Dear friends,

As I write this, I am halfway through a cross-country flight, way too early in the morning. My youngest child is asleep next to me, and I am in complete disbelief that I will be making the flight back to San Francisco alone. This is the biggest transition in my life since becoming a parent, and the sheer magnitude and mix of feelings is difficult to describe. Anyway, how are you?

Dear friends,

Greetings! August is here, and I hope you have either taken time away or have rest and relaxation ahead. I have a confession to make: I have mixed feelings about summer. I love having my college kid home and appreciate the summer weather (outside of foggy San Francisco, anyway!) but summertime at the office can be challenging. The work demands press on, but since everyone is out of the office at different times, it’s harder to get things done. And even though I try to be very intentional about vacation, I can’t deny that I work hard to prepare before I leave and strain to catch up afterwards. I always look back fondly on summer and feel grateful for fall’s return to routine.

Dear friends,

Happy July! How’s your summer going? I’m very happy to have a full, if chaotic, house, and less happy to have a looming grant deadline. My June was bittersweet, with my youngest’s high school graduation and Father’s Day making me miss my late father even more acutely. I get my penchant for giving (often unsolicited) career advice directly from him. He was a scientist who was both highly creative and deeply disciplined, a combination of traits that still inspires me. Today I am sharing some of his best work advice.