Cara's Christmas Concert - The Artie Henry Middle School Concert Band

This is video from Cara's Christmas concert which took place on my birthday. I can't believe that these kids are middle school students. It was wonderful to see that all of their hardwork paid off. Great concert! Hope you enjoy it.

Christmas lights!!!

I took this video of one of the fraternity houses at the University of Texas at Austin. I can't get over the fact that the guys who decorated this house are the same guys whose front yard is usually littered with empty beer cans. Every year they do a great job of decorating their house and since I have to walk by it to get to my car each night, it puts me in the Christmas spirit.
Cheers to the men of Phi Gamma Delta Fraternity.
Pay attention for the surprise ending. It's very impressive.

Hunter and Beau

After going to the Salt Lick, Cara and I went to a Christmas party hosted by the Moore family. Hunter and Beau Moore are students who play with Cara and Robert's bands. I thought that it was great that they have such a musical family. Something about music just makes things feel more cozy.
Thanks for the concert, boys.

Lazy pugs

No commentary necessary.

Thanks to everyone who joined us at the Salt Lick for my Birthday dinner! Cheers!

These days, birthdays don't excite me as much as they used to, but getting together with good friends is always nice. I had a great time at the Salt Lick with the gang. And, my birthday peach cobbler was awesome!!!

Runaway Cab!

I went to junior high and high school with a couple of the members of Runaway Cab, Ned, the lead singer, and Jeremy, the bassist. Their Greenville gigs were always a lot of fun. Wish I could be in Raleigh for this show.
Good luck, guys!

Click here to listen to some of their songs.

Cold!!!!!!!!!!!!

It's a rare sight in Austin...ice. This is a picture of ice on the window of my car. It reminds me of scraping ice off the windshield of my jeep in North Carolina. Since I've lived in Austin, I think I've seen snow or ice only twice. I miss the white stuff. It's just one more reason that I look forward to heading east after living in Austin. I love it here, but there are so many things that I don't have here that I once took for granted...trees, seasons, short drives to the beach, snow, pork bbq, bojangles, "real" southern accents, ACC sports, ACC sports fans, humidity, rain, green grass, I-40, I-95, the "smell of football season." The smell of football season? Yes, I know what it smells like on those fall mornings when the cool winds are blowing the orange, red, purple and brown leaves of the oak trees. I really miss all of these things. Am I getting homesick? Yeah, I think so.

Do you ever wonder what I do during my days at work?

Well, one of the things that I do during the day is attend seminars and lectures by scientists from all over the country? These scientists may or may not be in my field of study, but science is science and we can all learn from the discoveries of others. Occasionally a scientist will come to UT who has done work relevant to my field of study. Below you will find video clips from a recent lecture by the renowned developmental biologist Dr. Nancy Hopkins. Dr. Hopkins has been a pioneer in the field of developmental genetics by developing the technology to do large-scale mutagenic screens in zebrafish in order to identify the genes essential for embryonic development. She and the members of her laboratory empirically determined the methods to knock out a broad range of genes in zebrafish using retroviruses. This is relevant to my research because we are also trying to knock out genes of interest in zebrafish. The difference between her research and mine is that I am trying a targeted approach to gene knockouts whereas she was trying to knock out genes at random. Meeting Dr. Hopkins was very inspiring and I hope that someday, I'll be able to share the fruits of my labor with similar success that she shows in these videos.
For non-scientists, the challenge of watching these videos will probably be simply staying awake. Minimally, it may take you back to college or high school biology class, at least for a minute or two.
Enjoy!

Stephanie Elsayed

This is a very short clip of Stephanie's performance in the Marriage of Figaro with the LA Opera Repertory Company. She performed the part of Countess and this video clip includes an excerpt of Dove Sono. The clip is about 1 minute and Steph comes in at the end. What a voice!!!

Jose Ruiz from ReviewPlays.Com says, "Jos Purvis and Stephanie Elsayed sing the roles of the Count and Countess Almaviva, each providing beautiful voicing for their characters...Stephanie is excellent singing Porgi, amor, qualche ristoro ("Grant, love, some comfort"), as she laments her husband’s infidelity."
Read more of the review by clicking here.

