Happy End of 2023!
December 29, 2023
This year seems to have gone more rapidly than I had expected. Shortly after my last note, Matt and I headed to Rome. I had a conference to attend, which ended up being pretty poorly organized (and therefore not particularly useful), but we did get to see some friends and colleagues...
Getting Back into the Swing of Things
July 7, 2023
Greetings! It has been nearly a year since I have written. I apologize for this, especially given the content of my last note. Let me start by saying that overall, the past year has been a very positive and productive one. I have been cancer free since March 2022, and the follow-up...
Momentous Times
August 3, 2022
Momentous Times!
Greetings everyone and Happy August. It’s been quite awhile since I wrote. I apologize. A lot has happened and I have been waiting for some dust to settle. To begin, in January, just before the semester began, Matt and I escaped to Cumberland Falls, which is...
Seasons Greetings
December 29th 2021
Dear friends and family,
I send you warm winter wishes and a happy New Year. Fall has overall treated me quite well and it is hard for me to believe that the end of 2021 has arrived. Work for me has mostly reached a steady state that is acceptable. I have been...
August Updates
August 4, 2021
Dear friends and family,
I realized that I am sorely overdue for a little update. I have had trouble motivating myself to write about what we have been up to for the past few months, but now on this lovely August morning, I’m ready to share. I write to you from a rocking...
Giving Thanks
December 19, 2020
Dear all, what a tremendously weird year this has been. I have been long overdue to write something since my lastcommunication in mid-February but have hesitated as I have not had the usual activities to fuel my note. In many ways, thisyear has been challenging (I’m sure...
Happy Belated New Year
February 13, 2020
I am certainly long overdue for this note. So much has happened since last July, that I had balked at the idea of trying to summarize it in a single note. But I just recently returned from a trip and have motivation now to share some of what we have been up to. I’ll do...
Checking In
July 19, 2019
It would appear that it has been nearly a year since I last wrote an update! My apologies. Life got a little more busy than normal. I took over as Graduate Director for the Geology Department in the Fall, and have been working hard to keep on top of things and stay productive.
The Dog Days of Summer
August 26, 2018
Happy end of August!
As the summer wraps up and fall begins, I thought it would be a good time to let you know what I have been up to for the past few months. In early June, Matt and I got to go to Oaxaca, Mexico for a few days. Matt had a scientific workshop to...
To The End of the World and Back Again
May 25, 2018
Greetings friends and family!
We have just returned from a fantastic three-week trip within a trip within a trip that included Toronto, Cape Town, and a large cross section of Namibia.
The adventure began in Toronto, where Matt and I then met our two companions,...
G'Day Mate
March 9, 2018
Greetings on a cold but sunny morning.
As usual, much has happened since I last wrote. I am currently on sabbatical, which gives me some breathing room and a chance to catch up on those aspects of life that fell to the wayside for the past seven years. Matt and I...
Witnessing Totality
August 27, 2017
Well, my summer has proven to be quite full. It started on a decidedly sad note when we lost Matt’s mother after a very courageous battle with cancer. She was a wonderfully warm and generous woman who touched many, many souls during her life. Matt and I both felt inspired...
Getting Out And About In 2017
May 9, 2017
Greetings everyone. I am pleased to report that so far, 2017 has turned out to be a pretty good year. I taught a course that I truly enjoyed this past semester. The students were great and brought positive energy to the classroom; I think I learned as much from them as they...
Ringing In The New Year
December 28, 2016
Happy end of 2016! Since I last wrote, Matt and I have traveled many miles and spent time with many of you. In July, we drove on our great southwest adventure, which took us to Colorado and Santa Fe. While in Colorado, we treated my father and brother to a hot air balloon...
Updates!
July 30, 2016
So… it has been quite some time since I have shared what I have been up to. Life got busy over the past year and I have had trouble finding a moment to sit down and write up my activities.
The last 18 months have been filled with friends, family, travel, and work....
It's 2015 and All is Well
March 27, 2015
I figured I am long overdue with sending out an update. It’s a little challenging to recall what all I have been up to since last July. Hmmm…. Fall 2014 wound up being more or less a blur. I decided to take it upon myself to incorporate group research projects into my Stable...
A Lot Can Happen in Seven Months
July 20, 2014
When I sat down to try to summarize what I have been up to, I considered just writing a single sentence entry (see title). It’s a little bit overwhelming trying to think back on everything that has made 2014 special. I am going do my best by presenting the three main themes...
