It was, in fact, a dark and stormy night. Bullets of rain pummeled down — creeping into my shoes and dripping onto my mask. My Lyft driver had taken the wrong turn and was waiting for me six lanes away. Instead of making the very legal u-turn, he asserted that…

I asked my non-scientific family and friends this question:

What is one of the biggest assumption you have or had about me as a neuroscientist or about neuroscientists in general?

Here are their answers (lightly edited for clarity):

• DM — That what you do could never be understood by someone…

Yes, it all sucks,
Like a vacuum cleaner.
So noisy yet it’s only when it turns off that you notice it.
The whurring continues and the broad, non-specific pull begins.

The sounds of dust hitting the canister
is a literal manifestation of s#!t hitting the fan. …

It’s time
For you to breathe
A deep in, and a prolonged out
You can do it, no need to doubt

As life goes on
these times will come
For now, it’s here, but it will pass
The floor is firm, and you’re not glass

You may be falling,
and…

[1] Does writing energize or exhaust you?

Neither. It is neither tiring nor invigorating. It neither drains nor excites me. It’s ordinary and expected. Writing for me is reliable and trusted. It’s good for me — like taking walks or staying hydrated. It is part of me in such a way that when I stay away too…

A poem

A facial expression is all I need to know how your day went. I see the excitement of a promotion or the weariness of a rude coworker before you speak. …