Socializing, plus characteristic klutziness (and major good luck)

Today I went to two meetings, a reception, and a happy hour. The reception was for a community member of our IRB who’s retiring from the post after 30 years (!), and it was the first big event in our beautiful new building. I was one of the earlier people to arrive, and I ate some caprese thing off a wooden skewer, then when trying to eat my crackers with hummus, I fumbled my plate and then managed to jab myself in the eye region with the skewer. I missed my eyeball by only a quarter of an inch. What a relief! Silly. Only bled a little. Sat there feeling foolish. Later I chatted with several long-time co-workers, and then the guest of honor, and marginally with his wife the mayor of our city (I helped her find the stairs). I also had a fun conversation with a co-worker whose mother-in-law was my mom’s best friend when I was a little girl. He and I are the only two locals among the ORI scientists, and we grew up in the same small town, a year in school apart, though we didn’t know each other then.

After J. got off work (in the building next door) I brought him in to the reception too, where we ate a bit and chatted a bit more, then we went to the happy hour for the department I just graduated from, and we sat and talked with some first-years and one of the junior faculty, and I tried sweet potato tots and a bit of fried duck and ate a nice burger.