Farewell 2013
December 25, 2013
Greetings from cold but festive State College Pennsylvania!
I am sitting on a couch looking out over a grey and still world. It is not a white Christmas here but it is certainly wintery. One year ago I wrote to you from this same couch as 2012 came to a close. It is amazing...
Fall Is In the Air
October 19, 2013
Greetings friends and family!
I have just returned from a lovely dinner where Matt and I watched an orange pumpkin moon rise up over Cincinnati. I took this as a sign that it is high time I touch base and let you know what I have been up to. So far, the second...
New Stuff
July 27 2013
Summer has been very rewarding. To begin, the weather has not been interminably oppressive. We had such a nice cool spring, and since my return from India, it has been largely gorgeous. Matt and I have appreciated this weather very much and have tried to make the most of it....
Spring 2013
May 23, 2013
Hi everyone! I’m not sure where to begin with this note. Hmmmm, 2013 is fast. I feel like I blinked and it is suddenly June. But I take a moment to reflect, it’s clear that there has been a lot more than just blinking going on. This year heralds new colleagues, new classes,...
The Night Before Christmas
December 24, 2012
Greetings and happy holidays! I write on this Christmas Eve from Pennsylvania. My fall has been full and exciting. My lab is bustling, my students are working hard, my course was a success and we have watched our yard improve with great excitement. Halloween was cold and...
Swiss Adventure
September 24, 2012
Greetings everyone and happy fall. It is BEAUTIFUL outside. Since I last wrote, a month of classes has zoomed by and I have traveled to Switzerland and Pennsylvania. Matt and I also celebrated mom’s birthday in early September. I want to share some of these recent adventures...
A Trip Down Memory Lane
August 18, 2012
My apologies for taking nearly half a year to update you on how life is treating me. Be assured, I have not been idle. The spring and summer have been full of meeting up with old friends and family. In fact, as I write this note, I am on my way to Toronto where I will get to see...
Island Hopping
March 29, 2012
Since I last wrote, I have (perhaps not surprisingly) kept myself busy. In January, I got to accompany Matt on a trip to Barbados. He had a conference and I enjoyed a change of pace and scenery. I really enjoyed the trip. Barbados is a pleasant place to visit. The people are friendly...
Enter 2012
December 21, 2011
Life hasn’t slowed down since the last time you heard from me but that’s not a bad thing. I have been working like mad to keep up with the demands of learning a new city, a new university, creating and developing new courses, building a lab from scratch, getting funding,...
Traversing the Himalaya
October 11, 2011
Greetings and happy fall! I am ashamed to report that I have been back from India for nearly three weeks. Being a new professor is definitely a full time job. It is currently perfect weather in Cincinnati. Sunny and golden days followed by cool nights. I spent last week...
Farewell and Welcome
August 15, 2011
The past few weeks sure have gone quickly. The biggest news is that I have officially bid adieu to Canada and settled into my new home in Cincinnati. The weeks leading up to my departure were filled with fun and exciting events. The more memorable include an evening on a riverboat...
Epic Tale
July 5, 2011
Dear Friends and family. I am nothing short of astonished that it is July. I have had a wonderful and fulfilling year so far. Perhaps that is why it has gone so quickly.
Upon returning from California, I set three guidelines for myself: (1) see as much of Toronto...
Happy Easter
April 24, 2011
Greetings and Happy Easter!
I am writing to you from sunny California, where I am enjoying a lovely and relaxing holiday. I’m analyzing some plant samples that I collected in Madagascar last summer and Matt and I are enjoying seeing some friends that we haven’t seen in a long...
Cancun!
February 23, 2011
For those of you who haven’t heard from me in a bit, it probably sounds like I am constantly on vacation. Do not be deceived. The months of January and February were very full and rather stressful, particularly the week before our departure. I interviewed for a professor...
Enter 2011
January 21, 2011
Apparently the fall and the first month of 2011 flew by. Immediately following our wedding, I had a number of conferences and guest lectures and was literally traveling every other week. This included a visit New York City and Vassar, and a very brief excursion to Montreal. We...
Celebration Time!
October 13, 2010
Let me start by wishing you a happy glorious October afternoon. I am currently sitting in downtown Pittsburgh, enjoying some warm sunshine and the pleasant roar of a fountain. It does not feel like fall today.
Much has happened since you last heard from me. I started...
