Happy Birthday to my Wicked Smahhht nephew! By Ashley
Happy birthday to my nephew, Jake! Jake is one of the most intelligent people I know. He just graduated summa cum laude and received the award for the best academic and all-around student in the Marine Biology department at UNCW. He will be presenting his research at a conference in Seattle in January. And if that’s not enough, after he works for a year in the UNCW marine biology lab as a lab technician/manager, he will dive right into his doctoral program (wherever that may be). As they like to say in Boston, the kid is wicked smahhtt!! When you talk to Jake, it’s like getting a cool science TedTalk.
It’s probably not surprising that his favorite color is navy blue (like the ocean), and the places he would most like to visit have majorly cool ocean life. Ready or not, Australia, Thailand, and South Korea, Jake’s coming for you one day, and it’s gonna be epic!
His favorite animal also hails from the deep blue and, like Jake, is very smahhtt. While he does like the octopus for their intellect, he says, “I think what I like more about them is the mysteries that still surround them. For example, while octopuses are masters at camouflage, they do not have the ability to perceive color. How they manage to match colors perfectly without being able to perceive them is still not fully understood and is still trying to be deciphered. Their problem-solving and learning capabilities are also puzzling when you realize how short their lives are (most only live 2-3 years) and that they are solitary creatures. Despite their solitary nature, they are able to learn from other octopuses by watching them complete a task. Why they would be able to do this despite being solitary is also not understood. They are enigmas that fascinate me!”
When Jake is not researching, studying, or “giving Ted Talks,” he likes to play video games such as Smite and Stray. He may also be found watching the latest season of Dr. Who. With all the studying he has had during its run, he hasn’t had much time for it. My advice to Jake is to get some Mexican or Thai takeout, plop down on the sofa, and binge a few episodes. You deserve it!
When asked about what the word love means, he jokingly said, can I give the Doctor Who answer? (For all the non-Whovians, that answer is: love is a promise.) He then went on to say: Love is a nuanced concept, both innate and uncontrollable. Love also has to be earned. The chances of it are infinitesimal. It is the brain firing in just the right way when it’s supposed to.
My birthday wish for Jake is for him to keep reaching beyond his dreams and living his passions! I am so excited to see what this great big beautiful world holds for him and what discoveries he makes! Keep doing great things, Jake! We are all very proud of you!
