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-% document
-\documentclass{letter}
-\usepackage[margin=0.5in]{geometry}
-\usepackage{multicol}
-
-% text
-\usepackage[utf8]{inputenc}
-\renewcommand{\familydefault}{\sfdefault}
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-% graphics
-\usepackage{graphicx}
-\usepackage{wrapfig}
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-% signature environment
-\newenvironment{sig}[1]%
- {\begin{list}{}%
- {\setlength{\leftmargin}{300pt}}%
- \item[]%
- }
- {\end{list}}
-
-\begin{document}
-
-\pagenumbering{gobble}
-
-\large{\textbf{Winter Solstice Greetings \hfill 2018}}
-
-\begingroup
-\setlength{\intextsep}{0pt}%
-\setlength{\columnsep}{10pt}%
-
-Hello to all my friends and family. %
-I hope that you are feeling peaceful, cozy, and happy in these winter months. %
-It's fairly warm here in Madison, but the bay near my apartment has already frozen over. %
-The last two weekends have been popular with ice fishers and skaters. %
-As finals week progresses the town slowly empties. %
-
-\begin{wrapfigure}{l}{0.4\textwidth}
- \begin{center}
- \includegraphics[width=0.4\textwidth]{"IMG_20180511_193937"}
- \end{center}
-\end{wrapfigure}
-
-This has been an important year for me professionally. %
-On April 23rd I successfully defended my dissertation, earning my doctorate in analytical chemistry. %
-See left a picture of me and my PhD adviser John Wright. %
-I am very lucky to have worked under John for seven short years. %
-John taught me a lot about being an independent thinker and communicator.
-I was blessed to have my parents and good friend Tyler attend my graduation.
-I ``walked'' with two other Wright Group friends---Kyle Czech and Jonathan Handali. %
-The ceremony that I attended (just for masters and doctorates) was huge---I'm still amazed at UW-Madison's size.
-
-Of course, the high of graduation is typically followed by the panic of trying to find a job.
-On July 23rd I began working as an instrumentation technologist for the chemistry department.
-This is a research support role where I work on solving technical challenges facing researchers throughout the department.
-I am the supervisor of a ``makerspace'' where students and researchers can come work on instrument construction and repair.
-We have specialized equipment and a large inventory of parts for purchase.
-I take on a large variety of different jobs---everything from fixing humble hotplates and glassware drying ovens to designing custom oscillators for mass spectrometry.
-The people that I work with on a daily basis are driven and kind---they have done a lot to help me overcome my lack of formal training in electrical engineering.
-For me right now, this is a dream job.
-
-I've had several opportunities to travel this year.
-A few weeks after graduation my friend Tyler was gracious enough to invite me to his home in New York for a 1.5 week vacation.
-Highlights included eating at Di Fara Pizza, exploring Coney Island, and seeing The SpongeBob Musical on Broadway.
-It was so fun to visit Tyler and see how far he has come since his own graduation.
-I was also glad to visit my friend Felix at Yale during the same trip.
-
-In July I spent nine days in Iowa City with my parents.
-After so long, I enjoyed spending such a long time at ``home''.
-The barn construction project is going along beautifully, and I was able to help with some humble drywall work.
-
-\begin{wrapfigure}{r}{0.3\textwidth}
- \begin{center}
- \includegraphics[width=0.3\textwidth]{"DSC_0131"}
- \end{center}
-\end{wrapfigure}
-
-Over the thanksgiving break I traveled to the west coast.
-I flew into Las Vegas, where my parents picked me up for a quick 24-hour Death Valley experience.
-We woke up early to watch the sunrise from Dante's View.
-I hope to return to Death Valley for a longer trip some day.
-Here I am standing on the floor of Badwater Basin---282 feet below sea level.
-After leaving, we picked up Karaby and drove straight to Roseville, where we had thanksgiving dinner with the Trumbly \& Decker Family.
-It's so nice to connect with extended family after many years.
-
-Wishing you and yours a happy new year. Stay in touch!
-
-\vfill
-\raggedleft
-
-Blaise Jonathan Thompson \\*
-\hspace{0pt} \\
-725 W Washington Ave. Apt 306 \\*
-Madison, Wisconsin 53715 \\*
-\hspace{0pt} \\
-1-424-225-2493 \\*
-blaise@untzag.com \\*
-http://blaise.zone
-
-\end{document}