Onwards & Upwards

Although it's been a quiet blog this year, it certainly has been anything but a quiet year. It's amazing how peaceful our lives can be, even amidst big decisions, unfortunate loss and plenty of change. Friends? Wonderful. School? Good. Writing? Excellent. Pets? Couldn't be snugglier.

More transition is headed our way, and we are looking forward to every last bit of it. Mid-April will mark our first move within Chicago. Our condo should be sold, and all the physical components of our lives picked up and moved further East. Our new place is literally on the beach, with views all the way up to Evanston and beyond. The best part? Peace and quiet, as there will be no overhead stomping. Believe it or not, this was the selling point and Drew is counting down the days!

Things we're learning this year? How to foster peace, how to keep our focus and how to cherish our life together. Whoever said that the best parts of life are free had it right. Money comes and money goes, as do troubles. We want to continue to be people who invest in people. Who love and who receive love. Who give what we have, rather than working to accumulate more. Today? We're feeling thankful and are looking forward to all the things this year has left to offer!

This Too Shall Pass

I know, there have been few posts. And these few posts have been rare. Life has been full of unexpected difficulties in many arenas (just a lot of very bad fortune or fate or whatever it is) ... and I feel like it's time for somethin' GOOD to come my way... dag nab it!

Tonight I feel thankful for OK Go, and for my dear sister friend who forwarded the video to me--what JOY! Heck, I may just watch it a few MORE TIMES as dinner simmers on the stove. (insert cheesy e-smiley here)

I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.


Oh, and in case you didn't pick up on it... the name of the video is, indeed, "This Too Shall Pass." (insert a few more smileys...)

BioMARK is on YouTube

We've been working hard at the lab to increase our internet presence. We now have a twitter account (@brainvolts--add us!), a facebook group and... ta dah!... a YouTube video demoing BioMARK (a program useful for auditory research as well as for clinicians).

I know, you're thrilled. Humor me.


Now let's all gang up on the FDA to get this baby approved for sale in the U.S.!! India's gung ho for it... but, as usual, our country's few steps behind.

Orla Kiely Bedding Discount

Drooling over my computer... decor8 has negotiated a 15% for anyone using the decor8 discount code at checkout when buying Orla Kiely bedding at dotmaison ... GO! BUY!

Love it.

Mennonite Nat'l Convention

Drew spent a week in Columbus a few months back with our Pastor (who has since retired) and her husband to attend the Mennonite National Convention as a delegate from our church. We just received some photos from them that I thought I would post, while taking the opportunity to express how much we admire Sally and Orwin and miss seeing them on a regular basis!

Here is Drew with Sally, strolling along the Columbus waterfront:
One part of their trip that Drew loved was experiencing Orwin's constant curiosity. As an engineer, Orwin has great interest in construction sites, bridges and other structures that we might pass without second thought. (Chicagoans: he was on the team that designed Wacker Bridge!) Here they stopped to pose in front of one of those curious construction sites:

Drew is now one of the interim church leaders while we take this next year to perform a pastoral search. It's an interesting process, as we are reflecting on who we are as a church and what sort of qualities we need in a leader. That many cultures and ethnicities are represented in our community adds complexity to the decision making process, as do the different perspectives of individuals within the community.

being thankful

We enjoyed our second Thanksgiving with the Peebles family--dear friends of ours and fellow LWCC-ers. Before the meal our little family went on a hike around a nearby forest preserve (we returned with a very muddy but very thankful pup) and made the famous Strait family ice cream pie to bring along. The Peebles' table was so very full of culture and conversation--a family from Iraq, a man from India (whose oft-mentioned wife & baby boy remain in India), and two sweet friends--one of whom is from our dear Seattle & the other who has traveled the world this past year and has many stories still to share. This was our crew in addition to the Peebles fam and ourselves.

We spoke of the conflict in Iraq, war & peace, peace-making versus passive-ism, relationships and dreams... and got in plenty of laughs! I learned so much from my table mates and I believe we all said goodbye with full hearts.

