Blog Posts

Total Eclipse of the Sun 2017

8/15/2017

Next Monday, August 21st, a total eclipse will traverse across the US in a spectacle not seen during in my lifetime. The last total eclipse in the US was on February 26, 1979 (right, top) but the last time totality took a similar path crossing the nation from the Pacific to the Atlantic was June 8, 1918 (right, below). So this is a pretty special event!

Totality: where the moon fully covers the sun

We won't be able to see totality in Texas (68.44% in College Station), but that's not going to stop us from having an Eclipse Party! If you're planning on viewing the eclipse, be safe and view with the proper protective equipment.

www.greatamericaneclipse.com

You can find everything you need to know about the eclipse at
Eclipse2017.org and Eclipse2017.nasa.gov

In Loving Memory

7/13/2017

Losing a family member never gets any easier and it seems it's happening all too frequently these days. On on July 1, 2017, my grandma, Goldie Mae Farris, passed. And, while we are all heartbroken and sad to see her go, we are happy she is back with her son, Steve, and the love of her life, my Grandpa John (who passed away in 1997). She was going to be 90 later this year.

Grandma wasn't always the most affectionate women, but I knew she was proud of me, particularly for making my way back to the motherland, Texas. While she had been in California for many years, she was a Texan at heart.

Grandma was very interested in genealogy and I am very grateful for all the research she did and shared about our family history. It's because of her that I have documentation proving I'm a descendant of Irish royalty. Thanks Grandma!

Grandma raised my mother and instilled in her everything that makes her who she is, and I pretty much am my mom, so she was responsible for me. My mom is everything to me and I can't thank my grandma enough for raising the woman who became the best mom ever!

While there isn't going to be a service, there has been a memorial page made in her honor on the Chapel of Light website where everyone can share memories and photos and read the lovely obituary written about her life.

We'll miss you Grandma!

I do research on lions, hear me ROAR!

4/23/2017

Once upon a time, scientists had faith in their president and government. They believed they were advocates of progress and defenders of the planet. These days, massive cuts to funding, freezes in government agencies employing scientists, and attacks on facts have caused a lot of doubt in our government and it's relationship with science.

Yesterday was Earth Day and thousands of scientists WORLDWIDE marched to show solidarity for the importance of science. I attended the Bryan/College Station March for Science which was small but did a great job of including the local community. As one of the largest research universities in the United States, Texas A&M University does a lot of ground breaking research but most of the community probably doesn't know much about it unless they are directly associated with it in some way. After the march we had a Science Town Hall. There were science demos, the opportunity to "Meet a Scientist" and talks on how science is a part of everyone's life.

I think our little event was a success. And, as for the marches around the globe, I don't know how much it will effect policy, but it got people excited about science. And support from the public is just as crucial to policy as support from politicians, as one can lead to the other.

I took part in the "Meet a Scientist" portion of the festivities. Carrying around my lion skull instead of a protest poster was a great conversation starter. I talked to a lot of people about conservation, lions, bones, genetics, graduate school, etc. I passed my card out to teachers who were interested in having scientists come talk to their students and ended up having a great conversation about Conservation Genetics with someone who said they had never heard of it before. It was exhausting but I had a lot of fun.

It's All Semantics

3/29/2017

It has been a rough few months. The Trump administration cannot be accused of being uneventful. I initially wrote this post as a rant in January when, after only a week in office, the Trump administration was imposing a freeze on EPA grants, made 'alternative facts' a daily concern and seemed to have offended everyone in science, regardless of their political affiliation. Being a 5th year graduate student (BUSY BUSY BUSY), trying to still do science so I can get a job in science even though there's a war on science, it's been tough to find the time to finish many posts (I have 6 started... so they'll get there eventually). For now, here's my rant...

With our country's political dichotomy, terms like "climate change" and "global warming" cause more division than unification. "Climate change" and "global warming" are terms of a global scale when many don't grasp much outside of a local scale. So, you'll probably find more people who think we have a responsibility to the environment than who believe in "global warming".

"Global warming" is a misnomer, giving nonbelievers ammo for their argument, and "climate change" is used as a political power play to further agendas rather than what might actually be best action. In reality, we are living in a changing environment and whether you believe it is because it's being caused by people or not, there is scientific evidence showing change.

So, regardless of these terms and how their usage effects the public, the environment still undergoes change and, despite personal political beliefs, we, as a species on this planet, have a responsibility of helping the environment and not making conditions worse.

Compromise must be made between sides to make something abstract more tangible. My recommendation, take those terms out of it and focus on actual, tangible issues.

My lion example (sorry for all the commas but try to follow me): Climate change isn't reducing the home range of the African lion, anthropogenic factors (things that are a result of human activity), such as humans coming into lion habitat, which, in turn, changes the landscape, do. A focus on alleviating human-wildlife conflict, teaching carnivore-friendly land use, and the creation of corridors to preserve passageways for movement of species across people dominated areas, for example, will better serve the lion population than trying to "stop climate change." It's something people can more readily relate to and inevitably leads to that bigger picture that "climate change" is trying to encompass but is too abstract for many to understand. It's the same goal just a refocus of the issue. And, I think, the lion conservation community is doing this well.

