M and E Live by the Sea: February 2013

So it's been a while since the last post and that's mainly because things have started to pick up for me in the lab! I finally finished all the training requirements for laboratory work at the University of Puerto Rico and have started getting my feet wet with some behavioral experiments. The Quirk lab studies fear learning and memory. What does that mean, you ask? We study how the brain remembers something aversive or fearful and how the brain "un-learns" these fearful memories. Actually, most scientists believe that a new memory is formed which competes with the previous fearful memory - which is why sometimes previous memories can "resurface" and cause experiences to become fearful again.

Aside from the nerdy work that we do, everyone in the Quirk lab is very friendly and fun. It is a lot bigger than my previous lab in Rochester with 6 grad students, 6 undergrads, and 2 postdocs (including me). Needless to say, there is never a dull moment in the Quirk lab! Currently, we are getting ready for our lab retreat. Every year, the Quirk lab plans a weekend away to partake in some workshops and discussions that help to strengthen the relationships between members of the lab. It is a very good way for everyone to reconnect and learn how to work better as a team. I am really looking forward to it!

Last Friday we moved into our new permanent apartment in San Juan, three blocks from the beach and within walking distance to the grocery store, bank, hardware store, drug store, and the best places to eat in Condado. That's the part of San Juan where we are now, Condado.

It's much different here than where we were staying in Cupey Alto. Up in the hills it is quite comfortable at night, around the mid to low-70s, and the traffic and city noise is far off in the distance, but not the occasional stray dog fight. In Condado, however, it stays quite warm most of the time. We never once used the A/C in our Cupey Alto apartment, but here we have had to keep it on every night for fear of melting.

While the beach is very close, we took a nice jog there Thursday morning, it comes with traffic and city noise. I'm not a big fan of that but I'm getting used to it.

Maria's work is also closer now. It takes about half the time to get there as it did from Cupey Alto, depending on the time of day. We are getting very used to the traffic patterns and I'm even starting to drive like they do here. Watch out when I'm on the road in the states.

We have quite a bit of room in our new place but we have quickly filled it with things.

Friday wasn't only the day we moved into our new place, it was also the day we got all of the things we had shipped from Rochester. They were actually ready to be delivered on January 4^th but we knew we were moving and had them hold our stuff until we moved.

It's hard not having the things that you are used to having around, although the experience did make us realize how many things we don't really need. As the movers brought in box after box I started questioning the decision to bring it all and if we actually had places to put it. I was secretly, or not so secretly, hoping that all of our things would be lost at sea and we would get the insurance money instead, but it sure is nice to have some of our stuff back.

Since last Friday, we've found places for most everything and the apartment is starting to take shape. So far we've only found two broken items, an Ommegang beer chalice and a stemless Riedel red wine glass. Unfortunately, those are two of our more expensive glasses, i.e. they weren't free, and we didn't list them separate from the other glassware on the insurance so we likely will not be getting enough in damages to replace them.

We also had to box up many of the items that were already in the apartment, since most people move in with nothing, the landlord has it ready for living in. We are grateful for the furniture though, it's actually pretty comfortable and fits the apartment nicely.

We have some more cleaning and organizing to do; It will be a little while before the "hotel" portion of our apartment is open to the public, but we have three queen sized "beds" available for guests when it does (a bed, a futon, and an air mattress). We're looking forward to visitors because we get to explore more of the island while we show you around.

I took some photos just before the movers came and some just after they left. Have at 'em. We'll have some more photos of how we've made the place once we get a little more organized.