Woo!! Last week we, the new cohort of graduate students, finished our first year of grad school. What a relief! It will be good to take a break from classes for a few months to focus on research. While this year was just the first step in a long process, it is a great feeling of accomplishment. Some say grad school is like walking down a long tunnel with no light at the end. Others say it's like staring into a high-powered flashlight for several years (only more expensive). Either way, stress relief was needed. The exam was over at 3pm and drinking began promptly at 5pm. Enough said.This past weekend was a good one. On Friday one labmate celebrated finishing her masters (congrats!) while another kicked off her 21st birthday festivities. Saturday I attempted to surf at Del Mar Dog Beach. The sun was shining and the water was warm. I got up once or twice and took a handful of nose-dives. Eating it on a longboard feels sort of like being in a giant salty washing machine, blindfolded, with a log tied to your ankle. Good times :) The night ended with a bonfire in OB, which was fun until our site was flooded. Always remember to check your tide chart! Some bohemian "music makers" joined our group and banged their drums for a little while. Ohhh... only in OB.
Scruffy McMuffy, the avid hook-and-bullet ecologist, speared some kelp bass and was generous enough to share the spoils of his hunt. He fried up some of the freshest and most delicious fish tacos I've ever had. And hey, its locally-caught and sustainable! Mmmmm, a conservation carnivore's perfect match.
Beautiful raw ingredients...
... splattering, spattering, deep-frying fishies...
... and the finished product.
