Monday

I changed my desktop photo on my work laptop. I find it to be bittersweet, honestly. Thinking of lying on the beach on the north shore of O'ahu, staring through sunglasses at the crystal-clear water that slowly turned greenish-blue. Puffy clouds drifted far above the leafy trees that offered shade from the bright sun. And I, lounging in paradise and smoothing on sunscreen, was lamenting my professional failures.

I changed the photo because it's growing cold outside. I've no vacations on the horizon. There is nothing but work and sleep and more work ahead and I missed Hawaii. I longed for sleeping in and watching the ocean and going breathless at how aesthetically perfect it was. But I also smiled at how far I've come. How lovely it is to look back at the Spring and realize I've made excellent use of Summer and Fall.

I had a job offer - something I would have killed to do before taking this job in Industry - and didn't even consider it past a brief and flattered refusal. (Though if anyone is interested in a staff research position for the chair of a biomedical department at an excellent school in the upper Midwest, send me a note.) I'm happy here.