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Day’s Verse:
Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good,
For His lovingkindness is everlasting.
Psalm 136:1
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If you could redistribute all the fat on your body – not get rid of it, but just move it around – where would you put it?

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Day’s Verse:
Praise the Lord!
Praise the name of the Lord;
Praise Him, O servants of the Lord.
Psalm 135:1
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The last few days have been a haze of chemistry revisions. I dream at night about electrons and combustion and redox and 2p orbitals. One thing about summer is that I spend almost no time browsing the internet, reading blogs, or any of those computer-related activities. Washingon summers are too gorgeous to spend inside. So if my internet voice sinks to whisper during these weeks, you must understand: good books, chemistry work, and sunshine call much more strongly than wan monitor-light and keyboards. Continue Reading >>

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Day’s Verse:
Behold, how good and pleasant it is
For brothers to dwell together in unity!
Psalm 133:1
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I recently received this email from WPI, the fine and venerable academic institution at which I currently matriculate.

Chartwells and WPI are pleased to announce our new partnership with the popular coffee brand, Dunkin Donuts. Dunkin Donuts will be located in the 48 Café, on the main floor of the Campus Center, currently being operated by Chartwells and the Ritazza brand.

Dunkin Donuts will begin construction on Thursday of this week and plan to be open for business sometime during A term. During construction, the majority of beverages and food items normally served in the café will be offered in the lower level, Profiles in Good Taste. Continue Reading >>

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Day’s Verse:
Let us go into His dwelling place;
Let us worship at His footstool.
Psalm 132:7
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Our dog Carmel is solar-powered. Every day she lays out in the sun for hours having expanded her surface area as much as possible in a position as spread-eagle as a dog can get: all four paws sticking out, tail straight out, head thrown back. Her nose twitches as she sniffs things and her tongue lolls on the grass as she pants, but otherwise she remains perfectly still, absorbing 1 calorie/second/in². Occasionally, when her batteries have fully recharged, she jumps up, dashing back and forth along the fence or vigorously defending our yard from marauding squirrels. If we tied her in the front yard, this routine will expand to include barking at dangerous bicyclists and runners, licking small children, and vigilantly watching our dead-end street for any sign of trouble. Then, with all the electrons drained from her, she flops back down in the bright sun, expending energy only to sniff and pant. Continue Reading >>

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Day’s Verse:
I wait for the Lord, my soul waits,
And in His word I put my hope.
Psalm 130:5
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I want to thank my parents right now, publicly, for my name. Kathleen Moira has served me well for 21 years, its pronounce-ability and normalness standing firm for me abroad as well as at home. This thanks is inspired by Bad Baby Names, a site that has collected possibly THE worst baby names around: Dakota Bear, Vashara Rashea, Kakinston, and Sharmari, just to name a few. Check the site out and I guarantee the admin’s comments, if not the terrible names themselves, will have you laughing in moments. Continue Reading >>

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Day’s Verse:
If You, Lord, should mark iniquities,
O Lord, who could stand?
But there is forgiveness with You,
That You may be feared.
Psalm 130:3-5
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Yesterday Dad and I went to REI to look at sleeping bags. I wish to purchase my own, but found their average price tag of $200 rather off-putting. In addition, we looked at $30 titanium cups and $200 two-person backpacking tents. I think only the tent’s price fell in a range that I considered reasonable. Maybe I’ll ask for a sleeping bag for Christmas or my birthday next year. Also I learned that free weights sell for a little less than $1/pound, and that I wasn’t willing to pay about $15 for one 15-pound weight. So I’m stuck with 10- and 20-pound weights, while needing something kind of in the middle. Continue Reading >>

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Day’s Verse:
Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy.
Then it was said among the nations, “The Lord has done great things for them.”
Psalm 126:2
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I was driving Ian back from an afternoon in downtown Kirkland. Down a long hill, an enormous GMC truck followed. Its grille filled my rearview mirror and intimidated me. For some reason I felt anxious about the behemoth tailing me. A motorcycle drove ahead of me and I watched it too carefully: suddenly pedestrian blinking lights lit up and traffic in the lane next to me had stopped. I made a split-second decision to stop and slammed on my brakes, skidding to a halt just at the line; then a second later I heard the terrifying squeal of the enormous GMC truck behind me slamming on its brakes. Then came a crashing, a thud-thud, and the huge truck had driven over the planter-median and swerved into oncoming traffic, which was thankfully also stopped for the pedestrian. The truck pulled away, across oncoming traffic, back into the turn lane and thence into our lane, just ahead of me. Continue Reading >>