I started this blog back in 2017 with my travels in India and continued as I started my PhD.  As my studies got more intense and life got more involved, I did not write anything for my blog. I had so much that I wanted to say and today I decided it was time to get back to it. 

Sometimes, the journeys we take are not physical. We do not need to cross continents to figure out who we are. Sometimes, we need to sit still in our own spaces and look out of our windows and commune with our neighborhood birds (for weeks) to figure out exactly how happy we are and that we have achieved so many of our dreams in spite of living through a pandemic. 

2020 was a horrible year and I do not know anyone who has not felt any of that sadness.  As I write this today (Feb 21, 2021), almost 500,000 people have died from COVID-19 in the United States alone. 

Source: https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/interactive/2021/500000-covid-deaths-visualized/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=wp_national

As I said above, I spent a lot of 2020 looking at the birds of my Maryland neighborhood because contemplating the death and disaster happening all around the country was too much to handle.  At some point in the summer, I developed debilitating headaches and was ready to leave my dissertation behind forever.  Thankfully, my wonderful doctors at the Wilmington Veterans Medical Center found out what was wrong with me by the end of December. 

After a couple of CT scans, a lumbar puncture, a new medication, and lots cussing at my aching head, I was feeling a bit better by the beginning of February.  I still have headaches, but I can function.  Hallelujah!

I am excited about my dissertation again and those of you who are on my holiday card list should be seeing some cards this spring.  Now that I feel better, I can finally start sending them out. 

I will continue to write about my favorite topics and my research.  Send me comments and thanks for sticking with me! 

Peace and love,

Susamma