I adore the little pond Jennifer Quinn made for me long ago. I need to use it as a meditation focus.

I have long dreamed of have a set of @drmartens-official.bsky.social boots with a microbial theme. The best I could find is the pretty uncomfortable set of #MicrobialBoots seen here (fashion has its costs). A couple of friends have said they were going to help me do this, but it never happened. 1/2

I don’t care what negative people think. This face made me smile and the show brings me joy and hope.

Integration and regulation of stolen organelles in a marine protist academic.oup.com/ismej/advanc... #jcampubs

Integration and regulation of stolen organelles in a marine protist

Abstract. Chloroplast-stealing (a.k.a., “kleptoplastidic”) plankton transiently obtain and integrate prey metabolic machinery into their own cells. To do s

academic.oup.com

I never traveled much when I was young. And seldom internationally. So my fellowship in New Zealand has me nervous. All I can do is visualize each step, take notes, and plan carefully. And be open to adventure and change. Very unlike me!

Man Looking Nervous and Sweating

ALT: Man Looking Nervous and Sweating

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I needed to make some great -80 stocks of Photobacterium before I leave. Looks good and bright.

Azula of the #FireSkinkNation expresses my current mood better than I do.

@paulhoskisson.bsky.social Happy birthday!

One week until I fly to Christchurch for my Erskine Fellowship. I’ll be away for a 3 months. Jenny Quinn created some #LuxArt: a map of Aotearoa, a Māori concept for glimmering, hīnātore, that I learned from @siouxsiew.bsky.social , and finally why I adore Jenny. Lots of nerves & moving parts.

Like most people I have made many mistakes in my life, and I have been fortunate enough to learn from the experiences and become a better person. We are all works in progress. But I truly believe that certitude is often a sin. Ego is the enemy.

I have been having very stressful dreams lately. Last night, I was being threatened with job termination. When I woke up, I realized that I am now retired, and any people like this have no such power over me. Sure, I may fade away. But I am finally secure from that particular fear.

My Nightmare Is Over - Nick Birch

ALT: My Nightmare Is Over - Nick Birch

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This was a canon dslr with a macro lens and a lot of practice finding the right aperture settings. Black velvet background and cheap lightbox setup with light from a few directions. Tried to make a reproducible setup for when I.was screening colony morphology on 96-well plates. I miss the macro lens

Here are the top 5 dogs of July!

Time for #LuxArt tonight. @univpugetsound @ASMicrobiology #BacterialBioluminescence @microbetv.bsky.social

Also, my friend #LuxWonderTwin Anne Estes sent me some stickers to take with me to the University of Canterbury. No matter how alone I often feel, I am part of a supportive #QualityQuorum!

I am getting nervous for my trip to be an Erskine Fellow at the University of Canterbury in Christchurch, New Zealand. But I am preparing to be a #MicrobialEvangelist there! I am bringing stickers and buttons to hand out…1/2

A solid reminder on my walk this morning in Tacoma. I’m too old to be nervous.

I will miss hanging out at Devils Reef while I am out of the country. @devils_reef

There is an artist in the Pacific Northwest, Nöle Giulini, who has made sculptures from kombucha bioflms. My favorite are her "boschlings." I have written to her several times, wondering if I could buy one. No response, which, likely means I cannot afford one! ngiulini.com/category/kom...

My wife Jenny is pretty special. She knows I have concerns about my upcoming trip. So she purchased me this ring. First, it glows in the dark, as all cool things should. She also had it inscribed. It reads: "my universe always." I am such a lucky person, to have such a person in my life.

Now to think about vaccinations before my trip. It's early for influenza, but a good idea. Also thinking about Novavax.

Nice to spend some time at @devils_reef with @jennifer.j.quinn tonight. I won’t be back until November!

Someone was hungry and after a moment of waiting, left the enclosure to insist on some crunchy treats. Later, I reminded Azula of the #FireSkinkNation that the food dish was waiting. Pretty interactive and smart skinkadoo!

I updated my biography at ASM. Things are changing. I appreciate ASM's willingness to update my biography. I hope to do some research for my own enjoyed, but I also hope I can travel often to promote #MicrobialEnthusiasm. asm.org/biographies/...?

I do not know if this list is accurate or legitimate, but it was nice to see. I enjoy podcasting, I hope to keep promoting microbial enthusiasm, and appreciate every guest, listener, and viewer.

If a zorb is like a taxi cab...how do microbes call the cab?” 🚕🦠 Join the discussion as Dr. Shruthi Magesh and Dr. Jo Handelsman explore how microbes may be recruited into these rolling biofilms and what that could mean for human health. @markowenmartin.bsky.social @johandelsman.bsky.social

journals.plos.org/plospathogen... #microsky

A novel stress response pathway mediates biofilm architecture in Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Author summary Biofilm formation by the opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa represents a major clinical challenge, with biofilms typically associated with chronic infection, increased antibi...

journals.plos.org

journals.plos.org/plospathogen... #microsky

Bacillus thuringiensis pathogenicity islands encode regulatory circuits controlling insecticidal Cry toxin expression during vegetative growth

Author summary Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) is widely used as a biological pesticide because it produces insecticidal proteins that kill insect larvae. These proteins are generally produced at differen...

journals.plos.org

Tuesdays are normal release days for the #MattersMicrobial podcast. But episode 135 is worth the wait. Dr. Jo Handelsman and Dr. Shruthi Magesh chat with the #QualityQuorum about a fascinating form of microbial motility: zorbs! Please spread the #GoodMicrobialWord! youtu.be/WDOnEfOF-c4?...

Retirement is like a phase change in a substance. Perspective is so important. There are many folks who no longer communicate with me. So rather than be sad, I remind myself of the *many* folks who have shown me constant support. My attention should be on positive growth, not regrets.

Currently Manifesting - Positive Vibes

ALT: Currently Manifesting - Positive Vibes

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