April brings showers, milder temperatures, and longer days.
SONG INSPIRATION
This month’s blog is inspired by Kid Cudi’s Man on the Moon.
TALKS, TRAINS, AND TOWERS
A week away was just what the proverbial doctor ordered, a mostly sunny retreat from the doldrum of work and small-town life. I took a student to a small geology conference in Connecticut where she delivered a stellar talk on her thesis work to a curious and supportive audience, and I’m still swelled with pride. After the conference, I took a regional train down to the Big Apple. How I love the city! I traveled to Brooklyn for the first time and caught up with two good friends and met their spouses. I spent two lovely evenings sharing amazing food and hilarious stories. Over the course of the trip, I tried several amazing restaurants and, of course, caught another show on Broadway. Aladdin was great, though not as marvelous as The Lion King. I’m ready to branch out and see other non-Disney shows, so I welcome any suggestions. After the show, I inadvertently joined the No King’s Protest marching through Time’s Square. The air was electric with hope and solidarity. I took a day trip to the city of brotherly love and spent the day catching up with one of my closest friends. And the espresso and tiramisu martinis were popping! Amtrak catches a lot of flak, but the trains were one of my favorite aspects of the trip. Great Wi-Fi. Nice seats. And stunning views. Plus, the Acela from Philly to NYC *chef’s kiss*. Perhaps more importantly, the break gave me enough fuel to power through the rest of the semester and prepare for EGU in four weeks. Did I mention I’m trying to pick up a little German via Duolingo?
A MOMENT OF INSPIRATION
On April Fool’s Day, I found myself jittery not with the fear of pranks but with anticipation of Artemis II. After multiple presidential administrations, years of planning, preparation, and training, four of Earth’s finest launched on a 10-day journey to and around the moon. I’ve had friends who’ve spent years working of the SLS and training those four astronauts. Artemis II (hopefully) reminds us of just how much we can accomplish when we work, learn, create, and think together. Furthermore, it’s precisely the off-world perspectives of earth – such as the earthrise over the moon – that have galvanized us to save, restore, and nurture our planet. I’ve tried my best in the following days to communicate this hope to my students. And perhaps to myself.
HOPELESS IN SPRING
Despite returning refreshed from Spring Break, I’ve found it harder than ever to find hope. The launch of Artemis II jolted my disposition for a day. And the very next day, the current regime announced a budget to cut science funding at NASA, NSF, and other federal organizations by ~50%. The attacks on science continue, and it spells doom for academia. In the last year, we’ve lost 10,000 PhDs in the US federal government – a socioeconomic tsunami that will devastate America’s economy for decades. On the other hand, I have two years of job security which provides some stability and two more job cycles to land a tenure track position. If that doesn’t happen, then I’ll re-evaluate my career path. Time marches forward, and the world doesn’t stop spinning. Every day we have to find a reason to move forward. I continue to write. I’m tinkering with Legos again. I’m prioritizing friendships. The small acts of rebellion breed hope.
CURRENT BOOKS AND SHOWS
Recently finished reading: N/A
Currently reading: Data Science for Dummies; Petrology and Plate Tectonics: an Earth Systems Approach
Recently finished watching: A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms; Law and Order (s6-7); Jujitsu Kaisen (s2); Wonder Man
- A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms was hilarious, and it was a refreshing take on Westeros from the perspective of the commonfolk.
- Law and Order remains a staple for my mornings before work.
- Jujitsu Kaisen season 2 was an explosion of jaw-dropping action that featured the infamous Shibuya Incident. I still feel some type of way about several plot points, but I can’t deny the quality of the animation and action sequences.
- Wonder Man was very different entry from the Marvel Television Universe, and I found it refreshing in much the same ways as A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms.
Currently watching: Invasion (s2); Law and Order (s8); Monarch: Legacy of Monsters; Scrubs (2026 – s1); The Pitt (s2)
Thank you for reading! The next blog is scheduled for Thursday, May 7th. Until next time….
The Planetary Novelist 