(Not me:) but a great picture nonetheless)

So these last couple of weeks I have been writing and re-writing a couple of grants, as I said in my last post. Well, I finally got the first draft of the NIH grant done and will get comments on it back from my PI tomorrow. That’s pretty much it for school.

Yesterday I went on a 50 mile bike ride. I did the exact same loop a few weeks ago and surprisingly felt fine afterwards, save a few sore muscles. This time however was different. I was doing fine until I hit mile 35. I was running out of gas with fifteen more miles to go. I had no choice but to keep on going, so that is what I did. It was difficult and I had a very hard time constantly pedaling (for those who are unfamiliar with road biking that is what you do, pedal constantly). At one point in those last fifteen miles I stopped and got off the bike to stretch. A car was kind enough to pull over and ensure that I was alright. I told her that I was just taking a break. I got back on my bike and rode the rest of the way in. I think that the main problem was that I had not prepared nutritionally before hand and did not bring sufficient food for my travels.

As I often like to do, I will liken this bike ride to life. This journey we are on in mortality can provide us with stretches that are particularly hard to deal with. The hardships may come in a variety of forms. Whatever the case may be, I believe that, for at a few of those trials, they come because of our lack of preparation. I need only to cite the parable of the ten virgins to illustrate the point. Some tough days can be anticipated; these can usually be prepared for to one degree or another. However, some rough times may sneak upon us unawares. But let it be known that these trials can be prepared for just as those we anticipate by living the Gospel as well as we know how to. We need to keep it simple as Elder Ballard emphasized in the last YSA fireside. Read the scriptures, pray, ponder, re-read the conference talks, serve, repent etc. The simple things are what matters most. Some may say, “But I have issue A.” This matters not. Indeed ‘issue A’ may be very difficult but the simplicity of the gospel is not and, with patience, the with the simplicity of the Gospen ‘issue A’ will be overcome.

First we must have faith, “hope for things which are not seen, which are true” (Alma 32:21). Second we must repent. Third we must keep our covenants. Finally we muse seek the Spirit. The Spirit will tell us all things what we should do (2 Nephi 27:3). Simplicity is the key, no if, and or buts about it. The truth is that I simply did not prepare properly for the bike ride; I needed more food, my body was screaming, “I need carbohydrates.” The question then becomes, “What is my spirit screaming for?” Praying and pondering for the answer to this question, no matter if we are a smooth or rough spot, and seeking out that which is revealed will increase our endurance during the rough times in our lives.

One of my favorite scriptures. It doesn’t make a bad song either :)

“In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment; but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the Lord thy Redeemer.” Isaiah 54:8

Grants and a Road Trip

My research has been put on hold as I attempt to get funding through two federal agencies, the NSF (the National Science Foundation) and the NIH (National Institute of Heath). Both these require a grant proposal detailing what I propose to research as a graduate student. The NSF proposal requires a personal statement, previous research essay, and the research proposal, each are confined to two pages. The NIH grant requires a one page detailing the specific aims of the project and a six page research plan. I am done with the NSF one, I’ve gotten pretty good at doing these as this is my third time doing it and my last year of eligibility. The NIH grant is new to me and require much more detail on what I propose. This one is due on in three weeks. So for the next three weeks I’ll be attempting to write a well conceived proposal.

Last Friday my friend, Tennyson, and I took a road trip to the Cherokee reservation in western North Carolina; up in the mountains. It took the whole day as it takes 4-5 hours to bet to the reservation. It turned out that we left way too late and had to reschedule his appointment for latter in the afternoon. This turned out to be a good thing as we were able to stop in Ashville, a town I’ve wanted to visit since I’ve arrived in NC. It is a hippie town with a lot of small shops and restaurants, this is where we ate lunch. We ate at an Indian buffet; it was very good. We then traveled to the reservation. We had to climb a high pass where there was a heavy dusting of snow. We took the trip mainly so Tennyson could go visit the dentist on the reservation. It was great to see the reservation and the mountains of NC. I hope to go back there again.

Yesterday I took a bike ride; it was spectacular as the temperatures were in the sixties and the leaves were at their peak, reds, yellows, and oranges. On my ride I stopped to visit Dave and Jane at their home, which was nicely tucked away in the woods. Their home is very unique, like noting I have seen before. They have a central foundation up from which a steel pole emenates. The main house cantilevers from that pole in a circle. They then have an addition roughly in the shape of a soccer ball, very cool! Unfortunately I have no pictures to show.

These pictures are from the aforementioned road trip. Enjoy.

This was at a cool shop we stopped at that had a bunch of crafts and home-made foods.

NC Snow!

Costume shop, Ashville, NC.

Ashville, NC.

Halloween

This weekend was, as wee all know, the great holiday where we celebrate scary things and eating an abundance of candy. For those unfamiliar with this holiday one usually dresses up for the festivities. As such I dressed up as a zombie cyclist. Enjoy the pictures!

Zach

Wardrobe malfunction. Me and Hayley

Zach, me, Jeremy