Stephanie is a friend of Cara's...and mine...from ECU. Funny thing is that she is from Rocky Mount, my hometown. She also beautifully performed Ave Maria at our wedding.
It's really great to see our friends developing their careers. Can't wait to see the DVD, Steph!

Worthwhile YouTube Video

Being the season for thanks, I thought that I would share the things for which I am thankful:
I am thankful for my beautiful, perfect wife. I feel very lucky that I found a woman who makes me truly happy.
I am thankful for my family...families, who support me and my new life with my bride and who encourage me to continue to pursue my dreams.
I am thankful for my new Mom, Dad, sister and pug-niece, who have welcomed me into their family.
I am thankful for my friends.
I am thankful for my pugs who bring me joy and pain, but mostly joy.
I am thankful that I am able to work on things that challenge me and make me feel that I am contributing to society in a valuable way.
I am thankful for my health.
I am thankful to be living in such a prosperous time.
I am thankful for the opportunities that I have been given in life.
I am thankful for being able to fall asleep at night.
I am thankful for this day.
And, I am thankful for tomorrow.

Thanksgiving

Tomorrow's Thanksgiving Day so Cara and I are going to Marble Falls for Turkey Dinner. Marble Falls is about an hour long drive into the Texas Hill country so there'll be plenty of scenery. We'll be dining at Patton's on Main, a local fine dining restaurant. Here's our Turkey Day Menu: Menu
Our tradition of going to Fredericksburg has been complicated by the dogs this year so we're just going to make a day trip of it. At least we'll be together.

Cooper's recovery

Cooper's all better now, but he wasn't pleased when I first brought him home. The nurse at Banfield put an E-collar on him and, as you can see, he had a bandage on his leg from the IV. By Saturday morning, he was completely back to normal as if nothing had ever happened. I actually had to calm him several times to prevent him from ripping his stitches. The boy has no fear whether he is taking dives off the back of the couch or running down the stairs so fast that when he reaches the bottom he slides across the tile floor.

Mark and Maria's Wedding

Finally, I'm posting the pics from Mark and Maria's wedding. Mark and Maria chose a beautiful setting for their wedding. They were married at Laguna Gloria Art Museum in Austin, TX. It is located on the lake just below Mount Bonnell. It was my first wedding since Cara and I were married and I thought that it was wonderful.
To see more pics Click Here

Cooper's last picture as a "whole" little man

Today is "N-day" for Cooper. That means that he is being neutered. It's a very sad day. I took this picture on the way to the vet for the big surgery.

A recent pic of Maddie and Cooper

Wurstfest

Last weekend, we went to the Wurstfest in New Braunfels, TX. Wurstfest is similar to Oktoberfest but it celebrates the Bratwurst instead of the beer. Had a great time with Glenn, Beth, Chad, Mireya, Hari and Dede. To see more pics, Click Here.
Cheers!

Norman Mailer

Recently, I posted that I had begun reading The Naked and the Dead by Norman Mailer. I did so because Mr. Mailer would be making an appearance on the UT campus. After attending the panel discussion featuring Mr. Mailer, Larry Shiller and Gay Talese, all of whom are accomplished authors, I was very pleased that I took the time to attend. Mr. Mailer read an excerpt from his latest novel, the Castle in the Forest, and I was mesmerized by the imagery of his words. I cannot wait to read it. I recorded a bit of Mr. Mailer's reading and have included it in the following video clip. I was also fortunate enough to meet Mr. Mailer and get him to autograph my copy of his first novel, The Naked and the Dead.

[Warning - Adult content] The excerpt that Mr. Mailer reads is a description of the "moment of conception" of Adolf Hitler from the perspective of the devil's assistant.

My Life Rating

I recently took a Rate My Life Quiz and here are the results. I would say that it is fairly accurate, but I like to think that my body is as healthy as my spirit. I'm happy to say that my love life is a full 10!

This Is My Life, Rated
Life:	7.4
Mind:	7.5
Body:	8
Spirit:	8.7
Friends/Family:	6.9
Love:	10
Finance:	6.9
Take the Rate My Life Quiz

Happy Veterans Day! My mom recently forwarded this email to me. I hope that it will catch on.

