8 degrees below zero...

what's with these cold mondays?  the low of the low.  i had a discussion yesterday with 2 folks -- potential collaborators/clients.  the goal: to model community health.  the excitement for: a venture into the realm of environmental health science and policy, and away from strict benchwork toxicology.  i can't express enough how much this thrills me.  but it also made think how, within academia, can i develop a project to collaborate with these folks?  it all seemed relatively simple -- except for the one word -- academia.  i.e., staying within.  i think of working in the realm of science and community health policy and the inspiration meter levels off the charts.  i think of staying in academia -- and heck if that didn't make me want to stay in bed the rest of the day...  of course that didn't happen...i made lentil soup and did laundry instead.  i am astonished at the swing of emotion, though.  and i am anxious.  me, step outside the realm of academia, where i've lived these past 20 years???  there's a lot yet undone, i feel, to prepare me for this next step.  where is the time?  i wish i had a lover that would help guide me through this next venture -- somebody i can depend upon to share ideas, concerns, organizational plans, and all the while help keep me sane and level-headed.  is this the job of a lover?  i'd like to think so, but i'm starting to lose faith in what one can expect of a partner.  yikes.  ...time to go walk the dog and envelop myself more directly within the walls of academia.  more later on these topics.  i'm glad i started this post.  i'm still toeing the waters of this blogging experience, being cautious of the extent to what i want, vs. need, vs. physically capable to share.  let me throw this other thing out -- i want to begin a family, this summer perhaps.  ah!  what does that mean!?!  hee, hee.  ;-)