It's all about me --- Caleb Day

Summer began around the 1st of June for Caleb....however, it hasn't been much of one for him!! Dr. Mom has been busy this summer....working part-time for a major research company, teaching 2 human development classes (web-based, but hey they have to be graded!), evaluator for a small local grant, and analyzing data and writing....for paper presentations and journal publications. Dr. Mom had to prepare for a major education conference in Spain so she would work during the day and then analyze and write late into the night.....she did this during the first few weeks of June -- Caleb's summer vacation----Dr. Mom wasn't much of a mom during this time. Then Dr. Mom left sweet little Caleb so that she could go to Spain to present that paper to her peers--- Dr. Mom was gone almost two weeks while sweet little Caleb stayed home with dad in the evenings and friends during the day. Three days after Dr. Mom got home from Spain she had to leave again....major research company sent her to DC for 2 days of evaluation meetings.....sweet little Caleb was left behind once more. When Dr. Mom came home from DC, sweet little Caleb only had 2 days of summer vacation left....bad, bad, bad Dr. Mom!!! Then Dr. Mom got an email that major journal wanted her paper for publication....more work for Dr. Mom and less time for sweet little Caleb. Dr. Mom had to meet 5 deadlines within two weeks for paper presentation submissions to next year's conferences and publication deadlines (2 of those).

Dr. Mom is working like a dog instead of a dr.

Sweet little Caleb is waiting patiently, until Saturday morning that is....patience is gone.....Sweet little Caleb brings up the list of all the things we had planned to do during summer vacation --- we hadn't done them. So on Saturday, we proclaimed it Caleb Day.....and we would do what Caleb wanted to do!! Dr. Mom walked away from the papers that needed to be finished, the grading that needed to be done, and the house that needed to be cleaned and enjoyed Caleb day. First we went to see the new Ice Age Dinosaur movie....we sat in the back way up high (not so high really but you know he is only 5) and we ate nachos, popcorn, and a hotdog (between us not each of us!) and we laughed and we laughed some more.

When the movie was over we went to the rock climbing center. Sweet little Caleb has been bugging Dr. Mom for 6 months to go rock climbing...you have to be 5 and he wasn't. His is now and we went. First Dr. Mom had to learn how to be a Belay (huh??). Belay holds the ropes for the climber. Dr. Mom is officially a Belay -- with a card that says so. Sweet Caleb listened to the rules of rock climbing and then buckled on the harness and strapped to the rope.

Let the climb begin!!!

Dr. Mom(the Belay) holding the ropes for him....and he is off on his climb to the top!!!

Three steps up and he asks if he is there yet!!!

Hanging by a thread - I mean rope


Coming down from the climb -- notice the form - this is his first
down so his form isn't quite there yet, but before we left he had the
bounce from section to section down and could move right on down
the wall. He was in heaven!!!

Big smile cause I am on my way up!

He really did go further up the wall than what the pictures show,
but the nice helpful lady only took the pictures for us in the beginning.

Within 10 minutes my Belay arms were in pain....they aren't used
to such a work out!!! By 20 minutes I am wondering if I will make it
much longer. Thankfully Sweet little Caleb had only made it about 1/2 way
up the wall and his legs and arms were getting tired too. He decided he wasn't
ready to go to the top yet(since it was really kind of scary) so we were able to leave with plans to come back
VERY SOON!!!!


Then we rewarded ourselves with a Sonic drink and vanilla cone because remember
it was Caleb day and on Caleb day we do the things that Caleb wants to do
(who cares if mom is trying to lose weight!)


Later that night we went to a friends house for a birthday party. The friend had two zip lines in thier backyard and a nice play center. Sweet little Caleb was in heaven once more that day.
Friends to play with. Swings to swing on. Rope to swing on. Dirt to dig in. And a zip line.
(picture of zip line to come later -- it is on Dr. Mom's phone and she needs to upload it)

What a wonderful Caleb day!!!


For now the Dr. is out....planning more Caleb days!!

Allnighters, Super Stress, Lost Luggage, Crazy Cab Ride.......But oh so worth it all!!!

