Having recently been asked to reflect on the past ten years of my life in an interview, I realized that the journey and the dream, one boondoggle (Yes, ‘boondoggle’ is the technical term we actually use for scientific ‘expeditions’) at a time, is far from over. I thought long and hard about how to best describe my daily professional musings. To be honest, it cannot be better summed up than in the 2004 film, The Life Aquatic.

The film follows the adventures of marine scientist, film maker, and explorer Steve Zissou. While playing on a number of Cousteau-esque quirks, we are walked through the very real lives of those in the marine community. The funding struggles, the politics, the missions themselves, the quest for discovery, the failures, the victories, and of course…interns. Its all very real, and absolutely hilarious thanks to Bill Murray.

The best part about the real Life Aquatic is not knowing what’s around the next corner, or when the next chapter will begin – but indeed knowing full well that it is coming.ShareThis var shared_object = SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: document.title, url: document.location.href});shared_object.attachButton(document.getElementById(“ck_sharethis”));shared_object.attachChicklet(“email”, document.getElementById(“ck_email”));shared_object.attachChicklet(“facebook”, document.getElementById(“ck_facebook”));shared_object.attachChicklet(“twitter”, document.getElementById(“ck_twitter”));