The mirror settled into place gently and the crane was silent for a moment while we torque the restraining plates into place.  I removed the pin from the lifting plate and it moved up and out of sight gently revealing the gold coated JWST Primary Mirror Segment we were loading into the environment shipping container. 
It was the last one.

JWST is a scientific inspiration.  It is the most incredible and complex, optical instrument we can feasibly put into space with the technology we have today.   It will capture the most detailed …

The last sliver of moon disappeared as I lay on the blanket watching the stars grow bright and the mountains grow dim. We lit candles and stoked the fire, welcoming the darkness. Friends whirled to the soul-caressing music while others gathered around the huge fire and the reassuring pillar of stone.
We were in the mountains above Boulder celebrating the winter solstice and a full lunar eclipse. It was a secret time after darkness ended, but before the lightness began to return, we gathered, shared, and played. Here is a great …

 I find that writing goes in waves for me, and often during a writing lull there is an activity peak.  The last month (few months actually) have been fertile with self discoveries, inner journeys, and physical adventures. 
I’ve landed from my Burningman peak, and integrated quite a few new perspectives into my growing adventure of a life. 
A couple new blogs have formed, one with a couple good friends, one on my own.  Both are stream-of-consciousness writing, unedited thoughts on moments in life, the universe, and exploding the structure.
(And yes, they are …

Birthdays are the one day each year we should really truly focus on what we want, and make it happen. 
But YOU made this last year incredible with each hug, word, or smile shared, and you will make the next year the best of my life, so I would LOVE to share some of this day with you.
I love flexibility and spontaneity, so most of the day is open for surprise adventures. 
But, here are some wants for Thursday Oct 21st
Care to join???
-Sunrise!
-Morning dance party in the livingroom
-Breakfast at the Tea House, …

“Whooohoooooooooooo!”  I yelped as I came completely out of the water, skimming along its surface for a moment before plunging back in. 
James had brought his new kiteboard over from Scotland and we were playing with it in Omak Lake in Washington.  I was boardless, body surfing back and forth, learning the controls while trying to tack upwind.  It was hard, and yet easy.  Wind and hydrodynamics are things I understand very well, and so even though it is a difficult skill, I was surfing the learning curve as steep as …