Perspective

I've had a bit of time in which to take deep breaths and relax since yesterday.

To clarify, this conference is a significant opportunity for me education-wise. There are going to be quite a few scientists there on whose work I plan to build, and the opportunity to actually talk with them about their research is something I can't really afford to miss. I'm also sort of informally competing with a few groups out there for some results, and this conference will give me an idea of where those folks are in their efforts. This is all even more significant since this opportunity really only comes along once every two years. Also: networking. This thing is going to be filled with people I'm going to ask for a job in a couple years. They need to know me and think I'm smart. Won't happen over email.

That being said, my last post wasn't a sympathy plea. (Well, maybe it was a little.) I think it makes for a good story, but I'm well aware that yesterday's problems are what my friend Andy Craver calls "first world problems". I'm thankful and also more than a little embarrassed that this is what gets me worked up, and not something like not knowing how I'm going to take care of my sick kid, or whether a band of janjaweed militia members are going to take an interest in my family.

Today on our run Anaïs and I saw a banana slug! I don't know whether you're aware, but UC Santa Cruz is "Home of the Fighting Banana Slugs". This is not a lie. Tomorrow we're both going to San Francisco so that once again, I've got plenty of time to get to the airport before my flight (2:50 pm, Friday afternoon).

Good night, blogo-webs.