I have met ONE nice stranger at a grocery store here in Pasadena... and guess what? He was from Minnesota. Ha ha ha. People make a difference. I became too comfortable in MN. Without a family to root me in that state, I ventured back to the West for new adventures with other people in a different culture.
Despite meeting one friendly stranger here in CA, I have enjoyed the camaraderie of good friends and family who live in the area. It is in my nature to adapt quickly to my surroundings and to enjoy it. I will admit it was tough with CA. I had moved to MN with excitement and it did not disappoint. At the beginning of the year, I started writing a list of things I love about each state. I share just a few bullet points below.
California:
Fun in the sun with cool nights
Ocean
Disneyland
UNIVERSAL
Burbank, the Entertainment capital of the World
Food, FOOD, FOOD
More likely to run into Benedict Cumberbatch, Tom Hiddleston, etc.
Snow cones can be found
Minnesota:
Cold winters that brought fictitious worlds to life (e.g. Westeros in the North, Harry Potter when he visited Godric's Hollow Christmas Eve...very special memories)
Lakes
MN state fair (snow cones become available for those two weeks)
Nice strangers
Less pollution, better running routes
Cheap place to live
Mason Jennings
My hand-written list is longer and more detailed. For example, how do I put a value on the people who have enriched the experience?! I can't unless they are family! If I factor that into the equation, then the honest answer to the question is "neither, Arizona and Florida trumps both CA and MN."
Arizona because of 1) my adorable nephew 2) the majority of my family 3) my AZ wildcats 4) shaved ice and snow cones are everywhere (yes, it is that much of a factor. In fact, this is MINNESOTA's greatest detraction).
Prior to enjoying some delish Tiger's blood (shaved ice) in Tucson, AZ at Shoobies.
Florida because of 1) my adorable niece 2) Ammon, Karla, and her Puerto Rican family 3) Harry Potter World, which sells the best drink in the world: BUTTERBEER.
Given this logic, the answer to the question posed in the title is Minnesota. Why? It all comes down to rum extract. It took one trip to Cub Foods in March 2013 (a MN grocery store) to obtain the key ingredient that is required for all of the known Butterbeer recipes available online. It has taken SIX trips to finally stumble upon rum extract here in CA (Pavilion's in Arcadia). Therefore, Minnesota wins because homemade Butterbeer is more readily accessible.
California may yet surpass Minnesota, though! The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is coming to Universal Studios-Hollywood in the next two years. I don't have to try making Butterbeer, I can visit them whenever I want!
In my line of work, there are many opportunities to find a groove that keeps you going through a day of heavy experiments. Music, TED talks, podcasts--take a pick or maybe a combo of all three. For me, it depends on the day, my emotion, if a new album came out, etc. For the past month-ish, I have been obsessed with one podcast: The Ricky Gervais Podcast (animated), which you can access on YouTube.
I have yet to determine where my interest/obsession in British humor and storytelling is derived. Whatever the answer, Karl Pilkington, Ricky Gervais, and Steve Merchant keep me chuckling at my bench, in the tissue culture hood, at my desk. For those who want to join in this obsession, I recommend you watch An Idiot Abroad (born from these podcasts and available on Netflix), The Moaning of Life (book and TV series), and Derek. And the star of this obsession is Karl Pilkington, the simple genius.
Quite the controversial title, eh? I made that dramatic statement when I talked to my sister a few weeks ago. I was on a Netflix documentary spree and I had just finished watching the film, The World Before Her. The synopsis on IMDB aptly describes the story of two divergent Indian women who represent polarized perspectives on the current and future existence of India:
Ruhi Singh is a small town girl with big city dreams. She sets off to Bombay to win the title of Miss India--a launching pad to fame and a surefire way to stand out in a country of 1.2 billion people. Just hours from the Miss India beauty boot camp is another training ground for girls--that of the Durga Vahini, a Hindu nationalist group exclusively for women. Here we meet Prachi Trivedi, a young, fearsome drill sergeant training Indian girls to fight against Western culture, Islam, and Christianity by any means necessary including violence. Gliding back and forth between the action of the two camps, the dreams and conflicts of India and young Indian women are laid bare--two opposing worlds aren't as far away from each other as they seem. -Written by Storyline Entertainment
This documentary was ... sobering. As a woman, it was heartbreaking to see these women fettered in different ways. One of the reviews on Netflix appropriately echoed my thoughts, "Ruhi tries to use her beauty as her ticket to a good future, which is understandable, but leaves a girl vulnerable to the possibility of a modern form of female exploitation. Prachi pursues Hindu nationalism to the point of militancy, and her indoctrination is no less chilling than that of young Muslims who seek identity and a sense of belonging to a group, who later may become terrorists." So how does this relate to being Navajo? The reason I added this documentary to my Netflix list was because of the words "Western-style beauty pageants." Laugh if you must because I typically do when I write, hear, or say 'beauty pageants'. For as long as I can remember, my attitude for such fanfare was best reflected in this classic movie (Miss Congeniality):
To my amusement, John Oliver further exposed the ridiculousness of the Miss America pageant in a lengthy, but brilliant piece of investigative work.
