Shoes Untied

Fast, Slow. Black, White. Hot, Cold. These are opposites, but opposites aren’t isolated. Opposites fuse into a balanced, sustained force. This is true for Radioisotope Power Systems (RPS) and for me. RPS uses thermocouples that harness heat from the unstable atom Pu-238. This heats one side of the thermocouple, while, in contrast, cold space cools the other side. This process creates a long term power source ideal for deep space exploration. One mission using RPS that inspires me is the Mars Perseverance rover. Perseverance analyzes rocks for biosignatures. Like RPS, I’m fueled by opposites with my ADHD superpowers. I’m gifted with endless energy and keen observation skills but can get distracted because I notice everything at once. Positively, I spot fine details quickly and hyper-focus for long durations. These skills make me a fantastic fossil hunter! Sometimes in my exuberance I struggle with “easy” stuff like staying in my seat, cleaning my desk, or tying my shoelaces, but walking with flapping shoelaces builds agility! My life goal is to explore Mars to search for stromatolites. To achieve this, I will embrace my interconnected ADHD superpowers. And guess what? I won’t need to tie my shoes on Mars, I’ll wear boots!