Madagascar Part IV
July 20, 2010
I have just returned from my fourth expedition to Madagascar. In all aspects of ease and comfort this trip surpassed my previous expeditions by leaps and bounds. Both myself and my baggage arrived on time, we had a very pleasant stay at La Maison du Pyla, a bed and breakfast run...
Getting Back Up to Speed
June 20, 2010
Shame on me. 2010 has run away with me. I was certain that I had written an email more recently than December 2009, but I see that I was wrong. As a result, this email is lengthy and packed with information. Read on at your own risk! I last left you with a promise that family would...
Oh Canada!
December 29, 2009
In my last email, I promised I would be back in touch just as soon as I finished my dissertation in December. Well, I finished, so now I can tell you all about what Matt and I have been up to this fall. To begin, it has certainly been a full fall. Learning the ins and outs (or...
Pains, Trains and Automobiles
September 1, 2009
And I cannot believe that it is already September. I truly believe that the last two months have not been real. I’ll start by saying that we have beat all odds and have made it safely to Toronto, moved in, and begun to settle. Our new home is amazing and the prospect of living...
Have you Ever Seen a Blond Raccoon?
June 22, 2009
GOOD-NESS I have a lot to report. My apologies, I thought I had written more recently than I actually did. Shame on me. I am not even sure where to begin. The last few months have truly blended together. So the last time you heard from me, I was returning from Madagascar. Slightly...
Saved by the Seat of my Pants
January 24, 2009
Greetings all, I have just returned from a brief, but eventful trip to Madagascar. Allow me to regale you with some of my adventures. I departed for the red island only three days after returning home from winter break. I was tired and I was sick, and I certainly did not feel...
Oh What a Quarter
November 17, 2008
Sorry you haven’t heard from me in awhile. My fall has been extremely full – which is why you haven’t heard from me. Somehow months have passed since our trip to Scotland. Actually, that trip seems like a million years ago at this point. Let me regale some of my adventures for...
Scotland
August 20, 2008
I know that you have not heard from me in awhile. Perhaps you are grateful, perhaps you are resentful. Trust me, this was simply because I have not had interesting things to report. However, things have changed and I now have a new and exciting adventure to share with you. I have...
My Mesoamerican Memories
March 8, 2008
Hello again. I finally have something interesting to report. I thought that you might not want to hear about how my fun-filled fall fun revolved around analyzing specimens, and writing manuscripts. Instead, I waited until I had something exciting to share. I have just returned from...
Around the World in 80 Days... or Less!
September 7, 2007
Hi all, remember me? Well my summer travels have just come to an end and I must say, being back at home is absolutely delightful after a long absence. I will warn you, I have been up to many many things since you last heard from me, and, therefore, have a lot to write. Feel free...
Let the Games Begin
July 2, 2007
Forgive me I realize that this is a short email. But as I am preparing for the mayhem, I figured that any news is better than no news. Actually, things are going very well for me right now. I have more time since the quarter ended and I am almost ready for my upcoming global expedition....
Good Golly miss Molly
May 14, 2007
Hi! It’s me again. I know it has been awhile so perhaps you forgot about my little letters. And what, you may very well ask, have I been up to for the last few months? Well, let me tell you all about it. Things have been rather “full plate” since the last time you have heard from...
It's Almost Spring
February 22, 2007
Greetings!
Perhaps some of you have been concerned that I had dropped off of the face of the Earth. Never fear! I am still alive, kicking and keeping busy. Things are good, although this has been a rather trying academic quarter for me, and I am enjoying my spring. It seems...
The Red Island
Nov 7, 2006
My goodness it seems like ages have passed since I last wrote a message. For starters, let me just say that Madagascar was phenomenally frustrating but also extremely rewarding. I feel like I have grown as an independent and self-reliant human being and I have seen some amazing things....
European Extravaganza
September 12, 2006
Greetings once again everyone! So, I have just returned from a lovely little trip to Europe. The trip started off as a fabulous conference on stable isotopes where I met some very interesting scientists and discussed my research. the conference took place at Queen's University...
Post Field Camp
July 29, 2006
And once again, greetings!
The summer, which I was hoping would prove to be relaxing and full of exciting projects like creating a website and maybe some art, has turned into a rather full but rewarding adventure. After returning from Utah and celebrating my birthday, I headed...
Summertime!
June 6, 2006
Hi again and happy summer! I’m all over the place for the next couple of months so I thought now would be a good time to touch base. I have just returned from a two-week intensive course on stable isotopes (fondly known as “isotope camp”) in Salt Lake City, Utah. It was an extremely...