Last week, while traveling to Chicago on business, I noticed a Marine sergeant traveling with a folded flag, but did not put two and two together. After we boarded our flight, I turned to the sergeant, who'd been invited to sit in First Class (across from me), and inquired if he was heading home.
No, he responded.
Heading out I asked?
No. I'm escorting a soldier home.
Going to pick him up?
No. He is with me right now. He was killed in Iraq I'm taking him home to his family.
The realization of what he had been asked to do hit me like a punch to the gut. It was an honor for him. He told me that, although he didn't know the soldier, he had delivered the news of his passing to the soldier's family and felt as if he knew them after many conversations in so few days. I turned back to him, extended my hand, and said, Thank you. Thank you for doing what you do so my family and I can do what we do.

Upon landing in Chicago the pilot stopped short of the gate and made the following announcement over the intercom.
"Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to note that we have had the honor of having Sergeant Steeley of the United States Marine Corps join us on this flight. He is escorting a fallen comrade back home to his family. I ask that you please remain in your seats when we open the forward door to allow Sergeant Steeley to deplane and receive his fellow soldier. We will then turn off the seat belt sign."
Without a sound, all went as requested. I noticed the sergeant saluting the casket as it was brought off the plane, and his action made me realize that I am proud to be an American.
So here's a public Thank You to our military Men and Women for what you do so we can live the way we do.

Red Fridays.

Very soon, you will see a great many people wearing
Red every Friday. The reason? Americans who support
our troops used to be called the "silent majority." We
are no longer silent, and are voicing our love for
God, country and home in record breaking numbers. We
ar e not organized, boisterous or overbearing.

Many Americans, like you, me and all our friends,
simply want to recognize that the vast majority of
America supports our troops. Our idea of showing
solidarity and support for our troops with dignity and
respect starts this Friday and continues each and
every Friday until the troops all come home, sending a
deafening message that ... every red blooded American
who supports our men and women afar, will wear
something red.

By word of mouth, press, TV let's make the United
States on every Friday a sea of red much like a
homecoming football game in the bleachers. If every
one of us who loves this country will share this with
acquaintances, coworkers, friends, and family, it will
not be long before the USA is covered in RED and it
will let our troops know the once "silent" majority is
on their side more than ever, certainly more than the
media lets on.

The first thing a soldier says when asked "What can
we do to make things better for you?" is ..."We need
your support and your prayers." Let's get the word out
and lead with class and dignity, by example, and wear
something red every Friday.

Currently Reading

A novel that chronicles the story of a platoon of soldiers who are fighting for the possession of the Japanese-held island of Anopopei during World War II. I chose this book because the University of Texas recently acquired Norman Mailer's archives and he is coming to the University of Texas at Austin . I'm hoping to have the chance to see his lecture.

Recently completed:
My War: Killing Time in Iraq
by Colby Buzzell
No God but God: The Origins, Evolution and Future of Islam
by Reza Azlan
Night Draws Near: Iraq's People in the Shadow of America's War
by Anthony Shadid
The Places in Between
by Rory Stewart

Cara and I had a great time at Kally and Colm's Halloween party. I was a prisoner and Cara was a police officer. 

Public Service Announcement

This looks great for Shaun!!! 

Watching Cara's flight from Newark to Austin. Cara went home for Margot's wedding to Steve Martinez this weekend. Now, she's flying back home. Can't wait for her to get here.
 

Cara performs with the Artie Henry Middle School Girls Chorus

This is just a little hint of Cara's performance with the Artie Henry Middle School. Even though Cara says this was not a challenging piece, I am always so proud when I hear her play.

Recently found this on the web. It's a description of our patent for targeting DNA in eukaryotic cells. 

Currently Reading

A soldier's story about serving in the US Army during Operation Iraqi Freedom. The author started sharing his experiences in Iraq through his web log: http://cbftw.blogspot.com/ 

Recently completed:
No God but God: The Origins, Evolution and Future of Islam
by Reza Azlan
Night Draws Near: Iraq's People in the Shadow of America's War
by Anthony Shadid
The Places in Between
by Rory Stewart

Austin City Limits 2006

In September, Cara and I carried out our yearly tradition of attending the Austin City Limits Music Festival. This was our fourth ACL. The musical lineup was a more conservative group of bands compared to previous years. There were fewer "pop" bands and more veteran musicians. We were lucky enough to catch the following shows:
Thievery Corporation, Jimmie Dale Gilmore, Los Lonely Boys, Ray Montagne, Sparklehorse, John Mayer, Van Morrison, The Shins, Aimee Mann, The Raconteurs, String Cheese Incident, Kings of Leon, Willie Nelson, Massive Attack, Jack Ingram, Matisyahu, Son Volt, Ben Harper, The Flaming Lips, G Love and Special Sauce and Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. It was another great year of music in Austin. Check out this short tribute to our 2006 ACL experience:

William Kristol verbally assaulted in Austin, TX.

