In other news...

In other news (besides weather), the next few weeks look to remain busy. I'm wrapping up taking a Spanish class, and working with the professor to publish a study on the effect of gender on second-language acquisition. I'd love to get the paper submitted by about the first week of classes next semester (get it out of our hair!). This weekend I'm hosting a barbeque watch party for Round 1 of the "Superclasico" between Real Madrid and Barcelona soccer teams. Still not sure how many people will be over, but I'll probably end up with around 15 or so. Sunday afternoon is our Oceanography department annual Christmas gathering, and then afterwards I'm having the 4 students who are going with me to Santiago and Quito over for dinner and to discuss trip logistics.

I'm also furiously working with my two research students this year to study relationship of the MJO to air quality in Santiago. We have very interesting results in both studies - results that will be publishable - just need to carry on with the projects. I'm traveling with both students to the AMS annual meeting in New Orleans in January. They'll be presenting, as will I. It'll be the first conference I've been to since the AMS regional meeting (mesoscale) back in Los Angeles in late July.

Travel for the next 5 months:

late Dec: to N.C. for Christmas with family
early Jan: to Dominican Republic for vacation
late Jan: to New Orleans and AMS Annual Meeting
mid Mar: to Santiago and Quito for LREC
mid May: to Great Plains (Okla, Texas, etc) for SWIFT

Lots of fun in the upcoming days! Good thing the weather is quiet (for now, lol!)