Middle Aged Angst

That's what I have, and I've got it bad. Are we talking about a middle-aged crisis where I dump all that is familiar to me and trade it in for a newer model that would make me feel young? Absolutely not. I have been going through a process where I realize that my youthful goals are not what they are cracked up to be.

As a younger man I thought that my career in science would carry me far. Ok, maybe not in the sense that I would be a nobel laureate, but that my interest would never wane, and that I would be always satisfied at the bench. Now I am no longer as sure as I once was. As a grad student I spent a lot of time teaching lab courses to undergrduates to supplement my income, and found that I loved it. This ability to teach has continued long after I was out in the workforce. This year I decided to teach to high school students as a volunteer. I loved every minute of it. So did the teacher, as she saw my natural talent to captivate and educate a room. I am now finding teaching as a profession that nourishes my soul, but not my wallet.