caution: slippery when wet

we were supposed to get a really nasty winter storm last night complete with snow and ice. it's not nearly as bad as anyone expected, but for some reason people still can't figure out how to drive or walk in it. i've been entertained for the last hour watching people slide down the hill outside the design house (on foot, not in vehicles).

so the big project for the weekend is the first take home exam for my cellular and molecular neuroscience class. the first question asks me to examine the idea of how our genes and behaviors interact, in this case investigating the molecular cause and possible treatments for phenylketonuria. phenylketonuria (which is an autosomic recessive disease) is characterized by the bodies inability to metabolize the amino acid phenylalanine, leading to eventual mental retardation via a lot of complicated molecular interactions. phenylalanine is abundant in many foods, therefore the simplest treatment is a strict diet eliminating any food that contains phenylalanine (meats for example). the problem with the treatment is that it's extremely hard to limit one's diet for their entire life. i mean can you imagine? don't eat that steak, honey, it could lead to permanent brain damage... yikes.