Back in Business
May 6, 2006
Hello everybody! Well, I have meant to write this email for quite some time and I am not really sure where the last four months went. However, here I am now, enjoying the beginning of a beautiful May and thinking about how exciting my year has been so far. Being back in Santa Cruz...
The Final Edition
December 28, 2005
Dear everyone, well, this is my last, goodbye South Caicos email that you will receive from me. I am somewhat sad to be leaving my island adventure, but I am also ready to return to California and immerse myself in academic life again. It’s hard to believe that it is almost...
The Big Trip
December 2, 2005
Righto. Well, we have just completed a 7-day tour of North, Middle and East Caicos and it was quite the adventure. The trip started off as an adventure form the very beginning. The airline we flew with had turned all of their planes in for maintenance and the maintenance crew...
Tid Bit Nippy
November 16, 2005
Hi everybody! Well we’ve had a definite change in seasons down here. It is no longer stinking hot and the wind tends to blow quite a bit now. The water temperature has cooled considerably and it is now quite chilly spending an afternoon on the water. It’s really quite amazing...
Three Birthdays and a Funeral
November 2, 2005
Well happy November everybody! I’ve meant to write this note for awhile but the days keep slipping by. So, things have been busy at our little center. We had a rather exciting week back in October. There was a funeral- I am not sure who passed away but there were many visitors...
Updates
October 2, 2005
Hi again,
Well, things have settled down into a weekly pattern again. Sunday, our day off, flies by and then the rest of the week involves morning lectures and afternoon waterfront (diving, snorkeling, science exercise) activities. Then we have dinner and an evening lecture...
The Swing of Things
September 9, 2005
Well, this has been quite a reintroduction to the Center for Marine Studies. My week has been more or less crammed with a first aid course and I am trying to find the time to put together a fellowship application. Let me tell you a bit about Wilderness Advanced First Aid: This...
Lobster Season
August 6, 2005
Well, this week started up with the kick off of lobster season. August first is a self-declared National Holiday in the Turks and Caicos. We walked down to the dock to see the fishermen bring in hundreds of pounds of lobster and drink the free beer that they were providing. I...
Horses, Barracuda and Sharks, Oh My!
July 25, 2005
Of course the list of wild animals at South Caicos is much broader than these three creatures, but I have had interactions with these three over the last few days. On Friday, I went out sharking with Aaron and Marta. This is something that they do almost every day but I just can’t...
The Dominican Republic
July 12, 2005
Well, I just returned from quite an adventure. I can’t say I ever really thought I would visit the Dominican Republic, but, I did and it was great and I had some excellent people to travel with. We flew into Santiago and had a bit of a rough beginning in the country. Santiago...
Post Birthday
June 28, 2005
My fourth week here finds me finally settling in and living a regular schedule. Our first summer session is nearing its completion and a week form now I will be heading off to the Dominican Republic with a couple other staff members for a quick, 5-day adventure. The reported “worst...
Part II
June 13, 2005
Well, I am now starting out my second full week at the center and I must say, I have learned a lot in the amount of time I have been here. I am now growing much more comfortable with the boats-although I have to say, it isn’t easy making sure you don’t take the propeller off of...
South Caicos Begins
June 7, 2005
Greetings all! Well, so far this has been quite an adventure. My trip down to South Caicos was long but uneventful. The summer session students arrived yesterday and I am trying to stay one step ahead of them as all of us learn the ropes. There sure is a lot to learn here. Because...
When I was 20, I spent a semester in the rainforest of northeastern Australia. This four-month stint opened my eyes and I realized that now is the time for me to live my adventures. So, I returned to New York, finished college, spent a summer in Germany and hiked across Switzerland, moved to Hawaii, received my Divemaster, and started graduate school in Santa Cruz, California in 2003. After receiving my MS in Earth Sciences in 2005, I spent six months working for a field school on South Caicos Island in the British West Indies. I returned to school and began to work with lemurs and conduct fieldwork in Madagascar. I received my MA in 2008, switched departments, and received my PhD at the end of 2009. I moved to Canada, got married, and spent a couple years trying to figure out the next step. I have just been hired as a new assistant professor at the University of Cincinnati.
I started this blog because I want to keep in touch with all of the amazing people I have met in my life. You can read my new updates or peruse my old entries. I always love to hear from people so please, if my notes inspire you or if it has been a long time since you said hi, please drop me a line. It will make my day.
Get Out and Do Something!