I'm trying to keep up with the New San Francisco Treat, so I'm posting again (gasp!) -- this time with a few pictures and an update on my working situation (sort of), in case anyone wants to be in the know. First, here are a few picture from my friend B's birthday party a few weeks back. Love the theme parties. This one was an indoor lawn party.

We also went to Wilminton this weekend to cheer J&S on as they ran a 10k... (and because we wanted to go to the beach)....

And now, I'll give you a clue about where I am currently working: it is the only United States university designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Here's another clue:
Okay, so it's UVA. My boss at Duke was appointed as the Chief of Cardiology at UVA, so he up and moved his whole lab. He really wanted me to come work for him up here, but I don't exactly want to relocate just now, so he made me an offer I couldn't refuse (I don't work for Michael Corleone, just so you know) and now I'm working up here two days a week and working back at the other lab at Duke a few days a week. It's quite the commute (three hours each way), but they put me up in a hotel and it's a beautiful drive. So far so good.

at long last...

I got home from church today, and in lieu of taking a Sunday nap, ate an open-faced basil, tomato, and fresh mozzarella sandwich on sour dough bread and decided to post some long-awaited pictures of my new digs. I moved from the apartment I shared with JHM in Durham at the end of April to a place in Chapel Hill owned by my friend Dr. AW. It's a pretty posh place with lots of room:
On Saturday, Jordan and I started out the day at the Carrboro Farmer's market. Carrboro is a town adjacent to Chapel Hill, home to Carrburrito's (one of our favorite restaurants), and will no doubt vote 100% for Barack Obama come November. It's a great little place full of hippies and is known to be one of the most liberal towns in the south.

We also stopped by the dental school, and Jordan let me pretend to be a dental student and do some class-2 preparations. Way more fun (and more difficult) than it looks. The dental school's facilities are really nice and I enjoyed seeing where JLO spends ~70 hours a week.

Where the Hell is Matt? (2008) from Matthew Harding on Vimeo.

I love this guy.

keys and skis

-I had a breakthrough technology moment last week in the midst of a slightly challenging situation. After arriving at work, I used my keys to open my office door. About an hour later I realized I couldn't find the keys..... anywhere. Kind of reminded me of a time in Brazil when I realized as we were about to leave for the day that I had padlocked Sister Campbell and I inside our little house, and the keys were sitting outside on the ledge of the sink, about five feet away.

Sister Campbell fishing for keys with a fork tied to a broom handle

This time I wasn't so lucky, however. I looked all day and couldn't find the keys anywhere. I had a spare key to my car in my car (not smart... I know) and so I tried unsuccessfully to break in (along with my roommate Janet, a South Korean named Yung Guk, and a burly Duke police officer). No luck. As I was standing by my car, I decided I would try to call a local Honda dealership to see if they could make me a new key using my car's VIN. Here's the technological breakthrough. Janet suggested I text message 'google' and tell it/them what I was looking for. Who knew you could do this??? Seconds after I had texted "Honda Dealership in Durham NC" to google (466-453), I got the address. Who needs Garmin GPS when you can google? So I borrowed Janet's car, drove out to the dealership, and sent the nice Honda guy off to make my key, when I received another text message (not from google... although that would be cool technology: "You left your keys in the top drawer of your desk") from a coworker who had accidentally stuck my keys in his pocket and had them the entire day. I stopped the Honda guy in the nick of time, so no harm, no foul... AND I learned about google texting!

-As most of you have heard/seen by now, I had a great time with Klarissa out in Utah. I got to catch up with old friends, play a little soccer with the Irishman, snowboard, interview at the UofU's med school, and see just about the whole jackson clan.

The interviews went really well, but I'll have to wait until the end of March before I know my status [accepted/rejected/wait-listed]. I was impressed by the facilities (including the huge hanging artsy chandelier made to look like a DNA double helix when you're standing directly below it), and by the quality people I talked to. Dean Samuelson (Cecil O's brother) is the dean of admissions and talked with us for a long time before our interviews, and the other applicants were all pretty great. Most had graduated from the U or the Y. Of course.

