[31 Mar 2010 | No Comment | ]
Lark In Flight: Sharing a Journey

Writing is more than documenting an experience; it is its own journey, moving through hardship and exhilaration along a path completely unexpected.  The doing of the thing is the moment of wonder, the breathtaking event of awesomeness that sets thoughts and ideas free and gives them the power to ransack established worlds, and stable ideas. But soon the moment comes when these ideas (along with everything they threw out the front door) right themselves, and drift slowly back, fitting themselves into beautiful patterns full of clarity and understanding. 
These are the …

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[5 Aug 2010 | One Comment | ]
Domestic Science: Making Soap

A couple weeks ago I was in Portland making things with friends.  In particular we made soap.  Sadly, not the type Tyler Durden makes while prepping for awesome ninja adventures, but still, it was pretty amazing.
Soap, like fire, is one of the basic things that keeps us healthy happy humans.  It also happens to be something I’ve never made.  Liz has though, and so she, Aaron, and I spent Saturday morning making soap, and it was Awesome! 
Here is a photo journal of the process,
 Selecting ingredients and getting ready:

Basically it’s pretty …

Featured, Rescue: life, death, and adrenaline »

[30 Jul 2010 | 4 Comments | ]
Smith Rock Rope Swing: A Collision of Now

I stepped off the edge.  My mind accelerated into my body as together we slammed into the moment of ‘now’ with the intensity of fear and love, and the excitement of doing something the body was not designed for, but that the spirit craves from the deepness of the soul.
 The force of the collision pushed a shriek out of my lungs, and yet, when that shriek was finished I was still flying through the air, accelerating downward and outward, and so I quickly filled my lungs and let loose another.  …

Featured, Travel and Life Developments »

[18 Jul 2010 | No Comment | ]
Pacific Northwest Part 1: Skinny Dipping & Ancient Spirit Play

Bumping around the land of my childhood with two of my best friends over the last week and a half was amazing!  We spent the 4th of July in Ashland, which is always a good time.  I went to my 10 year high school reunion, which actually deserves its own post for all the awesomeness it was!  We then headed into the Russian Wilderness in N Cali, and spent 4 days alone together next to a mountain lake soaking up the peaceful beauty of the natural world.  We watched eagles, …

Featured, Life »

[18 Jul 2010 | No Comment | ]
Ignite Boulder 11: Backflips and Pinkness

Public speaking can be scary!  We had over 1350 attendees for Ignite Boulder 11, and speaking in front of that many people is a trip!  Watching the video of my presentation, barely a trace of nervousness shows through. I felt happy, and full of goofy fun and confidence. 
I had just spent the day teaching Swiftwater Rescue to Sheriff Deputies with Boulder Emergency Squad, and was already buzzing from that.  By the time I got on stage I was absolutely bouncing with energy.  Part of this comes from being the focus …

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[18 Jul 2010 | 3 Comments | ]
JWST: 6 Mirror Unload and Shipment

I spent the week at Marshall Space Flight Center, as I often do, but this time, rather than testing mirrors I helped unload them from the cryo-vac test chamber.  This concludes test number 4, and leaves us just over a year left until Primary Mirror Testing is complete on the James Webb Space Telescope. 
I see these mirrors almost every day, but still every time deal with these mirrors it blow me away how awesome JWST is; how great the team is, and how much careful thought went into the science …