la la land!

the new year has been full of traveling, family, and sunshine. i'm currently in LA hanging out at my brothers house with lots of arrested development and walks on the beach. yesterday his neighborhood was visited by a cloud and we were enveloped in a thick fog all day. when i walked on the board walk i couldn't even see the ocean which was just a few feet away, when i walked to the shore i could barely see past the breaks. it was wild.


our cousin is coming tonight for her first visit ever to california - i'm glad she's staying with all of us at the beach of the sun. the last time all these cousins were all together was....more than 5 years ago? i'm glad we're making it a priority to chill now, it feels like an incredible choice. i'm ready for an epic weekend.

If You Want to Cultivate Peace, Protect Creation

thanks for the wisdom, pope.


let's be careful with the earth and each other this year. sounds like a glorious adventure

blacksburg winter

i stole this picture from one of my friends, mary. she is an incredible photographer/person. mountains in the snow are so so beautiful. i love being at home with my family!

oh empo

i got in to blacksburg last night for the holidays! it is AMAZING to be home. mom has already decorated everything. there is a beautiful tree. its gorgeous outside and so much sunlight comes into the house. i'm sitting on a gorgeous, comfortable couch watching a big screen tv and there is a carpet on the floor. i get to hang out with mom all the time. life is good. wanting to share this goodness with jim/sara/mom's cat i decided to get him geared up to sit outside with me to enjoy the sunlight. he seemed excited to go outside - when i brought the little vest thing and lease over he started making lots of noise and rubbing against my leg! we went outside and he laid down in the dirt right away. we chilled out but i noticed he was breathing fast - maybe just excited? then he sat outside the door so i opened it to see if he wanted to go inside (so lame). he hovered at the door jam smelling everything. i wanted to tell him: be an explorer and stay outside. i know it's scary and different but it's SO GREAT out here. it will be ok. and i thought, how many times in life do i turn away from adventure because it's scary or different or hard without even knowing i am standing in a door jam too? empo chose to go inside after a minute or two. unfortunately i had perched the leash on the outdoor grill, which fell and scared him. but since it's attached to him it "chased" him inside and he started running and freaked out. then it got stuck under the couch so he got stuck near the christmas tree and by the time i got in his eyes were so big looking at me. sorry empo! now he is hiding from me downstairs. and i'm about to watch a movie and wrap christmas presents!

world's smallest snowman greets you

this snowman is 1/5 the width of a human hair! science is the coolest.

thanks to those crazy kids at the national physical laboratory <3

eeeeeeeeeeep

just woke up on a glorious, rainy sunday. mistakenly checked my school/work email. apparently there is a meeting TUESDAY and if you don't come, you are no longer allowed to work on the study. this meeting is necessitated because "certain events have transpired."

if you're me you start wondering .....
did i do something?
did i screw up a research study? (seems doubtful)
why do things have to sound so freaking ominous?i'm not going to let this work email turn me into a little black rain cloud of doom today.

a plate of minerals

today i'm going to the science museum for some stellar christmas gifts. also i have decided to incorporate a plate of pretty rocks into my room. i'll keep you posted.