Iva

Hello friend!

    I'm a biologist, currently doing neuroimmunology and Alzheimer's research related to the role of the immune response in neuroimflamatory diseases like MS- how it starts, which cells are driving it and how, and looking for mmunotherapy targets involved in the disease. Also the role of neuroinflammatoon in Alzheimer's as well. Been almost a year now, started in October 2023 because my previous one had surprise layoffs (it was ✨fun times✨). I already learned so much and it's exciting. I'm especially excited to be learning Python. I've been interested in doing that for a bit, and now it's nice to be payed while learning it so that worked out nicely actually. Specifically I am trying to learn it to help me analyze biological data regarding single cell sequencing and FACS data. I'm having a difficult time of it but it'll make understanding it that much sweeter.


    A typical weekday for me is get up 4:30am >work out 1 hour> get ready for work and go to work 8hours>dinner&dishes (usually my husband does those but I help some days because he does some of the other cleaning and is in school still) and any other things that need attention>relax with my hobbies and husband, play with the cats> bed 9:30pm. Weekends are much more variable and fun.



    So I guess it isn't much of a stretch to say I love science. Biology is my favorite, particularly cell-molecular bio and immunology as that was my major. But outside of that I particularly enjoy astronomy and quantum physics (even though I don't get the quantum stuff yet). Outside of work  and house errands/chores I mainly spend my time reading, embroidering, or sewing if I am not out (going out to concerts, museums, festival/events, hiking/nature parks, and arcades). I love hiking and doing landscape photography while I hike. Or used to as there's not much good hiking in east Texas. Used to live elsewhere and went hiking frequently. I do miss it a lot. 




    In terms of reading my favorite genres are Fantasy (especially epic and high fantasy with lots of magic, worldbuilding, and lore of the world) and Sci Fi, but also enjoy most genres with the exception of purely romance (romance sub plots are generally fine). My favorite books are the entire Wheel of Time series (I'm Brown Ajah 4 lyfe), LotR, and 20,000 Leagues under the Sea. Hyperion Cantos was amazing too. I am currently in between books, but most recently finished A Deadly Education by reading and Recursion by audiobook. I loved both. I love to cocoon myself in one of my many fuzzy blankets while I read, candle lit, tea in hand, cats on my lap. I go through candles real fast unfortunately.

    I like to embroider and sew too. The coolest thing about embroidery/sewing is that I can do additional things while I do that- listen to music/podcasts/audiobooks, watch shows/movies/YouTube lectures, or just chat with someone (usually my husband). Even less frequently I kayak or play games (board, video and/or ttrpgs!).  It's been a while since I have had a ttrpg group and would love to join one again. Can't find one that fits my schedule sadly. I also like to do my nails, I use gel polish usually I have pretty much everything I need for that mostly, but I am always looking for more unique chrome powders, magnetic (like those fancy multicolor ones) gels, and cool color shifty toppers and such.


    I also love tea and tisanes, any kind except for pu-erh, chamomile, and rooibos. I drink it all the time. The only time I don't have a cup of tea is while working out. Seriously. Ever done shower tea? It's much better than shower beer or shower orange (Though I am biased I guess).  I've got a tea tower at home, and a mini tea station with my own portable kettle at work. As  note I gotta say please avoid Harney and Sons teas for me, I don't know what it is but they always end up disappointing tasting. They smell so good and the flavor does not meet the expectations the smell sets. It's just very bland I guess? I like to spend time sourcing my loose leaf teas from smaller businesses, Upton tea, and a really nice local tea shop with very nice people. But for bagged teas I just go to the local supermarkets. My favorite bagged teas are usually from Pantenger, Twinnings, or Ahmad Tea. But I'm aaaaalways trying new places and brands.


    I love coastal/Nautical things, particularly ocean wildlife and ships. I'm also fond of  space/galaxy/nebula themes/aesthetics, tropical and desert aesthetics... I also very much just generally enjoy the creepy and macabre and dark/gothic things as well- especially in the form of skeletons and the occult, goth, and metal music. I also enjoy playing with my cats, baking things, and tending my succulents, nature/landscape photography, and hiking.

