it is our last day today as a class.
and as we look back –
and look ahead –
we find
that a part of each of us
is still right here.
always has been.
and always will be.
—
Always jump in the puddles! Always skip alongside the flowers.
The only fights worth fighting are the pillow and food varieties.
Terri Guillemets
happy new year to everyone who spends their life trying to somehow make the world a better place, including those engaged in the mysterious and exciting world of genetics.
one may assume that these bright souls are born with the gift of extraordinary brilliance and purpose, all at the expense of some other area of their humanity, such as a sense of humor. in reality, this could not be further from the truth. while their comedic approach to life may not be easily apparent, all it takes is a glance at the mark they leave on their work to see their strong sense of whimsy.
after listening to a recent npr interview with one such geneticist/scientist/self-proclaimed ‘nerd’ and hearing him discuss names assigned to individual genes and their mutations, it’s clear this group has found a way to do their research, stretch their intelligent ironic imaginations, and leave their legacies – all while embracing a sense of play in its truest form.
A RANDOM SAMPLING OF SOME OF MY FAVORITES:
radical fringe
lunatic
cheap date
maniac
one-eyed pinhead
INDY – I’m Not Dead Yet (makes mutant flies live twice as long – inspired by Monty Python’s ‘Holy Grail’
i thank you for this on so many levels.
