Cocktail Party Physics

I just bumped into a really terrific blog. Hat tip to the always interesting, ever lovely Dr. Tara, who posted about Jennifer's impending marriage.

Take a minute and check out Cocktail Party Physics.

OOOO! She has a fictional companion, too! But hey, she's trying to horn in on my prey! Eh, we like her anyway.

Jennifer's bio, from her About page is below the fold:

"Biography

I'm a former English major turned science writer, through serendipitous accident: I stumbled into writing about physics, drifted further and further into the field, then woke up one day and exclaimed, "Hey! I'm a science writer!" It was a life-changing epiphany. You know how people look for love by making a list of everything they desire in a mate, and then fall for someone who has NONE of those traits? That's my career in a nutshell. Sometimes there's a disconnnect between what we think we want, and what we actually need to be fulfilled. Science writing turned out to be the perfect gig for me, and I've been avidly exploring my inner geek ever since.

Over the years, I've built up some respectable "street cred," having written extensively for the science trade press, and, increasingly, for the general public in such venues as Discover magazine and Salon. I've covered the acoustics of Mayan pyramids and NYC subways, the physics of foam, optics and art, and the precarious pitfalls of pseudoscience, among other colorful topics.

I'm also the proud author of two books for the general public: Black Bodies and Quantum Cats: Tales from the Annals of Physics (published in January 2006) and the forthcoming (and self-explanatory) The Physics of the Buffyverse (due out January 2007), both through Penguin. Check out my official Web site for more information.

Because I came to science writing through the backdoor, I learned about physics via firsthand experience and interactions with the scientists themselves. So for me, the entire profession is a very human endeavor, with a rich history filled with colorfully quirky personalities.

I relish the challenge of sharing the continually unfolding story of physics with those like my former physics-phobic self, who quail at the first sight of a mathematical equation and prefer, say, Stephen King to Stephen Hawking. If I can make it fun, funky, unconventional, and blur the lines between traditional disciplines -- both within the sciences themselves, and science and the arts/pop culture -- so much the better. We need fewer barriers and more bridges in this world.

After many years in New York City, I'm now based in Washington DC, sharing my modest space with a small tabby cat named Clio. I share my blog space with avatar/alter-ego (some might say Evil Twin) Jen-Luc Piquant, the tres chic hostess who presides over Cocktail Party Physics with a suitably jaundiced eye and cool panache. For those brave enough to join the party, we salute you!"

Congratulations on the engagement, Jennifer!