My First Christmas Tree + Life Update

My family went out to a Christmas tree farm the day after Thanksgiving.. They got a (10-foot) tree for them, and I got a 6-foot tree for my apartment in Chicago. I took my childhood ornaments from my parents (my mom kept the life milestones like the baby carriage and the elementary school picture/craft projects), so the tree is a little heavy on the horse ornaments. There are also soccer, girl scout, and woodland creature ornaments providing a little variety, ha.

I don't have anything for the top, yet, or a tree skirt. Charlie promised to make an origami star for the top.

In other news:

-It is finally below freezing in Chicago. It was 25F outside this morning and was snowing a little yesterday morning (but the snow didn't stick). My parka is an obnoxious light blue color, since I've had it since junior year of high school and it was an OK color for when I was 16. Now I'm getting teased about it. Le sigh. Time to watch for sales? But it (mostly) gets the job done.

-Since it is now cold out, I feel justified drinking warm mead (a honey-wine: http://www.realbeer.com/edu/mead/). It is delightful, especially spiced.

-I'm trying to cut back bread/gluten products. I have 98% less stomachache. No constant stomachache is awesome, but it is a pain in the butt to not eat gluten, especially if I don't pack lunch and try to get food at a seminar or buy something on campus. It's in everything! Fortunately, I don't feel really really awful if I eat a sandwich in a pinch, as long as I have been behaving lately. Grumble, grumble, grumble.

-I am trying to write my Ph.D. qualifying exam, in which I propose my interdisciplinary thesis project (my research for the next few years) and defend it to my thesis committee (my chair, both PIs/research advisors, and another professor). Writing it is really tough.

-Roommate Felipe is going to Spain for the winter quarter, so we're trying to find a subletter to replace him for 3 1/2 months. It's an interesting process. Lots of interesting people; some obvious mismatches. We'll see who we end up with.

-Does anyone want to go see the Chicago Symphony Orchestra in January? They're playing Tchaikovsky 6 and they're playing the score to a Hitchcock film. I want to see both. Student tickets are very affordable.