Possibly Insightful Ramblings

Once you get to know me well enough, you begin to realize that I am hopelessly, madly, and completely in love with penguins. I have a whole waddle of penguins in my room, ranging from stuffed animals to pictures to rubber or glass figurines. (Sadly I do not own a live penguin, but perhaps someday . . .) I even have a friend who can't think of me without thinking about penguins, which is a mental association I'm quite proud of, considering how wonderful penguins are. Those little creatures have an infinite capacity for making me smile whether they're diving gracefully, popping out of the water, clumsily waddling, or zooming down an ice sheet on their bellies. So, needless to say, when I found out I was going to be able to go behind the scenes at the Living Planet Aquarium and hang out in the same room as my feathered friends, I was ecstatic. Excited to go see penguins! As we began the tour, our guide told us a little about the Gentoo penguins we would be seeing...

Some of the best friends I made this past semester were seven years old. Tuesday afternoons were the highlight of my week as I headed down to a local elementary school to spend time with these kids.   The after school program started off with snack time. I sat with my second graders at our table and talked with them about field trips, school, friends, movies, and whatever great stories they happened to invent. As we got to know each other better over the course of the semester, some of the kids became adamant that I would sit by them during snack time. One day, my second graders decided that there was a “girls’ table” and a “boys’ table.” And in second grade, cooties are a very real danger. “Nay, come sit with us!” a little girl yelled as I approached. “No, Mrs. Nay, sit by me!” pleaded a little boy. I stood between the two, torn because I didn’t want to play favorites and risk making some of my little friends hate me. But the girls made my decision for me by ...

The bell tower is one of my favorite parts about BYU campus. Hearing "Come, Come, Ye Saints" on the hour has lifted my spirits countless times when school was getting difficult. And noontime and pre-devotional concerts just make me happy. And I will always love the memory of sitting in my freshman apartment listening to the bells play. I feel a deep connection to that white tower that produces the music that has been an integral part of my college life. A couple months ago, I had the opportunity to climb up the tiny, spiral staircase in the center of the bell tower and play the carillon. (I feel slightly bad for anyone who was down on campus listening while I plunked out a few notes on the keyboard - but I enjoyed it!) I had ascended the bell tower once before, as a child, but this time was different because the bell tower had become a dear friend during my years at BYU. Cute little red spiral staircase. It's so long that you get kinda dizzy by the time you reac...

Despite my best intentions to write several blog posts over the past month, not a single one of them materialized. Which means I'll be playing catch-up now that the cessation of finals has allowed me time to myself. So although they'll be late and probably out of chronological order, those posts will be coming soon. This past semester of college has flown by in a whirlwind of excitement, stress, and wonderful memories. It feels like only yesterday that I was sitting on the floor in o chem on the first day because there weren't enough seats in the auditorium. Now that it's over, it's hard to believe that I actually learned all those reactions and mechanisms. Those late nights with Harold seem so blurred together and I'm amazed at how much I accomplished this semester because it seems so short. But every single midterm took place and every paper was written - somewhere in there. And I learned a ton.   I'm grateful for the many people I met this semester...

Wonder - At the world, Wrapped in a star-lit sky Caressed by wisps of clouds, As a home For those I love; At the expanse of life Widening before me With dreams and joys As yet unknown; At the joy and peace A Babe brought to me That changed my life for good - Overflows my soul.

1. It's Veteran's Day. I'm deeply grateful for the sacrifices of the many men and women who have given the last full measure of devotion in the name of freedom. Their dedication and selflessness humbles and inspires me, and I hope I can prove worthy of their sacrifice in my behalf. 2. My colonies of ultracompetent e. coli cells transformed with a plasmid containing a mutant PstB gene grew!!! We didn't get any growth last week, so we redid the experiment this week. And succeeded. Pretty sure I've never been that excited about bacteria. 3. The vibrant colors of the leaves in the valley made me happy. 4. My friend took me out to dinner at Brick Oven. We conversed in German, discussed life ambitions, laughed a ton, and just had a great time. 5. I ate raspberry cheesecake. 6. It's Friday. *happiness* 7. I mailed my Ukrainian Visa application! It's hard to walk around campus without grinning when you know you're going to be in Ukraine soon. 8. Lab meeti...