I love to listen to music and do it quite often- when stitching, baking, driving, in the lab, etc. I'm pretty flexible with my music tastes but my favorite and most listened to is various alternative rock genres- metal (metalcore included, but I'm particularly fond of classic heavy metal and black metal), punk, pop punk/Emo, goth & also post punk in general, post hardcore, and so on. My top 10 artists in no particular order are probably Bayside, Batushka, Watain, Ghost, Sisters of Mercy, Judas Priest, Dio, Behemoth, Dr. Arthur Krause, Queens of the Stone Age, Horror Vacui. And of course honorable mentions for Siouxie and the Banshees, MCR, Gallows, Minor Threat, Agent Orange, Diva Destruction, Dimmu Borgir, Pierce the Veil, Molchat Doma, Goatwhore, Rosetta Stone, Fit for an Autopsy, She Past Away, Gospod, Nosferatu, Belgrado, Maltworm, Christian Death, Dissection, Alter de Fey, Selofan, Killing Joke, Marduk, Skeleton Witch, Jimmy Eat World, Skeletal Family, Nox Novacula, Gorgoroth, Dead Kennedys, Spiritbox, SOAD, Fields of the Nephilim, Misfits, London after Midnight, Dio, Black Sabbath, Anthrax, Children of Bodom, Twin Tribes, Anberlin, Bauhaus, Calabrese, Paramore, Fall Out Boy, Mercyful Fate, The Chameleons, Mayhem, 45 Grave, Tears for the Dying, Hozier (yes seriously), Lady Gaga (also yes seriously), Tears for Fears, Venom, Bathory, The Clash, Rotting Christ, Otzi, Pat Benetar, etc and so so so many more. It's hard to pick honestly.

Recently I found a great symphonic black metal band from Korea called Dark Mirror ov Tragedy. Highly recommend if you're into the same as me.

We went to So What Music Festival where we saw tons of bands, but my favorites there that we saw were The Used, Pierce the Veil (second time seeing them), Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, He Is Legend, Fit for an Autopsy, and a new small local-ish band Chancla Fight Cub. Then in September there was Behemoth and Danzig, and then Ghost was the last band I saw live 2023. Now I've also seen Queens of the Stone Age finally, and then Bayside a third time, I cannot stress how much I love them. There was a couple that just got married before the show, and as their reception they went to see Bayside still in wedding dress and tux. Bayside then invited them on stage for their first dance. Was really nice :) Next we'll be seeing Motley Crue.

    My favorite animals are cephalopods (that's octopus, squid, cuttlefish and nautilus), and also cats (I have 2, an orange and white turkish van, and a grey korat). My favorite color is teal/turquoise type blues, second favorite are the deep dark shades of purple, but also pastel/lavender shades of purple. And black. Teal/blue and purple and black all together is just GORGEOUS. The combo makes me thing of arcane wizard mysteries or the mysteries of space.



    I don't have any food allergies or dietary restrictions. My favorite flavors are anything cheesey (seriously, I'm a cheese goblin), buttery, caramel (particularly salted caramel, saltier the better), coconut, hazelnut, white chocolate, matcha/green tea, lemon/lime, pineapple.  Thai food is one of my favorite cuisines. Also love Italian/any kind of pasta and pasta like thing, Bulgarian, Mexican, Iranian, Japanese, Indian, and in general Mediterranean cuisines, and love trying foods/drinks/snacks/flavors from other countries. The only things I DO NOT enjoy of commonly eaten things in the USA  are seafoods, mushrooms, avocado, and eggplants. Everything else so far is fair game.



    Favorite shows include It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, What we do in the Shadows, Rick and Morty, Archer, Parks and Rec, Bojack Horseman, Doom Patrol, Star Trek (TOS/TNG/DS9 are the best imo, Voyagers pretty good too despite the...silly...episodes. The rest are still fun but not as great as the earlier shows), Stargate, and similar.

    As for podcasts I enjoy Astonishing Legends (even though I don't believe in ghosts and all that), The Adventure Zone, MBMBAM, Creepcast, Sawbones, and various horror fiction ones (recently finished The White Vault and enjoyed it). Also other various random ones. Dr. Death was great too even though I don't normally go for true crime.


    I'm not fond of pink and "live laugh love" types of decor or themes on stuff. Nothing wrong with it, it's just not my thing. I'm not into plushies either (though I've found the occasional cute cephalopod or cat plushie), nor am I into neon colors (actual neon lights are awesome though). Pastel shades (but not for clothing, it washes me out), teal, dark jewel toned shades and of course black are always welcome.


    Hopefully that's should be a helpful amount of info, but if you need more feel free to reach out!