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Journal, May 16, 2026 (North Carolina)

I am sitting at a bar in Black Mountain, slightly drunk — though not the same way as yesterday. Yesterday I was completely exhausted after a red-eye flight and from sleeping badly night after night. This time, instead of turning the trip into just another conference visit, I planned ahead and gave myself an entire […]

Journal, May 13, 2026

This is probably the longest entry in my blog that I have ever written. And it is probably about Mother’s Day, and about what I am trying to say to myself more than to anyone else. For as long as I can remember, Mother’s Day was a very special holiday in my family. Preparing a […]

Journal, April 21, 2026

Last weekend, I had to become a bird mom. I was working in the yard when a baby hummingbird fell out of the nest. Using our friend AI, we learned that there is a hummingbird rescue in Los Angeles. We called and got instructions on how to take care of the baby. We placed him […]

Journal, April 10, 2026

This photo was taken early in the morning, during one of my usual walks with my dog. It’s hard to believe that one third of April has already flown by—as if it were one long, continuous day. I’m currently on a break that I wouldn’t really call a vacation, but rather a staycation. And perhaps […]

Journal, March 31, 2026

It is the last day of March, and I can’t quite believe that spring is already in full swing. The warmth feels almost misplaced—so much so that, heading into my second ski trip of the year, the running joke is that we might as well be water skiing. And in truth, Mammoth Mountain looks as […]

Journal, March 17, 2026

The irony of today is that it’s exactly one year since I received my first dose of Adriamycin and Cytoxan—the “red devil,” something I truly did not want to have. Today marks my one-year anniversary. I had a routine appointment with my oncologist, and fortunately, because things are going so well, there wasn’t much to […]

Journal, March 3, 2026

So was it worth it? Looking at the image, I think it was. Obviously, I didn’t capture those huge, dramatic blood-red moons that fill photos all over the internet. But this is my picture of the bloody moon, and it reminds me that I did get up at 2:45 a.m. and stayed outside until 3:34, […]

Journal, March 2, 2026

I cannot believe how much can happen in 10–11 days since my last blog post. Ski weekend came and went. I was sore for days and still not entirely sure whether I mildly injured myself or just aggressively rediscovered muscles I forgot I had. Nevertheless, I skied all the way to the end — just […]

Journal, February 21, 2026

I am finally on the slopes. The weather is wonderful after a series of storms; it is bright and sunny, the air is crisp, and it is not too cold. I am happy. The wind is whistling in my ears, and the snow is rustling under my skis, and I feel I am living to […]