The human brain is the universe’s most implausible science experiment.

Some people enjoyed these wild swings. They crested and troughed, thrilled and wallowed, and came out strangely purified. I probably would have to fire Staci for her sensitivity, her excess. After all, she might go on like this her whole life. Or maybe, with all her yawning lows and staggering highs, she’d finally just get worn down. Maybe.

Old man comes across a frog one day. Frog says, “Kiss me, and I’ll turn into a beautiful princess.” Old man picks up it up, puts it in his pocket. Frog says, “Hey, didn’t you hear me?” Old man says, “Sure did. But at my age, I’d rather have a talking frog.

You all probably think I'm a real dragon." She was weighing her answer carefully."Go ahead," I said. "I can take it.""We give you the doubt benefit. Always doubt benefit. Not easy to be the boss."It took a moment to untangle the idiom, and then I liked it too much to correct her.

Reliability," I said. That's what this lab needs. More importantly" -- she wasn't the only one who could play on feelings-- "that's what the dogs need. Someone who steps up every day. Ask yourself if that's you. If it isn't, maybe it's time to start--

Me, I'm hanging back, working the camcorder, videoing it all. For some reason, it helps. Maybe I'm like the observer, not the participant?""Interesting." Sherman makes a note of this, as if it were useful advice: You could self-treat by carrying a goddamn camcorder around for the rest of your life.

The human brain is the universe's most implausible science experiment.

She wanted to ask my advice but left without saying about what. Maybe she was reconsidering vet school. She'd finally gotten a sense of her limitations and wanted to pursue something realistic. Maybe she was going to quit and wanted a reference.

We should at least /talk/ about it. You're mad at me. Admit it. It was completely my fault we were even there."But I didn't blame him for his curiosity. I'd been curious too. And it wasn't up to him to know my limits, especially when I'd been testing them myself.

Your whole deal sounds kind of hard.""Well, I guess you just keep pulling.