A reminder

I used to feel like a big fish in a small pond. And I have a bad habit of downplaying my achievements because I felt that I was in a small pond (even though some of my academic achievements would have been big in a big pond too!)

Well now I'm in a pretty big pond. And I don't have the same relationship with my current advisor as I did with my PhD advisor. I feel like a pretty small fish most days - especially compared to some of the whoppers that have come out of this place.

So I decided to do something about it.

As a gift upon graduation, my PhD advisor gave me a book written by a scientist whose lab I considered joining for a postdoc. I was touched that he recognized how interested I was in this other area of research, despite the fact that it wasn't something he himself was terribly excited about. But what was more meaningful were the words he wrote at the top corner of the first page:

To Daybyday from Advisor

- my best student
- all my love and best wishes

So now I have that book sitting on the shelf right above my monitor at work - as a reminder that no matter what size pond I'm currently in, I can still feel like a big fish.