Hope all is going well and that you are enjoying your summer. Before we dive into this week’s blog, I wanted to draw your attention, in case you missed it, to our summer sale that is going on for our IVRT products for first-time customers (https://www.biosurfaces.us/ivrt-order-form). Even though I am sending you to our website for this promotion, it is still hard to believe that we are now selling products. It is exciting and yet surreal to think about where the company started, where it has come to and where it could possibly go. If you have any questions about the promotion, please do not hesitate to reach out to us at info@biosurfaces.us. If you would like to learn more about the company, our products or about what we are working on (or any other question you might have), please always feel free to reach out to us at that email address. We are always glad to hear from you!
One thing that has been tougher this summer (or as we say with our Massachusetts accent “Summah” – we don’t pronounce the letter “r”) has been the heat and humidity. We have had it easy compared to some parts of the country (and world for that matter), but it has been a challenge when you try to do even simple things like taking a walk during the workday. My favorite seasons in Massachusetts are spring and fall, where it is warm enough but not too hot. It puts such a spring in my step. I am looking forward to the fall and getting back to some type of normal routine.
For most of us, life can be filled with doing monotonous things from your morning routine and going to work to taking the kids to school or their activities and taking care of the house chores. As a matter of fact, I thought of the topic for this week’s blog a few weeks ago when I was mowing my lawn. I have always viewed these monotonous things in a good way. Most of the time, being a business owner and scientist, there are so many challenges that you must handle (sometimes all at once) that it gives you very little time to really think. I know this is not restricted to just us, but I know it definitely applies to us. This probably sounds contradictory, in that thinking is thinking. I would propose that there are a few kinds of thinking. There is thinking that gets you through life’s everyday challenges, thinking that allows you to really dive into a problem or question and thinking that allows you to dream and plan.
Many of the ideas that have come to my mind related to either a scientific problem we are trying to solve or if we are looking to develop a new process came when I was in the shower. I know this sound cliché but it is true. It is the one time when I am alone with my thoughts and relaxed, which allows me to really explore an idea. Not sure if this is just me (and please no judgement), but there are times when I’ll have a conversation with myself to talk out the idea. I even would use the shower wall to sort of diagram the idea. My parent’s house used to have glass doors so that allowed a little more detail with drawing in the steam. I am sure that many ideas or thoughts amounted to nothing of value, but what I did get out of it was peace of mind to explore that concept. If you think about your day, most of the time you are pre-occupied with so many things. I am grateful for this monotonous ritual.
There are times where I have been bothered by something and I just cannot get it off my mind. This happened to me recently with a colleague who believes that I was not treating him fairly, that I am all about the business and not the relationships that I form. I would maybe understand this for someone who doesn’t know me well, but I’ve known him for many years so this was a little shocking as well as disappointing. That would be okay if it were true, but that is never how I operate. The one thing that I pride myself on is my character. You can say many things about me (and likely many people have), but I have always tried to focus on the relationships (both friends and acquaintances) that I have made over the years since this is important to me. I was trying to figure out what happened and why he was responding the way he was. I was really thrown by his response and didn’t have time to weigh the discussion. As luck would have it, the lawn needed mowing. This gave me an hour to really think about things from his perspective (and mine as well) and try to come up with a solution. After completing the mowing, I felt like I had some clarity, but it is a one-sided discussion and proposed solution. Mowing the lawn, while providing me with some much-needed exercise, has always given me some personal therapy time every week to deal with situations like this. This is not the first, nor will it be the last. I just have to make sure I am not too much in thought as that blade is sharp.
As Tina always says, many people complain about life being monotonous until something happens like becoming ill and you long for monotony. I would say I am okay with the monotony of life. When else would I have time to myself? My wish for you is to find those monotonous things and embrace them because life changes fast.
Thanks as always for your continued support!
Matt
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