Upon watching the Oliver clip this morning, the comment I made to my sister weeks ago came back to me. I remembered my feelings after watching the documentary The World Before Her. I contrasted those thoughts to when I watched another documentary on Hulu titled Miss Navajo.
For those unfamiliar with earlier blog posts, I am Navajo. I love my culture, which includes the language, the history, the land, and the people. I love the beautiful origin stories and I love the resiliency of the people as they faced, overcame, and persevered through tragedy. Among the many things that I love about being Navajo is the finer concept of beauty, which is based on a woman's thoughts and abilities. The pageant for Miss Navajo requires a young woman to exercise the brain. It is a contest that I can definitely rally around! My exclamation of "Everybody needs to be a Navajo" was said in frustration as I processed the spectrum of obstacles that women worldwide face. Navajo women are not exempt from the same emotional, mental, and physical abuse or scrutiny, BUT at least they are ahead of the curve when it comes to valuing a woman based on her intellect, skills, and vision.
Personally, I would not enter the competition because I relinquished the title of Little Miss Greasewood following my pre-school reign*, but I approve of it wholeheartedly.
A young, peeved Xazmin (Greasewood, AZ) I was never happy when I had to wear a dress.
An older, wiser Xazmin (Minneapolis, MN) I dressed in full Navajo attire at a culture fair when I was a graduate student at the University of MN.
*I did not consent to participate when I was four years old. To this day, I am unaware of the criteria that secured my win. Methinks it was purely political.
One of the greatest websites "to like" on Facebook is 'A Mighty Girl'.
The site is geared towards young girls and teens. Despite not being in that age range, I find much joy in reading about women who HAVE and who ARE currently making history. It is an inspiring page for women and men alike. I enjoy the daily posts and I share a screenshot of a few of those posts below.
Perhaps one of my favorite sentences and advice in the history of forever is, "Be brave." Reminders of those two words are brought up in poems like the one shown above (by e.h.). These postsencourage me to keep dreaming.
Reading is for the soul. <--An inarguable sentence.
I LOVE these particular posts the most. I am reminded of women who were brilliant, creative, strong of heart and mind. These are women who paved a way for someone like me. These are the heroes that I LOVE to hear and read about. These are the heroes that I want my nieces and nephews to know.
I love learning. The more I learn, the more I love life, love others, and importantly, love myself. This is an important concept that has empowered me to overlook the shallow and superficial things that plague women. It is far too easy to succumb to the pressures that humankind must encounter, but knowledge of things (e.g. science, math, literature, art, etc) offers a higher perspective to overcome those pressures.
I encourage everyone to check out "A Mighty Girl" on Facebook or go to their website (www.amightygirl.com) to find books and videos that will be sure to uplift and encourage you to become the best you can be.
Consistent blog writing is rough. My sister, a Ravenclaw, told me to limit my posts to weekdays. I was annoyed that she did not have faith in my writing endurance. Rather than think it through, I countered her caution with the one month challenge of posting each day.
To her satisfaction and my displeasure, I can only respond as follows:
Very quickly and in random order, I will bullet point potential posts to return to in the future because the story or the challenge is still unfolding.
I am ghetto. I am rough.
This story is quite funny. It includes oblivious me, some male scientist at the City of Hope, and a round table discussion. For reasons unknown to my colleagues and myself, I was described as being "ghetto" from the bloke. To add more to the hilarity of the story, my character (e.g. smartness, coolness, etc) was defended by my labmate, who divulged the conversation he had with the fella. He responded with, "Nah. Xazmin is not ghetto! She is Mormon."
Ha ha ha ha ha ha.
I feel inspired to write a poem with those words, "I am ghetto. I am rough."
Asking a nerdy guy on a date.
I am being coached by a 24-year old, first-year graduate student about the finer points of relationships.
I have yet to heed his advice, but once I do, I will be sure to write the surprising/comical results.
