It was my senior year of college and I hadn't even stepped foot into the science building. The brown and beige linoleum led the way to what would be the first day of of fulfilling a mandatory science class. I loved my liberal arts college, but when it came to taking a classes ending with the letter Y (chemistrY, biologY, astronomY), I wanted to wave my index finger and be all, Ummm, I don't think so. And, really, the science building smelled funny. Like, chemicals, fossils, and smart kids. I missed business classes in Hoover Hall that smelled like finance, dusty chairs, and lacrosse.

In order to graduate I had to register for a science class, so when I came across In Search of Extraterrestrial Life taught by Dr. Glen Piner, I begrudgingly signed up. Afterall, it was the only science class that didn't end with a Y. On the first day of school, Dr. Piner showed up in loose cargo shorts, wearing socks with his sandals, and a t-shirt with the solar system emblazed on the front. His gold-rimmed glasses complimented his feathered hair, and as he paced the length of the room, I couldn't help but think Farrah Fawcet would be proud of his blond locks.

I started class determined to hate science, but as the semester progressed, Dr. Piner won my heart. I found myself excited to take notes and tried very hard to earn the highest marks in the class. He was one of the best professors I had in college and I realized it wasn't what he taught that I loved, it was how passionate he was about his studies. His students wanted to do well, merely as a byproduct of his love for science.

Yesterday I received an email from a blog reader and it made my day. She's not a photographer, but she reads this blog (including the technical and FAQ posts) because…well, to be honest, I don't know why she does. She reads this blog–maybe–the same reason I studied my science books….because she sees someone following their passion. Or maybe she thinks I have nice hair.

To the readers who follow this blog for the sake of following this blog, thank you. I'm absolutely in love with what I do and if I owned a t-shirt comprised of cameras and lenses, I'd proudly wear it. But I'd pass on the socks with sandals part.