A Blah Kind of Day...

So...the above picture is what I am daydreaming about. I would so much rather be on the French Riveria right now.


I would be kicking back, resting my feet on the deck of my yacht, drinking a nice glass (or two) of excellent French red wine and just enjoying life.

I wouldn't have a care in the world and I wouldn't be stuck in a lousy prison room that they dare to call a dorm room, here in Glenville...


I don't know what it is...maybe the crazy cold, dreary, gray weather we are experiencing right now, or the fact that I can see the end, but it is still a long way off...but I am having trouble staying motivated. I know my last post seemed all giddy and I was excited about science, but that was yesterday, and today, I am by myself, in my prison room, trying to study for a Genetics test. I look at the list of homework that I need to complete and I just want to crawl into my bed and sleep for a week.

I would so much rather be doing this...

That's me, living it up in Paris.

Or this...


That's us skiing.

Instead, its this...
(This was taken before I unpacked, but it give you an idea of my dorm room)

And this...


It really has been a blah kind of day. I hope tomorrow is better.

I miss everyone.

Love Tanya

I am a Science Nerd...or so they say...

Hello Friends,

So, my friend, Mary Sue (whom I call a Music Nerd) just called me a "Science Nerd".

It doesn't offend me. In fact, I would even say that she is correct. Science turns me on. It fascinates me. Okay, let me clarify that...Biology, specifically, turns my crank. I don't really get that excited about Chemistry, although, I wish it did, but it is the Study of Life that really gets me going.

Coming back to Glenville has been one of the hardest and most rewarding experiences of my life. I had thought I had given up biology. I thought that my future lay in a different direction. I must say, that I simply came back to school just to finish my degree. I didn't really care what degree that would be, I just wanted that piece of paper that said I finished my undergraduate portion of schooling. But, because I came back to the biology department, and because I have once again immersed myself in biology, I have fallen in love with it again. Working in the lab is so exciting and infinitely interesting. I love the intellectual conversations that take place there, with my fellow students but especially with my professors. Most of the time, the professors talk above my comprehension, but I want to understand what they are talking about. I crave to have their knowledge. Waiting 13 years to come back has put me very far behind. So much has been discovered since I was in school last. I feel like I was left behind, but I am striving to catch back up. I find that I don't have enough time to learn all the stuff that I want to. I am working on projects that I probably won't have the time to complete, and I am disappointed. I almost wish that I wasn't leaving at the end of this semester. Almost.

Today was the annual West Virginia Academy of Science gathering. It was held in Glenville this year and I was able to be a part of it. My Developmental Biology class had a poster entered and somehow I was elected the "defender" of our science research. Here is a picture of our poster.


I know, not the most exciting poster. Its title was "An investigation into the role of intracellular signaling during flatworm regeneration". We preformed some simple experiments with an animal called Planaria who were the first animal to be found that could completely regenerate themselves. If you cut a planaria in half, each half will regrow and become complete individuals within 2-3 weeks! In fact, it was shown in another experiment that if this little creature was cut into somthing like 257 pieces, ever single piece would regrow completely. Amazing! Some other animals have regenerative properties, like some lizards and skinks can drop their tails and regrow new ones, and starfish can regrow if they are cut as well. Even humans have limited regenerative capabilities. Our livers can regrow and there have been live-organ transplants with liver donors. Recent research has even indicated that the cells in our brains (the neurons) have some regenerative capabilities, which totally refutes previous beliefs that once our brains are damaged, nothing can be done. Planaria offer us an opportunity to study regeneration and try to figure out how this amazing process takes place. Stem Cell Research, a huge new field of study is based on this branch of study. It is hoped that one day, scientists will be able to regrow body parts that are damaged or not working properly. Maybe certain diseases and injuries can be cured. It really is cool stuff. And I had to answer questions regarding our simple little research project. I was totally pumped!

So, I am a science nerd. And proud of it. I have some other pictures to share.


We had a luncheon and had a guest speaker who gave this fascinating talk about Astrophysics and the use of the nearby radio telescope that is responsible for an amazing amount of research into outerspace. He had some truly beautiful pictures of our galaxy and exploding stars etc..

Here are some of my fellow students who are graduating with me this year from the Biology department.


And here is me in front of our poster.


