November has been good to us, and good for us.

The previous two months were a bit of a pain, one way and another, and the opportunity to get away to the Philippines made me feel we'd broken out of some negative holding pattern.

May it be...



Bit by bit we're learning how to adapt our travel to our new set of needs. It's not always an easy circle to square, and we're learning through our mistakes. But we're learning.


It's been really nice to come back to the familiarity of home -- our new home, that even still SMELLS new when you come back after a few weeks -- and I've brought lots of new ideas and resolutions back with me (such as you form much more effectively when you're out of your everyday environment).

The end of the month was clouded by very sad news about a former colleague. He was an unforgettable figure, and the world is undoubtedly a poorer place without him.

And as I step away from my formal connection with PHISO, I feel as though another bit of my former life has dropped away. I have no regrets whatsoever about taking a break, but there's a bittersweet element -- a dash of grief and regret in with the very definite sense of relief and exhilaration. That's life, I guess. No emotion is unalloyed.

Most of all, though, I'm excited about all the projects that lie ahead, whether they involve travel, research, or just trying to stay well. Time is a precious commodity, and I really want to use it wisely.



So now we're in the countdown to Christmas. The commercial elements drive me crazy. But the central message -- of love and mercy and solidarity -- is pure gold.