Happy New Year! My friend Rob literally rang in the new year last night with a pot and spoon at my wife's apartment in New Orleans. (No falling bullets were encountered.) 2007 was a very interesting year -- a year throughout which I lived entirely in Baltimore, with regular jaunts to the Big Easy. This year that should change. This is also the year that I plan to finish my Ph.D.. Remaining steps include:

• Finishing two papers.
• Doing a graduate board oral exam (qualifier) at Hopkins. I've done one at Tulane already.
• Writing and defending my thesis.

I want to graduate by December. My current focus, however, is finishing my abstract in time for our big conference deadline on the 4th.