My mom got her degree in Chemistry from the University of Nebraska Omaha when my brother and I were kids and we had a pretty amazing childhood because of it! I got to meet Sally Ride; the University's science department and the Omaha Children's Museum were pretty much our playgrounds, and dry ice was as normal a find in our kitchen as milk (for the most part). And my dad has a degree in Biology so we were pretty lucky to have two parents who really encouraged and supported us in our love of science. While I did have the support at home, I felt extremely discouraged in my high school science classes and really struggled with it. I've always thought of myself as more of the liberal arts minded sort but I don't think it helped me at all to label myself, because in college I discovered Feminist Studies that encourages us to explore all fields of study and to examine the connections between them. My senior thesis was a combination of science, legal studies, political science, religion, etc. It was such an empowering experience to deconstruct and consider power dynamics within scientific epistemologies, and to look at the ways all of these studies intersect. I guess my point is that we shouldn't limit ourselves especially when it comes to our education. I was able to fall in love with science all over again because I didn't see it as this field "over there" that was too intimidating for me to understand. When I looked at it from another point of view - from a place that was less intimidating - it really inspired me again and I can totally see why my mother is so in love with it. More girls need to find that love for science and math and I'm hopeful that all the work educators are doing to promote women in STEM fields will really help us to reexamine our approach! Rock on, ladies!

xo Jenavieve

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So we just got back from a long weekend in San Francisco where we sold our geeky goods at the American Chemical Society's conference at the Moscone Center! It was quite the eventful trip and we had a lot of fun. We even met some of our ETSY customers who came over to our booth to check it out and to say "hi", which was awesome! It's such a surreal experience to meet people I've spoken to through "convo's." I get probably way too giddy when they say what personalized items they requested because I usually remember making them! It's a really nice way to feel connected in a world that can feel so disconnected what with the wonderful world of the interwebs. 

Here's a sneak peek at some new items coming soon to our shop! 

Our booth at the show! It was small but we made it work!  We also debuted our new name-signs that we were able to personalize for customers right there at the show so that was VERY exciting! Working with people on how to spell out their names was really fun because most people think they can't because the available elements do seem so limiting... But then we show them our method and they're like kids in a candy store! Oh the possibilities! 

Check out our new pillow which will be in the shop VERY soon! Us Gibberish Girls LOVE the bacon so we thought these 10 reasons would help justify it being part of our regular diet!

10. Nestling super-healthy vegetables in flavorful bacon makes them even more appealing!
9. A company in the UK is actually transforming bacon fat and grease into a powerful, low emission, environmentally friendly, all-natural, bio-diesel fuel that can be used to effectively and inexpensively run anything from motor vehicles to turbines.
8.  If it is NOT charred or burnt (Jenavieve's favorite way to eat it!) OR you cook it in the oven you can avoid the concern over nitrates/nitrites. Also, if you partake in some milk or OJ with your bacon, the vitamins A, D and E work to effectively prevent conversion of  nitrates and nitrites into dangerously toxic “nitrosamines” in the stomach, rendering them harmless to the body.
7. It’s considered a mood elevator because it makes you insanely happy when you eat it.
6. It is filled with essential vitamins and minerals: Vitamin B1, Vitamin B3, Vitamin B12,  Zinc, B6, Vitamin B2, Phosphorus, Pantothenate, Magnesium, and Iron...making it practically a health food!
5. Full of choline which helps with memory and intelligence.
4. Moderate amounts lower blood sugar and blood pressure.
3. It has less total fat, saturated fat and cholesterol than many popular cuts of beef and chicken.
2. Even though bacon has gotten a bad rep over the years, bacon contains Omega-3 fatty acids. Unlike the Omega-3 Fatty Acids supplements derived from fish sources, the ones that come from bacon aren’t chock full of poisonous mercury, like most of the popular fish oil versions are. So bacon Omega-3′s can not only help prevent heart disease, as well as lower your cholesterol, reduce inflammation and improve circulation, but also help you to avoid mercury and other toxic poisons being regularly spewed into our planet’s oceans.
1. Lots of protein, little carbs.

(This info was gathered from http://bacontoday.com/).

Check out our new geeky cuffs! They are available with geek or with nerd and can even be personalized with your monogram or with a short name. Wear them proudly to show your love of all that is nerdy!  www.shopgibberish.etsy.com

My students and I were working on an acid/base lab when I went on a "clean all the glassware" spree. Unfortunately I had a flask under my hood that I grabbed in a very "hurricane-ish" way and this is the result. The chemical was silver nitrate and it permanently stains your hands, and remains there until the cells replensish themselves. It was a short 3 weeks ago and only my super dark pinkie remains stained. The moral of the story? Don't save the silver nitrate in solution in your hood! 

Phew. I just finished a lab with my students which involved copper wire and silver nitrate. NORMALLY, I have zero tolerance for "tom-foolery" in lab, however...this was clever and harmless goofiness. The lab involves placing copper wire in a solution of silver nitrate and observing the single replacement reaction as it unfolds. A precipitate (the silver) attaches itself to the wire and it looks quite a bit like a pipe cleaner in it's earliest stages. One of my students called me from across the room, with an edge of concern in his voice. I said, "what the..." as I approached and saw the neon glow coming from one of their test tubes (with H20). What are the odds that a high school junior would have an actual neon colored pipe cleaner in his backpack? I LOVE TEACHING HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS...