Good morning, sunshine.

I love mornings. Some of the happiest times I can remember are at dawn while camping by a lakeside or in the woods. A bit of fog in hanging on the ground, hints of sunlight trickling through the canopy. Calm, quiet, and everything around me just starting to wake up.

I love mornings so much I often keep them to myself. I sit at home, do chores around the house, pet my cat, do a little knitting. I'd rather enjoy the morning and work a little later that evening.

I'm starting to teach next month. I'll have to be at lectures at 8:30 am three days a week. I won't have the luxury of early mornings anymore. This morning I started to work my way back into getting to work early.

I kind of liked it.

Dark office.

I share an office with two other postdocs, and visitors to our workspace often remark on the level of darkness in the room. We rarely flip the light switch on. We have two large western-facing windows, each equipped with two types of blinds, and these can often be found blocking outside light.

Why so dark, especially when a postdoc in the room next door has no fewer than three extra lamps for his desk? As someone inclined to migraines, I'd just as soon spend my time in the dark, especially if I have a headache creeping. Also, the afternoon sun heats up this renovated textile warehouse something awful in the summer, and blocking out the light keeps me from sweating on my manuscripts (too much). Finally, we're all focused on our computers--at least a laptop, and sometimes also an extra monitor. Who needs light when you're staring at large lightbulbs (I think some of you call them "computer screens") all day? And why risk glare?

We've confirmed, in our own small way, the stereotype of computer geeks preferring dark, closeted places.

Goodbye, Harvard...

The picture above accurately depicts what my life has been like for the past week, and might suggest why it will be nice to return home. Note the knitting on the left. Mini cheesecake in the center. Mug of tea. Chocolate on both sides. And, in a position of prominence, my poor over-used and underappreciated laptop, much abused by analyses too large to handle.

I struggle while on trips like this to balance work and play. I mean, I was sent here to learn things, there is a limited time in which to learn, and then I must return home as the "expert" in said areas. So I limited myself this trip to visiting a few yarn stores and eating nice food. My dad reminded me I forgot to eat seafood this trip...coming from a landlocked state, it's actually a shame to let fresh fish (and scallops! and other crustaceans!) slip my mind. But my boss is already talking about sending me back, so who knows...maybe I'll still have a chance.