Anyways, I had fun. I was thinking that this post might have put some of you to sleep. Sorry.

What are you passionate about?

Love Tanya

Am I Weird?

Hello Friends,

So, I just found this great new blog that I will spend many hours reading, I'm sure. It is written by a guy (my first guy blogger!) named Ryan and he is a very sweet, funny man. If you have a chance you should check out his blog, This is Reverb it is listed in "My Blog List" on the left hand side. Anyways, one of his posts had to do with his quirks and possible OCD tendencies. It got me thinking, and when I think, I like to blog.

So, here are a couple of my quirks. And please reciprocate. I want to know all your silly, little oddities:

1. I can't cook anything until the dishes are done. Frank and the kids hate that when they are hungry, but I have to have a clean sink and clean countertops before I even start cooking.
2. I hate any sort of light when I sleep at night. Blinking lights are the worst and I have to cover them up with something. Frank tells me to just close my eyes, but it doesn't work! During the day, it doesn't matter.
3. I can't sit in a car without a seatbelt on. Even if I am just moving the car a couple feet, I have to buckle up. But...if I lay down in a car, it doesn't matter.
4. When I was at home (B.G. "Before Glenville") I had to have a fan on for white noise when I slept at night. Again, during the day, it didn't seem to matter.
5. I have to lock the doors at night and turn out all the lights.
6. This is a new one...in class, I have to take notes. I can't just sit and listen, I feel like I am going to miss something important. Some people just highlight in their text books or do nothing and that really bugs me for some reason. I get a little ticked off at them, especially if they are moving around because they are restless.
7. When I am on the treadmill or on the bike or eliptical or stairmaster, I can't just stop at any time. I have to stop at a 5 minute increment. 13, 21, 34 mins are not possible!

That is just the ones that I can think of off the top of my head. I'm not that bad actually. It is just some of these little things that really bug me and I can't let them go unless I take care of them.

Talk to you soon,

Love Tanya

If I Had a Million Dollars....

Ahhhh....The Barenaked Ladies. What a great Canadian band. Their lyrics are so witty and humerous and just plain great. And I must say that their ditty, "If I Had a Million Dollars" is one of my all-time favorites. Would you agree? Whenever I hear this song, I crank up the volumn and shout (because I can't sing) along..."...I'd buy you a green dress..." and any other lyrics I can remember.

I don't buy lottery tickets. I don't gamble, I don't play bingo, I don't do scratch and win and I don't understand spending your entire day, let alone your paycheque, in 7-Eleven playing Keno. I have occassionally bought a raffle ticket, but not for the chance to win, but to support whatever group is holding the raffle. It just seems like a waste of money to me. I always think about something tangible, and usually eatable that I can buy with that 1-2 dollars. But...I have always dreamed about winning big. In fact, for my husband and I, we make a game of it. We sit around and make all these elaborate plans about what we would do with the gadzillions of dollars we just won.



It is a lot of fun. He is much more pragmatic than I, but I don't just blow it on jewelery and clothes and houses.



Nope, my family would get a chunk, and my kids would be taken care of, not spoiled, but they would never have to worry about money. I would definitely travel, A LOT!!! And I wouldn't work, I would volunteer and be on committees and participate in a lot of events, but I wouldn't work. I would love to have a personal chef, not that I would never cook again, but it would be nice not to have to. I would work out a lot and read a lot. I would take my kids and see as much of the world as possible and they would have tutors. However, first, I would invest the majority of it and let the interest pay for all my frivolities. Frank tells me that is the way to do it. He is usually right about those types of things...

But...I want to know what you would do if you won the lottery. Let's make it 14 Million dollars. What would you do that you always dreamed you could do, but didn't have the money to do it? Would you go crazy for a little bit and just buy everything? Or would you be more conservative and just change a little?



Would you share with me?

Love Tanya

Maybe, Almost, It Could Be...The Home Stretch....

Well Friends,

It seems that I am on the home stretch. You know, that part of the race when you are just over half way done, you can look across and see the finish line. It still seems like a freakin' long way to go, and your lungs are screaming, perhaps even bleeding...and you are thinking to yourself, "what have I gotten into here?" Just moments before, you had just passed that point where to quit now would be pointless and to turn back would be longer than just finishing? That is where I am.

