first snow!
Not really the first snow — we had flurries most of last week — but the first that’s really come down to stay. And just in time for people to leave for Thanksgiving, too! Amazing timing.
No big plans for me — dinner tomorrow with assorted friends/acquaintances from work. Mostly international students, so probably not much of a “traditional” dinner, or at least not much like my mother’s cooking. Over the past couple years most of the people who started in my year have graduated, so it’s increasingly labmates-of-friends and random acquaintances. I remember being slightly uneasy hanging out with “advanced” grad students when I started, those who’d been here 5+ years… They seemed so *old*. And 6 years? Gee, I hope that doesn’t happen to *me*. Now it’s my turn to make people uneasy 
The postdoc who started my project is finally leaving, after looking for a job for 2+ years. He’s still looking, but now based in Chicago with his fiancee. Again with the “Gee, I hope that doesn’t happen to me”. (The fiancee in Chicago part, not the 2-years-and-no-job part.) He’s gone from being someone to complain about to a good friend; he’ll definitely be missed, and not just for 2 years of help and advice.
And now, there’s tea and fresh data and good music to get back to.
Happy Thanksgiving