Pretty sure fall is my favorite time of the year. Something about the smell of leaves and the sound they make as I tread through them the way to class makes me feel alive. There is a crispness to the air, and I can't help but be filled with wonder and gratitude at the majesty of God's creations. Part of me wants to capture these beautiful autumn moments and never let winter come, but I realize that the beauty of fall is partially due to its transience, for if leaves were always a fiery red, we'd miss the green. And even the snow. But for these brief months when the mountains are aflame with color and the air is rich with the smell of leaves, I want to soak in every moment.  When I returned from Yellowstone in mid-September, I was shocked to see a that the mountains I had left perfectly green now had a few red trees. I was a little put out with Provo for changing while I was gone, so I determined not to miss another moment of fall's transition. For the past month an...

You know those days that are just so great that you would relive them over and over if you could? This past Wednesday was definitely one of those. For one thing, it was my best friend's 21st birthday. Which means partying and Swedish apple pie. And celebrating how awesome Megan is. Good times. Second, it was a Wednesday, which meant there was a distinct possibility that my mission call would come. When I saw the mail truck outside my apartment building, I was seized with an intense excitement. I jumped around and searched everywhere for the mailman. I think he must have delivered mail to several other buildings before he reached mine. I was dying. When the mailman finally reached my building, I ran downstairs with my roommate and family who had been up that afternoon. We stood by the mailman, who calmly finished putting advertisements in the boxes. Finally, he finished and asked "All right, which one of you is it?" Third, my call actually did come! The mailman pulle...

Remember my little friend Skunky the ninja ? Well there is another animal in the depths of the Bean Museum that always brings joy to my heart. I've affectionately named him Gandalf. I think any Balrog would stop at the sight of this little guy.

In case it wasn't already official, it has now been verified - I am a nerd. I'm taking physiology right now, which is possibly the coolest class I have ever had. My roommates can attest that I get so excited about physiological concepts that they sometimes receive unsolicited explanations of how NSAIDs work or why the heart can never have tetanus. (If the concept is particularly exciting, it may be the first thing I tell a roommate in the morning, obviously preempting "good morning.") The past couple days, my studies have focused on the heart. As I sat the other night looking at a diagram of the phases of a heartbeat, trying to remember exactly what was going on in the process, I could almost hear my heart speak to me (not in a love-sick type of way, or the like the normal heart sounds at the closing of the valves, but actual words) - "The whole 24 hours you've been trying to figure that out, I've been sitting here in your chest doing it. Several thousa...

Just sayin'. I love being able to spend time with family and listen to the words of the Lord spoken through the mouths of His prophets and apostles. It's always rejuvenating and encouraging and makes me want to be a better person. Also, October conference is always on or around my birthday, which makes it even more special for me. This birthday was especially wonderful due to: 1. General Conference. Am Besten. 2. Hanging out with family 3. Friends who give me epic balloon arrangements and "Birthday Princess" ribbons. Oh yeah. Now that I am 21, I suppose I can no longer deny my adulthood. Indeed. Hooray for Conference and birthdays!

(This post was supposed to be done a couple weeks ago. But seeing as how those two weeks were some of the busiest ones of my existence - although that designation can be applied to almost any week now that I'm at college - blogging somehow dropped out of my priorities list. But now that my tests are over and I should be working on a paper, I've decided it's time.) Two weeks ago I went camping for the first time in my life. But it wasn't just any camping. No, this was legit - 20 science nerds missing two days of class to revel in the beauty and microbiological wonder that is Yellowstone. Our group was easily identifiable amid the hundreds of other visitors during those days - if you heard the words, hydrogen bond, thermophile, or biofilm, you knew you were in the right place. It was definitely one of the few times in my life where microbiological small talk was normal. And I've never had a "smurf" be "pipetting" in any other setting. Ah, the ner...

"Sealed for time and all eternity." Or at least until rivalry week is over.

Ten years ago today, my life changed forever. On that morning half my life ago, I arrived to my fifth grade class and was shocked by the stories I was hearing. To my innocent 10-year-old mind, such things as terrorist attacks were unheard of. Sure, people had been mean to each other during the World Wars and there were a few skirmishes since then, but in my modern world, people were civil to one another. That childhood illusion was lost that day. I suddenly realized that the world I was about to enter was not the friendly place it had once seemed. At the same time, though, I was humbled and moved by the stories of those who risked and gave their lives to save others. Human nature shone at its brightest that day, showing me that goodness truly conquers evil. As my nation turned to God, so did I, and I came to know Him through the events of that day more than I ever had before. My generation grew up a great deal that day. There was no way we could remain the same, not after what we’...

