Here in New York, we are deep into the Dog Days of summer. It is hot and humid. Sometimes the subway platform reaches 100 degrees. The garbage sits out, cooks in the heat and wreaks havoc on your sense of smell. It’s rough out there. But in here, at home, we are comfortable and oblivious to the temperatures outside. One of the key reasons we are comfortable is that Jay’s parents generously gifted us with a 13,000 BTU air conditioning unit. I didn’t know anything about BTUs as a former San Franciscan, but now I realize the importance of them. Jay’s parents must have anticipated the pain and suffering had we not been well equipped. I read that it takes between 12,000 and 14,000 BTUs to cool an area the size of 450-700 square feet. And for each person, you need to add 600 BTUs. I’m not certain how large our living space is, but this air conditioner is a life saver. I would be completely miserable, sweaty and less productive without it. Many thanks to Dawn and Russ.

The other research I’ve been doing these days is related to my dissertation. I’ve been reading, re-reading, indexing, writing, summarizing, and mind-mapping a bunch of stuff related to identity, social identity, ethnic identity, diversity, organizational development, leadership, and so-on and so-forth. This may seem boring to you, but I’ve been quite fascinated by the topic and the process of writing a research proposal. When I worked full-time, it was impossible for me to balance work and home responsibilities while trying to write my proposal. Five years and a few corporations later, I now have the chance to focus solely on this process so I can complete my dissertation once and for all. This has been seven years in the making and fortunately, I have regained my passion for it. There’s nothing better than being able to fully dedicate yourself to what you believe in. No matter what.

I couldn’t do this without being in the environment I’m in now. It took me about a month to adapt to my new environment. Butters and I now share our space and our lives with Jay and Rosie. We are always together… a vast difference from a year ago when we were separated by 3,000 miles. Now we are separated by a mere five or so feet while we work. I’m building a case for my research on Asian women and Jay is next to me, creating art from snippets of vintage magazines and books. In some ways, we are both collecting puzzle pieces to complete a whole picture.

And in the meantime, Butters and Rosie sit no more than a few feet from one another. Butters found a sister and we all have a new life together.