The Year in Ann Arbor [2018]

January – We loved the timing and convenience economics of the 5 am flight back to Ann Arbor so much that we did it again this year. I arrived in Ann Arbor bright and early, went grocery shopping, and spent the rest of the day watching TV on my bed. When classes started, I began my mandatory semester of TA’ing, my first time as a grad student but my third time overall. Bessel functions made their return in a problem set, we got back to work in the band room preparing for our second concert of the season, and I ended the month at the Michigan Theater celebrating Mozart’s birthday.

As the TA, I had the pleasure of writing up all the homework solutions, which meant I had the pleasure of solving all the homework. February brought the return of the COMSOL problem set, which I tackled with, of course, all the pleasure. The Revolution began preseason and once again, fled from Foxboro to play in the Mobile Mini Sun Cup in Arizona, where they emerged victorious [this would, sadly, be a highlight of 2018 for them]. I watched most of the games thanks to the internet and also caught highlights from the Olympics. In other news, I finally gave in and bought a DSLR.

In March, my TA duties included attending a seminar titled The Power of Peer Review. Literally the only reason for that title is the alliteration. About a dozen people actually showed up and almost all of them were there because they had to be. At least there were snacks. I also carried on with grading, holding offices hours, and research. Outside of work, I began watching/rewatching the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe in anticipation of Avengers: Infinity War, which I still have not seen.

Easter this year was in early April. To celebrate we had lunch after church, an egg hunt (I got to hide eggs again), and a piñata. Very traditional. Since classes ended, I got to wrap up TA’ing for the time being, and I attended several band and chorus concerts in support of music and friends in the school of music. At some point during the month, the guy who writes PhD comics came to the university, so I went to see him talk.

May is a big month for early PhD students. Last year I took my doctoral candidacy exam; this year was the preliminary exam. I passed and immediately headed out of Ann Arbor to visit my brother in Chicago. I met up with my mother there and this time I got to see Chicago instead of haul my brother’s belongings across the city. We visited the zoo, the Museum of Science and Industry, and the Field Museum, plus saw Cloud Gate lots of times.

When I returned to Ann Arbor in early June with my mother, I took her to see the peonies and other bus/foot-accessible locations in town. At church, we observed the end of the school year for the kids with water balloon games, a water balloon fight, pizza, and a movie. My lab had a summer BBQ at our advisor’s house, followed by a game of Pandemic (we won). At the end of the month the World Cup started, so there went the ragged remains of our motivation and productivity at work.

In July, I continued the summer tradition of biking across most of Ann Arbor. My future roommate and I paid a visit to the food trucks at the Farmer’s Market for dinner one night and got a chicken jerk wrap and pizza. Art Fair came to town; I went to look at the prices. I got caught up on Marvel movies and started on watching every theatrical Disney animated feature film. With the availability of $25 tickets, a coworker and I went to see Manchester United and Liverpool play at the stadium.

Summer continued in August. Midmonth, my new roommate moved in. I took advantage of a library event and went to see Jennifer Pharr Davis, who wrote Called Again, speak. I took advantage of the library itself and finally saw the fourth season of Sherlock. I have very mixed feelings about this season. As summer wound down, I made a return trip to Chicago to meet up with a friend from Cornell.

At long last in September, our church moved into a building that we’d been renovating for the past year. Band started back up. I went to see a free showing of 2001: A Space Odyssey that was accompanied live by the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. We participated in fall by going to a cider mill for cider and donuts.

October brought the arrival of my first academic conference as a graduate student. Another student and I flew down to Houston together a day early and spent the extra time at Space Center Houston. At the conference itself, I listened to dozens of talks, met up with several Cornell acquaintances, presented, and otherwise tried to subsist on free food and alcohol.

In November I took an extended break from work and travelled to Singapore to see family, some of whom I hadn’t seen for fourteen years. We saw a lot of people, ate a lot, and did all the touristy things.

December – On the way back from Singapore, we had a whirlwind stopover in Hong Kong. Back in Ann Arbor, the ChemE department hosted a Christmas party [food + alcohol = the one(?) time a year the department gets together], and I made Christmas cards and meatballs. Since I used all my vacation days to go to Singapore, I remained in Ann Arbor for winter break, and spent time with families from church and played Ticket to Ride and Exploding Kittens for the first time.

Minutes: I practiced 4165 minutes (69.4 hours) in 10 out of 12 months, or about an hour and a half a week. Hey, at least I practice.

Miles: Rode 254 miles in 9 out of 12 months. I moved closer to my office so I can walk instead of bike, which is where a lot of my miles last year came from.

Numbers: Books – 63+2 rereads, split 21/44 nonfiction/fiction

Movies – 58+11 rewatches