My last day of summer before moving back to Provo for school. There were nigh unto a million things I wanted to cram in before summer ended - do some more reading, prep more for my classes, work on the honors program, write, sleep, maybe pack. Right. But instead (and perhaps in addition - there's still more time today) I set out with my family to accomplish one of my life goals of hiking Squaw Peak. I had accidentally discovered the trail to Squaw Peak a couple weeks ago while hiking through Rock Canyon with a friend. We explored it and made it to what seemed to be the top - I mean, it started going downhill and there was a huge field of wildflowers. Plus, we had to meet our ride at a certain time so we turned back, only to be informed later that we were half an hour away from the top. But today I was determined to conquer that mountain. It's beautiful! (But right now it kind of makes me sore to look at it.) More beauty As we hiked, all of my concerns and obligation...

As a biologist, I get super excited when I see plants and animals. Like, really. I mean, think about how incredible it is that millions of tiny cells make a flower able to photosynthesize, and little elephant cells give the elephant its trunk. The little storage vacuoles are keeping the lilies turgid so they don't wilt, and the pigments not only make the flowers look gorgeous, but they allow them to use light (LIGHT! Seriously!) to synthesize their food and structural components. Life is nothing short of a miracle, and zoos and gardens make me stand in reverent awe. Earlier this summer my family went to the Hogle Zoo. The zoo had acquired some cute, still-surviving specimens of creatures we thought to be extinct. But my buddy the T-Rex was very much alive. Actually, no. But he tried hard to be. Look at all those little elephant cells! It boggles my mind every time, just thinking about how they work together so perfectly to make an elephant. Look at how different gene...

What a beautiful miracle it is that our Savior walked alone so that none of us would ever have to. I am deeply grateful that He did.

As I was walking across BYU campus this past week, I realized this was the seventh time I have been at BYU's Education Week. That made me feel old. And educated. It's my family tradition/vacation to attend Education Week together every year, and we always look forward to it for months. My younger brother was fourteen this year, and he was super exited to finally be able to join in the festivities. After attending class for 28 hours in four days and taking over 10,000 words of notes, I feel a great deal smarter now than I did on Monday. At the same time, though, the more I learn, the more acutely I realize how little I know. There are so many scholars in the world who know so much more than I do about communication, Islam, C.S. Lewis, Jesus Christ, and my religion. And even they know nothing compared with the knowledge the God of the universe possesses. And that is why I am grateful I had the opportunity to learn from both the scholars and my God this week. The people you me...

Last Monday at approximately 8:09 A.M., the number of times I've left my state of birth increased by 33.33%. (Go ahead, do the math. But no worries, I shall see the world someday. Someday soon.) I discovered that a couple of the main attractions in Wyoming are fireworks (an obvious fact, I know, but I still had to laugh at how many firework stores dotted the landscape) and 50 cent ice cream cones (a great billboard proudly announced that these soft serve cones were to be obtained in a mere 60 miles. . . biggest attraction around, I suppose). Kansas was our destination as I embarked on this road trip with my wonderful best friend, Megan, and her family. And I rather fell in love with Kansas. Fields of corn as far as the eye can see, and hundreds and hundreds of hay rolls, and miles and miles of windmills made me feel as if I was back home, except on a much larger scale. I enjoyed the embrace of the humid summer air and even learned to love to the cacophonous cicadas...

In the words of a wise social critic who once commented on the verbing of America, "You can fiddle, but you can't violin." True story. Perhaps that's why a certain music group is called the Old Time Fiddlers and not the Old Time Violiners. Right. But in their group I neither fiddle nor do I violin (although I'm learning). I guitar. Now when I say guitar, I don't mean I'm up there soloing. Nope. I'm not that much of an old-timer yet. I'm still learning the ropes and I'm more than content to just sit back and chord while the rest of the group takes their turn in the center. And usually they respect that wish of mine, but they're trying to convince me to take my turn on solo like all the rest of them. (Let's be honest - how can I solo when I don't know any bluegrass songs? Yep. That's the bottom line. I'll keep to my chording. I'm getting pretty good at it. Well, not good, but definitely better. I have their standard se...

This past Saturday morning saw the culmination of two lifetimes of preparation and dreaming as my brother and the love of his life were sealed for time and all eternity in the Mount Timpanogos Temple. What a beautiful miracle it is that, through God's power, families are bound together eternally. Steven and Shanae Nay. (Say it out loud.) Wedding eve festivities It's still a little surreal that my childhood playmate, teenage confidant, and lifelong hero is now married. But completely exciting! Steven is a wonderful man, and I look up to him in so many ways. And he married an incredible woman whom I am so excited to call my sister! The Nays The Littkes Twins ;) Awwww! Steven and Shanae, you're wonderful, and I love you both dearly. Best of luck as you begin your happily ever after!!