movin' out

"i'm movin' out"
- billy joel

[this song has been in my head all day]

well the time has come!

all my reports are turned in, all my bags are packed

and i'm moving out for the summer.

i'm heading to hershey for a brief pit stop,

then heading home for a week to see all of my favorite people :) 

after that i'll be moving into my new apartment

& meeting my 3 new roommates

[fingers-crossed that they're normal - or at least quiet & clean ;)]

hello may

i can't believe may is here already!

this month holds a few endings and new beginnings for me

goodbye classes, penn state campus, and graduate housing...

hello research, visiting family & friends, and moving to hershey!

it's going to be good :)

final week

it's been a busy week with the end of semester presentations and papers.

here's my engineering design class at a conference presenting our final prototypes.

we also had to present to the company executives and design team for our product.

it was a fun week, but very exhausting!

check out my project blog for more info on the semester project: http://socialmediavia.blogspot.com

the next few days are crunch time for my reports!

see you when everything is done

school's out

"school's out for summer...school's out forever."
-alice cooper

i can't believe it.

yesterday i had my very last class of my graduate program!

[so, of course, i took a photo to remember it ;)]

i still have some presentations and reports before the end of the semester,

but classes are officially over. forever. wow!

2 years down.

2-3 more years of research to go.

...so exciting!

CIHDS conference

today i'm at the conference for the

center for integrated healthcare delivery systems.

basically that's a fancy name that means that a bunch of doctors, nurses, vendors, and

researchers are getting together to talk about the cool stuff going on in health technology :)

...should be fun!

[and we get free food & drinks! ...which is always fun]

i'll be tweeting about it @AlisonPSU

usability studies

i have been seriously MIA on this blog! i did some traveling and then work for classes just became too much. but i have LOTS of photos to upload from recent trips...so there will definitely be posts very soon :)

here are some photos from what's been consuming most of my time...we've been conducting usability studies and interviews for a new media player application for android devices. it's  a lot of fun but really, really time-consuming!

have a wonderful monday!

three screens

today i'm stuck in the lab all day for meetings and work.

so i've made it a "3-screen" day...

2 screens for work

1 screen for a movie :)

definitely makes the day much more enjoyable!

happy friday

goodbye joe

it's been an emotional week at penn state.

we've lost our beloved leader of 61 years, our joepa.

but yesterday's procession was incredibly touching and comforting

as thousands of our penn state family lined the roads to "guide joe home."

 the buses honor joe while people start to line up on curtin & allen

 the crowds wrap all the way past the library & continue 3 miles around campus

 the crowds patiently wait 2 hours in the cold

 the procession begins - we are...penn state

...and we say goodbye, as joe takes his final lap around campus.

also here's a beautiful video of the past week:
http://www.youtube.com/user/gopennstatefootball?feature=watch

...while students sing the alma mater,
it shows the memorial at the statue,
the candlelight vigil at old main with over 10,000 people,
and the stadium which will stay lit until friday...

the two little boys at the statue are actually my friends
julie and dan's kids, liam & owen. so sweet.

color crush: nittany blue & white

"they ask me what i'd like written about me when i'm gone.

i hope they write i made penn state a better place,

not just that i was a good football coach."

- joe paterno (1926-2012)

you made penn state the great place it is today, joe.

we will not be the same without you.

you were an incredible man & you will be greatly missed.

{alittlebead eyeglass necklace via etsy, ruche polka dot flats, victoria beckham jeans via coggles}
{lions pride legacy rugby stripe scarf, nike ladies sunny day t-shirt via lions pride, lions pride joe paterno banner}

rest in peace, coach.

(beautiful statement from the paterno family = http://live.psu.edu/story/57324#nw4)

color crush: navy blue & mulberry

this week was the first week of classes and it is also my LAST semester of classes!
after spring i'll be totally focused on research :)

so this week's color crush is all about a comfortable & cute outfit for meeting my new classmates.
it's complete with some really sweet "good luck" jewelry from etsy
...a four-leaf clover necklace & a horseshoe ring...
 because i'll take all of the luck i can get!

{frye paige tall boots via zappos, modcloth crinkle in time scarf, ruche midtown avenue floral dress}
{east merino wool cardigan via john lewis, BellaBijouToo "lucky lady" horseshoe ring via etsy,
JenniJewel four leaf clover necklace via etsy, tory burch patent robinson tote}

hope you having a great week!

let it snow

after seeing 50+ degrees for the past few weeks,

i was finally able to wear my scarf & mittens

when we got some pretty snow this week!

it's finally starting to feel like christmas around here :)

3 more papers & a final.  then i'm done!

color crush: pepper gray & amethyst

it's the last week of classes (finally!)

which means lots of dressing up for final presentations.

so this week's color crush is all about the business causal look.

{alexander mcqueen cardigan via harvey nichols, michael kors python heel, alexander mcqueen trousers via farfetch}
{parker blue eternity scarf via barneys, gucci violet frame sunglasses via profile brighton,
purple crystal ring via jcpenneys, kate spade vanston mary clare bag}

i love the purples & grays together :)

hope you're having a great week!

simple joy {diners}

breakfast anytime.

endless coffee.

comfy booths.

went to the waffle shop with my friend jenn

to catch up after a few crazy weeks.

it was such a nice break from work.

fall break cannot come soon enough!