- Just an update: I've interviewed now at three schools (UNC, GW, and Utah) and am waiting to hear back from any/all of them. I was impressed by all three, but deep down I would love to be a tarheel. Unless Dean Samuelson is reading this... then go Utes!

kitty-cat...meow

My bed is looking really comfy right now, but I don't think I can handle Abe's disappointment if he has to start another work-week without a blog post from Jayne. So here goes.

Catching up -- I ran the half-marathon! (note: ran, not raced... I wasn't in it for the gold, I just wanted to run the whole way, and finish without throwing up fettuccine alfredo or pulling a muscle). Despite the fact that I had to run 13.1 miles, I had a great time and enjoyed the enthusiasm of the other 3,800+ runners. Who knew that many people enjoyed running? The funniest moment had to have been when the 60-year-old speed-walker passed us up right around mile 12. We regained the lead, but only after finding out that he was going on to complete the full marathon.

I also got to spend a fair amount of time in Florida for Christmas and New Years. The weather was perfect, and I got to do my favorite thing: smell the orange blossoms. Mariah, Daniela and I built a ginger bread cottage (next year, we're upgrading to a condo), we played some favorite family games like Dogopoly (I schooled Mariah), and learned a few others like Lightning Reaction, Cranium, and Risk. Dad does an awesome impression of a Neandrathal. For those of you not present, you'll have to request a repeat of "Evolution" some day. Matt and I also beat everyone at Wii tennis (doubles), and Mariah schooled me on every individual sport.

The best thing about being home, undoubtedly, was being with Rachel and Danny. If this whole med school thing doesn't work out, it's already been established that I have a job as Matt and Erin's au pair in Switzerland. Done and done.

the coolest kids in school

Morgen & Danny in heaven

My twin

Rachel watching Mindori, and us watching Rachel -
I think she likes cats

Danny and half of my head at Pirates of the Caribbean

Buzz and the Jacksons

Mariah, Rachel, and deoderant

There. Are you satisfied, Abe? Probably not. I haven't put up a picture of Klarissa yet. Okay, how about this one?

Fryer Tuck... er... Turkey

A few words regarding my previous post. It involved the North Carolina State Fair, muddy boots, and my friend Brittany after a long night at the fair trying to remove the muddy boots. That's all.

So. Thanksgiving 2007. My first thanksgiving home since 1997. There's something to be said for eating mom's stuffing in my own house... and not in some random Methodist church in West Palm. The most monumental event of the day had to be Morgen and Dad deep-frying TWO turkeys--I feel like we've finally embraced the deep south after all these years. And we didn't even have to buy a four-wheeler or use a cat-food container taped to a 2x4 as our mailbox. And according to All-State Insurance figures, 15 homes burned to the ground around the country last Thanksgiving as a result of the improper use of turkey fryers. But because of Morgen and Dad's careful planning, we didn't make All-State's list this year. We might have ingested toxic chemicals released when plastic is melted at very high temperatures, however. But I'll spare you the details.

The proud parents of a 17-lb turkey named Eugene.

And here's a brief demonstration by the turkey fryers, showing how they worked their magic.

So, another meal come and gone, with funny stories to tell. Some of my favorite family food stories would have to be, in no particular order:

1) mom catapulting a serving-spoon full of mashed potatoes at Matt's face and the shocked look that followed
2) Morgen and Sonia using their hands to stir together mom's stuffing only moments after adding boiling liquid to the mix... it tasted great!
3) me making german pancakes, but knocking over the blender full of batter 3 separate times, one time into a basket of clean laundry directly under the kitchen counter
4) Waitress: Would you like Soup or Salad?"
me: yeah, that sounds great.
Waitress: What sounds great?
me: A super salad...

