June 2001

Back to short linky goodness for a second…I just found this on bling. It starts you with a view of the Milky Way at 10 million light years from Earth, then moves you toward Earth at sucessive orders of magnitude until you are looking at the proton of a carbon atom in a tree leaf somewhere in Tallahassee. It goes pretty fast on the “Auto” setting, so try clicking on the Manual button and step through it at your own speed. A wonderful piece of imagination and science—makes me wish I’d had more time to spend at the Exploratorium the last time I was in San Francisco.

And another milestone passed…I’m 34 today. I think I’m at the beginning of that time where birthdays start to blend together a bit, and it will probably stay that way until I hit another decade. I’m also waiting for that dread of birthday feeling to start. Most folks I know who have hit it have either seen 30 as cause for jubilation or depression, and as with most things, I found myself on a middle path about it—it was definitely a marker into full adulthood, but not a lot more. Maybe 40 will end up being the big one for me.

One thing is definitely cool this year, and that’s getting to spend the birthday with my family. It’s the first time in nine years we’ve all been in the same place. Even though we probably won’t all be getting together at the same time, it’s nice to feel the vibe so close, especially with all the joy already surrounding Danielle’s birth. I’ll finally have someone in the family to do joint birthdays with!

Well, it’s official—as of 6:46 last night, I am a Crazy Auntie™. Danielle Nicole Gunby is 8 lbs., 11 oz., 21.5 inches, and is of course the most beautiful baby in all the land. We will all be descending on Lee & Tanya’s tomorrow, very politely but impatiently waiting our turns with the little bundle, and taking lots of pictures.