Like Campus Day when you didn't have a class anyway. . .

That's what Labor day is like to me. I mean, It's a national holiday, but I don't have any classes scheduled for Monday anyway. So it's kindof a non-issue.

Anyway, classes start tomorrow, and already I've gotten an e-mail from one professor saying to everyone in the advanced microbe genetics class to rethink being enrolled in it, because it's already overenrolled and stuff about how typically really excellent students aren't excellent scientists.

By the time I'm out of grad school, I have a feeling this little issue of "being a scientist" will be written on the inside of my forehead (Stole that imagery from William Gibson, had to.) It makes me queasy. I know I'm a good student. I have to believe I have what it takes to be a good scientist.

Did you ever see that miniseries on Dinotopia, where if you wanted to be a pilot riding a flying dinosaur, you had to take your saddle, walk to the cliff's edge, and wait to see if a SkyBaxx would pick you to fly? It's the only metaphor aside from Indiana Jones making a leap of faith in The Last Crusade. There is no way to possibly know if you're ready, right, and able to do the thing you're about to do. You just have to believe that you've made it this far, so you'll probably make it.

As far as I can tell, being successful here in this program requires, in part, great self-confidence. The only people not questioning themselves are delusional, so I shouldn't feel that apprehension is a sign I'm not capable. Enough said.

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On a different note, I'm thinking that friends are the people you can share your dreams with. But really it's not mainly the dreams "for the future" I'm talking about. it's being able to tell someone about your weird-ass nightmares and fumbling multi-dreams from last night, and have them at least enjoy it or care. I think that's something grand.