Follow Friday: Geek Feminism

When I have time to keep up with my Google Reader feeds, one of my favorites to check on is the Geek Feminism Blog.

This has been an excellent resource for connecting with fellow Geeks, many of whom (but not all!) happen to be women.  It has pointed me to many scholarly articles for discussion on Twitter or this blog, many cool and Geeky craft projects to share with my Facebook friends, and a community for sharing what it means to be a woman in STEM.

My spring semester of classes has popped up on me faster than I expected, so I don't know how many posts I'll get out before I have to drop this to focus on school.

Follow Friday: Freakonomics Blog

I blogged once before about reading Malcolm Gladwell's "Outliers" within a week of reading "Freakonomics."  That was one of the experiences that helped me to realize that I am something of an economist.  So I was thrilled to realize that there is a Freakonomics blog.

I file it under "thinkers," because it helps me to think about and consider different sides of issues we may have thought we understood.

Follow Friday - Wayne Hale's Blog

Here is another post in my Follow Friday series.  If you haven't noticed yet, I have a variety of diverse interests that I am trying to cycle through.  Today's post is targeted towards the Space Tweep and enthusiasts community.

For those of you who don't know, Wayne Hale is a retired Space Shuttle Flight Director.  He writes now about his memories on the shuttle program, and space leadership.  Recently he has begun to reflect on the Columbia accident, in recognition of the upcoming 10 year anniversary.

As a space enthusiast, I was profoundly affected by the space shuttle Challenger accident 26 years ago.  As I worked and studied towards becoming an engineer, I have read about and studied many failure investigation cases, in an attempt to absorb the lessons learned.  Much like parenthood, I don't expect to avoid mistakes.  I simply hope to avoid making the same mistakes again.

I had made my way into the NASA family by the time of the space shuttle Columbia accident.  It brought back everything... with one minor difference.  In Omaha, mourning the Challenger astronauts, I felt isolated and alone in my desire to keep the space shuttle program going.  I felt like I was the only one who believed we still had to explore space.  In Houston, I wasn't alone.

Living in Clear Lake, Texas... among people who knew the Columbia astronauts personally, who felt the same commitment to space exploration that I did... Walking through the hallway in Building 4 at 4 am each week, where the STS-107 "Welcome Home" decorations were replaced by memories of the crew... It brought everything back.  I lived in Taylor Lake Village.  Right down the block from a neighbor I don't ever remember meeting.

Before Columbia, when I initialed something, I usually used all three of my initials.  Yes, I did feel amazed when I finally realized that my married name gave me the intials "KSC."

After Columbia, I began to embrace just using two letters.  My way of remembering.

If you share my interests in human spaceflight, I encourage you to read what Wayne Hale writes.  Think about the program decisions he and others made.  Work to remember the lessons of the past.

Follow Friday: PhD in Parenting

It was my friend Amy over at PrettyBabies who first introduced me to the PhD in Parenting blog.  Annie, the blogger at PhD in Parenting, was one of the first Work Outside the Home Mothers (WOHM) that I encountered over the internet.  Not only did she WOHM, her husband is a Stay At Home Dad (SAHD), as my husband was when I first started reading her blog.

Follow Friday: You Grow Girl

One of my hobbies is gardening.  You Grow Girl is one of the gardening blogs that I subscribe to.

Follow Friday: Personal Branding Blog

Here's another post in my Follow Friday series.  This time, I discuss the Personal Branding Blog.

Follow Friday: Budgets Are Sexy

Another feature that I'm working on is restoring "Follow Friday"s.  I follow enough blogs and news sites now to make this a regular feature, as long as I make time to keep writing & scheduling posts.

Budgets are Sexy is a personal finance blog written by J. Money, that makes personal finance interesting and fun.