Happy New Year! I hope your 2024 is off to a good start. We had a wonderful winter break, filled with family and friends, and even a five-day visit to the beach. I know it is not for everyone, but I love being at our beach house in the winter when the area is quiet but the restaurants are open!
I am fully back in the swing of things at work, energized and looking forward to executing the plans we have for the cancer center. Also, I am finishing off another R01 proposal that focuses on improving NK cell infiltration of pancreatic cancer, as we tee up additional future grants.
It’s amazing to me how much time and head space have cleared up now that the CCSG competitive renewal has receded a bit into my rearview mirror. Beyond the energy I am able to bring to the cancer center and to my lab, I find that I now have both the time and inclination to spend more time reading for pleasure. I feel like I have awakened a nearly forgotten part of my true self. In the past month or so I read “21 Lessons for the 21st Century” by Yuval Noah Harari, the author of “Sapiens.” His perspective on the challenges and opportunities humankind faces as a result of technology advances is remarkable and enlightening. I also enjoyed “Gangsters of Capitalism,” which chronicled the life of Smedley Butler, a Marine who was a key participant in many American misadventures in the Caribbean, Central and South America, and the Philippines, all of which led him to denounce imperialism. It makes for a fascinating read.
Perhaps as a counterpoint, I then read the autobiography of Antonio Mendez, “Master of Disguise,” which chronicles his life and career with the CIA. Mendez was the architect of the Argo operation that freed six American hostages from the Canadian Embassy in Iran. His book reminded me of the courage and patriotism that inspires risky public service. Then, I finally got around to “Chesapeake” by James Michener; it is a huge, sprawling historical novel that I have always meant to read. I have long enjoyed Michener’s books, and it is an especially wonderful book to read while living in DC and having a vacation home at the Delaware beaches. I have gotten through the first 400 pages — only 600 more to go! What I find astonishing is how this book, written nearly 50 years ago, is so evocative of themes that persist to this day, such as the legacy of slavery, women’s rights and class distinctions. Plus, I am learning a lot about the history of the region! It’s a marvelous read. The coming week promises to be very busy, but now that I am back in the habit of reading, I plan to set a little time aside every day to read and see the world though different eyes.
Meanwhile, the new year has brought with it a highly infectious COVID strain. Please remember to take reasonable precautions, and as always, stay safe and be well.
Lou
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