Sláinte

3/17/2017

Today is the day O' the Irish and as a mostly Irish lass I like to celebrate by wearing green, drinking Guinness and eating Irish grub. And, nine years ago (wow how time flies) a few of my friends and I celebrated by dressing up in our best leprechaun inspired garb and ventured to the Gas Lamp on the Coaster to have boxties, drink Irish libations and listen to traditional Irish tunes at our favorite Irish pub, The Field.

There's an Irish saying, "May the best day of your past be the worst day of your future." Topping that day makes for a pretty fun-filled future!

Throwback Third Thursday - February 2017

2/16/2017

Apologies for the lack of posts. January thru the beginning of February is a busy travel time for me plus my laptop is currently out of order which makes posting a bit more difficult. This post is coming to you from my tablet. So, until I get my laptop back up and running in a non-explosive sounding manner, here is my awesome family being awesome circa 1993!

Throwback Third Thursday - January 2017

1/19/2017

Step aside... we got this...

I have been to the George Bush Presidential Library 7 times and sat at the mock oval office desk every time. In light of tomorrow's introduction of a new president, this Throwback Third Thursday (#tbtt) showcases what some of my friends and family would look like behind the desk in the oval office. What do you think you would look like in office?

President Claire

President Caitlin

President Megan

President Peter

President Cathy

Tomorrow is the inauguration and the beginning of what may be an interesting term. Based on political coverage from the past few months, we may be in for some real changes; some good, some bad. The best we can do is have a positive outlook and stay true to our morals. If either of those feel as though they are being hindered, don't just sit there and let it happen, take action. Who knows what this administration might bring. Maybe it'll all work out for the best....

On the Twelfth Day of Christmas...

1/5/2017

my true love gave to me:

Day 12
Date: January 5th
Celebration: Epiphany Eve & St. John Neumann
First bishop in America
Gift: Twelve Drummers Drumming
Meaning: The twelve points of the Apostles' Creed

Now, to celebrate Twelfth Night, the eve of Epiphany, correctly you'll need a cake, a bean and a king (very similar to the King Cake of Marti Gras). This morning I am getting an epidural steroid injection so I won't be celebrating this year but now that I know so much, maybe next year!

Thanks for playing!!!!

On the Eleventh Day of Christmas...

1/4/2017

my true love gave to me:

Day 11
Date: January 4th
Celebration: St. Elizabeth Ann Seton
The first American saint & patron saint of in-law problems
Gift: Eleven Pipers Piping
Meaning: Eleven Faithful Disciples

Simon, called Peter (rock)
Andrew, Peter’s brother
James, son of Zebedee, brother of John
John, son of Zebedee, brother of James
Philip
Bartholomew, called Nathaniel
Thomas (referred to as the doubter)
Matthew, the tax collector, called Levi, Matthew, the Evangelist
James, the son of Alphaeus
Thaddeus, the son of James, called Judas/Jude (NOT the betrayer)
Simon, the Zealot

On the Tenth Day of Christmas...

1/3/2017

my true love gave to me:

Day 10
Date: January 3rd
Celebration: Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus
This remembers when Jesus was officially 'named' in
the Jewish Temple.
Gift: Ten Lords a Leaping
Meaning: The Ten Commandments

On the Ninth Day of Christmas...

1/2/2017

my true love gave to me:

Day 9
Date: January 2
Celebration: St. Basil the Great & St. Gregory Nazianzen, exemplifying their friendship
Gift: Nine Ladies Dancing
Meaning: The nine fruits of the Holy Spirit
(Galatians 5:22 & 23)

On the Eight Day of Christmas...

1/1/2017

my true love gave to me:

Day 8
Date: January 1
Celebration: May, Mother of Jesus
Gift: Eight Maids a Milking
Meaning: The Eight Beatitudes

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are they who mourn, for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the land.
Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied.
Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the clean of heart, for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Purple Reign

12/31/2016

TODAY 3pm EST @ the GEORGIA DOME

Tomorrow I will have no voice.
GO DAWGS! WOOF!

On the Seventh Day of Christmas...

12/31/2016

my true love gave to me:

Day 7
Date: December 31st
Celebration: New Years Eve
Gift: Seven Swans a Swimming
Meaning: The seven gifts of the Holy Spirit
(I Corinthians 12:8-11; Romans 12, Ephesians 4; I Peter 4:10-11).

MY true love gave to ME tickets to the Peach Bowl where my alma mater (Washington Huskies) will be playing his alma mater (Alabama Crimson Tide) in the College Football Semifinals!

On the Sixth Day of Christmas...

12/30/2016

my true love gave to me:

Day 6
Date: December 30th
Celebration: St Egwin of Worcester
Founder of Evesham Abbey. Died December 30, 717
Gift: Six Geese a Laying
Meaning: The six days of creation.