The Weekend in my Phone

These are the most exciting and eventful few weeks of my entire year.  My entire year, I tell you!!!  Pat and I celebrated two years together this past Friday, my birthday is this coming Thursday, I start a new job Feb 1, and Valentine's day is but a mere two weeks off!  Hooray for the most wonderful time of the year!

This past weekend I thought I would end up a pathetic studying hermit, but in actuality I managed to power through, and have some spare time left for celebrations.  As usual, my iPhone bore witness to it all.

Absolutely beautiful roses Pat surprised me with for our anniversary!

I surprised him with Bruins tickets (we won!)

A little shopping in an early birthday present I bought for myself!

(It's vintage!! I didn't kill anything I swear!)

Some friends and I went out dancing to celebrate my birthday!

Even in the worst of weather Boston is so beautiful!

Breathe. Take a walk. Get a coffee.

In my short professional career I’ve worked at exactly one place.  I started as an intern way back in 2009, and I haven’t budged from my lab bench since.  I love my boss, I’ve created incredible friendships with some of my coworkers, and I’ve become a published scientist.  In short, I love my job.  This is why it’s so bittersweet for me to leave.  A few weeks ago a friend offered me a job at a new company that could not be a more perfect fit.  I am SO excited to start there this February, but it breaks my heart to leave this lab behind.

Beyond all of this, was the realization that I have exactly three and a half weeks to wrap up three and a half years of work.  I have people to train, notebooks to index, boxes to catalog, people to meet with, and a to-do list that seems infinitely long.  Who knew quitting was so stressful??  When I feel overwhelmed, the only thing that saves my sanity is a mantra I’ve adopted from my mentor at the lab:

“Breathe. Take a walk.  Get a coffee.”


Sometimes the best way to finish a to-do list is to forget about it for a few minutes and get a coffee. Do absolutely nothing while you wait for the drink to cool, completely relax, and come back to work a few minutes later more focused.

Thank you, coffee, for existing.  I love you, I love you, I love you.