In October 2009 I learned that my paper had been accepted to be presented at the International Conference on Learning to be held in Barcelona, Spain.....oh what excitement and hard work to get everything ready!! My friend and colleague, Sri, and I have been working together for the past few years on several research projects which have culminated into paper presentations at various conferences throughout the states but this was to be my first international conference and hopefully the first of many to come!! We started making plans for our trip to Spain and decided we wanted to do at least a week so that we could travel to several places in Spain. Then we finished collecting our data so that I could get it analyzed and written. Sri always works on the literature review and I work on the methods - which is the data analyzing and writing of that section.

When we arrived in Barcelona we immediately went to the university to register and find our room that we would present in. When we got to the university we discovered that there was limited air conditioning and that some room didn't have air at all!!!! We also discovered that almost everyone there was in very CASUAL dress attire.....normally our conferences are suit attire!!! I was EXTREMELY greatful for the casual attire since there was limited air conditioning.....I knew I was going to die in the heat plus a suit. So we decided that we would also go in casual attire (but not shorts like some others!).

Since Sri teaches at a university in Long Island, NY it is sometimes hard for us to finalize things on our presentations. We always end up doing things over at the last minute in our hotel room the day before. Needless to say since I am such a perfectionist I spent way too much time working on the powerpoint for the presentation. I actually stayed up til 3:30 the night before the presentation re-doing my tables in the powerpoint!!! I know - crazy me!!! But it was a great looking powerpoint when I finished!

The next morning we ran a little late getting things ready.....I didn't eat breakfast - no time (probably couldn't have eaten anyway....I get extremely nervous before going up for presentation). We hailed a cab and realized that we had forgotten to grab the address so we were going on memory.....not such a good thing. Sri told the cab driver we needed to go to Montniegra #6. The cab driver looked kind of funny at us then pulled out his map, said a couple of things and started driving in the opposite direction of the university!!! Sri sat in the back of the cab yelling "no, that way -- that way". Long story short ---- after trying to tell the driver WHERE we needed to go and getting lost with only .5 hour to spare...... we finally drove by the rode with the sign MONTALEAGRE instead of Montniegra....the cab driver started laughing and pronounced the street name correctly and drove us to the building. However, I am at a point that I want to pull my hair out in frustration while Sarah and Marnita are sitting in the back of the cab laughing at the caos!! Well we made it in time....we found our room (WITH air conditioning!) and proceeded to set up.

Smiling before the presentation and after the caotic cab ride to get there (in our casual attire -- and my new Spanish gladiator sandals!)

Getting the power point loaded for the presentation. Sarah was my personal photographer for the presentation -- actully it was the first time for Sarah to come to my conference presentations.

Sri presenting the literature on the study.


I am presenting the statistics on the study.

Discussing the statistics and major findings of the study.

Answering questions from the audience regarding the study. We had a good attendance which is kind of uncommon when presenting on the last day of the conference. We also had good questions from the audience which is always a good sign your presentation went well and the audience like your findings.

Once the presentation was over we met up with another person from NY attending and went to lunch at Hard Rock Cafe to celebrate!! Then we headed out to tour the city of Barcelona. WHEW - a lot of hard work but it paid off. Now we re-work the paper and send it in by August 1st for publication hoping it will be accepted by the journal.

Side note: I told Sarah that we would tour Barcelona after our presentation --- she asked me if we would even have time afterwards.....I tell her of course we will my presentation is only 30 minutes!!

Sarah: WE CAME ALL THE WAY TO BARCELONA FOR A 30 MINUTE PRESENTATION!!!!!!!

Me: YES, usually our presentations are only 12 minutes!!! So this is a big deal to have a whole 30 minutes.

And what a great way to do a conference presentation----- a week of traveling the country, allnighters getting ready for the presentation, stress levels excellerated, and a crazy cab ride to get there!!!

For now the doctor is out.....planning and preparing for the next international conference......Belfast, Ireland and Cambridge, UK.......ohhh, so much work to do in only 24 hours --- the deadline for proposals is July 9, 2009 at midnight!!!!! YIKES I really need to get to work now!!!