I don't have time to complete blogging about my badass rock vacation this summer, but I can share this photo:
This is Hopkin's Chocolate Cave at Lava Bed National Monument. I think it's a cupola: "CUPOLA: A recess in the ceiling of a lava tube. Possible origins of a cupola are: a cavity created by collapse, inflation of the roof by gas or lava pressure, or the roofed-over site of a former tube overflow. See also: rise chamber. Cf: alcove. Aka: breakdown dome, ceiling dome, covered skylight, dome, filled skylight, former skylight, old skylight, overflow dome, roofed-over skylight, standpipe chamber." ("Nomenclature of Lava Tube Features"; Larson; "6th International Symposium on Vulcanospeleology")
My parents swung by today, and brought me a dresser and bookshelves! It's fantastic to have an actual living space, and to easily access my books. And I don't feel too guilty, because most of the furniture was just hanging around their house.
So, the week's off to a good start. I'm going to go do my chemistry homework, and, as long as I don't get sucked into Dancing with the Stars, it'll continue to be a good week.