At a memorial

I went to the memorial service for Larysa Pevny yesterday.

There was this great overarching theme there, that is, what is one's life's work. This was an ode to a life, but also an ode to science, and what's valued in science is what's valued in life--passion, creativity, service. That we can only tell the story we know. And that's what you want, really, you want your life to reflect your science, and vice versa.

Describe yourself, then describe what kind of science you want to do. Graceful, exciting, strong. Methodical, robust, creative. This is what it is to live, and this is what it is to do science. If you are lucky, it is one in the same.

**

Can I rewrite my grad admissions essay after this? Because I really know Why I Want To Be A Scientist (v. 3.0). I want someone to ask me about work-life balance, because I have my answer. There isn't one. And this isn't to say that my work is my life, it's not. I want my life to be my body of work. I want to be remembered for who I am and what I've done, and that's how I want to live.

**

You know what a great way to get over an ex is? This is going to sound super morbid, but here it is--pretend that they are dead, and write them a eulogy. Seriously. You know, in eulogies you always remember the good stuff and forget the rest. Then because they're dead (you killed them!) it's not like you can wish you were back together. Then you imagine yourself giving the eulogy at their funeral, and all of your friends and mutual friends and family are there, and they all say oh how strong you are, and what a good person you are and how hard it was that you lost so and so but you're so strong for going on--and then you bury them. And then all that's left is this place in your heart where you know you did the right thing, and there's no turning back. So convenient. (Also, you have a ready made eulogy if they really do die. Too soon?)

**

At a memorial

Note to self: take more candids.
Smile more.

Find a better way to say this, but--
spend less time on things that don't matter.