A Look into 2010

Even though we are 2 weeks into 2011, I thought it wasn't too late to evaluate 2010.

Twenty-ten was hands down a stellar year all around. It was successful both hobby and school wise. I'll start in chronological order with the highlights of both.

January - I pass my oral exams for school, officially making me a PhD candidate in chemistry, and snagging the masters as well

February - My mom and I make plans to go to the World Equesrian Games in Lexington, KY

March -

• My fiance and I got to travel to Steamboat Springs, CO for my friend's "baccalaureate" party where I saw friends I hadn't seen in years.
• Robin Briscoe, of Breyer Animal Creations, contacts me to see if I would be interested in making a tack set for a diorama that would be on display at the World Equestrian Games
  

May - Completion of one of my biggest model horse tack projects, the tandem collar harness for a pair of Palouses

June - I receive an email from the National Science Foundation offering me a Graduate Research Fellowship due to a few people declining their offers (I don't know why ANYONE would decline one! I had previously received an email in April saying that I did not get the grant). What this fellowship means is a raise in my yearly salary and I will not have to teach any more labs, making more time for doing actual research.

July - BreyerFest! I also got to be a volunteer for the first time where I was able to demonstrate making tack for a few hours. I received this lovely volunteer model:

I was also lucky enough to win the Kathy McKenzie NAN Donation off only $20 in tickets. She is so beautiful and I felt so honored to have one of Kathy's last pieces in my possession.

August - I spend a nice, long weekend visiting my mom in Phoenix, AZ

September/October - World Equestrian Games!

November - My diorama volunteer model arrives!

December - My WEG Factory Custom Breyer arrives!

I'm not thrilled with the amount of tack I actually made this year. In fact, I can probably count the number of sets on just my two hands. Not only that, but about half were donations! I don't mind donating to shows, but I do need to re-coup some money. I'm really going to try to make more this year, but most often, by the time I get home from school, I have absolutely no energy!

Chemistry wise, well, I thought I would have been done with my project by now. But there have been so many setbacks, it is unbelievable. I really do hope to have it finished by the time summer hits.