What?

I'm back from Maine?

...

I did not get that memo.

Apparently, yes, it would appear, that the six-week trek/expedition/vacation/foray to the northern reaches of Maine has come, developed and ultimately passed by.

Let's get one thing clear, if I haven't made it abundantly clear elsewhere: I absolutely loved my time in Maine. The trip was all about the science and acquiring samples for my research. That was successful and revelatory in its self. My PI (principal investigator) explained where he saw all this work going and I have to say...

WOW.

I have a lot of work ahead of me as we hope to publish two papers, one in a relatively prestigious journal such as Journal of Biochem, Biochemistry or maybe Evolution, etc., but the real crux of the research is being saved for the highest-impact, highest-prestige journal in the world: Nature.

I mean, it's hard to even fathom this. Especially when I will be first-author on such a paper. Of all the opportunities made, experiences earned and general life lessons I would get from this incredible job...this was by far the last thing I expected to get.


Actually.

The last thing I expected to get was finding something so special while I was in Maine that I find myself waking up with smile on my face, having an extra skip in my step through the day.

She's special.

The kind of special you write home to mom about.

The kind of special you don't rush and you let be its self.

The kind of special that I am not going to let pass me by.

Unlike those six weeks in Maine, this is something not so temporary but just as exciting and eye opening.

I went to Maine in a state of mind that said the world was my oyster, and somehow I left with an attitude of I could really do and have anything.

It's not a coincidence.

Maybe it was all by chance, but that's not how serendipity works.

Here's to us.