One Giant Step for...

Thanks to my sister-in-law for rattling my cage and reminding me that I'd been slacking off on blogging these past few weeks. Hanukkah was early this year, and I had to have everything bought, wrapped and organized before leaving for my annual business trip to Boston the Sunday after Turkey Day.

Boston is a wonderful city, and I was luckily able to arrange three visits with friends in the evenings after I was done with the day's work. Two of my PhD physicist colleagues who usually attend that meeting were home with flulike illnesses, but the work part of the meeting went well anyway, thanks to a great journal support person (and her husband who was along for the ride) and a fantastic PhD chemist colleague who picked up the slack.

Over the weekend I was an elf. I have most of the Christmas gifts I bought wrapped now. I have a few more to get, but nothing horrifying. I don't think I will decorate until after Hanukkah has drawn to a close this Wednesday night. I don't even think I can process it yet, to be honest.

Here's an inspiring quote from the pile of puzzle pages I attacked while I was in Boston (dated February 24, 2010!). It's amazing what can be done over breakfast and lunch when there is no conversational companion...this one appeals to me not only because of its meaning but also because it uses 23 of the 26 letters of the alphabet which is possibly the most I've ever seen in a Cryptoquote.

Don't be afraid to take a big step if one is indicated. You can't cross a chasm in two small jumps. -- David Lloyd George