My arms are still sore from drumming for the post-meal Rock Band. I was best at drums. Not so great at vocals. Although the poor vocals performance could be because I was sharing the mic with an adorable 8 year old English-learner. Just saying.

The meal was vegetarian but we went ahead & cooked a turkey the following day. Although... for the record, you can eat SO much more without the meat taking up space!!

love our city

We've felt very in love with Chicago this fall. Drew and I have turned to one another numerous times now with shy smiles and shared: "Are you loving Chicago as much as I am?" My mother once counseled me that it takes ~5 years to feel at home in a new city. We're going on year 4 here in Chicago and I think I believe her.

And because Chicago's so awesome, we've shaved 1 1/2 years off the 5.

Recently we were once again gifted with tickets to the Lyric. Amazing tickets, mind you. Not quite spitting distance from the stage, but close. (Maybe if Dad is spitting.) Tickets many would break a bone for. Wine, coffee, crab & cookies later we finished the show and skipped off to enjoy the rest of the night--amidst the twinkles of Christmas decor and alongside two very special friends.

The show? Janacek's Katya Kabanova.


The entire evening was a true and refreshing blessing. Now back to work.

goin' for a holy swim

Mercedes is a dear friend of ours who moved to the States from Cuba a year and a half ago with her youngest son and husband. We've spent many evenings together gorging on Cuban eats (all three of them can cook, that's for sure!) and laughing Caribbean style. They've had very intense struggles both physically and financially since moving here and we still aren't seeing a light at the end of the tunnel. Still, the joy they have in community and their laughter from the heart persists. Drew and I often feel like we're back in the DR when we're all together, sitting in plastic chairs on someone's porch and sipping a Presidente.

Mercedes came with us to church the week after meeting us and has been coming ever since. She's asked about baptism many times and made it clear that she would like to move forward with it as well as to become a full member of the church. It was an honor to meet with Mercedes and one of our pastors, Kristin, and discuss "what is baptism" and how that relates to Mercedes' story. I was pleased be asked to baptize Mercedes alongside Kristen.

We started off that Sunday service by reading Mercedes the membership questions (in Spanish), as she confirmed them.

The church was invited forward to gather around Mercedes and pray for her.

The weather was by no means warm but thanks to the mild fall Chicago graced us with the water wasn't all that bad! Mercedes took her first communion immediately following the baptism and then in turn served each of us the meal.


This woman works a physically demanding job and is exhausted come Sunday, but you'll be sure to see her at church--early, mind you--ready with a warm hug and smile! I'm so thankful for her friendship.

Is this what you do all day?

A friend recently emailed me this link, asking me that very question. I didn't take it to mean "do you jump around to help people sing the pentatonic scale," but rather "do you research music and the brain to help people understand why and how music impacts us?"

My answer was yes.

And here is the video.


I encourage any and all of you to watch more videos from the World Science Festival. SO GOOD.

Breathing in, breathing out

At least I have the basics down.

Other than that? Life's a bit hectic. I've been playing "catch up" all week, recovering from Society for Neuroscience and missing my recent visitors, Mom & Dad Hamblet. Still, I love my life. Wonderful partner, fabulous city, inspirational church community and nurturing leadership in my professional life. And I can start to taste the end of the PhD... far away though it is.

Today? Preparing for a midterm, which I will take tomorrow (yes, that's Sunday). Writing a few letters to funding organizations for a new project at a local high school. Speaking plenty of Spanish in the lab related to that same project. Testing kids for my dissertation project (what, you ask? you actually spend time working on your OWN project??). And? Sipping tea from my darling new teapot. Thanks, Mom!

Sadly enough I do not have a single picture to post from my parents' visit. We pedicured, shopped, walked, laughed, talked, laughed and talked some more. And, thanks to Daddy D, watched a gory--though entertaining--movie. Lots of snorting from Daddy D and giggles from Momma K. And Momma K did plenty of our laundry. Come again soon!

Back to work.

NPR!

