I feel like during graduate school I was somewhat like the author, but this line really is the answer to this: > Rajeev, I believe, just liked doing the math.

I feel like during graduate school I was somewhat like the author, but this line really is the answer to this: > Rajeev, I believe, just liked doing the math. The thing was a puzzle he could solve, so he solved it. For him that was enough. I started my grad school career also wanting to go into particle theory, I ended up doing plasma physics honestly because it was the opportunity I could find. I didn't really dislike math or theory or anything. I also sort of wanted to chase the grail or whatever, although I moved on after being disillusioned by HEP in general because of some of the things the author mentioned. That said, I think it wasn't until my the first year out of grad school in first post-doc (probably current, even though the grant names have changed it's the same group even though it's been a few years) that I realized no, I love doing, that is, the actual doing. I love getting on a computer, running simulations, writing code, analyzing data, closing my eyes and imagining electrons in a plasma. I mean I care about the "grail" which I'd assume would be fusion ultimately, and understanding some of the plasma physics more immediately, but the reason I'm in it isn't really the problem, I love the work itself. I think it's valuable to be chase after lofty goals and such but really doing science, with all its warts (which are legion), you have to enjoy actually doing the work, whether it's in the lab, doing calculations, or running simulations like myself. Money and stability is another issue, but if I could get paid to do this with no hicups, I would literally stay here my entire life.