Any others you guys can remember?

brit and the boot

I thought I would give see jayne run a new look - so I've been playing around with photoshop and a few of blogger.com's features, and voila. I'm not sure if I'll keep this layout, but at least it's a change from that solid blue mess my blog has been for the last two years or so. Let me know what you think -- aesthetically pleasing? too much gray?

Yesterday the ward had our annual thanksgiving dinner - a bit before actual turkey day to accommodate all the undergrads who go home for the holiday. I left work after lunch to begin a well-rehearsed (in my mind) lap around Durham and Chapel Hill... picking up five turkeys, delivering them to pre-arranged reheaters, getting the tablecloths from the institute building, and so on. There was a lot less stress involved than I had imagined -- most everything went off without a hitch. My attempt to channel Martha Stewart went pretty well - we covered the round tables with white table cloths, then made a runner from butcher block paper (the brown paper-baggy looking stuff), topped with a centerpiece of apples, pears, and mixed nuts. And a few candles which we are apparently not allowed to light in the church. Good to know.

The way home from the long day was also slightly eventful, as I blew out a tire driving home on the freeway. Way to go, Jen. What are the odds of blowing a tire and having to get to the spare in the trunk when said trunk is overflowing with, among other things, a huge pan of turkey leftovers.

Speaking of, today I searched for recipes for something to do with lots of leftover turkey... and found one for Kneaders Curried Turkey Chowder. After a few consultations with mom (note: ramen seasoning packets CAN double for bouillon cubes, and you cut green onions all the way up to the dark green stalk) the soup was made... and it was so delicious. Thick and creamy and curry-y. Let me know if anyone wants the recipe.

Lastly, a pretty funny movie trailer in the genre of comedic horror. I think dad ought to appreciate this one the most.

a day of firsts

I'm not a runner. Never have been. And I've always been tempted to say I never will be. Two of my closest friends have run marathons, and my dad always coaxes me into a few jogs when I'm home. But I've never felt the urge to just run for the heck of it. Running during soccer is totally legitimate (although I loved playing indoor because there seems to be less space in which to run), and I've never been opposed to the occasional mile or two on the treadmill at the gym. But this week, the bottom dropped out -- I ran a total of 4.5 miles on Tuesday and 5 miles this morning. And it wasn't so bad. Well, I take it back. The first two miles stink, but after that, you just get in the "groove" as Janet calls it, and you feel like you could go on for, well, another 3 miles. I've been talked into training for a half marathon with Janet and her boyfriend Steve. So I've got another month to bump that 5 miles up to 13.1. Piece of cake.

The weapon of choice

I also attended my first Duke basketball game at the Cameron Indoor Stadium, home of the Cameron Crazies. Seriously, these guys are nuts. With the exception of half time, they never sit down. They have some pretty riotous chants -- "Go to he[ck] Carolina! Go to he[ck]!" which they apparently don't just yell during the legendary Duke vs UNC games. Rumor has it the "airball" chant got its start at Cameron. The atmosphere is amazing, though. The 'stadium' only seats 1,500 (compared to the Marriot Center's 22,700 capacity), and students would give up life and limb to get tickets to the Duke/UNC game. They almost do, actually. The undergrads live in tents in Krzyzewskiville for up to 3 months before the game just for one of the coveted tickets. Think Golden ticket from Willy Wonka, but even crazier.


And my other favorite chant of the night was "Crazy Towel Guy". He is perhaps the only basketball fan in the country to have his own cheer. He's been to every home game for the last 20 years and always sits in the exact same place, waving around a towel to incite the fans to cheer at higher decibels, if that's even possible.

Crazy Towel Guy

Go devils, go! And also, go Cougs!

This one's for you, Abe

It is one year and four days since my last blog posting. Apparently posting twice in one day sent me over the edge... but consider this the rebirth of see jayne run.

Let's see. Since my last blog post, I stopped working at FYI Corp. (goodbye, aeron chair), moved to Durham, North Carolina, began working in a cardiovascular medicine lab at Duke (hello, mice), and applied to medical school. Klarissa and Abe graduated from college, we had all the Jacksons together for the first time in years, Matt and Erin still live in the Alps, Mariah's a teenager. The list goes on.



