Homeopathic A&E

Best Weekend Ever?

By now, most people who read this blog are fully aware of the big news. To put it in blog terminology, this URL now officially pertains to one additional person. By that I mean to say that I proposed to Irina on Friday night, and she accepted.

For the more curious among you, I will tell the story in short format.

As some of you know, I have been planning to propose for quite a while now. Originally, I had planned to wait until December, meet Irina's parents, ask them for her hand, and then surprise Irina while we were both still in China. There has been some delay, however, in Irina's parents' move to Beijing, so the date of our trip keeps getting pushed back further and further. In the meantime, after meeting so many of Irina's family members and receiving so many emphatic well-wishes from all our friends, I realized that it was making progressively less and less sense not to be engaged. This became particularly clear while we were in San Diego. The assumption of our eventual betrothal has been there for a while, and it started to feel a little stupid that we weren't there yet. At this point, I informed a number of people that I would propose during the month of October.

I did my research and found what I thought would be the perfect ring. Then, I waited for the best moment. That moment came on Friday night. We came home from work, went to the gym, and then I told Irina that I wanted to go for a walk through Strathcona Park. Strathcona Park is where Irina and I had our first date. That day, we walked all the way around the park, talking, sitting on benches, enjoying the weather and scenery, and getting to know each other. It was an amazing day. So what better place to propose?

We arrived at the park at around 7:00 PM, so it was already quite dark and a little cold. Irina was not amused by the starlight and the moonlight in the middle of downtown Ottawa. She was cold and she was worried about being in a public park after dark. After only a few minutes, she wanted to go back to the truck and go to a movie or dinner or something. "Are you sure?" I asked her. She shrugged and agreed to go a little further. After a while, she reminded me that she was cold and creeped out by the dark, so I told her, "Okay, we'll just walk a little further and then we'll turn back."

Finally we made it to the location of the first bench we sat on during our first date. It is in a clearing, with tall trees all around, and the Rideau River gently bubbling by. The moonlight cast a soft glow across the water and on every leaf. Again, Irina turned to me and said, "Ryan, I'm cold, and it's really creepy out here. Let's go back now." I asked her if she was absolutely sure she wanted to turn back, and she said yes. So I said okay, and then proceeded to explain in explicit detail how much she means to me and what a wonderful impact she has had on my life. At first she just shivered and laughed it off, but I went on gushing my heart out, and eventually she realized that I was saying something really serious here.

What she did not expect was a proposal. When I got to that part, she cried and was shocked and very happy. When she eventually got around to opening the box, she saw the ring and said: "It's perfect!"

Here is what Irina has to add:

Ryan started saying all these nice things to me, and I was so focused on the cold that I didn’t even clue in until he went down on one knee, and asked me to be his wife. Now, thinking back, I remember wondering why he kept one hand in his pocket the whole time as he was saying all those nice things! He swept me off my feet when I met him last summer, and was still doing the same in that moment. Couldn’t help but get emotional, so much so that I couldn’t even open the box until he asked me to, saying that what was in it was mine…hahaha. The ring’s absolutely perfect, and what I’ve always wanted…I don’t know how he knew! It’s nice and reassuring to know that the man you’ve been looking for all your life is yours. :)

Then we went to dinner at a place called Perkins. It's sort of like Denny's, so not exactly the kind of place you'd expect for an engagement dinner. However, Irina and I have a long history at Perkins and it's a place that means something to us. So on that level it was the perfect place to go next. Either that, or I am way too sappy and sentimental.

So there you have it. That's what Paul Harvey would call the rest of the story! Now we're both extremely excited and ridiculously happy and you can see it on our faces. One of our coworkers just came up to me and said, "I was just telling [another coworker] that 'Ryan and Irina make the best couple!' You should see her, she's just absolutely glowing." I agree, but I thought she has been glowing all this time.

Okay, that's enough of that. Back to your regular blog postings.

Everyone left on Sunday morning, so it was just us three to enjoy they day hiking in Snow Canyon. We stopped at the little campground to fill our water bottles before heading out and came upon a rattle snake slithering across the campground road. That'll get your attention. So I spent the hike being extra watchful. We had great fun and everyone else missed out.- Philip

One More Week

Jason leaves on Sunday. 6 days and he'll be on the road to our new home in Illinois! He is so excited to start his new job. We visited his office and we both have plans on how it is to be decorated...Jazz paraphenalia on the top of the shelves, Captain American sheild on the wall. He even has a window! We spent last weekend looking for a place to live. We found a nice, new duplex on the outskirts of Carbondale to the east. Here are some pictures of the drive from the highway to the house. They were taken from the car, and Friday happened to be a misty, semi-rainy day.

ON ROUTE

NEAT BARN NEAT BARN AGAIN

ONE MORE HILL
HERE WE ARE! they were painting, couldn't go it

THE BACK YARD--hard to get a feel from the car, but lots of space for playing!

SOME WOODS

The kids and I are going out for a week, we leave on the 2nd. We'll be taking the kids to the St. Louis Zoo, it was awsome! Penguins swimming around, Hippos swimming, beautiful place!

Kindred spirits

Garden gnomes have officially been taken to a whole 'nother level.

The Adventures of Ryan's Growing CV - Episode #21

Good morning, everyone. I thought I might take a little time and update you on my life, specifically in regard to my professional life. Please forgive a few important omitted details (names, project objectives, etc.). They must be omitted for legal and professional reasons.

This morning I received approval for a very big project. Most of the work I do involves conducting analyses for Canadian government agencies and Canadian subsidiaries of major pharmaceutical companies. This project, however, has been commissioned by the head office of a major pharmaceutical company, based outside of Canada.

We were able to secure this contract based on the fact that I have developed a unique and reliable analytical technique that takes longitudinal drug utilization studies into some new territories. The client in this case wanted to take advantage of these techniques to the greatest extent yet - my biggest-ever analysis of this kind. In addition, the client has provided an opportunity for me to write an article intended for a major medical journal. While this is not the first time I will have been published, it will be my most illustrious publication.

For my company, it will mean landing a high-profile contract that will put us among the names of international health care data research and consulting organizations with major scientific credibility. For myself, it will mean all of that - with my own name attached - and it will give me the kind of credibility as an economist that I never thought I'd have.

Personally, for a little guy from Podunk, Utah to have gradually worked my way into the major mainstream of heath economics with only a Bachelor's degree and a lot of ideas about philosophy and work ethics, it is gratifying and validating in a way I can't really explain.

In short, this means a lot to me. I am very excited about it. :)

Ryan

Labor Day Weekend