time for an update

I can't believe summer is passing so quickly! I feel like I say that every summer so maybe I don't learn very fast!

Since school got out in mid-May, I have been working on my research project. My work so far has been getting the project planned and getting it approved by the IRB (Institutional Review Board) at MSU. The IRB is in place to make sure the research done by MSU affiliates is ethical. My research is fairly straight forward because it is interview with an adult population. Some of the exercise physiologists in our department do research on exercise in pregnant women or obesity in youth; obviously the scrutiny and safeguards in that type of research is a little more intense than in mine but the process is the same. At the moment, all the paperwork is filed and now I'm waiting to hear back. I also agreed to help clean up and organize the equipment closet/storage for our department which, surprisingly, nobody else jumped at.

Mikel has been working, golfing, and enjoying the sun (when we have it). I tried to convince him to help me with cleaning up the closet but shockingly, he was busy!

The next month and a half are going to be pretty crazy. I am starting volleyball camps with Mike (my old coach from ISU) and will be all over the place. My advisor does know about the camps but doesn't really want to make a big deal that I'm doing them so, for all of you who are talking to people at MSU (yea, probably not!) keep it on the DL (that's the 'down low')!

Here's the schedule:

July 6-8 Oakdale, CA
July 13-15 Idaho Falls, ID
July 16-17 Upton, WY
July 18-20 Dayton, WY
July 28-30 Jackson Hole, WY
August 3-5 Boise, ID
August 6-8 Homer, AK (although I'm staying until the 10th)
August 12-14 Chatsworth, CA
August 18 **back to MI

The whole time I will be working on my project as well, hopefully conducting some interviews along the way. School starts on September 2 and orientation before that-- should be a crazy summer!!

Mikel will be, sadly, in Michigan most of the time although he is going to make a trip to Idaho from July 14-22 so he will get to visit some family and friends (and see me). He will be working and golfing and hanging out with some of the guys from work I'm sure. We're hoping there are some activity classes in the fall that need a teacher so Mikel can get some teaching along with his other work!

That's all I can think of for now so that's the update!