Merge pull request #56 from anniezhn/master

Catch up
Merge pull request #57 from anniezhn/master

Catch up
Added loading gif to variable definition
Merge pull request #58 from anniezhn/azhang

Azhang
change the loading gif
change loading gif

smaller and transparent
Merge pull request #59 from anniezhn/azhang

Change loading gif to smaller and transparent
master -> tnichols merge