Thankful

Runners up for today's blog posting's title are:
"Going South"
"Summer, Here I Come!"

But "Thankful" pretty much sums it up. Coming out of Thanksgiving, thanksgiving is fresh on my mind and showing no signs of waning. I am excited, of course, but every minute I think of a new reason to be thankful. Many (all?--does anybody read this blog who does not know me?) of you are those reasons.

Today is my departure day and I am hours, now, away from stepping foot inside my first 747-400, away from traveling to the second continent I've ever been to, and again the third (namely, Antarctica)! So New Zealand, here I come! And watch out penguins! But now for the long journey...

;-)

New BARREL blog.

Check out the new BARREL 2009/2010 Antarctic Balloon Campaign blog! BARREL is the acronym for the Science Mission I have begun research on with my advisor, Robyn Millan, a professor here at Dartmouth College. Robyn just arrived in Antarctica along with a few others and started the blog with some information and photos. The first blog entry has info on the BARREL mission, including links to other websites where more information can be found.

In particular, check out:

-BARREL Science Objectives

-NASA's Columbia Scientific Balloon Facility

Of further, more general, interest may be:

-The United States Antarctic Program

Less than 11 days now until my departure!

The Roof

This past week I took a few photos from my office and the roof right outside my office window. My desk being right next to the window, I get a great view whenever one is to be had!

Hmmm, my desk (left-center) look much too neat. Usually there's more mess to it.

Afternoon view out of my window.

Looking directly southward from out of my window.

Looking south-west from out of my window.

The Baker-Berry Library tower is directly west.

Out on the roof, a view towards the center of campus.

Out on the roof, the view to the north-west.

Looking back! My desk is next to the open window on the right.

The three other windows that open onto the roof belong to the other 1st year graduate student office. All told, there are 15 of us in the two rooms. 4 in my room, 11 in the other. Fun times!

Evening.

More sunset.

The library tower.

More evening.

Me.

Night. My office window straight ahead!

Night falls upon the 1st year grad student offices. Sleep does not.

More night.

Yet more night, but I bet you could already tell that.

Thus Begins the Research

In preparation for my upcoming trip to Antarctica, I was required to measure my head size. Grandma, am I doing this correctly?

(Taken October 5)

More Great Photos!

A picture is worth...

(Photos from October 11; taken at an apple orchard south of Hanover)

Photos of the Fall, 2009

Below are photos from the past two months. I've been wanting to put these up for a while, but physics is a dreadfully demanding duty. I have made room for time outdoors, though; I've been jogging regularly on the paths from which these photos were taken. Watching the summer turn into fall has been fabulous! Now leaves are fallen (a few still falling) and the paths are covered in colorful patches of beautiful, soft leave

The last photo in this entry is taken from the same exact location as the first two, but almost a month later. On the 2nd and the very last photos, you can just make out some buildings just left of center, off in the distance, which are Dartmouth College.

Here follow the feeble representations of the real-life nature scenes I've been enjoying every day (except the days during which I spend all sunlit hours in my office studying):

September 20, 2009

October 11, 2009

Photos of my new home

Hello family and friends. This is my first blog entry ever. I'll keep it short and sweet.

I had a great road trip from Los Alamos, NM to Hanover, NH during the past few weeks. I got to visit friends and family all along the way, managing to avoid commercial establishments of nightly abode rentals the whole way! (Thanks to those of you I stayed with!)

Here are a few photos of my new home, with appropriate captions. I am renting a room from a family, which has been working out fantastically! I'll try to get a few more photos of New Hampshire up soon. Perhaps I'll even put up some photos of Dartmouth College and my research activities from the past summer.

The Uncluttered Portion of My 2nd Floor Windowed Room

(I'm still unpacking--the rest of the interior is thus for my eyes only.)

View Out of One of My Bedroom Windows

(The window through which this photo was taken is not pictured above.)

The Backyard Viewed From My Bedroom

(The window through which this photo was taken is just outside the 1st photo, to the left.)

Another Portion of the Backyard

(T.W.T.W.T.P.W.T. is the third from the left in the 1st photo above.)

My Lunch Table

(Taken from the ground, well, about 5.5 feet off the ground.)

My Lunch Table, In Case You Missed It Above

(Again, from the ground, or roughly thereby, but facing the opposite direction.)

The House and My 2nd Floor Room

(The picnic table is around to the right in this photo.)

Layla, 2-3 Months Old

(1/2 black lab, 1/2 golden retriever)