I'll post again in early July!

(Click the image for a hint as to where we are...)

Oh, Hello!

Did you miss me?

I know, it really has been way too long since I updated this blog. This last semester has been a real doozie. In the last few weeks I have slept an average of 2 hours a night, and have been sitting at a desk with way too many books in front of me. I never thought I would say this but...thank goodness it is finals week!!!!

In other news, since Greg and I were not busy (I know sarcasm is really not a nice quality, but sometimes it is just way to fitting), my little sister and her boyfriend Dustin decided to head over to California for a quick visit. They came by train which was a new adventure for them, but they really enjoyed it.

Anyway, they got here early last Friday morning (05/28/2010), Greg and I picked them up at Union Station and decided that Coffee Bean was needed for breakfast. Since Greg had to work, Bette, Dustin, and I spent the majority of the day with them swimming and me trying to finish homework.

Once Greg got home, we decided that we should try to find some stars (Hollywood that is...) and were lucky enough to find the following:










After paying our respects, we all went out to dinner and then to get ice cream. It was a pretty great day.

Dinner...YUM!

So, so, so delicious!

The next day we decided that a visit to Paramount Ranch was needed and then some time at the beach. Paramount Ranch is exactly what it sounds like...a massive ranch that is owned by Paramount and has been used on shows such as "Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman." Okay... it was actually pretty fun to see!

No beach pictures this time, but I promise you it was a super fun time!

Sunday, was the day that Greg, Bette, and Dustin had been waiting for... Flight of the Conchords concert at the Hollywood Bowl. I'll admit that I was not looking forward to it, but I ended up having a really good time.

Hollywood Bowl.

Bette and Dustin, showing off their souvenir.

Monday, was a laid back day complete with homemade pizza and swimming. Bette and Dustin took the train back to Flag. that night. It was nice to have a little break...

Now on to finals!!!

Guest Post - A Crossroads and a Recap

So I have been very busy since I finished my comps exam. Two things that I have really enjoyed about graduate school is my research and my outreach.

My favorite outreach activity was visiting Para Los Ninos. This is a science and literature charter school in downtown Los Angeles that serves orphans and children below the poverty line. They were the brightest and most engaging children I have ever meet. I hope to work with this school much more in the future.



Another outreach event involved over 100 eighth graders coming to campus for astronomy activities and Planetarium shows. I learned that middle school teachers are saints, and teenagers are awful.


This week I helped install the detector head in the MOSFIRE instrument that I have been working on. The instrument is like a giant (the size of a car) camera that will be installed at 14,000ft on one of the largest telescopes in the world, Keck. The detector head is the most expensive part, ~$500,000, and I spent the last year testing it before delivery.


So, in the last year I got my Masters degree, helped build a $15 million instrument, taught a bunch of classes, and started the UCLA Astronomy outreach group. With much of these things coming to an end I am left in a bit of an identity crisis. I think it is the same kind of thing that Janet has been going through for the past year.

I know that I will have lots more work to get my Ph.D., and that Janet has a lot of work to do to become a nurse, but I think that we stand at the greatest crossroads in our life. Here at 25 years of age we have done so much, plan to do more, and want to do even more. The best part is that when faced with these life changing moments, we grow closer together.