ssssshhhhhhhhhh..... don't tell anyone

I feel locked away in the deepest, darkest room under a secret government building like a prisoner, never to be seen again. Ok, so we're staying at my great aunt's house. Don't get me wrong, she's a wonderful person, so kind and generous... but she doesn't have internet!!! Scary. I feel so isolated from the outside world. I'm at BYU-Provo using their wireless, and I feel like I'm sending out an illegal message because I've not had access to internet for so long. I can't believe that people live without internet these days. >.<

But in all honesty, its been and interesting experience. Yes, I'll admit I'm probably addicted to internet and checking my email, the news, games and everything else, but it's been really nice being "locked up," or seemingly hidden away from the outside world with no one but my wife. I can not begin to explain how it is to live without the internet for a week! And we both are even cheating by using it on campus during the day! Interesting how dependent we are on technology, and not even dependent, but addicted. Maybe some of you should try to go for one week without using the internet. Then tell me what you think.

So anyway, Utah has been SO much fun. We've seen friends from Hawaii that have just moved here, and its been loads of fun. We've spent the last two days with the Quillen family and extended family. I was able to see my brother who just got back from his mission, and though he outweighs me by 20 lbs, (and he's even two inches shorter than me!) I can still beat him in arm wrestling. =)

Life is great, and it's even better with family.
(there will be pictures to follow. We just don't have internet and pictures in the same place.) =P

Bittersweet goodbyes

Well, the spring term came to an end, and many of our good friends have graduated and are moving on to the next segment of their lives. We have grown to know them, and love them so much.Others of our friends were recently married! What a wonderful new beginning for them as well. First, some graduation photos:









Jimmy and Mikensi, (who are already gone) and Mike and Tasha (who are going to be around this summer. yay!)

We had a final BBQ with our building last night as well; we're saying goodbye to two of our favorite families: the Bartons, and the Chens. These two children, along with the Barton's other son, Ari'ihau, have filled our lives with character! They are all so full of energy and life, without them, our lives will be very different. Luckily, we still have Austin and now Malachi!











Bye bye Kalama! (The Barton's youngest boy) We'll miss you and Kauvella (the Chen's little girl, who is wearing J's shoes here.)



Sarah and Tui Tafuna (parents of Malachi), Sandra and Roscoe Atkinson (amd Austin), Me and J, Selena and Enos Chen (and Kauvella), and Vaina and Kaumana Barton (and Ari'ihau and Kalama). So sad for us! But good for them who are moving. They have become like family, and goodbyes are always hard with family.

The Bartons were kind enough to donate their fish to our home, and I've always wanted a lovely fish to talk to when I'm bored. They are so peaceful and beautiful, especially Chinese fighting fish (unless they're in a tank with other fishies, that is.)

Also, I've added a link to Good Eats here on Oahu, please forgive the plug for the Ke Alaka'i, but I think it has some very worthwhile tips on where to find good sushi, Mexican, and other meals here on the island.

Procrastination Extrodinaire!

So school is finally over for the semester, and both Lianna and I are very grateful. It wasn't a hard semester, but hard enough. And for all those who procrastinate, take my physical biochemistry class. The final was Thursday, the 19th. Then Friday the 20th, we had a research paper due that we'd known about all semester. We also had projects due. So basically I didn't really start the paper until the day it was due, and and also finished the two projects that were due. And I even made the deadline time. Talk about procrastination. Oh well. Such is life.

Aside from school, much of our ward is leaving us, including our good friends Jimmy and Mikensi. Sad day. But we'll certainly keep in contact. They actually check our blog probably more than our family! But they will be missed.

So that's the news from the Quillen family here in Hawaii. And by the way, this is Joe blogging, and there wasn't even much mention of science! (Well, aside from my classes.) I hope you enjoyed it Sandra =P

Wife neglecting blog = SCIENCE BLOG!

So with the wife not blogging, the responsibility is driven more towards me, similar to the principles of Le Chatellier's principle of equilibrium. Fortunately for all, when I post, they tend to be more scientific. And today is no exception! I got this email from my boss, and I think it describes us crazy scientists just fine. Enjoy my friends

Expressions of Love... from a scientist

My wife and I have a pretty wonderful relationship. Actually, some might call it perfect. Whatever you call it, it’s pretty much great. The other day, as I was gazing lovingly into the beautiful brown eyes of my wife, I saw her for what she really was. With a kind tone I said, "I love you my bundle of carbon atoms, amino acids, and a handful of miscellaneous heavy metal ions."


