Events that inspired me to do science

I was listening to a telecon today about education and public outreach options for NASA missions and the planetary science community, and I couldn't help but think about the events in my life that led me to pursue science.

1. An ice cave, a meteor show, and a lunar eclipse
My father and I were traveling in Montana one summer, intrepidly braving backwoods jeep roads in a Volkswagen Rabbit, when we happened upon a tiny little sign pointing to an ice cave. Having been in and out of caves since I was little, this got me really excited. (Although perhaps being in and out of caves also inspired me in general). Entering the cave was like walking into another world. Coming from the hot Montana summer, the icy cavern floor was shocking. The best part, however, was in a little room off the main entrance. This room was one big geode. Calcite crystals covered the floor, ceiling, and walls! I was in heaven. The crystals weren't particularly pretty, covered by a film of tan accretions, but some had been dug out of the floor anyway. I confess that I took a few myself, although I'm pretty sure I only took already detached ones.
When Dad was finally able to pry me out of the cave, we found a camping spot on a high bluff overlooking the lights of Billings (?). Because it was warm and clear, we didn't pitch a tent that night. So when the moon rose, blood red and huge, in the sky, I was fully entranced. Then when meteors began streaking across the sky, my young brain practically exploded. I watched the brilliant white begin to creep across the moon again for as long as I could stay awake. No wonder I still love this stuff.

2. The Challenger disaster
I was in 7th grade, and we watched the launch live on NASA TV in our classroom. I remember the stunned silence, and the shocked look on the teacher's face. Somehow, that made me more interested in science, although I definitely didn't want to be an astronaut.

3. Holding a piece of Mars
During undergrad, I took a summer internship at the Carnegie Institute of Washington Geophysical Lab in DC. At the time, I was a die hard geologist, although I hadn't found my niche. So it was a bit of a surprise to me when I was first handed a thin section of a Martian meteorite. We took a tour of it on the electron microprobe, my first experience with the fuzzy black and white images capable of huge magnification (not exactly magnification, it's more of a reaction between electrons and atoms, but close enough). I didn't really get what I was doing until I looked up at the sky a few nights later and saw reddish Mars. Then it hit me, the tiny little piece of rock I was holding *came from up there*. It was actually a piece of another planet! I was hooked.

4. Making nylon
Although this one isn't specifically planetary or geology related, it sticks in my mind. One of my first (or it may have been my first) summer programs, I went to Clemson. Other than the bright orange paw prints everywhere, one particular lab stands out in my memory - the day we made nylon. It was the strangest thing. We mixed all kinds of chemicals in mini boiling cauldrons, and eventually got this pinkish, thick goo. You dipped a wire hook in and you could draw out a thin strand of nylon that just kept going and going. Wrapping it around a pencil, I probably could have emptied the entire pot in one go if I had been careful enough. It felt like rubbery yarn, and the tactile memory of it is still with me. Very odd, but I think that experience was somehow important to me.

On the other hand, something that did NOT inspire me scientifically was having to collect bugs, kill them with nail polish remover, and stick them with pins to a sheet of cardboard. I think the only things I learned were that I really didn't like killing things, and when you stick a pin in a dried millipede, it disintegrates and you don't get full credit.

Things I really should do. Yes, Really.

This is akin to making New Years' Resolutions, but I've never stuck with one I've made before, so here's to trying something new. Humiliation. Apparently it works for some other bloggers, so here goes.

I really should:

Wash my face and brush my teeth before I go to bed. Somehow over the last few years I've gotten out of the habit of doing this, and thinking that in the morning is enough, right? Not if I want to keep all my teeth into middle age, it isn't.

Go to the grocery store when I'm out of food rather than eating peanut butter and jelly on tortilla chips for breakfast (for 3 days). It was surprisingly filling.

Do my knee exercises every night. If I ever want to be able to walk around this city without pain, I must keep up with this. It's only 15 minutes!

Get to work at 8:30 am. I know that it's okay to get there at 9 and stay until 5:30, but I'd really rather leave early. Plus, the traffic is better earlier.

