It's been much colder these mornings since my last post. Wet and gray and cold. Let's hope things brighten up soon. Too gloomy!

I added the second part of the first Chapter - Laura. I hope it gives you some insight into her character. This was a major purpose of the chapter.

Chapter One  - Laura    continued

Dr. Gornstein relayed his doubts to Laura about getting enough time at the observatory on the way down the steps.  "It just doesn't seem to be working out. I don't like the feel of it. We'll try elsewhere". He made the decision quickly, something Laura liked about him. She trusted his judgment and decided to let it be. As usual, as soon as she had comitted to a course, she could preview most of what would be. Thousands and thousands of  brilliant colors and forms flashed through her mind. She scanned an array of many different kinds of emotions and perceptions, fears and elations, losses and challenges, changes and growing, mystery and discovery; beautiful and meaningful discovery. She let it flow through her being. "These things would happen", she smiled at the certainty. 

The lecture hall was a small amphitheater. At the front  was a semicircular stage about a foot off the ground and, against the wall, half a dozen green sliding chalk boards arranged side by side.  In front of this stood Doctor Gornstein  with a pointer just behind a classic laboratory demonstration table with the usual sink and and gas connections. The words "Where in Heaven Are We?"  were written  very large with an oversize piece of yellow chalk across two of the boards. Laura sat at the back of the auditorium by a projector with a remote and her notebook. It was the third  time she would assist for this lecture. It was probably the hundredth time for Dr. Gornstein and it was as highly refined a piece of work as you would expect.

"So where in heaven are we?" Dr. Gornstein began. "33rd and Walnut!", a student answered as many of the students as well as Dr. Gornstein and Laura chuckled. "Yes, indeed, Stuart, that's exactly where we are; right here."

Laura began dimming the lights on cue and clicked the first slide up onto a very large and wide screen as a beautiful panoramic photo of the Milky Way Galaxy and Magellanic Clouds filled the darkening auditorium. Taken at the observation site of the VLT (Very Large Telescope) over the desert in northern Chile, it presented the exact "stepping off point" to the larger orientation the students would experience this semester. It would also be quite an extraordinary  step for Dr. Gornstein and Laura, and although he was not quite expecting  it at this time, Laura was.