Looks like it's officially spring, and has been for a while now.Again, I keep finding myself wrestling with the old addage, 'time flies when you get older' and I'm starting to think it's got me pinned in a headlock and is not likely to show much mercy or pity. I think...yep...I'm fine with that.
Just means I have to take it all in a little more, and to bombard my brain with memories to make the illusion of longer periods of time.
As it stands, my job at Vanderbilt gets better and better; I feel like even in the last two months this position has gone from being rewarding and challenging to exciting and dream-like. First, the plan was to have me here maybe a year. Now, it's not only definitely going to be a year but instead a year and 9 months or so since it's very likely I will have this position until next January.
At which time I will be, hopefully (but don't cross your fingers--I've learned that actually does not work), will be starting my two-year term at UK as a physician assistant student. A PA is something I've honestly considered for a very long time--I found myself always attracted to the career and I think my time at Vanderbilt has been revelatory in many ways, but especially in helping me to realize what I want to do every day of my life. Honestly, I could do what I'm doing now for eternity, but I'm not as interested as I once was in getting my PhD, and well a research tech doesn't have the ceiling that other graduate study careers do. Odd, I know...
The best surprise from working in my lab comes this summer. My PI is sending me to Bar Harbor, Maine for 4-6 weeks in July. Bar Harbor is by far one of the most beautiful places on earth with Acadia national park on the very same island that I will be on. I'm very excited, and this is a huge opportunity for me. I can't wait to spend my days doing science with my good pals the Hagfish, and spend my evenings exploring the islands shores, trees, waters, the coastal towns all with my camera and my hiking boots.
At this point, I think I'm mostly done with trying to control what happens. As the past month has already showed me, if I just surrender to the air I will be happily whisked away to all sorts of places.
There is one thing that I'm definitely never going to give up on.
I look forward to that future--I could never be more sure of this one thing. I could never be more in love with something. Dug.
To opportunities, summers in Maine and those dreams of you.