I've definitely fallen in love with the great state of North Carolina (aka Noth Cackalacky). I've got quality friends at work and in the Durham 3rd ward (D3), enjoy the research that goes on in my lab (even when it involves shaving and nairing the occasional rodent), and am having fun coaching a local girl's soccer team (vai Portugal!). I live close enough to drive home on occasion (okay, so only once since I moved here, but it's only nine hours), and have had both my sisters up to visit for a few days. I've become an official resident of NC, and I've written enough personal statements to last a lifetime. For the moment, I'm going to continue working at Duke until I find out about med schools, which will be here in the next, oh, 8 months. It's the real never ending story.

So that's where I stand. Jennifer. In North Carolina. With the candlestick. It's been a good year.

2 posts in one day!

Albeit this one is going to be small:

I just wanted to inform my readers that my office chair at FYI is featured in the most recent episode of The Office ("The Initiation"). Nothing beats the surreal feeling of watching Jim sitting in a HermanMiller Aeron chair on "the office" while sitting in a HermanMiller Aeron chair in my office. Actually, a lot of things beat that. Oh well. Highlight of my day. I've got to start thinking of some pranks to pull.

Go Cougs! and Weddings!

2 posts in one week -- I think I'm making some progress.

Gillian got married! She was sealed in the Spokane temple and had a very beautiful, hardy wedding reception in the Palouse of Eastern Washington.... complete with soup, homemade bread, apple centerpieces and apple pie. It was perfectly fitting for her and for Pullman, Washington.


She was a very beautiful bride. I must say that my favorite moment, aside from the actual ceremony, was when Gillian came into the full sealing room and just sort of sat down smack in the middle of the bench made for her and her husband-to-be Jonathan, leaving no room for him to sit down beside her. Everyone laughed (which was helpful -- we were already a bit weepy), she scooted over, and the sealing proceeded. Gillian's initials are now GCB -- which she is quick to point is a natural chord progression.

After the wedding, I drove down to Provo for various and sundry purposes. Klarissa hooked me up with a ticket to the BYU vs UNLV football game -- which was great because I haven't set foot in the LaVel Edwards stadium in years -- and it's been even longer since I've seen the Cougs WIN in the LaVel Edwards Stadium. It was a great game.
I also ran into lots of great friends, including some old-timers from my Villa days.

And Elder Glenn -- who apparently traded in his tie and nametag for a tight, white, cheerleader uniform. Who would've thought.







I also got a few very domestic-looking pictures of Klarissa and Abe... that is one good looking couple of business majors!

a room with a view... of melbourne, not florence, unfortunately

This post is largely in response to a request, or rather a taunt, by Schmaaa? So just to prove I'm not lazy, I'm writing again.

This is a picture of my lovely office at FYI -- complete with a very ergonomically correct chair that I don't use properly because I always sit on its edge. And complete with a candy jar from which I purloined all the tootsie rolls before anyone else had the chance. Ah, the perks of the business world. I really do love the view though. The second best thing to being outside is being able to see the outside, I suppose.

I've been home from Fishers for almost two months now (holy vaca!). I miss the constant physical activity, but I'm trying to keep up windsurfing once or twice a week... definitely not the same. I did manage to wack my head on my mast this past Saturday... was it worth it, temp? was it worth it? Heck yes. I had such a great time.


And.... one nerd intimidates another! I went to Salt Lake/Provo two weekends ago - and fulfilled a small dream by getting to meet Jeopardy! champion Ken Jennings. Well, I wouldn't say meet... more like weirded out. I got to weird out Ken Jennings. I justed hosed up and got nervous -- I do this around incredibly witty people because I feel like my wit is no match for theirs. Janet, you know what I mean. My sister thinks the picture looks like a family portrait... I'd have to agree. Thanks, Deseret Book, for providing the perfect backdrop for my family photo with Ken Jennings.