A mile of runway will take you anywhere.

:: 2008 7 July :: 9.39am

Robert Shaler Leads New TV Show, "Crime Scene University" -- Techniques And Tools Used On Program Include Blood-Spatter Analysis, Bullet Trajectory, Electrostatic Printing, Fingerprint Collection, Oblique Lighting And Entomological Forensics
By Jill Shockey, Penn State University

A unique intersection between one of primetime television's most popular dramatic genres -- crime scene investigation -- and the college classroom is making its debut on the campus of one of America's most popular universities ... and in the living rooms of America. Penn State brought together 12 college students in a team-competition format forensic science program called "Crime Scene University," which premieres Thursday, July 10, at 8 p.m.

The show, filmed in and outside the classroom, is believed to be among the first of its kind in today's generation of television entertainment. The hour-long digital TV show will run four episodes of simulated crime-scene scenarios, where college students from Penn State and six other colleges face off in two teams to determine what happened in various realistic crime-scene scenarios. The content of the episodes reflects the syllabus of the Penn State course titled "Forensic Science 201: Crime Scene Investigation." Students registered for the class and received academic credit while the show was being filmed.

Using established scientific investigation techniques and tools, the viewer can learn along with students as they collect, analyze and preserve evidence to try to piece together each case. The techniques and tools include blood-spatter analysis, bullet trajectory, electrostatic printing, fingerprint collection, oblique lighting and entomological forensics, which entails the study of insects near exposed bodily remains to determine time of death.

Robert Shaler, director of Penn State's forensic science program and professor of biochemistry and molecular biology who received his Ph.D. from Penn State, instructs the students in realistic settings involving a suspected homicide, a car accident and other true-to-life crime scenes. Prior to joining Penn State, Shaler directed the forensic biology department within New York City's Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, and he was responsible for leading the effort to identify the 2,749 people who perished during the September 11, 2001 terrorist attack in New York.

Shaler conceived of the idea for the television show and, with help from a friend at the City of New York's Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, successfully pitched the idea to Discovery Communications.

"The program should be interesting to viewers because it will give some insight into how to do a crime scene investigation in real life, as opposed to the investigations that take place in drama-based programing like 'CSI' and 'Law and Order' or even in scripted programs of real cases, like 'Forensic Files'," said Shaler.

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:: 2008 5 July :: 10.56pm

craziest.fourth of july.ever.

flippy cup will be the end of me.

contents included making out with a puerto rican chica, slip n' sliding, peeing, flippy cup, peeing, spooning fest, spilt wax, assaulting an unconscious lesbian, football, badminton, baseball, frisbee, fireworks, and comparing areolas.

there are pictures and videos. but i'm going to maintain my dignity and keep them private. ok, maybe a few on Facebook.

that's..yes, that's all.

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:: 2008 2 July :: 9.20am

Back at the Medical Examiner.
I have 369 emails in my inbox.

::facedesk::

:: 2008 2 July :: 12.12am

via g - chat

Jason: only 1632 days until the end of the world
Me: oh sweet.

(yes we're in the same apartment. judge and i shall smite you.)

PS: This kid I used to know in high school just typed what I wrote to him in his yearbook Senior year because it makes him smile. I don't know why, but the simple things are always more profound.

:: 2008 1 July :: 9.36pm

home
^_^

no groceries
>_<

wedding pics
^.^

Speaking of pictures, I want to thank everyone--specifically Jason's parents, my parents, and Flickr users in general for being so kind. Your words leave smiles in their wake.

Off to the Medical Examiner tomorrow.
And very much looking forward to Mike & Tiffany's BBQ party on the 4th. I shall make delicious things meant for distribution to your mouth.

edit
Oh yeah, and that freaking Bachelorette Party picture I posted several entries back has over 2,000 views on Flickr. Currently my most viewed photo. Cool it horndogs. You can't even see anything...

:: 2008 27 June :: 9.58pm

It's been over a month since our trip to Chicago but I finally managed to upload some photos last night at 3am. I kind of fell asleep in the process so I didn't post em until now.

As far as my Flickr sets go, I think it's a pretty good one.

The Chicago Series

_{Wandering Millennium Park one afternoon I came across a ton of beautiful flowers.

I spent awhile there...

_{The Bean! Spent embarrassingly long time here as well...}

_{Had a mini photoshoot using reflections from the bean.}

_{Jason & I went on Ricci's rooftop one evening to watch the sunset.}

_{We've flown over Manhattan countless times. I finally bothered to get out my SLR and snap a few.

More aerial shots are in the set.}

more:

The Chicago Series}

Well Jason's back in Detroit for the wedding. We fly back to NY soon. I think it's pretty accurate to say that we're both itching to get back. It was a good vacation, I did a lot and saw several of my old friends but I miss New York. I miss the subway. I miss the bustle. I miss Remy. I miss my apartment. I miss my friends. I miss the Medical Examiner's office.

I miss my urban jungle.

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:: 2008 25 June :: 3.23am

Fuck cars.