53 days to go! In just over 7 weeks I will be walking to accept my degree. So...what has brought on this contemplation? Well, our Senior Seminar class, the class that all the biology majors that are graduating this semester has to take, did our mock interviews today. The position I was interviewing for was for entrance in the School of Optometry at U.C. Berkeley. I had to research the school and make plans as if I was going to attend. It really got me thinking of, "what is the next step?". I have been concentrating so hard on simply getting to Glenville to graduate, then just completing the class that I didn't look at what was next. Participating in those mock interviews forced me to consider my next steps. And I must say...it is pretty cool. Oh...and I rocked the interview! I was voted "best interview" by my colleagues (yah, we had to conduct the interviews in front of the rest of the class). The interviewer also said that she was most impressed with my demeanor and confidence and that my entire interview seemed the most engaging. I'm a shoo in for med school!!!!

So, to finish, all I have to do is write 2 major term papers. Present them in front of an invited audience. Pass my comprehesive oral exam. And write about 6 lesser papers, take a few tests and pass my finals. Oh, and I have to present some of my research to the West Virginia Academy of Science annual meeting (about 200 people) and finish another Independent Research project and defend that.

Ok...that seems like a lot. Maybe I'm not all that close. Did I say "Home Stretch"? It is quite a stretch.

Don't panic...

Breathe...

I can do this...

Really....


Its almost over...............

Such Sweet Sorrow...

Hi Everyone,

Well, I said goodbye to the little brats this morning in VERY COLD Prince George (my hometown in central British Columbia). I going to miss those kids. We shared our hugs and gave our kisses and they ran off to watch Scooby Doo and I felt a little abandoned. Oh well, at least there weren't any tears. I guess I'm OK with that. I do kinda wish they would have expressed a little more sadness at the prospect of me leaving them for a couple months again. I guess they are used to it. My parents take them for months at a time each summer (thank you very much Pau Pau and Grandpa), so leaving them at their grandparents' is de rigeur, I guess. No big deal.

Mama and Kong kong (that's my Grandma and Grandpa on my Mom's side) treated me to a Chinese dinner at my favorite Chinese restaurant in Prince George. We have been going to Jumbo's since I was just a little kid; the same family has run this place since then and we have grown up eating their food. It was yummy.

You know, it must seem like all we do as a family is eat out. Well, in Chinese culture, treating someone to a meal out is very common. Whenever family or friends come over, we go out to eat with them. It's just what we do. It's not good for the waistline, but it is what is expected.

I got to spend a little more time with my little sister, Erika. She is going to be a full-fledged nurse pretty soon. I am very proud of her.

I also got to spend some quality time with Mama and Kong kong. I love them very much.



My Mom and Dad were my chauffeurs to and from the airport and unfortunately, they had to work so I didn't get to spend much time with them.

We are a pretty close family and care for each other and love to spend time together. I can't imagine it any other way.

I wanted to share a picture of the snow in Prince George. About two days before I flew up, they were saying it was -30 degrees Celsius. That is very cold. It was around freezing when I was there, but the snow made it feel much much colder. I'm kinda glad I'm not living there anymore. I don't like to be that cold.



Anyways, I am just sitting in an empty house waiting for Frank to get back. It is very quiet and I have too much time to think about how much I wish I didn't have to leave.

I hope these two and a half months go very quickly. I feel like I have written this before...

I will be back in Glenville Sunday evening. Back to being a student, rather than a wife, mother, daughter, grand-daughter, and sister. You would think someone would relish the simplicity of my situation...but I don't. I mean, I appreciate it and I am glad that I have the opportunity to concentrate on being just a student. But...I belong with my family. I need them...

Apparently, my kids need me too...

but they seem to make do with Scooby Doo just fine.

Talk to everyone soon.

Love Tanya

Home Sweet Home...

Hello Friends,

So, I have been back home for a couple days and I wanted to share what I have been up to.

But first, take a look at this picture.


This is Louise Brooks she was a famous silent film actress from the 1920's and 1930's.

So, the flight back to Canada seemed to take forever. When I finally arrived in Seattle, it was beginning to snow. I knew I was close to home!

When I arrived home, Mackendra was very shy with me at first. She wouldn't even look at me. It made me a little sad. I knelt on the floor and open my arms and asked her to please come and kiss me. She hesitated, then flew into my arms, threw her little legs around me and held on as tight as she possibly could. And that made me happy.

