In 2007, I published a paper and wrote two drafts. My adviser told me I can graduate in 2008. Yet I have discovered serious doubts about continuing my pursuit of joining academia, having now seriously researched viable alternative careers.

In 2007, I was forcefully reminded of the general rude atmosphere in Singapore, from numerous mediocre (and sometimes nonexistent) customer service experiences, to having a flagged-down taxi stolen in front of me by a bag-wielding auntie scurrying out from a nearby HDB void deck and push me aside in her eagerness, to the ridiculous way people drive.

In 2007, I reaffirmed my appreciation for having lived abroad for quite a long period of time, for it let me focus on how things are like in Singapore with an outside perspective. And also glad that in most US cities, roads are organized in a grid system, and not in the circular, one-way loops that are ubiquitous in Singapore.
In 2008 I will bring more science content to this blog, something that has been sorely lacking in 2007. To the best that I am able to, I will be happy to entertain more ‘Dear Diodati’ questions on any science topic that you may care to ask. It’s worth noting that my specialties are in chemistry and physics, and to a smaller extent, mathematics and computer science. Send them my way by email to eliadiodati+dear+diodati@gmail.com and I will post answers when I am able to. (Some indication of the desired level, from layman to expert or any intermediate stage, would be helpful.) Stay tuned for a new piece on why water is transparent (and colorless), based on a question posed by Huichieh Loy.

In 2007 I had yet to find my purpose in life. I hope 2008 will bring me closer to that goal.