Lianna then looked at me for a second, blinked, and was then overcome with the fact that she had heavy metal ions in her very being, which realization prompted a mass demonstration of heavy metal ion activity. For those of you who are unfamiliar with typical heavy metal ion activity, let me explain. It is characteristic of hand motions where the pointer and pinky finger are extended vertically (in the same plane as the palm) while the ring and middle finger are placed side-by-side on top of the underside of the thumb. This results in a shape similar to a mythological creature with large, pointy ears and a long snout. The hand motions are also accompanied with a violent shaking of the head with up-and-down motion, much like someone shaking their head yes, but in a significantly exaggerated and violent manner. Along with head-shaking comes the protrusion of one’s tongue as if some very disgusting bug has landed on the tongue, and in an effort to keep it out of the mouth, the tongue is protruded horizontally out of the mouth as far as physiologically possible. The hyper-protrusion of the tongue results in a series of inaudible, high frequency sounds that are similar to that of a cat being swung around in circles by its tail. Similar behavior can be observed at a heavy metal concert at which those in attendance are equally overcome with heavy metal activity in response to the music. It can also be seen by those who "sing" heavy metal.

So, this was the behavior of my wife after my sweet, caring and sincere expression of love and upon hearing she had heavy metal ions within her being. During the above mentioned behavior, I sat back and contemplated just how lucky I am. =)

image courtesy of http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=9943298

CoOkiE mOnStER

(Sorry for the random capitalizations, it just seemed an appropriate way to spell the lovable Sesame Street character's name.) We're doing well, and we're not actually as busy as we were last semester, (which may seem surprising due to the sparsity of our blogging). Our schedules even match a little more closely, which means we get to spend a little more time sitting at home doing h.w. together! It's been really nice, actually.
J's continuing to study for the MCAT, so he can retake it with confidence if he feels he needs to after receiving his scores in about a month, so that, his classes and his school research keep him fairly busy. One class is a ukelele class, (in congruence with his goal to learn to play before leaving the islands,) and he's enjoying it very much, as am I. He's also started a new job, one where he gets to keep the tips he makes, which is financially helpful. (The new job has better hours than the old one, and better pay. It's kind of a plus all around.. except the free food is less healthy.)
I, on the other hand, have had way too much time recently. I tend to do better with tons of stuff to fill my time, so I'm going to have to think of some new hobbies to take up, or perhaps I'll try to work at the temple a few days a week. My most interesting class at this point is Marine Biology - which is probably the coolest class to take in Hawaii. It's making me rethink standing on coral in high tide, or walking on the sand on the ocean bottom for that matter - what if I squash a bystanding sea cucumber? Or end the life of some innocent cone shelled snail? Nah, there's no real danger of that, but the sea is full of beautiful, strange, and incredibly cool life and I'm having so much fun learning about the way the ocean works. My research class is also pretty stimulating, and my psychology class is pretty interesting too.
Needless to say, we're enjoying ourselves - in spite of the MCAT stress.
A couple of weeks ago, J made cookies, and decided we should never run out of cookies. (A worthy goal, I must say, though slightly at odds with my goal of eating healthier in our family..) Unfortunately, we did run out during MCAT week but today he made more! And, my friends, we are back in business, or at least back in cookies. There is not much more delightful than a freshly baked chocolate cookie.... warm, crispy on the edges, and gooey on the inside. mMMmmm. Cookie Monster was more of a genius than he looks.

Can you just taste them?

I think, therefore I am...

If the title of this post is true, and combining it with Proverbs 23:7, could it not be logical to say, "I think about the MCAT, therefore, I AM the MCAT?" Then by logical reasoning, if then I am the MCAT, people need me to get into Med school. If people need me to get in to med school, then do I need me, being already the MCAT, to get into med school? Wait wait, I think I'm losing myself in logic here.

So I'm taking the MCAT this Saturday. Yes, I know, it is fast approaching like a freight train of impending doom. Not only is it a 5+ hour test, but I need to take it in town and be there BEFORE 8:00 am to get signed in, registered, settled, fingerprinted, genetically testing, and cloned...the clone is to see whether or not I and myself would get the same score. Ok, I'm just joking about the genetically tested and cloned part. But I really do have to be fingerprinted and whatnot. Wow, talk about stressful. Its ok though. I'll make it through.

I've been studying feverishly over the past few weeks, and now, it only seems to intensify. In my MCAT studies I have passed the point of relearning everything I've learned in college, and crossed into the territory of studying things that I never learned in college, but other people have, and so therefore I should know it because it could be tested. I mean seriously, do I REALLY need to know nuclear phenomena? Oh la la. =)

So anyway, if it weren't Sunday, I'd be studying. But since it is, I get to focus on more important things. I hope you all are having pleasant days, weeks, months and lives. We sure are.

(Keep me in your prayers... I'm gonna need all the help I can get.)