It was a great homecoming. Not only was I back with my husband and kids, my Mom and Dad were down to watch my youngest sister, Erika, play her college basketball provincials. In fact, the final was that very night and I was able to watch her play. And even better...my other sister was one of the assistant coaches, so she was down as well!

This is Erika. She is a senior on her team and they were ranked second in the province and were playing in the finals. The winners would be going to Nationals over in Quebec.


This is the rest of her team. Our entire family was pumped! We were prepared for a great game, and I got to see my youngest sister play in a really important game. Check out Aislinn and Mackendra. They were so cute. I think there should have been a prize for "Best Fans", because they would have definitely won.


Aislinn had this funny thing she did. She howled whenever the other team was shooting foul shots. Erika's team is called the UNBC Timber Wolves. She stood near the baseline and crouched over and howled...very loudly. I just pretended that she wasn't my child. Oh, and Mackendra was pretty cute until we had to stand up for the Canadian National Anthem and she was chasing a couple boys up and down the bleachers. I just hid my face and Frank almost had steam coming out of his ears. When he caught Mackendra after the anthem was completed she didn't look very happy. Ahhhh....kids....they embarrass us now, but just wait until they bring home their first boyfriends (insert evil laugh here).

So, unfortnately, Aislinn's howl wasn't enough. The Timber Wolves lost, badly. It wasn't very fun for Erika or us. And just like that, another Johnson was finished their basketball career. I'm happy that I was there to see her last game though.

So, here is another thing that I did as soon as I got back. Most of you know what I'm talking about. I have dreaming about doing this for a long time. I would sit in Glenville, in my lonely little dorm room and fantasize about this.

No, get your minds out of the gutter. Feast your eyes on this...



And this...



And this...



Ohhhhhh! I was in heaven. The sashimi was TO DIE FOR!!!! I know some of you are skeptical, but I swear to you...it is the best food in the world. And look at the size of those pieces of fish! Amazing. I have eaten in many, many sushi places in my life and California Sushi (the name of the place we always eat at) has the best sashimi I have ever had. I have brought people to this restaurant and ruined them for life for other sushi restaurants. And they are but a five minute drive away from my house. Don't tell Frank, but I went to lunch there this afternoon, by myself. Mmmmmmmmmm. I think I will have to go one more time before I head back to my sushi-deprived college life. Sigh...

Oh, and here is something that might make you queasy, but I had to share it with you. This is another picture of feet. And these are not cute like Aislinn and my feet. This is my brother's foot. He sprained his ankle about a week ago.



Ewwwwww... (shudder). It looks like his foot is rotting. And take a look at his toes!


That is just not normal. Sorry. I think my blog should stop talking about feet.

And here is another picture of food.


Oh my goodness! Dim Sum...my second favorite food. And this was just the second day I was home. All that weight I lost at college....darn!

Oh, and there is big news in our family....



Yes! Mackendra lost her first tooth today. That is such a huge milestone. She is so excited about the toothfairy visiting her tonight. My baby is growing up. Double sigh...

And now the reason I showed you Louise Brooks...



What do you think? Most of you know about my last haircut (read "butcher"). So, Frank advised me to visit his hairdresser, Deni Laurent. I did. And I think this is a pretty cute look. He was quite horrified with what he had to work with, but I think he did ok. Let me know what you think.

Love Tanya

I Just Don't Understand....

I have deleted this post.

Some things that make me miss home...

Yes, I know I have already posted today, but I was procrastinating again and ended up looking through some pictures and I needed to share some of the best ones with you guys.

This is Auria, my little brother's girlfriend and she is definitely a favorite around our house. She is always willing to play "Princess" and damn it, she fits into the dresses!

This is our, as yet, unnamed house band. Aislinn, in her Supergirl costume, is on vocals, Auria is displaying her mad skills on the guitar, Darren, trying to look cool but succeeding only in looking stunned, is on bass and Frank is very carefully counting and trying to keep the beat on the drums. We haven't secured any gigs yet, but we are confident that one is just around the corner. Can anyone suggest an appropriate name for us?

This is a major source of my homesickness. This is what my two brats show the world.

This is what I see.....

Pure entertainment! This is what they usually look like when company isn't over.

