Happy new year from the ClarkenSteins! We kicked off 2019 with a visit to Natalia’s family in Israel, but then didn’t travel much the rest of the year. Dave continued his work as a 50% Associate Dean at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, where he also serves 50% as Special Assistant to the Provost (or “SAP”); he dedicates the other 25% to teaching and research. Natalia continues her work in Biophysics at the Medical College of Wisconsin. Among other 2019 accomplishments, she made a trip to Krakow to present at the eleventh “Electron Paramagnetic Resonance Workshop.”
Vital Family Facts
Family aging. We continue to age at an alarming, perhaps disproportionate, rate. Disturbingly, Natalia, who was 71% of Dave’s age when they met, is now 80% of his age. Will she pass him? We will watch this trend closely.
Family bedtime. Steady at 8:30 pm. 9:00 for parties.
Family fitness. Dave shaved three minutes off his 2018 5K time and discovered an appreciation for lifting heavy objects and (this turned out to be important) putting them back down. Natalia took up swimming, and Misha seems to have an awkwardly scheduled swimming practice every day (5:35?). Lev works out by identifying carefully organized items and then scattering them throughout the house.
Family injuries. Dave broke his ankle in June (ninjas) and temporarily became a strident advocate for accessibility. “Who the f**k blocked that ramp?” he would say. All signs suggest he has returned to being oblivious.
Family rock star progress. Misha has taken a break from guitar and has gotten into piano, with lessons scheduled in the brief gaps between swim practices.
Iron Monocle, for which Dave plays bass, has moved into its new home in the basement of a bilingual daycare. The band spent much of the fall finding ways to hide the tequila stash from the children.
Lev
Lev just turned three, and is an iron-willed force of nature. He loves music, including both Frozen soundtracks, Beethoven’s Fifth (“play duh duh duh dah!”) and The Nutcracker. Other hobbies include cuddling and random acts of violence.
Misha
Misha is very busy with swimming, karate (junior purple belt!) and piano, and he spent a lot of 2019 on rock climbing; we’re taking a break from that due to the swimming schedule. He’s also teaching himself to be a Dungeon Master, which combines his love for games with his love for making and solving mazes.
Our best to you and yours; here’s hoping for a healthy, productive, and sane 2020.