On our last day in Hawaii, we rented stand-up paddle boards. Annie had been begging to do this because she remembered when I paddled her around the ocean five years ago, and really wanted to try it for herself. It was a windy day, so I tethered her board to mine to make sure she didn’t get blown out to sea. Everything was going juuuust fine until the tether between our boards snapped my board backward, causing me to lose my balance. Instead of falling into the water LIKE A SMART PERSON, I instead tried to regain my balance. Then board snapped back again, causing my feet to go right out from under me. I landed hard on the board, right on my butt. It was one of those falls where I immediately knew I’d hurt myself. I thought I’d mostly given myself whiplash, but soon it became clear I’d done something to my back. And now, a week later, I’m finally admitting that I REALLY messed up my back…it still hurts a LOT and I can’t stand up for more than two minutes without searing pain. I have a nice little visit planned with the doctor tomorrow. Fingers crossed it’s just a bad muscle strain!

suppin'

Before my stupid injury.

Around The ‘Net

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~In ‘Small Fry,’ Steve Jobs Comes Across as a Jerk. His Daughter Forgives Him. Should We?

~Science behind the fiction: How realistic are these faster-than-light travel methods?

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~To Study the Stars, This Town Went Off the Grid

~Confessions of a superyacht stewardess

Our Loss

I was very sad to hear about the death of John McCain. McCain came to USC during his first run for President (against George W Bush), and I went to hear him speak. It was my first Presidential election where I could vote, and even though I was a registered Democrat who couldn’t vote in the Republican primary, I still wanted to hear what he had to say. Everyone in attendance was a student, and I was struck by how respectful he was to all of us, even the those who disagreed with him. He was problematic, like all politicians, but he lived an incredible life in service to this country, and I will always be grateful. He had the same type of brain cancer that Jackie died from, Glioblastoma. It’s a miserable, horrible disease, and my heart goes out to his family.

Happy Sunday, everyone!