Me and my shoulder cat waiting at the vet today. (they think she's a couple weeks older than the original estimate, and currently she has double canines on both sides since the kitten ones haven't yet fallen out 🧛)

Me trying to work today:

Sorry for the lack of Penny. The toddler got us all sick. Anyways, their friendship is blossoming ❤️

Your daily dose of Penny-provided serotonin is here 💖

This is probably why the allergies are so bad 😂😂 But what am I going to do?? Move a napping kitten?? 😵‍💫

Just a princess on her throne 👑🐈 (Side note, apparently you can be allergic to only *some* cats, but that's what allergy medicine is for, right? 🫠🙃)

No read, only pets.

OBSESSED.

Hi, I'm obsessed. This is a Penny account now.

Pen is falling asleep on B's favorite chair and I'M FINE I PROMISE I'M NOT CRYING 😭😭❤️❤️

Meet Penelope! Pen or Penny for short, which one could argue is also a nickname for Penguin, so really, the toddler did name her after all.

When was the last time I even posted about science here?? I'm sure all the people who have followed me because I'm on the astronomy lists are confused 😂

We're getting a kitten tomorrow (!!!!!!!!) and have been working with the toddler on the concept of naming something. She now understands (I think) what it means to give something a name, and has suggested we name the kitten either Santa or Penguin 🎅🐧

hey @overleaf.com ! do you have merch? I'd love to rock an overleaf shirt 🥺

Putting the Eras Tour movie on in the background to finish this #JWSTCycle5 Proposal draft with the magical power of ~Girl Summer 2023™️~

Some things change, some things stay the same. Beaumont Bell Tower @ Michigan State. 2025. 2019.

The toddler is dressing up as Lilo from Lilo and Stitch for Halloween. She has started telling people at daycare that I am dressing up as Pleakley and her dad is dressing up as Jumba. So anyways, I guess I need to make us Pleakley and Jumba costumes 🤦‍♀️

The toddler is obsessed with Lilo and Stitch (the original one) She found a Halloween light up Stitch at Lowe's today and talked us into buying it. She's currently trying to take Stitch for a walk, but Stitch is the same size as her 😂

Imagine the PARENTS of Boo in Monsters Inc. Your two year old disappears from her bed?? They must have been in a panic. And then she just randomly returns one night??

me trying to work after staying up late for the new Taylor Swift album announcement. I'M TOO OLD FOR THIS, TAYLOR ❤️‍🔥

Vinyl secured 💪 phone at 3% battery. Erin at 3% battery. See you in the morning to discuss the album title 🫡 (Side note... What is happening Wednesday now?????!!)

*Sets an alarm for 12:10 am*

Me explaining to my husband why there's (definitely for real this time) a new Taylor Swift album being announced on Wednesday ❤️‍🔥

It is 2025. Why is it hard for people to remember to stay muted on zoom when they aren't presenting?

I'm wearing an oversized grey striped button up shirt today. My toddler pointed at it and said it was "Dada's shirt". She also pointed out every zit on my face this morning. So yeah, my self confidence is super high today 🫥

Thanks to the @umbc.edu for highlighting my recent NSF AAG grant and the student research it supports! And yes - I’m 38 weeks pregnant in these photos. I’m proud to show that it’s possible to lead a thriving science program while also prioritizing life outside of work 💫 umbc.edu/stories/blac...

ROSES 2025 is out 🧪🔭🪐 It's quite the small list 😬 nspires.nasaprs.com/external/sol...

Can we talk about how some online stores now charge a FEE for "package protection" and if you don't pay it and your package gets lost, you're out of luck??? When did this start happening?

From STScI Town Hall @ #AAS246 JWST Cycle 4 funding may be impacted and delayed by the PBR. 😜🔭🪐

"The NASA Science Community Meeting scheduled for Thursday, June 12 has been postponed, allowing time for all NASA Mission Directorates to brief internal staff and hold discussions on the FY26 President’s Budget Request. [...]" 😬😬😬 🧪🔭🪐

The toddler fell asleep for the night cuddling her new penguin in one arm and her baby doll in the other 🥺❤️

The toddler hasn't learned that things cost money yet, because she ran up to the stuffed penguin display, grabbed one, and walked away. Anyways, she has a new stuffed friend and carried it through the whole zoo. (We did pay for it and tried to explain money to her after the incident 😂)

Making more of these stickers. What else should I add?

Briefly wandered over to The Other Place to gauge the response to the NASA budget devastation to encounter a bunch of gleeful 'we spend too much money, so this is great.' TO BE, ONCE AGAIN, PERFECTLY CLEAR, THE BUDGET REQUEST MOVES ALL THIS MONEY TO DEFENSE. IT SPENDS IT. NO MONEY IS SAVED.

Trump administration cuts to NSF will result in more than 200,000 FEWER people per year involved in basic science, training, and education - what should have been the next generation of US scientists. This isn't even eating your seed corn, it is setting your seed corn on fire and salting the earth.

Inspired by @jtuttlekeane.bsky.social and @ohdearz.bsky.social, here's what the White House proposed budget cuts to NASA would do to the entirety of the agency's Science Mission Directorate. Bloodbath is right.

*speechless horror* (Guys the NASA Exoplanet Archive is in this box. My job is in this box.)

The NASA planetary science fleet chart if the president’s budget is enacted.

Budget news and employment prospects are bleak, but at least I have a toddler collecting rocks for me 🤷‍♀️

"ExoPAG 32 will be rescheduled to no earlier than mid July. NASA HQ has requested this additional time to allow for NASA’s next Administrator to be confirmed, and for more information to be in hand so that we can have a full, substantive discussion with the community." 🔭🪐🧪 (ExoPAG32 was next week)

Full president's budget request for NASA is expected tomorrow** afternoon (correction to previous post because I can't read times today 🙃)

I never understood why they sold batteries in such large packs until I had a kid. So. Many. Toys. That. Need. Batteries.

Your Senators have until tomorrow to request robust levels of funding for NASA, NSF, and the DOE Office of Science - use our easy form to request that they do so today! aas.org/advocacy/get...

Another kid in my daughter's daycare class was wearing a University of Michigan shirt earlier this week. I've never met the parents, but I think I need to respond with a Michigan State shirt on my toddler?

Early access is now live for Scientifically Accurate Star! Check your email—spam too, just in case. If you forgot to sign up (oops), limited editions prints will be available to everyone tomorrow May 15th at 3pm PDT via my website ☀️ Once this sale ends you’ll never have to see this balloon again 😆

My toddler's hair is long enough for a ponytail now 😭😭

Just got told to pull em dashes from my writing because now it's a sign of using AI?!?! I wrote these trash words myself thank you very much.

Every time a fighter jet falls off that aircraft carrier, I think about how each jet costs ($60M) comparable to the annual budget of the Chandra X-ray Observatory ($68M) at full operations. 🔭

The “brain drain” will be a primarily domestic phenomenon, w/ STEM-trained people moving into non-STEM occupations. There are not remotely enough STEM jobs abroad for our *millions* scientists, and even if there were, moving is hard, expensive & dependent on multiple intersecting privileges.

Also, I really need people to stop saying the “best“ scientists are the ones who will be able to move. The ones who will be able to move are the ones with the least responsibilities outside of their science. Guess who those people always are? Hint: it’s not gonna be the married women.