On October 3, 2006, I attended a lecture by William Kristol, the highly controversial neo-conservative political analyst and founding member of the Project for a New American Century. This is what happened:



Dr. Kristol supports a hawkish approach to solving world conflict which has been the basis for President GW Bush's foreign policy. Conspiracy theorists credit Kristol and the PNAC, which includes Paul Wolfowitz and Dick Cheney, for planning and executing the events that occurred on 9/11/2001. See the following video:



I'm curious what you think...

NC State defeats FSU 24-20!!!

This is a deep cut at NC State's Football coach. You have to respect the creator of this little cartoon. NC State fans can be vicious...I'm glad that this guy took a more humorous approach to dissin' our coach. Amato's gotta step it up or he'll be out like Herb Sendek. 

This is a tribute video that I prepared for Cara's first band at Artie Henry Middle School. 

My friend Emily, former laboratory technician in the Lambowitz lab, is now performing with Island Rhythms Hula Company. Very cool! 

We're gonna miss you.

Beatrice DeFrank 83 of Carneys Point died Tuesday, August 22, 2006 at the Christiana Medical Center, Newark, Del. She was born in Carini, Sicily daughter of the late Rosolino and Filomena Finazzo and has lived in Carneys Point for the past 69 years. She was a member of St. James RC Church, Mother of Grace Society and a Homemaker.

She is survived by her husband Stephen M. Sr., Sons Stephen M. Jr., Oak Hill, Virg., Joseph M., Mililani, Hawaii daughters Mary Costello, Hamilton Twp., N.J., Rosalina Esposito, Dorothy, N.J., brother Carlo Finazzo, Milford, DE., Grandchildren Frank & Angela-Marie Costello, Cara Vernon and Cristin DeFrank.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be said Saturday Aug. 26, 2006, 10AM at the St. James RC Church, Beach Ave., Penns Grove, NJ.

Relatives and friends may call Saturday morning 8:30-9:45AM at the Church. Interment Salem County Veterans Cem., Pilesgrove, N.J.

Please make contributions in Beatrice's memory to the St. James RC Church Building Fund, 390 Georgetown Rd., Carneys Point, N.J., 08069.

Grandmom DeFrank,
I only wish that I had the opportunity to spend more time you.
Love,
Jamie  

University of Texas - Best Party School?!

Not the greatest distinction for the institution that will be granting my doctoral degree...but I'll take it. UT can be superior both scholastically and socially!!! Hook 'em! 

Look at the far right corner of this picture (Reader vacation photos). Do you recognize anyone in the picture? Click on the picture to open the website. Look at pictures #68 and #69. 

We had a great time on our honeymoon in Jamaica. Click the picture to see pics of the wedding and the honeymoon. I've also included pics of the shower that Margot planned for us and pictures from the days leading up to the wedding. 

Cooper made the news!!!

Cooper's in the Austin American Statesman's Audio Slide Show (Click here to see it). In this picture, Cooper is the smallest one in the front of the pack. This weekend we took Cooper to his first Pug Meetup and there was a reporter there taking pictures. She liked Cooper because she took several pics of him and included them in the slideshow. In addition to the pic shown here, he is also shown in a series of three pictures in which he is running through the water. If you look closely at the third picture, you can see his name tag says, "Cooper." Very cool! 

We're married!!!

We did it! I'm so glad that we are married. All the planning and preparing was worth it. The wedding was perfect and the reception was more fun than I could have ever imagined.  

100% of the profits from the sale of Wideawake's new song, "Maybe Tonight, Maybe Tomorrow" on iTunes will be donated to the Lance Armstrong Foundation. I think everyone should buy a copy. Even if you don't have an iPod. It's a worthy cause.