I have not been around here for a long time. A lot of things have been going on, not including the baby, that posting here just did not make the ToDo list.

One of the things I have been working on is a new website - it is not quite ready, but I am hoping that soon I will be able to reveal it. Until then I will still be posting here.

That is Spring the way I think about Spring, coming from 4 season climate. The funny thing is I have not lived in a 4 season climate for about 11 years now. From Croatia I moved to Atlanta, then to Austin and then LA. But even now, after all those years my body seems to steel be tuned into seasons, expecting them. For example, every September I feel like my body expects cooler temperatures, almost craving them, feeling restless when I (my body) realizes that Summer is here to stay.
I also miss rain and gloomy weather. I think I might be one of very few people that do not feel depressed during gray weather (well, if it lasts too long...). I thought it was for the same reason, expecting rain in October, as well as that feeling of cozying with a book and a cup of tea... But the other day I was watching an episode of Northern Exposure (did I mention I love that show), when Chris mentioned something (during a rnt about something or other) that made me realize it is not the cold temperatures I expect, or rain, or gloomy weather (even though I still like the rain) - it is the slowing down that comes with Fall and Winter. I guess I am used to a certain schedule and rhythm that includes very active Summers. Summers mean vacation, spending time outside, having fun. When Fall takes over, you go back to work (or school), weather changes making you spend more time inside (how do you really focus when it's always sunny outside: I always feel I have to go outside or I am going to miss something), your activities change (more reading, less frolicking around)... Then Spring comes, everything smells fresh, hormones go wild, you know that vacation comes in a few months and you prepare for the fun. Is there rhythm in everlasting summer - I am sure there is I just cannot get in tune.
Please, don;t get me wrong - I am not complainin, at least that's not my inention. The tepmerature here was 72 F last week, while in Boston they had -18 F (with the windchill factor, but still!), so it might seem I am bitching and ungrateful. I am not, nothing can beat california weather, especially near the beach where we live. It is just the way my body feels.. I don;t know.
Wow, this is long. Well, just to show you how I appreciate the weather here, here is a sunset picture, taken on the same day as the picture above. I love sunsets here, especially in the winter when the air is clear...

Dolphins are my favorite animals, so any news about them are good news. Here is an article I found today - it appears that a new dolphin species was discovered off the coast of Northern Australia - a snubfin dolphin!

Beautiful!

My secret wish (well, not anymore) is to swim with dolphins in the wild.

Neuroscience, Computer Science and Education working together? Interesting...

Don't get me wrong - I love to sleep. But I would love it if I could live on only 4 hours of sleep - without beeing sleepy and grumpy and bitchy... I could do so much more!

Today I found an article about new findings on sleeping habbits of dolphins and killer whales. It turns out that the dolphin newborns don't sleep at all in the first month after birth. And their mothers adapt (I wonder if they get grumpy?):

"Their bodies have found a way to cope, offering evidence that sleep isn't necessary for development and raising the question of whether humans and other mammals have untapped physiological potential for coping without sleep"

OK, I want to try it. Where do I sign up?

(By the way, this article is based on a paper from the latest issue of Nature)

I don't know Cameron but I have read his blog. Actually, his was the first blog I have ever read. I found it while browsing the MIT website when I was looking up info for graduate schools.
From his blog, a whole new world opened for me - I found a whole network of blogs that I now read from time to time. And these blogs range from geek to personal to knit to quilt to craft to art to news... blogs. I have a list of blogs that I read on a regular basis, but when I have time I will follow links from these blogs on - and every time, it amazes me how many bloggers are out there and the topis that they cover!
I wonder what would Cameron think if he knew he got me hooked on knitting and quilting...

Anyway, he wants to graduate now so go help him!

For most the school is over. But today I had to submit a form to the graduate program I am starting in fall, officially accepting the offer and committing to start in the fall quater. I also found out, by chance, that I need to apply for parking. Now! In June. For end of September! Well, I could have easily missed that one... I now have a student ID and a pin to log into my "student info" for registering and...
It is exciting, but it hit me today! It hit me that this is really happening. I did not think I will need to do anything until registration is open, so I was a little unprepared for this.
I am going to be in school starting late September. Oh god! Am I ready for this. Am I ready for studying, classes, seminars, exams...
Will I be asking, in a few months, "What was I thinking!"?