:: 2008 24 June :: 7.00pm

News news news.

Brian Williams told me an amusing story on the tele just now. Apparently airline passengers are forgetting their spare change at the security checkpoint when they empty their pockets for the metal detector. If the passenger doesn't pick it back up then the TSA by law is allowed to keep it. Dallas/Ft Worth collected almost $14,000 in 2004 from the spare change left behind. JFK was one of the lowest, only collecting $3,700. Brian said New Yorkers are careful with their change because we need it for cab fares.

Ain't it the truth, Bri.

Newsy news news.

I played tennis today with my high school friend Adam. We were both on the varsity tennis team at school. We are not so varsity anymore. But I think I did a rather respectable job out on the court considering I didn't have tennis shoes and now my feet feel like teh burns.

Back in Detroit from my srsly stellar trip to Grand Rapids and Muskegon. Jason and I lived the simple life together for a few days away from the hustle and bustle of the city. We sat on grass (!), had a bonfire (!), played with sidewalk chalk (!), rode a paddle boat all over his dad's lake (!!!), fed some snobby ducks (not-so-!), and had a really awesome trip to the waterpark in Muskegon (!@$%#!!). We picked the best possible day to go--the weather was a friggin' dream and zomg no lines. We could slide all day and be freely retarded without the crowds. I cheated at SkeeBall (we're SkeeBall extraordinaires) by running up the lane and slamming all nine of my balls into the 100 point hole--thus scoring myself a perfect game. We got a buttload of undeserved tickets and then the game gave us a Free Game. Haha. Score.

Mmm, unabashed cheating.

So I'm rocking a pretty fantastic tan right now. My freckles are in full bloom and I went out and got my golden summer highlights (with a little sassy red mixed in for a happygoodtime).

Thus ends the latest installment in my clusterfuck of updates. I will be getting Chicago and GR pics up soooooon.

:: 2008 24 June :: 9.29am

My dad just walked into the house with a lit blowtorch. Then walked back out.

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:: 2008 23 June :: 11.46pm

I forgot every wonderful word I ever thought of.

There's a subtlety to life that I revel in. Moments are both shared and heralded as uniquely our own. We possess these atoms, our heart, but they are in constant flux with our surroundings. There is a deeper sense in me but I have no word or placement for it. It is irrational and fleeting, but deeply rooted. I am an old soul.

I feel these things but rarely act upon them. I've known since I was a little girl existence presents itself as the feeling of falling. Trailing behind is the fear that if you concentrate on it for too long that you shall disappear into the unknown and never find your way back home. I once explained these sorts of things to a friend at a sleepover when I was 12-years-old. We watched Beaches instead. So flows my existence. To be questioned, pondered, understood, and always--standing alone.

Some people call this God. But truly, honestly, it's something more. It's more than a name, a book, or a lesson learned in time. We are inevitable, unavoidable, and connected.

:: 2008 18 June :: 8.03pm

| glow |

:: 2008 16 June :: 6.19pm

While leaving Meijer my mom stops in the middle of the parking lot, looks down at a sewer lid and says, "Look, it's like Dharma."

O_O

So. Definitely have not had time to be creative since arriving in Michigan. Whoops. Things I've recently done: Death Cab for Cutie concert in Brooklyn before we left, doctor appointments, doctor appointments, shopping, visiting grandparents, bachelorette party including penis games, limo, and VIP nightclub access.
Things I'm doing soon: more appointments, dinner at Jason's dad's, waterpark in Muskegon, seeing Get Smart and Wall.e, camping at Ludington, hanging out with Luke, Joel, and high school buddies, wedding rehearsal, wedding. ::collapse::

Michigan summers are awesome.
I would do anything for a Meijer in New York
- (or any equally cheap and awesome store, except Walmart, bien sur)
Bachelorette party pictures and videos are up.

_{Classy as always}

I love my old friends, but I'm finding that I'm really glad to have the ones I have in NY. We're just...on the same level or something. I sometimes am turned off by the Midwestern veil some people have over their eyes. They haven't left metro Detroit their entire life and their worldview is...undeveloped. I guess it's good to have reminders.

(For the record, I'm not trying to offend any of my Michigan readers. Stereotypes never sit well, I'm just disappointed in some people who have stayed behind and never lived a real life. Not my problem I guess.)

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:: 2008 12 June :: 9.44am

I just now realized I need to get back to my roots. Seems I forget this every 6 months. Too long since I've let the breeze in. Where is my poetry?

We're flying to Michigan in a few hours. I will have time.

:: 2008 9 June :: 9.31pm

I ganked this from Gloria.

Forensic Science Program
Class of 2008
(minus one person)

I'm learning a lot at the Medical Examiner's. It's still pretty intimidating. There's lots to remember but I'm always left feeling accomplished after I conquer just one more technique, protocol, or robot. I work with robots. They have names. Like Spiderman and Juno (!).

Sometimes I don't know how I got here so fast.
I want the future.
But I want time too.