Are you a romantic?

The other day we had a professor from Auburn University visiting our lab. During a discussion with us students he said he thought of my Boss, their colleagues and himself and all those who started out their careers when quantum chemistry was not such a hot topic as romantics. He reminisced that in those days research was meant to advance the military operations while these men and women were working on simple molecules. No wonder they were laughed at by scientists from other fields. Yet they chose to continue in their pursuit.

I would not only call these quantum chemists romantics but courageous as well.

All through our lives our decisions whether they be about what third language to take in school, which college to join, what subjects to take, which course to go for, etc seem to be guided by the ultimate goal of securing us a job with a nice paycheck. We always tend to follow conventions, whatever is the norm. But in the process we also end up doing what everybody else does.

To do something different we not only need to dream but also have the conviction and mettle to venture on to paths yet uncharted and create our own trails. So let us this new year make a resolution to bring romance in our lives, albeit of a different kind.

HAPPY 2008 TO EVERYONE!!