Although they've featured us twice this year on Chicago Public Radio (what I like to call "NPR Chicago") I never thought I'd hear my own voice on the real NPR. As in national coverage. Needless to say, I'm excited. (!!)

Click here to listen!

It aired at 5:35pm on All Things Considered.

My mouth feels like cotton from presenting my poster all day at SFN, preceded by the press conference. And my feet hurt. But at least my shoes were cute.

insanity, at times.

Goodness, I have SO MUCH to post about! Photos from my dear friend's baptism at the lake (brrr!)--which we performed all in Spanish, funny fluffy animal picks, lab news and general goings-on in the Strait household. Busy days.

But for now, how about a list of the things I've been up to that have prevented me from a complete installation?

-Leading a parent-teacher meeting for an amazing new project we've begun in the lab, partnering with an inner city Chicago high school (lots of opportunity to speak Spanish...!)

-The baptism of my dear friend Mercedes, from Cuba (complete with pre-baptism meetings, group recognition on Sunday morning and a post-baptism par-tay)

-Coordinating Mercedes' "sewing business" (anyone need curtains sewn? tailoring??)

-Society for Neuroscience annual meeting--where I'm presenting a poster, as well as an auditory satellite (where I also presented)

-Locy snuggling at Reid & Sam's (not nearly as much as we'd like)

-Press conference & interviews about our research (NPR Monday! will post the link...)

-Responding to reviewers & trying to get this paper out the door (ugh)

-Presentation on "Does music make us human?" at the Zygon Center for Religion & Science

-Coffee dates & outing here & there with girlfriends. And my man. And my dog (no coffee dates, just romps in the park).

Phewf. The short of things? I'm happy. Content with life. Pleased to be married to a man with a vision I am passionate about and pleased that he feels the same about me. Excited for what the future holds.

Must protect insurance companies.

Protect Insurance Companies PSA from Will Ferrell

Thank you, Blurbomat, for clueing me into this video! It's fabulous.

Announcing: Locy Paige Hamblet

News, news! Big, snuggly news!

Reid & Sam gave birth to the gorgeous Locy Paige Hamblet yesterday evening around 5pm via c-section. Drew & I waited most of the day with Sam's parents, Frank & Camille. Reid kept us posted via text messages and we jumped at the phone every time it made a "bling!" Sam was a champ, pushing for hours, but Locy was backpacked into the umbilical cord & just couldn't make it down any further.

She has the softest skin and a healthy head of light brown hair (yes, mom, it seems like it could have a hint of red in it). We see Sam & Reid all over her darling little face! She enjoys sleeping, eating and--most of all--pooping. That, my friends, is a true sign of being a Hamblet.

We got a few shots of Sam as well--who looked fabulous--but I haven't yet asked for permission to post "post-birth Mama." But trust me, she was there, eating ice chips and flexing her muscles. Way to go Mama Sam!

Changes, Changes...

Change is upon us--in many ways. Drew turned in his thesis for publication Tuesday, meaning I must now address him as "Master Drew" (isn't that what you call someone with a Master's?). We celebrated last night with Whole Food's exquisite whole fruit pie, French cider and plenty of congratulatory flowers.

Beyond celebrating Drew's completion of "graduate degree #1" we also took the occasion to celebrate other changes in our lives. With Drew taking on this new position at the church and a new program at the University of Chicago, a lot of newness is coming our way. He worked his final shift at Peet's Coffee & Tea yesterday and it was a bittersweet day, marking the end of one chapter and the beginning of another.

Anne and Louise have been regular Peet's customers for years, usually visiting in the mornings after dropping Louise's older siblings off at school. I now teach Anne's older children piano lessons and love the friendship we have developed--our lives in Chicago wouldn't be the same without them! Louise is thrilled when she finds Drew's moped parked near Peet's because it means Drew's "slinging the bean" inside. Here she is posing with Drew on his last day of work while Drew makes Anne her final "Drew Strait Latte."

So onward we press. What a year we have ahead of us.