Underneath that fence is a retaining wall my buddy and I made about 40 years ago using concrete from the Albany Bulb back when it was a dump. The stairs we put in are old railway ties that still smell faintly of creosote. Aging is a trip.

One thing that has struck me is that we have gotten so wrapped up in student centered teaching that we can forget that they don't know what works and what doesn't unless we tell them. And what works and what doesn't isn't arbitrary, which is why it can be taught.

The *real* test is learning how to get rid of most of them, most of the time.

I do hope you cover how to reach out to professors to express interest in their labs. I get so many nearly identical letters with cut and paste references to my work that I am certain many of them are getting the same bad advice.

Is it time already?