And here is another picture that makes me crave home.


Tuck is so gosh darn cute. He is such a good dog. Don't let Frank tell you any different.

Now here is a strange picture, and I apologize ahead of time if anyone gets grossed out by it. I want you to know that it is a picture of feet. Specifically, my feet and Aislinn's feet. Aislinn is only 10 and this picture was actually taken last year. Now tell me...is this normal? Should a 10 years old girl have such flippin' huge feet? My only hope is that we will have the first basketball post player in our family if this trend continues.

Can you even tell which ones are mine and which ones are her's?

The next picture is much more palatable. This one tugs at my heart strings.


What a good Dad. You gotta love a man who will take time out of his hectic day to read a story to his little girl. Makes me love him even more.

Here's another favorite memory of mine. We had a pumpkin carving party at our house this Halloween. The kids did fabulous. I was dreading the idea that I would be the one that ended up carving 5 pumpkins, but they surprised me and completed them almost entirely unaided.

Here are my parents. I will get to spend some time with them this Spring Break.

And here is another great picture of the loves of my life. This was taken during our trip down to California last year to visit my sister, her family and my aunt and uncle.


Oh! And this is a great picture of the beauty of British Columbia.

Ignore the funny looking lady with the bad hair in the center of the picture and focus on the really beautiful scenery around her. Mmmmmm...S'mores on a beach by a campfire. Nothing compares to that. And by the way you West Virginian blog readers...this is a natural lake, carved by a glacier!

And this is just a funny picture that needs to be on this blog. She will kill me for this when she grows up.
He he he ho ho ho. This just makes me chuckle.


And another appearance by Auria. I will get killed for this picture as well. I love this girl!

Oops! And for the guys...a little gratuitous T & A.












Ha! Had you hoping didn't I. No...this is a family blog. But we are pretty cute in our bikinis. The fabulous girl on the right is my sis, Rachel. And this was taken during a very hilarious camping trip this last summer. If you have never tried tubing down a river, just know that you will laugh a lot, get many bruises on your backside, and not remember half the things that happened.

So, as I get closer to coming home for a bit. I think about all the wonderful times I have had with my family in the past. I am a little sad to think of all the fun times you have had without me during the last two months. I miss everyone and can't wait to catch up.

And that is the end of my trip down memory lane.

Love Tanya

Less than a week....

Oh my goodness! Holy cow!

People...in less than one week, I will be back in Canada! I can barely contain my excitement.

Here is a list of what I plan to do (in no particular order):

1. Kiss my husband.
2. Kiss my kids, and hug them and kiss them and hug them and kiss them and then give them heck for not cleaning up their bedrooms.
3. Hug my dog. He's soooooo cute and he's been so confused lately. He sees me and hears me on Skype but I'm not there. He spends all his time looking under the computer desk for me.
4. Eat sushi. Lots of it. I want to go into sushi overload.
5. Sleep in my bed. Right now my bed is two twins pushed together and no matter how you lie, you can always tell it is two twins pushed together and not my "most wonderful king size bed" back home.
6. Listen to people talk without a West Virginian accent. I think I will just call all my friends just to hear them talk. I am deathly afraid that they will notice that I have picked up some of the accent. But not too much. Two people caught me saying "Eh?" recently. They pointed it out. Yah!
7. Visit my parents and grandparents up in Prince George. My kids have Spring Break the week after me so I am flying with them up to Prince George to stay with my family. I can't wait for Mama's cooking!
8. Eat some chinese vegetables! Yum.
9. Watch hockey. I didn't think I would miss something like that, but, strangely I did. All I ever see down here are highlights on ESPN. Then it is football and basketball all the time.
10. Catch up on "House". I haven't watched a single episode this year and I have felt that very keenly. I need me some grouchy House!
11. Kiss my husband some more. He's really cute too and he understands that I haven't been hiding under the computer desk for two months.

Then its back on a plane, back to homework deadlines and horrible, evil comprehensive oral exams. But I can see the light at the end of the tunnel! Yes I can. As soon as I get back, things are going to shift into overdrive and I am going to see the time fly by. And then....and then, my friends....I will be home for good. I will have a paper saying I came, I conquered, I am victorious! And then the rest of my life will be before me and I won't have to look back anymore and say..."if only".

Less than a week....

Love Tanya