"I am nevertheless most grateful to the people who have influenced me outside of the laboratory. It would not have been possible for me to complete any of this work without their encouragement. Among my family, friends, former teachers, and confidants, I am lucky to know so many people who understand my need for self-expression. I acknowledge them for reminding me that the most important things in life cannot be contained in any thesis, lab notebook, or research paper."
That's how I ended the Acknowledgement section of my Ph.D. thesis. Somehow reading that again made me happy about myself.
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Strong in 2010
For some years, I've formulated New Year's resolutions by picking a theme and then trying to live up to it. I had "2001, the Year of Living Dangerously," the year I tried to live more boldly and take more risks in decision-making. Then I had "Hot Body 2002," which involved exercising more regularly and eating better. Then I had "Hot Body 2003," and then "Hot Body 2004, Dammit!" and then a few years in which I went without New Year's Resolutions altogether.
For 2010 I've decided to pick an adjective that I want to describe me well. 2010's theme will be "Strong." I like this adjective because it embodies several goals all in one. It can motivate me to get back on a regular exercise schedule again, and work on attaining that ever-elusive upper arm strength I've been coveting since the summer after my sophomore year in college. (Hundredpushups.com and climbing wall, here I come!) I'd also like the adjective "strong" to describe my emotional state and overall personality. I'm going to re-bound more quickly every time anything or anyone knocks me down, brush the dust off my clothes, and forge right along. That's what strong people do.
For 2010 I've decided to pick an adjective that I want to describe me well. 2010's theme will be "Strong." I like this adjective because it embodies several goals all in one. It can motivate me to get back on a regular exercise schedule again, and work on attaining that ever-elusive upper arm strength I've been coveting since the summer after my sophomore year in college. (Hundredpushups.com and climbing wall, here I come!) I'd also like the adjective "strong" to describe my emotional state and overall personality. I'm going to re-bound more quickly every time anything or anyone knocks me down, brush the dust off my clothes, and forge right along. That's what strong people do.
Sunday, December 13, 2009
Still waiting for that creative mojo to come back
It's been gone for about 5 years at least. I used to write more, both online and off. I had more to write about. I could cite being busy at my job as the main excuse for my not writing as much (and before I got my job, I could cite my frantic rush to finish my Ph.D. and look for a job), but even when I do find myself with free time, I find that I have few if any interesting thoughts to convey.
It is very sad. I wonder if there is a correlation between working in a profession where my main task is to write in a very boring way and the self-reported decline in my creative spark.
It is very sad. I wonder if there is a correlation between working in a profession where my main task is to write in a very boring way and the self-reported decline in my creative spark.
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