Ash Wednesday

I am reflecting a lot lately, as my due date nears. And yes, the thoughts occupying me these days are not necessarily rosy-happy-mommy thoughts. Honestly, I don't know if I am a rosy-happy-mommy type--hence me not posting a lot about my pregnancy, for instance.

For this Lent, I will resume the habit I learned from my grandfather, the Calvinist minister--be always aware: “Remember you are dust and into dust you shall return.” Thus, constantly living knowing that if we die tomorrow, was our life for the right purpose or not, and strife for it being FOR something.

I don't want to be special--that went out the door a couple of years ago when I came to terms with the fact that no, those two MAs and a PhD really doesn't count as much as I thought earlier. Humble pie is a wonderful thing to get if you used to be an academic for quite long. :)
What I want is truth, inasmuch as human beings are able to handle it, and to see those around me and dear to my heart to be happy according to what they perceive as their own happiness. As I have a big heart, the list is long... may that I be given enough time to se those smiles blossom.

Cool Science Newz

Kinda sort of up my alley. There was a National Geographic article about it a couple of months ago that made me very excited about the possibility, and now the report is out that the first draft of the Neanderthal Genome Project is complete.

I Am Officially Pissed

Okay, what can possibly justified this??? I am rather infuriated right now, given how many times I heard the argument on online forums based on this study alone, linking the MMR vaccine to autism? Well, guess what? Turns out the study was cooked, the data is misrepresented, and who know what consequences loom?
This alone is more than alarming:

Despite involving just a dozen children, the 1998 paper’s impact was extraordinary. After its publication, rates of inoculation fell from 92% to below 80%. Populations acquire “herd immunity” from measles when more than 95% of people have been vaccinated.

Last week official figures showed that 1,348 confirmed cases of measles in England and Wales were reported last year, compared with 56 in 1998. Two children have died of the disease.

Me, I had no intentions of delaying or skipping vaccinations to our daughter. I got vaccinated back in Hungary on almost the same aggressive schedule as they do in the US, and turned out just fine. In fact, I need to get a pertussis booster in the hospital as I was exposed via a coworker's children who got it this winter.
::sigh::

Lookin' Good

Ain't he? ::beams:: That's The Husband wearing an early 15th. century replica armor during this weekend's geek gathering we attended in Missouri. I would have SO tried it on too, but with The Belly--no chance.

It was a really cool time, even with the significant road trip and all its discomforts. Our hosts were beyond generous (and patient and sweet), the crowd that gathered was awesome, funny, knowledgeable, kind and never for a minute boring--it was a pain to leave. Next time we definitely should plan for a longer stay.