After I leave work early - exercise for 30 minutes (not including knee exercises) at least three times a week. I keep looking at my pilates dvds. Looking at them. And looking at them. Not having my yoga mat really isn't a good excuse.

Learn to use makeup. This isn't really a self improvement thing, but I keep buying the stuff looking at all the pretty colors, and all I ever use is mascara and lipstick (ok, usually gloss). I should either throw it all out and give up or learn how to put it on properly!

Okay, I think that's enough self improvement for now. I'll post in a week, and we'll see how I'm doing.

Holidays

Ok, the holiday season still hurts. I'm trying not to be alone much for the next while. In spite of everything going right, the trap still lurks sometimes. I would just skip over xmas entirely and pretend it's just another day if it wasn't that I would disappoint my grandparents by not visiting. Maybe I'm just tired from fighting the snow.

New job, new apartment, new guy, new life

That just about says it all. Hopefully I'll be able to borrow someone's camera to take pictures of the new place. I'm really looking forward to it!

Adventures in Internet Dating, part 1

I joined eharmony a couple of months ago pretty much on a whim. I was lonely, thinking I was ready to at least start talking to members of the opposite sex again, and more than a little bored on a Saturday night. So I took the personality profile, paid the fee, and dived in. The profile was just about spot on for me - a little introverted, takes care of others first, kinda cautious. What I didn't expect was the immediate interest I received! I didn't have to contact anyone myself, they wanted to talk to me! Soon I was in various stages of talking to 17 people. Yes, really. I had to pare down that list pretty seriously.
Then I started going on dates. Now, the first date thing was completely new to me. I never went on blind dates before. Ever. So I made some mistakes - inviting someone to a too busy cafe, going to a concert in the rain, being late (I cringe at that one - sorry!!). Out of 6 first dates so far, 2 were bad (stories to come later), 1 was mediocre, and 3 were good.
So at one point recently, I was dating three guys. Yeah, that's overwhelming and exhausting. I don't recommend it. I was so busy planning dates, not to mention activities with coworkers and friends, that I had no time for myself. One memorable weekend I had 4 dates with 4 people in 3 days. Yes, the math is correct. No, I do not want to do that again. I felt just a little sleazy afterwards.
Now I'm seeing two people, soon to be one (I think, but arrrggghh, it's so difficult!). I just don't have enough energy, physically or emotionally, to pay attention to so many people at once. However, I think I've found a good one that I hope will last a while. There's a quite funny story about our first two dates - for now I'm just going to say that it's a good thing I'm not a vindictive person. ;-}
Looking at my life as a whole - in the last 10 months I've had three jobs, a fellowship, and in two days an interview for my dream job; I've moved to DC and paid a couple of parking tickets; I've gotten divorced; I've healed enough from said divorce to start dating and enjoying the heck out of it; and I've found that there are at least 3 really good guys out there. I think I'm doing pretty damn good, all told. Yes, there's still pain, and there are things that still trigger intense sadness over what I've lost (e.g. it'll be a long time before I can really enjoy Shakespeare again). It's less every day, though, and knowing that there are guys out there who really value me for the whole package is a wonderful feeling.

Sore Throat and Divorce

I don't think these two things actually have anything to do with each other. I have a horribly sore throat. I also found out yesterday that I've been divorced since Sept. 1. It would have been nice for someone, anyone to tell me!! Sheesh.
To top all that off, I'm headed to my dad's for the weekend. We're having a memorial for my grandmother who died in the spring. At least I get to see two of my cousins that I haven't seen for many years. It's sad how it takes a funeral for a family to get together.
So there's a lot going on right now.

well, huh.

Guess what I realized the other day?

No, go on, guess...


Okay, okay - I realized that I'm happy. I know that doesn't sound like much, but I'm really enjoying my life right now. I'm not completely satisfied with everything, and I'm still fighting the downer of divorce. But... yeah, I'm happy much more often than not.

It's good.