[3 1/2 weeks to go]

shoe confidence

i have my oral defense for my candidacy exam today and am a bit nervous.

so i decided to wear some cute shoes to give me a little boost of confidence...

...because my philosophy is that a pair of cute shoes [or a pretty purse] can solve most problems ;)

black & tan faux snakeskin. so cute.




see you on the other side!

swamped but sunny

i. am. swamped.

wow, this semester really hit the ground running. my classes, research projects, and publications are already in full swing...summer vacay is most certainly over.

but i couldn't have asked for better weather for this first week of classes! it's been so pretty...in the 70's, sun shining, blue skies, fluffy clouds...the whole bit.

so although this semester already has me swamped with work...it's nice to be back in study/work mode enjoying the cooler temperatures and the anticipation of fall :)

...and p.s. how crazy was that earthquake today??

hope you're having a sunny week too!

candidacy survival

well the time has come for our big candidacy exam here in my graduate program. it's 2 weeks of intense analysis and writing. not a lot of fun if you ask me.

so i'll be gone for two weeks while i focus on this exam.  but i thought i'd leave you with a glimpse inside my candidacy survival kit :)

1. pretty notebook and pen - to jot down notes and random thoughts...and vent my frustration if necessary ;) [since we're not allowed to talk to anyone about the exam]
2. granola bars - to keep my stomach-growling to a minimum when i'm holed up inside the library all day.
3. reading glasses - i've been bad about wearing my glasses lately, but since i'm going to be doing A LOT of reading, i really have to remind myself to wear them. plus, they'll make me feel more studious [whatever works, right?]
4. to-do list - i've got one for every day of my two week exam! [if you know me at all, this is not a surprise]
5. my beloved mac - this is my BFF these next two weeks. i could not survive without it.
6. entertainment - since i'm giving up all social media, blogs, news sites, and any other online distractions...music will be my only online entertainment. i have music playlists all ready to energize me and relax me, both of which i'm sure i'll need.
7. research essentials - post-its & highlighter...two of my favorite things :)
8. hydration - i even bought the fancy water to make it seem more special
9. relief - all this reading and writing...i'm sure excedrin will be in my future.
10. caffeine - extremely critical to my survival.

see you in two weeks!

procrastination

so, i have a paper that's due friday. it's only about 10 pages long, but it's an intensive analysis of data.

and it seems as though my brain is still on summer vacay.  it has its feet propped up somewhere gazing out over sandy beaches, listening to crashing waves, and sipping a nice cold margarita. so no matter how long i stare at my computer and will my fingers to type, my brain continues to be stubborn and resist work by suggesting mindless procrastination activities...

...like painting my nails a pretty, summery coral color [cute, right?]

...and pretending i'm a highschool girl by taking posed photos of myself with my iphone ;)

i suppose it's time to tell my brain that vacation. is. over.

ugh. the brain is not going to be happy.

see you when the paper is done,

one year down

"the time to relax is when you don't have time for it"
-sydney j. harris

this quote could not be more true. this week has been a bit hectic.

i'm done with my first year of classes [yeay!] now i just need to crank out 3 more papers before i'm officially a "second year." [wow, that flew by fast]

and apparently this week the weather has vacillated between days of pouring rain, thunder, and lighting...to picture perfect spring days of sunny skies and bright, green grass....most of which i was completely unaware because i was off somewhere with my nose in a book or furiously typing on my computer :) but throughout all the work i tried to enjoy some of it..which was usually during my 20 minute walk to and from the library.

so as part of my "relaxing" time, i took some photos of my peaceful walks...the pretty blossoming trees, the sunny blue skies, and a sweet little duck, who i see every morning and evening by my building...he greets me with a quack, and i reply with a "hey there buddy" [thankfully, no one is ever around to hear our little exchange ;)]

better get back to those three papers...apparently, they're not going to write themselves.

tired eyes

this is what my next few weeks look like...

...these books and my poor tired eyes.

although i must say that i'm learning SO many interesting things.

from how to conduct an effective qualitative interview

[more complicated that it appears]

to building a portal based on usability engineering principles

[surprisingly interesting]

to discussing the philosophy of science & technology

[which is really confusing, yet fascinating]

so, although my eyes are tired,

i'm starting to feel more like an "academic"

...and i suppose that's a good thing :)

dear old state

[see larger image on flickr]

it's penn state's 156th birthday today!

penn state has given me unforgettable memories, amazing friends, and life-long lessons...she's inspired me, motivated me, and made me so proud to be a part of dear old state.

"for the glory of old state,
for her founders strong and great,
for the future that we wait,
raise the song, raise the song.

sing our love and loyalty,
sing our hopes that, bright and free,
rest, o mother dear, with thee,
all with thee, all with thee.

when we stood at childhood's gate,
shapeless in the hands of fate,
thou didst mold us, dear old state,
dear old state, dear old state.

may no act of ours bring shame
to one heart that loves thy name,
may our lives but swell thy fame,
dear old state, dear old state."
- fred lewis pattee,
penn state's alma mater