paper and graduation

you guys!

my paper finally got accepted for publication - aka the research i spent two years on between college and med school! apparently these things take a lonnnnggg time to come down the pipe, but it's better late than never. it got accepted in a pretty good journal, too - development [some might say the premier developmental bio journal, ahem ahem]. that's my happiest news as of late.

i celebrated a little last night with some sparkling wine and a little bit today by going shopping. i spent $50 on one yoga outfit and don't even really feel that bad about it, because i also went shopping to distract myself from the fact that today ben is graduating from high school and i'm not there.

i feel like the worst sister in the world to be missing it and that makes my heart hurt. family is the most important thing to me and i am so proud of my little brother. however, with my final exam this coming friday compounded with expensive flights and nothing to do with my pup eleanor i decided to stick around here. fortunately we've made a plan to fly him on out here this summer for a weeklong vacation during which we will take dc by storm. by storm, i tell you! i'm already making plans in my head. it will be epic [do you hear that, ben?! epic!].

dear family: i love you and i miss you! have a great day today and i'll see you all soon!

then

now

the abortion debate: not going away

this slate article on new gallup polls on everything from marriage equality to women's rights to abortion shows that as a country we are becoming more "liberal" - more and more americans support the right to marriage of same sex couples, more americans support access to birth control, and more americans believe that women have a place in the workforce. however, this trend does not apply to abortion. in fact, americans might be getting more "conservative" in this respect. i find it very interesting, and somewhat encouraging. my beliefs have evolved my entire adult live: the more i learn the less rigid and more reasonable i've become. one thing that has endured, however, is my discomfort with the left's nonchalant acceptance of abortion as an essential [unrestricted] right for women. i consider myself quite liberal, although some staunch pro choicers might disagree. that, however, isn't the point. i am simply glad to see that as a country, we are beginning to realize that issues like allowing loving and committed people to marry are no brainers. we are also realizing that gay rights and abortion are by no means the same. one is about loving our brothers and sisters no matter who they love, one is about the grey area that defines the beginning of life. when those i respect as thoughtful and articulate folks throw around pro-choice rhetoric regarding WOMAN'S BODY WOMAN'S CHOICE i cringe a little bit. it's not that black and white and anyone who thinks it is has not thought about it much and certainly hasn't learned about the concert of cellular occurrences that converge to form an embryo, then a fetus, then a baby. 


i'm not pushing an agenda. i'm not lobbying for a reversal of roe v wade. i simply want people on all sides of the issue to give it some critical thought. the beginning of life is a tricky tricky distinction, but one that will be vital to consider as we move forward as a civilized society. 


[also, pleaassseeee take your health into your own hands - use oral contraceptives or an iud or an implantable device. if we do this, perhaps the whole debate about termination will become obsolete! wishful thinking? that's probably what they said about female secretaries of state or people who are gay getting hitched 4o years ago]


on a lighter note, i'd like to introduce my new french press, tina. she gives me coffee that tastes fantastic and keeps me awake to study and read slate and chase around an eleanor. 

sb 749

alright friends. maybe you're sick of me getting on soapboxes, but i guess you can just ignore my posts if that's the case. i am not sorry that i feel passionate about women's health. i want all women to have access to the tools that will help them became their best selves and that drives me to say something when that access is threatened. in this case, it's a bill in the missouri congress that allows an opt out clause for coverage of vital women's health interventions.

now, i will be the first one to agree that no one should be required to provide coverage for or perform an abortion. that is a gray area that i am not sure anyone has thought through thoroughly enough. however, i am a staunch advocate for medications like oral contraceptives that not only prevent abortions but also provide vital medical aid for women suffering from dysmenorrhea, pcos, endometriosis, etc etc etc. history will not look kindly on the circus going on right now in the arena of women's health and it especially grieves me that my home state is practically the ringleader [not to mention the time they put secession on the agenda and the rush limbaugh debacle]. i do try to be proud of my roots but dang it if the show me state isn't making that incredibly difficult. anyway, back on the subject:

this means that women in small towns - where perhaps there is only one pharmacy - might have to make long monthly trips to larger cities just to fill a prescription. if this sounds absurd, it's because it is. missouri friends, i know a lot of you read this blog. please, please, please go to senate.mo.gov [if you live in clay county, i've made it easy: go here and write to senator ridgeway and explain why bills like sb 749 drag missouri back half a century]. i promise that your voice matters. it's easy to feel discouraged by the state of discourse in politics today, but if there is a good place to start getting involved it's at the state level. senators like luann ridgeway are up for reelection and you'd better believe she'll be listening to what her constituents have to say. if we stand up, republicans and democrats alike, and put our collective feet down we might be surprised about what can happen.


thanks friends. this is important because if affects each and every one of us - if not directly, then through one of our loved ones. 


xoxo, 


k and the e

green spring

ohmigosh the flowers in the spring make me so happy. i bet you're sick of seeing posts that prominently feature flowers, but i just can't get over the fact that they are such bright and beautiful colors and they are natural. like, out of the ground natural. they also help balance out the bummer feelings i get when i watch the game of thrones. i'm glad real life doesn't look like that.

other miscellaneous happenings - eleanor is rocking the tweet world and i've been enjoying the weather by going to the white house garden, getting drinks atop the w hotel, biking all around town, jogging with eleanor, and being outside as much as possible. spring in dc is gorgeous. i know i'm running the risk of redundancy, but i've gotta milk this season while it lasts. summer is coming.

peace to you all.

k and e

about princess eleanor rose, among other things

the princess of the eleanors got a twitter. follow her/us over here.

i'm really not sure how to get it going, except to post stuff and put a lot of #s around. i am completely confused by the whole kit n caboodle but i've been getting nudges from all around to start an eleanor twitter page so IT'S DONE. it's basically going to be issues of the day and everyday minutia from the pov of the pup.

speaking of my baby pup,

she spent mother's day with me. we took a mother's day stroll and definitely did not cry about how much we miss mommy priscilla or grammy higgins back west.

alright, y'all. more later. gotta go learn things. go forth and follow e_explainsitall

seester's birthday

hi there friends!

i haven't posted in awhile. among other reasons, my phone has conveniently stopped wanting to connect to my lappy so i can't seem to squeeze any photos out of it. i know no one looks at this blog for the prose except maybe my mom. hi mom!

do do do do do . . . 

yesterday was my allie's birthday! i had to post to celebrate the most wonderful sister a girl could ask for. sure, we have had our fair share of knock down drag outs and verbal lashings and major disagreements, but what sisters don't? my little owie taught me many interpersonal skills such as: always ask before borrowing something from someone. if you don't, they might put a lock on their closet. if make her mad enough, even the sweetest little girl will slap you square in the face. the quietest ones are always the sneakiest - look out for the shy ones in the corner. and finally - a sister is the best friend you can ask for. she looks past your failings and annoying habits and is always just a phone call away. also, she makes really good cupcakes.

what more could you want?

[i think 24 is your year to shine, baby sis. xoxox]

to cover and protect

my kitty cat friend showed me a website with every iphone cover imaginable. here are just a few i'm sure i would need if i had unlimited phone cover funds:

for the guy in your life: