Not the black suit with the blue shirt (time for that fashion post)

I threatened to do some fashion posts from time to time and here comes the first one.  Its going to sound like I’m dishing out some advice but I’m not really, just offering some observations and some ideas for anyone interested.

I have a confession.  I like fashion.  To me, it is an art form and some, like Tom Ford or John Galliano, consistently achieve it in its highest form.  I have another confession.  I almost left science back in undergrad days to pursue a fashion design career.  Obviously, I didn’t do it but I still think about how my life would be different now if I’d made that choice.

Onto the point.  Most scientist, contrary to popular opinion, are actually pretty good dressers (that’s my story and I’m stickin to it).  Scientists tend to be fit and that helps.  I get the impression that alot of scientists also are fairly hip and enjoy looking good.  Nothing wrong with that, looking good is supposed to make you feel better about yourself and there isn’t a thing wrong with projecting a degree of coolness through your clothes.  Where it often goes wrong is when us scientists (men and women) have to don the old suit for some important event, especially interviews.

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Take some pride in paying your taxes (someday)

I didn’t postdoc in the US. When it came time to move to the next stage Mr and Mrs Juniorprof packed up and headed to the Great White North and landed in glorious Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The Quebecois taught me many lessons (but not much French, unfortunately). The most important, non scientific, lesson I learned was that taxes are not a bad thing — in fact, they can be a great source of pride.You see, Quebecers get taxed, about 33% on income and an extra 15% on all purchases. Sounds terrible right.  Not really.  

You see, you get something for those taxes.  You get free, high quality health care.  You get excellent access to education.  You get an outstanding public transport system.  You get immigrants that have free access to social programs that help them integrate into society.  You get 1 year maternity leave (and dudes you get some paternity leave too)!!!