Summer people

"Summer people; some are not." - Graffiti in Woods Hole, MA

Friends, it is that time of year again. Traffic in town picked up around Easter, and it has not gone back down. Water Street in Woods Hole has more pedestrians than it did a month ago. The bakeries and coffee shops have lines stretching to their doors. It is getting to be...(I shudder at the thought)...summer. 

Yes, summers on Cape Cod are absolutely insane. Our population approximately doubles, between seasonal residents moving into their summer homes and tourists flocking to the beaches. The streets are packed, the shops are overrun, and if you want to eat at a restaurant - forget it.  

As I watch the world around me become busier by the day, I must contemplate my own summer plans. This summer was supposed to be a quiet one - I had no major field work scheduled, just a couple days on a scallop boat. I was supposed to stay home, do my job like normal, and maybe even enjoy myself. It was going to feel pretty weird, actually. 

Ah, friends, fear not. The world has not gone so crazy as to allow Kirstin a full summer at home. Within the last few weeks, I received an invitation to present my work on shipwrecks at an international conference and an offer to join a month-long field expedition on a remote island. I have accepted both. The white board in my lab now lists all the tasks I need to complete in preparation for travel. As I review my summer schedule, I have no idea how I will get everything done. This at least feels normal. 

My major task for the moment is still revising papers. The magical window of free time has not yet closed, so I am focusing on publication as much as I can. I completed one revision in April, did a second easy one last week, and am now focused on a third. If I am successful, there should be a string of papers published by my lab later this year. 

Friends, I am grateful for the sunny days and rising temperatures, even if it means standing in line at the bakery. The summer people are here, and I am switching into my own summer mode. It is a good day in Woods Hole.