This post will combine two of my favorite topics--my family and the Hogwarts sorting hat. So why have I not sorted my family? The question stumped me a week ago. I suppose I was too busy sorting others through outhistory (e.g. Roberto Clemente). I was also too engrossed in my own sortingand babblings. As I turned my thinking hat on for this post, I quickly realized why I had not sorted my family. They are as complex in their nature, their aptitude, and their personality as I am. So without further ado, I present the sorting of my parents, two brothers, and my sister. Pop My dad is a muggle because he refuses to be a wizard. If I recall correctly, in September last year, I was traveling with my dad to Flagstaff, AZ. We were discussing the mysteries of life when I made a Harry Potter reference. My dad humored me for a minute by asking two questions.
Dad: "Are wizards human beings?"
Me: "Yes! Wizards are humans. Humans can possess magic. However, other magical folk like goblins, who guard gringotts, and elves, who are subservient to witches and wizards, can perform magic just as powerfully if not more. I imagine Hermione is working pro bono to improve their conditio--"
Dad: "Are there non-magical humans?" Me: "YES! They are called muggles--" Dad: "THEN I AM A MUGGLE! End of conversation." I cannot refuse the strong choice made by my dad. I once told him he acts like Vernon Dursley, the muggle caretaker of Harry Potter before Hagrid retrieved him. My dad was okay with it because he approved of inhibiting magic. It's hard to argue with a man who knows his own mind. Mum Funnily enough, my dad is married to someone full of magic, who belongs in my favorite house... Hufflepuff! My mom embodies the traits that define Helga's house. She is hardworking, loyal, and patient. These traits are steady and are at the root of all other traits. Those who possess these traits have a quiet power that, in my humble opinion, trumps the other houses. I think she is the only one who can put up with a muggle as strong-minded as my pops. Mar mar My older brother is tricky to sort. I am torn between Gryffindor and Slytherin. I am leaning more toward Gryffindor at the moment, but I would have to take his decision into account. He has tremendous talent and abilities that showcase his resourcefulness. He also has proven himself with nerve, bravery, and chivalry as a military man. Through out his life, he has shown his loyalty to those he loved. Silly me, the answer is clear: he is Gryffindor! Mille My sister is Ravenclaw. Easy peezy. She is intelligent, witty, and charming. She may not think she fits into this house, but she exudes these characteristics effortlessly. She spouts wisdom to two-year olds and twenty-something year olds alike, such as "Even the most curious monkey sometimes just wants to color." I tend to not show this house much love because I think they are pompous and rely too much on their own intelligence. Mille has been known to tell me in her matter-of-fact tone recently, "Xazmin, you do not have dreams like the rest of us." Or in a text message, "I am like Dad and Ammon, I'm a snob." Despite this tiny flaw, Ravenclaw's get along best with Slytherin's. I value her ability to keep up with me, make me laugh, and educate me in the higher ways of monkeys, dinosaurs, and trains. M&Ms My younger brother is another tricky one. He could be a Gryffinpuff or Huffledor. Ha. He exudes a tranquil, steady pace to life. He laughs often and is a rock to lean on. On the other hand, he has proven he is capable of courageous acts. I think the simple acts he does daily strengthens the courage of his heart. He is Gryffindor. Me I am the black sheep of the family. I amSlytherin, but a well-loved one. Granted... I have been told by three out of five members of my family that if we were not family, they probably wouldn't be my friend. Ha ha ha ha. What snobs.
Google image
So now you understand the reason for the title. Unlike Arthur and Molly Weasley's family, my family would not have a united banner to fly on top of our cottage during quidditch season. Our dad would probably not permit a Hogwarts banner because he does not like witchcraft and wizardry. Ha ha. Despite the different houses, my siblings and I get along famously.
Morale at work is an important factor to an individual's satisfaction
with life. Quote me if you want. I stand by my words. I have enjoyed the best
of company over the years. For as long as I have worked in a lab, I have been
surrounded with bright, engaging, curious minds. This includes the post-docs and graduate students that introduced me to the world of science research at the University of Arizona in Dr. A's lab. It includes the cherished friendships made during my graduate school years in the Kelekar lab at the University of Minnesota. The Kong lab is no exception. They surpass all
expectations in every positive way you can imagine. It should be no surprise that I wish to blog about our lab meeting discussions, take pictures for a week in the life of a scientist, or share the adventures outside of the lab (there have been many). For a snapshot of our fun, I share only a snippet of the exchange of links, videos, and conversations had during the last 24 hours.
