Letters from the Front John Pezaris, Pasadena, California, 6 December 1999. THIS IS SO COOL 10:21pm. Monday evening in the laboratory. Early December. I was sitting here in front of my terminal, trying to figure out exactly how to appropriately filter signals which I recorded with a colleague in an arcane and technically difficult experiment to verify some minute details of a relatively obscure technology, applying theory learned in a handful of courses taken and taught at MIT, using excellent software tools running on really fast computers, when a thought struck me: This is amazing. Sometimes the important things slip away, and it takes some effort to bring them back into focus. Although we were unable to all spend Thanksgiving together (this message was sent to a pretty long list), allow me to share with you what I gave thanks for while supping that evening with my friend Sharon Thomas. I am immensely grateful to live in a society where I may define myself as a scientist studying basic processes, pursuing a line of work which is not just compelling, but deeply satisfying and personally meaningful. It is an incredible privilege to have the freedom to contemplate subjects chosen solely for their intellectual interest, without substantial regard to societal import or economic implication. Thanks for your attention. Please return to whatever you were just doing. - pz. Next Letter, Previous Letter, Send a Reply, Start Again Copyright 1999, J. S. Pezaris, All Rights Reserved.