Hello Friends

As is customary, I present to you an introduction...

Let it be a visual introduction!

I've always loved the outdoors, the arts, and the hit songs of our times. A simple man blessed with opportunity hard fought for by my birth-parents, my life has led me to pursue many-a-goodtime! I was lucky enough to eventually realize how I would sustain my thirst for knowledge and exploration (it would be through the pursuit of empirical knowledge: science!)

Showing off my operational prowess at the Ion Chromatograph.

Ah, sweet, sweet science; The Bane of Mme. Curie, Hawking's Delight, Newton's Folly ... however it is known to you! The pursuit of greater understanding based on the educated support of your peers. What is not to love?

As a chemist I seek to explore the waters (lakes, ponds, streams, mostly) at a sub microscopic scale. I enjoy learning about the cycling of nutrients and elements. Its FUN to explore the freshwaters. As you familiarize yourself with them, they become less like stagnant bodies. You start to see the way they are more attuned to the changing weather and climates than humans and other animals.

I love to spend time outdoors. The woods and the mountains and the waters all make me oh so happy.

Visiting Baxter State Park in Aroostook County, Maine, US

Water is so obviously important. It sustains our lives, lightens our moods, and cools us down when it is hot outside. It must become the most basic civil right to be guaranteed safe drinking water. While there are some awesome tools and techniques to fix water sources that have been destroyed, nothing can ever be made pristine again. We must protect pristine sources and insure that no harm comes to them.

Its super important to ~kick back~ and have good times with friends

When I hang out with friends, I like to make music, go outdoors, and watch the occasional Ken Burns Documentary. Hopefully I can provide you with songs, pictures, and maybe a surprising fact here or there.

Some good friends, back in the music making days

Hey, we're all here for a good time, right? I'm trying to draw the line between living it up and buckling down.

Someone recently asked how you can still enjoy life when dealing with monotony. Its all about the people that you spend time with and the places you go. All around us are people with new stories waiting to be told. We live in a world full of adventures waiting to happen. Whenever things aren't as turbulent as they could be, you gotta make the move to change it up!

I've had my share of good and bad times. I'm happy to say the past few years have felt like I've been living in the fast lane: quickly and comfortably making positive changes in my life. I've been cutting out the bad and working to improve myself. Once you start to take your own time and learning seriously, it is amazing how far you can go. You start to gain as much from your failures as you do your successes. You start to make every minute count.

"May your wildest dreams fulfill you in every way.
May your reality shine brighter than your wildest dreams."

I live it up! (Disclaimer: no gas was combusted in the making of this photo. No cigarette can bring happiness to your life!)

Hard work leads to great things. but if you never learn how to enjoy life, success is worthless. Learn to love the struggle. If you pay attention, you can feel yourself growing daily. Learn to embrace your personal gains. Every interaction is a lesson and every real connection you make will help show you the next steps forward. Get comfortable with identifying stagnation and uprooting yourself when it takes hold. If you embrace the process, you never have to be bored.

(Autumnal Photoshoot, edited by @zabotinart (inst) give em a peep!)