Story 1: For the past couple days, I have been occupied with instrument
training and data analysis related to metabolic stress assays. I was given a
stress “ball” in the form of a yellow seahorse. It was cute. I returned to the Kong lab and displayed it at my bench. A lab
mate, who attended the training last year, revealed his much larger pink seahorse.
The pink seahorse has a mustache and stern eyebrows.
Someone exclaimed, "Aww! It's a baby seahorse with its mom!"
Another person corrected by saying, "It's a dad because of the mustache."
I then chimed in with, "It's perfect! Male seahorses give birth, so now we have a dad with the child it has birthed."
This led to an educational moment for a couple people in the lab with the following video.
Story 2: This morning, I arrived to the lab and was promptly asked
the question, “have you eaten breakfast yet?”
I replied, “Yes, I had some cookies and fruit. Why?”
My lab mate responded, “What do you think they eat in Peru?”
As I was grossing out over the idea (and the picture), another lab mate came over and added her input of how it could be made more edible (e.g. cut off the head and the limbs). Ha ha... this led to the original person (who brought up the guinea pig cuisine known as cuy) to mention his favorite animal--the pig.
It was then my turn to be schooled in this remarkable animal. They are among the most intelligent animals in the world! We had quite the debate about elephants, sheep, dogs, dolphins, and pigs. I learned of the hero pig, Lulu (see below). I encourage all to re-evaluate their respect for pigs.
I abhor scary movies. Yes, the strong verb is not only an appropriate
description, but a necessary one for such a genre. When, where, HOW did it begin?!? The gloriously
rich answer includes “midnight movie marathons”, The Lost Boys, The Shining,
The Birds, It, older brother, cousin Troy, little kid, Navajo reservation. I was
exposed to many stories intended to induce fear, suspense, and anxiety. Some
stories were easy to ignore and dare I write—to laugh at? Other stories mesmerized
me by the character complexity of the monster or villain. In every story I
heard or watched my imagination compensated for any deficiency in its telling. My
imagination can literally eat me alive. Thus, the decision to attend
Universal’s Halloween Horror Night (HHN) on Tuesday, September 16, 2014 was simple madness on my part.
I initially expressed my desire to not attend because of a
weak heart. Ha ha. That did not dissuade my friend from more persistently
inviting me to attend. On the contrary, my displeasure of horror movies made
her more excited. I reasoned that so long as I had someone to walk ahead of me
through the mazes, I would be fine. Now, to set the stage for my dislike of
this genre, let me share a couple ways that I have dealt with scary movies in
the past.
First, when watching a scary movie, I cocoon myself in a
blanket. Somehow that becomes an impenetrable barrier.
Second, I love Harry Potter magic. The power of a patronus
spell is an attractive idea which I embrace. For reasons that escape my
understanding, my younger brother and sister equate the spell to produce a
patronus, expecto patronum, with the
name of the international movie star, Antonio Banderas. Hence the powerful
protection that brings forth an imaginary direwolf (my patronus) is preceded by
saying with confidence the given name of the charismatic personality that
produced Zorro.
As I prepared myself to attend HHN, I was forced to come up
with new tricks to keep myself calm. On Monday night, I was troubled in my
thoughts. I tossed and turned in my bed. I knew the source of my discomfort was
anxiety for the next day. I was determined to beat it. I started performing
simple math calculations in my head. It was an immediate remedy that soothed my
ruffled mind. I believe I went to sleep with a smile on my face as I imagined
myself shouting “8 x 3” to a terrifying yeti who yelled back “24!”
As I worked through the day, my fears resurfaced. I focused on making stock solutions to be used in buffers for an upcoming experiment (math and more math).
I talked to my lab mates and my fears became heightened when I heard of their dislike of such genres. Balanced by math and fear, I was riding some wave of adrenaline at the end of the work day. I left the lab to immediately join my friend for a sweltering night of chaos, wherein the city of angels played host to the walking dead, werewolves, vampires, ghosts, and the mother of all dragons, clowns.
Clowns in 3D. This maze was certainly disturbing. Clowns are psychologically disturbing. Well done Universal.
And so this concludes my emotion leading up to the experience. Go and experience it for yourself. I screamed in every maze. I closed my eyes more times than I can count. My heart rate was elevated for sustained moments. I had to scream "Antonio Banderas" in my head a few times. I was able to see how large my eyes could stretch through a reflection in a creepy mirror maze. I performed calculations with speed and accuracy. And most importantly, I laughed. I laughed for every shiver, every scream, every yelp, and every wide-eyed feeling of suspense. I had fun. :)
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